Seattle to Review Roadway Safety to Avoid Pedestrian Accidents
Seattle City Councilmember Rob Saka, chair of the STEPS Committee (Safety, Transportation, Engineering Project, Sports & Experiences), recently called for an independent audit of Seattle’s traffic safety practices to determine if the City is taking effective measures to improve safety and avoid pedestrian accidents. The purpose of the STEPS Committee is to...
How Class Actions Work in Washington State
If your losses aren't large enough to justify a lawsuit on your own, a class action may be the answer. Class actions in Washington allow a group of people harmed in similar ways to bring one lawsuit against a defendant and pursue their claims together. Instead of filing individual claims, individuals are...
Spokane Journal of Business Features Stritmatter Law Joining Forces with Layman Law
The Spokane Journal of Business published a story on March 26 about Stritmatter Law and Layman Law joining forces as top Spokane personal injury lawyers. Karina Elias interviewed Andrew Ackley and John Layman about the history of the firms and their combined resources to represent personal injury victims across...
Flight 8646 Crash: 1 Year To Make Claims
Air Canada Express regional jet operated by Jazz Aviation as Flight 8646 crashed into a Port Authority fire truck crossing the runway at LaGuardia Airport in New York City on Sunday, March 22, 2026 while landing. The aircraft was a Bombardier CRJ 900. It was an international flight, having taken off from...
Lawsuits Filed Against Washington Counties for Decades of Child Sexual Abuse in Juvenile Detention
SEATTLE, WA — Stritmatter Law has filed two separate civil lawsuits against Benton-Franklin County and Grays Harbor County on behalf of nine survivors who were allegedly sexually abused as minors while detained in county-operated juvenile detention facilities. The plaintiffs—now adults—allege that detention officers used their positions of authority to groom, coerce,...
What Beard v. Everett Clinic Means for Washington Medical Malpractice Cases
A recent decision from the Washington Supreme Court, Beard v. Everett Clinic, PLLC, is one every medical malpractice lawyer in Washington should understand. While the opinion focuses on a jury instruction, its real impact is on how we frame and prove negligence at trial.
When Evidence “Disappears”: How Spoliation Can Affect Your Personal Injury Case
Most people have heard the phrase “don’t destroy evidence.” But what happens when a person, company, or government agency destroys evidence that could have helped prove your case?
This is called “spoliation.” Courts take spoliation seriously, and depending on the circumstances, the legal consequences for the party that destroyed...
Andrew Ackley Quoted in Law360 on Amazon Liability Ruling
Stritmatter Law attorney Andrew Ackley was recently quoted in the Law360 article “Amazon Ruling May Shift E-Commerce Litigation, Attys Say,” written by Rachel Riley, discussing the Washington Supreme Court’s decision in Scott v. Amazon.com, Inc.
In a unanimous ruling, the Court reinstated negligence claims against Amazon involving the...
Mandatory Arrests in Washington State: Understanding Domestic Violence Laws
Washington’s Domestic Violence Protection Act takes domestic violence seriously. The laws are meant to protect victims and ensure accountability. There are circumstances where enforcement must make an arrest in domestic violence cases. This blog explores the...
Washington’s Consumer Protection Act: What You Should Know
Washington’s Consumer Protection Act (often called the “CPA”) is designed to protect people from unfair or deceptive business practices.
Unlike many laws that focus on disputes between two individuals or companies, the CPA is concerned with the public interest. That means it is meant to stop business practices that...