Washington Supreme Court: Ambulance Companies Are Not Immune from Liability for Negligent Driving
When we call an ambulance, we are trusting emergency medical professionals at a moment when we may be at our most vulnerable. Washington law gives EMTs important legal protections when they are making medical decisions and providing emergency care. But do those protections also apply to negligent driving?
The...
A Big Win for Patient Confidentiality and Medical Malpractice Plaintiffs
Imagine something goes wrong during your surgery. Imagine suing the hospital that injured you. Now imagine learning that, for years, the hospital's lawyers and risk managers were quietly talking with your own doctors about your case, more than 400 times, without telling you. That is what happened to Michael Snyder. On October...
Washington Government Injury Claims: Notice Requirements, Deadlines, and Common Mistakes
One procedural misstep can eliminate your ability to recover...
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.
Life After a Catastrophic Medical Error: Understanding Long-Term Needs and Rights in Washington
Hospital Fall Prevention: What Patients and Families Should Know
Patient falls in hospitals have been recognized as a major patient safety issue for many years.
In 2005, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations added reducing the risk of patient falls to its list of National Patient Safety Goals.
In 2013, the Agency...
Amputation Injuries: Understanding Your Legal Options in Seattle
Losing a limb is one of the most traumatic injuries a person can face. The physical recovery alone is extensive, but the emotional and financial impact can last a lifetime. If your amputation injury was caused by someone else’s actions—or inaction—you may be entitled to financial compensation. At Stritmatter Law, we help...
The Importance of Expert Witnesses in Catastrophic Injury Cases
Catastrophic injuries turn lives upside down. They often leave people with long-term medical needs, emotional trauma, and financial stress that doesn’t go away after a few weeks or months. These are not your average injury claims. They require more evidence, a more strategic approach, and additional support to prove.
Ray Kahler & Melanie Nguyen in Trial News: Grays Harbor County Jury Finds Negligence, Failure to Provide Informed Consent in Peyronie’s Disease Trial
In a recent feature for Trial News, Stritmatter Law attorneys Ray Kahler and Melanie Nguyen share the story of a complex medical negligence case involving Peyronie’s Disease. The eight-day trial resulted in a $1.575 million verdict after a jury found that the defendant urologist was both negligent and failed...
Navigating the Challenges of TBI Recovery
Almost nothing can change a person's life like a traumatic brain injury. These significant injuries can cause physical disability, behavioral and cognitive changes, learning problems, and developmental delays. Often, TBI recovery can be a long, expensive, and complicated process as patients re-learn the basics and come to understand how to cope...