With thousands of clients served, hundreds of millions recovered, and countless 5-star reviews, it’s easy to overlook the individual stories that reflect why we do what we do. In striving to make a positive impact in the life of anyone who enlists our help, we’ve had the great fortune of meeting and assisting a lot of amazing people.
Here are client stories and testimonials from a few people our firm has had the pleasure of representing:
Steven Snoland
Collision with a Car that Failed to Yield
In November of 2018, Steven Snoland was traveling northbound on 1st Avenue in Seattle, Washington when he struck the side of a vehicle that failed to yield at a stop sign. The force of the impact caused injuries to Steven’s back, neck, hips, and legs. His resulting medical expenses totaled $30,000.
Prior to the collision, Steven was a carpenter and enjoyed regular exercise like hiking and biking. As a result of the injuries, Steven now suffered from numbness in his legs, loss of sleep, and anxiety while driving. He had difficulty sitting, walking, or driving for extended periods of time without experiencing immense pain.
Due to the collision, Steven was unable to return to work as a carpenter and subsequently lost his job.
Finding the Right Firm
After realizing he’d need someone fighting on his behalf, Steven hired a well-known Seattle personal injury firm. Unhappy with the way he was being treated and the lack of communication regarding his case, Steven ultimately decided to switch firms and enlist The Advocates.
A Long Fight for Fair Compensation
Because of the massive and irreparable impact the accident had on his life, Steven rejected the initial offer from the insurance company and decided to pursue litigation.
With the help of The Advocates’ litigation team, a final demand of $750,000 was issued and ultimately rejected by the insurance company. The insurance company said the case would have to be tried, and a date was set for late November of 2022.
Just weeks before trial, following a slew of successful motions from his attorney and The Advocates’ team, Farmers Insurance returned with a $1,000,000 offer. Steven accepted the offer and was finally able to resolve his claim nearly four years after the accident occurred.
Thanks to his personal bravery in forgoing a lowball offer, as well as the persistence of The Advocates team, Steven received far more money than the insurance company was initially willing to give for his severe and life altering injuries.
Al Tuley
Rear Ended While Going Through a Car Wash
In March of 2022, Al Tuley was going through the Brown Bear Car Wash in Issaquah, Washington when another customer failed to place their vehicle in neutral and rear ended him. The force of the impact caused left shoulder, neck, and back injuries as well as head pain. Al’s total medical bills exceeded $10,000.
Above and beyond the medical bills, Al was suffering significant difficulties in completing daily chores, constantly having to schedule around various medical appointments, and unable to follow through with a major international trip that had been planned prior to the accident.
After retaining our services, The Advocates requested that Farmers Insurance Company provide Al with the full policy limits of their insured, at-fault party.
Fighting for Appropriate Compensation
Following a low final offer, Al decided to move into litigation.
With the help of multiple attorneys in the firm, Al was ultimately able to resolve his claim prior to deposition and without going to trial. The insurance company increased their offer, providing Al with a sum he felt fairly compensated him for the injuries and medical bills he’d sustained.
Al has been kind enough to publicly share his positive experience with our firm, saying, “I was quite pleased with the service provided. My team was attentive, and they did exactly what they said they were going to do for me. I think the most important thing about the Advocates there was no letdown in service between one person and another. Everyone functioned as one team.
I have no reservation in recommending the Advocates, I am truly grateful.”
Daniele Tavenner
Hostile Work Environment at the Department of Corrections
Daniele Tavenner was employed as a corrections officer at Airway Heights Corrections Center in 2019. While undergoing training, one of her supervisors called her into his office and offered her “protection” from male staff members and inmates in exchange for sex.
Daniele reported the offer, along with other inappropriate comments, to human resources and asked to ensure interaction with the offending supervisor could be avoided in the future.
Her request was shot down and she resigned the next day.
Trying to Hold the DOC Accountable
Following her resignation, Daniele consulted with an attorney from The Advocates. With representation from John Harper and Stefanie Collins, she filed a lawsuit against the Department of Corrections.
Spokane Jury Awards $175,000
Following a 6-day trial and less than a day of deliberation, the jury found there was indeed a hostile work environment and awarded Daniele $175,000.
Although Daniele says she’s ready to move on with her life, she hopes the verdict will help bring change to the Department of Corrections.
In a story that ran in the Spokesman-Review following the verdict, Daniele commented, “Hopefully, it says that things need to change there. That people shouldn’t be put in these positions, and that when allegations are made, they need to be taken more seriously.”
Arnold “AJ” MacEachern
Two Accidents, Two Years Apart
After being rear ended in 2017, AJ suffered from neck, back, and hip pain. He enlisted The Advocates to assist with recovering medical expenses along with general damages resulting from the negative impact the injuries had on his life.
The firm secured a favorable settlement and AJ was able to move on.
In 2019, AJ was once again rear ended while stopped at a red light, this time suffering injuries to his back, neck, and right arm. In addition to the injuries, AJ was experiencing headaches and loss of sleep.
Placing Trust in The Advocates
No one wants to be a repeat client with a personal injury firm, but knowing the team had treated him well in the past, AJ once again enlisted the help of The Advocates.
Because there was no significant damage to his vehicle, the insurance company made every attempt to minimize the impact the accident had on AJ’s life and avoid offering fair compensation. The insurance company continued to push an offer of $24,000, with AJ and his attorney expecting significantly more to make things right.
Trial Prep Forces Resolution
Just days before trial was set to begin, the insurance company came back with an offer of $45,500, which AJ accepted. The willingness to aggressively fight for a favorable outcome allowed him to ultimately resolve his case for nearly double what was previously on the table.
As is frequently the case, the insurance company failed to provide a reasonable offer until it was clear the firm and the client were not going to back down.
Elshan Karimov
Backed Into by Vehicle While Stopped
In August of 2018, Elshan was stopped on 4th Avenue in Seattle when another driver reversed their vehicle and backed into him. As a result of the collision, Elshan suffered from head, neck, and back pain.
At the time of the accident, Elshan was working 40-60 hours each week as a driver for LYFT. As a result of the collision, he was no longer able to sit for extended periods of time and could not maintain his previous driving schedule.
A Friend in The Advocates
Elshan enlisted Jamal Amirzade of The Advocates for help getting fair compensation and reimbursement for his injuries.
Because the damage to his vehicle was minimal, the claims department questioned whether Elshan “could have reasonably sustained the injuries described,” and rejected the claim. With over $7,000 in medical bills accumulated during three months of treatment, The Advocates continued to push for a reasonable offer.
Vindication and Compensation
Nearly 16 months after the accident occurred, Elshan was finally provided a fair offer for the injuries he’d sustained in the collision. Although the settlement was a relatively small sum, it provided coverage for the medical bills he’d accumulated, and wages lost following the accident.
Elshan’s case serves as a reminder that not all settlements are life changing sums of money, but each of them should provide adequate and fair compensation for any injuries sustained. Without the help of Jamal and The Advocates, it’s possible his claim would have remained rejected and he would have been on the hook for the medical bills necessary to get back in good health.
