Schwebel Goetz & Sieben

I am very very fortunate to be alive. Bill Siebens, my attorney, shared a story on the eve of winning my case. Another woman a year before had an identical accident… And today is a quadriplegic …
I am also blessed to have a husband in the same industry– a (securities) attorney. It is crucial to research thoroughly and find the BEST qualified and experienced attorney possible. medical malpractice I quickly appreciated is grueling. It takes years to build medical knowledge, expertise in analyzing thousands of pages of mundane medical reports and deciphering Impt usable facts to enforce your case. More Impt it takes a gut instinct and years of cases to appreciate what facts /​details of yr medical reports history will negatively impact the success or demise in winning yr case.
And heaven forbid your accident occurs in your own medical institition’s garage elevator (being repaired). Suddenly sadly doctors address your pain/​accident with an invisible attorney standing behind them. It took this «group» 6 months post accident to MRI analyze my damaged neck. This is a reality. So I sought 90% of my post accident care in a different medical institution far away.
I worked over 20 years in market research. Strategic planning etc. My family is involved in science research medicine. But nothing prepared me for the HUGE maze of vaguely written medical reports following an exam/​appt– many written by doctors as vaguely as possible and stressing «pre-​existing» conditions. Thus, after your accident it makes it extremely difficult for a GOOD attorney to clearly identify the accident and the definite destruction upon specific parts of your body as NEW — post accident. So after your accident seek the BEST quality medical care. And make sure the doctors write accurate thorough reports on yr condition, in detail. They will ALL be nervous about litigation. It takes a rare old fashioned doctor who can rise above the stress worry of litigation, and instead focus on getting you well and pain free. FIND him, her! Physical therapy from a TOP therapist is crucial to your successful thorough recovery. Work very very hard .
Bill Siebens was amazing to quietly «observe from above in the conference room», like a bird on a wall. Extremely polite, gracious, quietly calm commanding respect with his more laid back pensive demeanor, he has a genuine presence and speaks carefully never aggressively. He utilizes his gut instincts in determining the overall situation and trusts them. Direct, quietly firm with definite opinions based upon years of experience. All his recommendations, presented slowly calmly made sense after careful non pressured thought. No BS from him either. No smooth salesmanship. Just calm facts presented with respect. Sensitivity politeness .
The biggest test is how well your attorney prepares you for the deposition: where the attorney representing the group you are suing sits in front of you in a conference room and questions you for several hours. All spoken words are meticulously typed by a stenographer. I was scared to DEATH. But after going through this 3 hour exercise I can state that bill really prepared me very very well. Be sure to get lots of sleep. RELAX, breathe. And remember exactly what your lawyers advises. Most Impt– JUST answer ONLY what is asked simply directly honestly, nothing more. Very hard to not chatter on when nervous!!!
Last please note that «windfall» awards happen very very rarely and only for catastrophic cases. Mine was not catastrophic thank goodness. Whatever is awarded has to then (1) pay your attorney (2) pay your medical bills related to the accident — here a good attorney will strive to negotiate a reduction (3) and then there is not much left. Reality. But I am glad this institution and elevator company will be more careful. If an older less well exercised individual had my accident, they would have died. It too three long years. But I am very glad this will not happen again to ANYONE else.
I was so VERY lucky to have my case accepted by Bill Siebens.
Good luck, do that physical therapy everyday no matter what. It works.