Man Of Steel

He reminded me of Patrick Swayze in his healthier days. He had that air and attitude about him. Still, his cheeks were thin, there were dark circles under his eyes, he was clearly in pain as I watched him limp as he carried his cup of coffee from the cash register to the table at Starbucks where I was waiting -- a mobile warrior's second office.

Some people will not let an investigator in their house.
Even though the attorneys prefer the investigator meet clients or potential clients at their homes, to better size up the situation... there are some places that house people with dirty dishes.... or dirty secrets.
The Starbucks I met him in today was 1/2 mile from a 4 mile dirt road that led to his place.
It was his suggestions to meet at Starbucks.

I'd been out to that town years earlier.
It was 81 miles door to door, one way. I remembered it as lonely stretches of forest and mountain highway.
Now as I passed through the area... poof!.. it was civilized. There were stores, gas stations and a shopping center complete with a Starbucks on the corner. It was so new it wasn't on my GPS yet.

Steve (a pseudonym) was nervous when we met and told me so. He hired another attorney the day after the accident happened. Steve was on heavy meds.
Now the attorney would not return his calls or assist him in any way.
The accident happened in July, yet nothing had been done. No property damage settlement or repair, no discussion of medical bills and how they get paid.

Steve had been a Steel Worker, union member for 15 years. Unable to work as a result of this accident.... and no longer able to qualify for unemployment benefits due to his injuries... he lost his home, is living in a borrowed trailer, and had to apply for food stamps.

Steve, was s riding his beloved Harley at the time of the hit.
(An observation: -- to every man,the Harly is beloved.)

He was in traffic that slowed for a traffic flagger. Steve slowed to about 5 mph when his motorcyle was rear-ended by a Large SUV going 50 mph.

Somehow Steve managed to hold onto his Harley handgrips, despite the fact the impact knocked him from the passenger seat forward to the gas tak which he straddled.
Very long story short, the act of holding onto to the handlebars and trying to keep the bike upright and from hitting an oncoming car, caused Steve's right shoulder blade to break. And the initial hit, combined with the bike's movements, caused two hernia s near Steve's navel that will be surgically removed in 5 days. Steve also blew two discs in his lower back.

Thus his anxiety.
His currenty attorney was doing nothing for him.
Fortunately, a friend of Steve's referred him to the attorney who called me and I knew that attorney could help.
I had a paper with me called "A Substitution of Counsel." That's how people inWashington state fire one attorney and hire another.

I asked 37 year old Steven questions about his case.
I reviewed the police report.
Liability was clear. The DEF driver was cited, apologized on scene, his insurance company accepted liability.

I asked him about prior injuries, accidents, or pre-existing conditions.
And that, dear reader, is the point of this blog.
Because tonight I met a human being who lived through all this:

• He was stabbed four times in the back and once in the chest by a group of Gang bangers who didn't like him..
• He fell 40 feet from a tree while running a tree trimming business when younger.
• He had a steel plate and six screws in his right hand when it got crushed by steel.
• He had a twisted instenstine and that required surgery.
• He has a broken neck once, he said, "also from a tree fall."
• He waas truck by lightening in his right foot.
• His father was killed three months earlier.
  

Steve said he was in two car wrecks before this motorcycle accident.

• One happened five years ago. He was parked and hit head on by a drunk driver.
• In the second accident, he was thrown from the passenger seat of a convertible that flipped when the driver lost control
  
• he had no attorney for either of these.

He hired an attorney for his motorcycle accident when it happened in July and told me he made a terrible mistake.
He picked the wrong attorney.
The attorney never returned his calls except one time since July and said,
" It's not my fault you don't have money in the bank to live on. I can't be responsible for your poor financial planning."
Steve admitted he said a few choice four letter words to that attorney and hung up on him.
I told him I might have done the same.

Long story short, Steve became a client of the attorney who sent me out to see him today. I shook his hand and thanked him for his trust. Then, when I assured him his new attorney had his back and would treat him with dignity and respect.... his eyes welled up.

It felt good finishing his file by the time the ferry landed tonight. By tomorrow afternoon it will be in the good attorneys hands. And soon, Steve will have a settlement for his bike.
Most important, however, is that Steve can go into surgery with one objective in mind -- healing.

And the attorney will fight the good fight for him.
As only the good ones do.