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Category: Personal Injury

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  1. Do not call an attorney when you are drunk or stoned.
  2. Have all the relevant information available when you speak to the attorney.
    1. If it’s a workers compensation case: date of injury, whether a controversion was filed, date of controversion, medical history for treatment of the injury.
    2. If it’s a personal injury claim, date of accident, if police were called, was anyone cited and medical history for treatment of the injury.
  3. Do not argue with the attorney who answers the phone.  The attorney will conclude that you will not be a cooperative client and the attorney will not accept your case.
  4. Provide ALL the information requested by an attorney.  If there is something missing from the file, an experienced attorney will notice it and may assume that you are intentionally withholding information.
  5. Tell the truth.  Attorneys can deal with most things, if they know about them beforehand.

The Law Office of Keenan Powell provides free consultations regardless of whether or not you have been controverted.   To contact Keenan Powell, use the contact form on www.keenanpowell.com or call 258-7663.

 

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SettersphotoWhen I accept a personal injury case, I collect all of the medical records, police reports and other documentation to prove my client's claim. Then I sit down with my client and evaluate the claim taking into consideration the disruption it has had in their lives and jury verdicts for similar injuries.

Then, and only then, with the express agreement of my client, I extend a settlement offer.  Settling without filing suit is always preferable, if possible, because it maximizes the amount of money that reaches the client and the funds reach the client 1-2 years sooner than if suit is filed.

Then, and only then, if the client agrees to a counter offer from the insurance company, we settle the claim.  If the client does not accept the counter offer, that is when the client, and only the client, will decide if he or she wants to file suit.

For more information about my practice, see:  http://www.keenanpowell.com/settlements_pi.html.

If you have any questions regarding your personal injury case, please call.    To contact me, use the contact form on this page or call 258-7663. ALL CONSULTATIONS ARE FREE.

 

 

 

 

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gavel-booksWhether your case is personal injury or workers compensation, all consultations are free at the Law Office of Keenan Powell.  The reason consultations are free is because injured Alaskans need to know what their rights are as soon as possible.  They need to know what to expect.  They need to know if they're being treated fairly.

Keenan Powell has practiced Personal Injury and Workers Compensation law in the State of Alaska for more than 30 years and has dedicated her practice to Workers Compensation representing injured Alaskans.

All consultations are free.  If you want to set up a meeting, use the contact form on www.keenanpowell.com or call:  907 258 7663.

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bigstock-Silhouette-1113353The Alaska legislature passed a body of laws named the Alaska Workers Compensation Act upon statehood, which has been modified from time to time.  The purpose of the Act is to provide the "quick, efficient, fair and predictable" delivery of benefits to the injured workers at a reasonable cost to the employers. AS 23.30.001.  Workers Compensation claims differ from a personal injury insomuch as in Workers Compensation, the injured worker does not have to prove that someone was negligent and caused his or her injuries.  In fact, an injured worker can draw benefits even if he caused the injuries to himself.

Workers Compensation and personal injury differ also in what kind of benefits you can obtain.  In personal injury cases, you are entitled to lost wages (calculated at your net), past and future medical costs, and past and future pain and suffering.  In Workers Compensation, you don't receive compensation for pain and suffering. Ever.  But you do receive compensation for you lost wages (calculated according to tables on the Alaska Workers' Compensation Board website), medical benefits for as long as you need them which are reasonable and necessary to treat your injury (which sometimes may be for the rest of your life), possibly a permanent partial impairment rating and possibly retraining benefits.

If you are injured at work as the result of someone else's negligence, you may be able to draw both Workers Compensation benefits and pursue a personal injury claim.  You cannot pursue a personal injury claim against your employer or any co-workers but you can pursue the claim against persons who caused your injury who are not your employers or co-workers.  This is frequently the case if you are involved in a motor vehicle accident while working.

The Law Office of Keenan Powell provides free consultations for Workers Compensation claims regardless of whether or not you have been controverted.  Consultations for personal injury cases are free as well.  To contact Keenan Powell, use the contact form on this page or call 258-7663.

For more information about Workers Compensation, see: http://www.keenanpowell.com/faq-wc.html.

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Can you pursue a personal injury claim when you get hurt at work?  The answer is: sometimes.

As a general rule, you do not have a personal injury claim against your employer or a co-worker.   Nor do you have a choice as to whether to pursue a personal injury claim instead of a workers compensation claim.  The Alaska Legislature passed a law taking that right away from you.  It's reasoning is that it's better for everyone, the employees and employers alike, to provide workers compensation rights instead of personal injury rights.  Its better for the employee because you can collect benefits even if the injury is your fault, even if you can't prove how the injury happened, even if no one was negligent.  In all those circumstances, you would lose a personal injury claim.  Workers Compensation is also better for the employee because the process is much faster and dependable.  It's better for the employer because he will have insurance to cover the employee's benefits and because he knows he won't be hit with a huge verdict that could bankrupt him and put him out of the business.

But that is just the general rule.  There are many exceptions.  One common exception is if you are in a car accident that is someone else's fault and that someone is not a co-employee.  In that case you can collect workers compensation AND pursue a personal injury claim.

You have the same rights if you were injured on someone else's premises (not owned by your employer), such as slipping and falling on ice.  Even if you slipped at fell at your workplace, if someone other than your employer owns the building, then you can collect workers compensation AND pursue a personal injury claim.

If you have any questions regarding your case, the Law Office of Keenan Powell provides free consultations regardless of whether or not you have been controverted.   To contact Keenan Powell, use the contact form on this page or call 258-7663.

For more information about Workers Compensation, see:  http://www.keenanpowell.com/faq‑wc.html.

 

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gavel-booksFor many years, I have been proud of my role as a trial attorney in making a difference in people's lives.  I have helped people overcome tragedy and I have helped people begin new lives.  I have helped people obtain the medical care that they need and money to pay their bills when someone harmed them.  I have held the police responsible for police brutality and for injuring innocent bystanders.  I have held the State responsible for allowing children entrusted to its care to be abused and, on one occasion, murdered.  I have held a hospital responsible for its malpractice resulting in a death.  And I am not alone.

I am proud, as well, of my association with the Alaska Association of Justice and the American Association of Justice.  The Alaska Association of Justice is an organization of trial attorneys, like me, who endeavor to make a difference in people's lives.  For more information about AAJ, see: https://www.alaskajustice.org/index.cfm.

The American Association for Justice is likewise an organization of trial attorneys who endeavor to make a difference.  Some of the cases in which these attorneys have been involved include holding Firestone responsible for bad tires which resulted in its redesign, holding Jeep responsible for bad design in early Wranglers that caused them to roll, holding pharmaceutical companies responsible for selling drugs which they knew were dangerous, and holding toy manufacturers responsible for selling dangerous toys.  When you hear about a big verdict or settlement against a corporation, you can be assured that the corporation has the incentive to change its product. Time and again, products have been designed to be more safe because a manufacturer was sued by a trial lawyer.  For more information about the American Association of Justice, see: http://www.justice.org/cps/rde/xchg/justice/hs.xsl/16.htm.

Keenan Powell has more than 30 years experience representing injured Alaskans in Anchorage and the Valley. For a free consultation, fill out the contact form or call 907 258 7663.

 

 

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Television news is reporting a case of a young woman, Nancy Means, who last month sued the Municipality of Anchorage for false arrest.  It is reported that in 2011, her car broke down and a Anchorage Police officer pulled over.  He asked her name and to see her drivers license, which he is entitled to do and then he asked for her telephone  number.  She refused to give him her telephone number and was arrested for DWI although later tests proved that she didn't have any alcohol in her system.  The charges were dropped after she hired an attorney.

The municipal code, specifically AMC 08.30.020A states that it is unlawful to provide a false name, address, drivers license or date of birth or any other false information necessary to the proper issuance of a citation or complaint.  AMC 08.30.010 makes it unlawful to resist arrest by in order to resist an arrest, there must have been some other crime  committed.

Although the police routinely ask for them for their reports but it is not required by law, there is no specific language in the Municipal Code requiring a person to give their telephone numbers to the police. Given the recent history with APD, specifically the many years during which it turned a blind eye to Officer Anthony Rollins sexual harassment and assaults of women he arrested, the jury may well find the APD officer who asked an 18 year old woman for her number and then arrested her on a bogus charge of DWI was out of line.  APD has something to worry about.

Keenan Powell has more than 30 years experience representing injured Alaskans in Anchorage and the Valley. For a free consultation, fill out the contact form or call 907 258 7663.