Whoever said, “you can’t squeeze blood from a stone,” was quite correct. The idiom applies in many situations, including when a person suffers injury during an assault or other violent crime. The individual who hurt you likely has few assets and cannot or will not pay...
Victims of Violent Crime
Why is it a risk to let people out on parole?
Those who have been convicted of crimes are sometimes able to get parole. Rather than having to stay behind bars, the individual is allowed to have some element of freedom, although this is supervised and they are monitored. For instance, they have to meet with a...
Robbed and injured at the ATM?
You’re minding your own business and waiting in line to use the ATM. When it’s your turn, you insert your card and enter your pin. You take the money as it is dispensed and feel something jam into your back. The person breathing down your neck tells you not to move....
Is a business responsible for a crime on its premises?
People in Washington become the victims of crime every day, often while doing something banal like stopping at the corner store. Seeking justice can be complex. Although the crime is unquestionably the responsibility of the criminal involved, there are sometimes other...
Did inadequate parole oversight lead to your victimization?
Becoming the victim of a crime is a frightening and frustrating experience. Many people feel stressed and disempowered by criminal victimization, wondering why it happened to them. It can be downright enraging to find out that the person who attacked you, stole your...
Washington crime victims: Litigation vs state benefits, or both?
As readers of our blog know, we advocate strongly for victims injured during violent crimes. Our experience in this area of the law ensures that we understand what crime victims are going through. For example, we know that victims must deal with their physical...
What is a robbery gone wrong?
You sometimes see stories about individuals who have been injured or even killed in a so-called “robbery gone wrong.” This may seem like a strange term since the idea of having your home or business robbed at all seems very wrong. What does the term denote? ...
Is a lawsuit after a criminal conviction double jeopardy?
Numerous federal laws help protect those accused of crimes from unfair persecution and prosecution. Among those rights is freedom from double jeopardy or repeated prosecution for the same event. The thought process behind this concept is that those accused of a...
Seattle murder suspect arrested, victim’s parents seeking justice
Midway through 2020, the nation was in the throes of racially motivated chaos. In Seattle at that time, the Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP) was in full swing. A man was shot and killed during these protests in the Seattle CHOP zone, but his shooter was only...
Is trauma after a violent criminal act reason to file a lawsuit?
An assault, armed robbery or similar violent offense can cause many negative consequences for the victim. There may be medical costs if someone needs treatment afterward, as well as the cost to repair or replace property damaged or stolen during the crime. In addition...