Tacoma Personal Injury Lawyer - Medical Malpractice

Court Records Being Opened in King County

Ryan Nute — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 12:57:37 GMT

As you may know from Sunday's Seattle Times article, a "new day" has dawned in the King County Superior Court system. Now litigants will find it much more challenging to seal their court records without due regard for the public's interest in access to such records.

The Seattle Times hired the local firm Davis Wright Tremaine to challenge orders in several cases closing off court records to public inspection. These included medical malpractice cases, negligence claims against the State and a legal malpractice claim against a sitting judge.

It is not uncommon for clients to ask their attorneys to seek to have their court files sealed. It appears that attorneys will have their work cut out for them in light of enforcement of a more rigorous standard.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Ryan Nute

Increasing Concern Over Sealed Files

Ryan Nute — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 09:33:02 GMT

As you may know, the Seattle Times has been investigating a number of instances where it claims judges improperly sealed files in a number of medical malpractice and other court cases.

There is often tension between litigants' desire to keep court records out of the public eye and the fact that our court system is the "third branch" of government whose records are public. Plaintiffs often face pressure from defendants to agree to sealed court files and not to discuss the case with the media or anyone else not involved in the litigation. It will be interesting to see if and how medical malpractice and other personal injury cases will be affected by increased public access to court records.

Read More: Ken Armstrong, Justin Mayo and Steve Miletich, The Seattle Times

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Ryan Nute

Unusual Medical Malpractice Settlement Revealed

Staff Writer — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 08:35:15 GMT

The court file for an unusual medical malpractice lawsuit involving hereditary cancer was unsealed recently, revealing a $1.6 million settlement in 2001. The case involved the family of a University of Washington nurse who died of ovarian cancer, leaving behind a husband and daughter.

The medical malpractice lawsuit said that doctors should have warned the woman that her ovaries should be removed due to her high risk of ovarian cancer. This case is especially noteworthy because it may be the first to give doctors responsiblity for attempting to prevent hereditary diseases.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Staff Writer