Minami Tamaki LLP Senior Associate Seema Bhatt and Associate Ember Oparowski demonstrated exceptional legal acumen in securing a $925,000 settlement for our client who suffered a crush injury to her foot at a department store in Petaluma.

The case presented significant challenges: there were no eyewitnesses and the defense strongly contested the circumstances of the incident as well as the extent of injuries.

Undeterred, our team employed a strategic approach. Despite the initial lack of evidence, we uncovered crucial information by conducting a thorough investigation. We found former employees who revealed the décor item that caused the injury was improperly placed in violation of store policy and created a falling hazard when jostled by customers, which is what we believe happened to our client.

We also enlisted the expertise of seven medical specialists to meet the defense's claim that our client had no objective injury. An EMG (nerve) test conducted by a renowned doctor revealed nerve damage in the client's foot. Furthermore, our vocational rehabilitation and functional capacity experts provided compelling evidence that our client's injury significantly impacted her ability to re-enter the workforce, even at a desk job.

Our thorough and multifaceted approach culminated in a $925,000 settlement two weeks before the trial. This outcome vindicates our client's claim and underscores our firm's dedication to uncovering the truth and advocating for our clients in even the most challenging cases.