Miscellaneous

• Embezzlement Leads to Charges and Claims

  Jane Schneider | December 17, 2007 12:51 AM | 0 CommentsAnchorage, AK

  Federal prosecutors have charged Bernadine Dee Sponaugle, 49, of Anchorage with embezzling funds from her employer, Geneva Woods Clinic. But that will do the victim no good unless there is the right kind of insurance coverage in place to pay for the loss. The right coverage and a good attorney familiar with insurance law is usually the only way to recover from such a theft. Employers should...

• Homer May Dies When Skiff Capsized

  Jane Schneider | December 05, 2007 12:53 AM | 0 CommentsAnchorage, AK

  75 year old Gene Speece of Homer lost his life Friday when his skiff capsized off Port Graham. Mike and Charles Speece were also on board. All were thrown into the icy water, but a near by charter boat pulled Mike and Charles from the water. They appeared unharmed. But the older Speece was trapped under the skiff. He was dead when a Coast Guard rescue swimmer pulled him from the water an...

• Home Fires Must Be Investigated Fast

  Mike Schneider | November 30, 2007 7:48 AM | 0 CommentsAnchorage, AK

  The Thanksgiving weekend recorded three home fires that left a total of 21 people homeless, but did not cause serious injury or death. The last of these was caused by a faulty wood stove, according to fire investigators. Whenever a home fire causes serious injury or death, it should be immediatelly investigated by an attorney working for the family, with the help of a qualified 'cause and...

• Rutted Roads Could Cause Death or Serious Injury

  Jane Schneider | November 28, 2007 12:40 AM | 0 CommentsAnchorage, AK

  Deep ruts in the Glenn Highway and other Alaska roads pose a serious threat of injury or death to drivers, but there is little available money to address the problem. If road maintenance problems are the cause of serious injury or death, it will take a very good personal injury attorney to get justice for the victim. In Alaska, even though the State has a duty to reasonably maintain roads, it...

• Head Injured ATV Driver Gets Day in Court

  Jane Schneider | November 23, 2007 12:38 AM | 0 CommentsAnchorage, AK

  Defendant Brown lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a "breakaway" light pole. It broke away, creating a hazard for other vehicles in the right of way. 90 minutes later an ATV driver came along, collided with the pole and suffered a serious head injury. The ATV driver, Winschel, sued Brown, whose insurance carrier denied the claim and successfully talked Fairbanks Superior Court Judge...

• Punitive Damage & Emotional Distress Award Upheld

  Jane Schneider | November 21, 2007 12:26 AM | 0 CommentsAnchorage, AK

  Recently, the Alaska Supreme Court upheld an award of $25K in punitive damages and $50K in damages for emotional distress against a local physician, Dr. Michael Bradner. Bradner assaulted a scheduling nurse at a local hospital because he was upset with her. She also suffered a knee injury requiring surgery. The verdict was considerably in excess of $100K. All of Bradner's appeal points were...

• Critically Injured Child May Have Insurance Claim

  Jane Schneider | November 14, 2007 12:14 AM | 0 CommentsAnchorage, AK

  Police claim that Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2007, and Anchorage man, Joshua Sagayo, 23, so violently abused a 22 month old toddler in his care, that the child is still hospitalized with serious, and possibly fatal, injuries. Sagayo is in jail facing first and second degree assault charges. Conviction of assault often requires a finding by the jury that the conduct was "reckless" or "criminally...

• Truck Drags Pedestrian to His Death

  Jane Schneider | November 12, 2007 12:03 AM | 0 CommentsAnchorage, AK

  Poor lighting and visibility may have been factors in the Saturday morning, 11/10/07, pedestrian fatality in Anchorage. It was snowing and just getting light as Stephen W. Hanes, 57, turned Eastbound onto 6th from the northbound lanes of A street. He was driving a tractor pulling a belly-dump. A pedestrian caught in the right rear dual tires was drug 10 blocks before a motorist was able to...

• Insurers Try to Deny Insurance Claims in Federal Court

  Jane Schneider | October 26, 2007 12:16 AM | 0 CommentsAnchorage, AK

  Allstate, Progressive, and other carriers are often quick to take coverage disputes to Federal Court. The carriers bring a "declaratory judgment" action against their own policy holders, and sometimes sue the party that may have been seriously injured or killed by their policy holder. The insurers try to get the Federal Court to side with them. Carriers take such steps even though they know...

• Alaska Commercial Fishing Involves Death & Injury

  Jane Schneider | October 22, 2007 12:55 AM | 0 CommentsAnchorage, AK

  Statistics show that commercial fishing in Alaska, particularly the notoriously dangerous King crab fishery, is among the most dangerous occupations in America today. Death and serious injury are the result of constant exposure to risks of the business; slippery, wet, heaving decks, heavy equipment, moving lines, and ferocious weather. When death or serious injury is caused in a fishing...