Rachel’s client fell on negligently constructed outdoor stairway leading to a dog grooming shop. Rachel was able to show that the stairs were dangerous and in violation of building codes as they were built with different height risers which caused an uneven experience for her client when using the stairs to leave the shop. To add to these issues, these “funhouse” stairs did not have a necessary handrail, which made it so that when her client started to lose her balance, there was nothing to reach out and grab to save her from tumbling and breaking her ankle. A confidential settlement was reached to compensate her client for her injury, resulting in pain and disability as well as a second surgery to remove surgical hardware.

Rachel successfully petitioned police to change incorrect information in a police report which showed her client at fault for riding his bike in a marked crosswalk when he was hit by a minivan driven by a distracted driver. Based on the police report, the insurance company insuring the distracted driver had denied the claim, stating the bicyclist was in the wrong place. Using city ordinances and state law, Rachel went to bat for her client and got the police to change the report which helped prove to the insurance company that they were incorrect and should pay for the client’s ankle fracture injury. The case successfully resolved at a pre-trial mediation for policy limits.

Rachel represented a client who was injured on school district property when roof drains caused a large pool of thick dangerous ice to form over the only walking path. Her client fell, resulting in a complex ankle fracture. Rachel was able to show that the school district knew about the drainage issue for several years and yet they failed to correct the problem. A confidential settlement was reached to compensate her client for her injury, resulting in pain and disability as well as a second surgery to remove surgical hardware.

Rachel pursued a mistaken driver identity case which resulted in both physical injuries from the crash as well as reputational harm due to false criminal charges. In this unique claim, Rachel’s client (who was a passenger) was wrongfully accused of being the drunk driver by the actual drunk driver after a major single vehicle crash. Due to the client’s head injury, she was unable to remember the crash, and police mistakenly charged her with a DWI. Investigation revealed independent witnesses who correctly identified the true driver and Rachel brought both personal injury and defamation claims against the true driver of the vehicle. Rachel kept the pressure on by making a motion to the Court to amend the Complaint to add punitive damages due to the damage to the client’s reputation. The case was resolved with a confidential settlement before trial.

Rachel successfully represented an elderly woman who was knocked down by another shopper at the top of an escalator, suffering horrible injuries to her leg when the escalator continued to run after she fell to the bottom. Rachel pursued coverage through the other shopper’s personal homeowners’ insurance for the shopper’s negligence in not holding onto the handrail when using the escalator, ultimately reaching a confidential pre-trial settlement.

Rachel represented a young man injured in a car crash caused by a teen driver who spun out on an entrance ramp, ultimately vaulting over a median barrier into oncoming traffic. This crash caused her client serious spinal injuries which were corrected with a spinal fusion surgery. She successfully negotiated policy limits settlements from three layers of insurance totaling $500,000, which allowed the college age client to not only receive a lump sum but also to set up investments that would pay him a series of payments over two decades to secure his future.

Streed’s client had no choice but to take her case to trial when she was only offered $35,000 on her car crash case—where her injuries included a herniated cervical disc that required surgery and caused her to close down the child day-care business she had operated for 20+ years– largely because the defendant driver (whose vehicle caused the rear-end collision) claimed Streed’s client could not possibly have been injured because the collision (or “tap” as the defendant called it) did not cause any structural damage to her vehicle.  Medical issues were hotly contested as was just about every aspect of the case.  In addition, several months before this trial, Streed’s client was involved in a subsequent crash, where her vehicle was totaled out. After a week long trial in Washington County a jury returned a verdict that resulted in a final judgement, after taxing costs and interest, of over $300,000 in favor of Streed’s client.

Streed represented a hair salon stylist who slipped on an accumulation of glare ice outside the building where she worked.  Her ankle bones were shattered and dislocated and the surgery to repair the many fractures was very complicated.  She was unable to return to work for nearly a full year. 

Mr. Bauer’s client was charged with Terroristic Threats. Despite the fact that the police has elicited a “confession” from the client, Mr. Bauer argued that the alleged victim was never in fear of the client. After three hours of deliberation the Jury acquitted the client on all charges.

Jury heard testimony from alleged victim about an altercation that occurred on the client’s property. Mr. Bauer presented a self-defense claim on behalf of his client. After only 45 minutes of deliberation the jury returned a Not Guilty verdict on the 5th Degree Assault charge.