Personal Injury Lawyers Can Ease Your Injury Recovery Process
August 2012
In August of 2010, a horrific rollover automobile accident near Hermiston, Oregon left three members of a Minnesota family suffering from devastating injuries. While traveling on vacation, Jim and Chanelle Laitinen, their children and two other occupants were in a van making its way along the Interstate. The vehicle’s driver lost control due to a distraction, causing the van to roll multiple times before coming to rest in the median.
James Laitinen, his wife Chanelle and their young daughter were the most severely injured of the van’s occupants. All three were listed in critical condition following their initial emergency evaluations, after which they were flown to Oregon Health and Science University for further treatment and care.
The Laitinens’ accident was an extremely violent one, and the scene that resulted was jarring even to seasoned first responders. Chanelle Laitinen recalled that emergency workers on the scene "expected five fatalities." While four of the van’s seven passengers miraculously emerged relatively unscathed, Jim Laitinen, Chanelle Laitinen and their young daughter all sustained very serious injuries requiring extensive medical care, rehabilitation and physical therapy. Their journey toward recovery lasted over seven months, necessitating a lengthy postponement to their return home to Minnesota.
During those months of rehabilitation and recovery, a family friend encouraged the Laitinens to begin exploring possible avenues of legal recourse for the injuries sustained in the crash. A recommendation to contact the attorneys at Schwebel, Goetz & Sieben followed soon after, and it proved to be a critical turning point in the lives of the Laitinen family.
The personal, hands-on approach of the attorneys at Schwebel, Goetz & Sieben was apparent to the Laitinens immediately. "When Jim Ballentine came up for the first time it was just an awesome experience," according to Chanelle Laitinen. Jim Laitinen had a similar reaction, recalling that "it was authentic right from the start." Both husband and wife quickly realized that the attorneys at Schwebel, Goetz & Sieben truly cared about the outcome of the case, but also cared deeply about the physical and emotional well-being of their clients.
The Laitinens attribute the successful settlement of their accident claims to the dedication and skill of the lawyers at Schwebel, Goetz & Sieben. "They came through and did things I didn’t even know were possible," stated Chanelle Laitinen. Jim Laitinen declared that he would not hesitate to recommend the firm to any of his closest friends and family members if they should have the misfortune of sustaining a serious injury.
If you or someone you love has been involved in an automobile accident resulting in injuries or even death, the assistance of talented, experienced attorneys can make all the difference. Contact the seasoned personal injury lawyers at Schwebel, Goetz & Sieben for a free initial consultation at 612-377-7777 or toll-fee at 1-800-752-4265. The firm’s dedicated team of professionals stands ready to fight for the compensation you deserve.