Adler Giersch PS

Lauren Adler @ Adler Giersch
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Melissa Carter @ Adler Giersch
After my accident, one exercise that I performed in assessment of my brain injury was one in which you must instantly blurt out any words that come to mind when prompted with a verbal word or phrase. Let’s try «Lawyer»; I imagine it to be true that at least some percentage of the population might expose their distrust of lawyers by blurting at least one something of negative connotation.
At one time, I would have included myself, but it was about to change on February 17^th, 2015 when a driver with a suspended license borrowed a car, later causing an accident by making a hasty and illegal maneuver. Just after my accident (after I had tried, without success, to square off against Progressive, American Family, and Premera and started experiencing mental decline) it is true that I scoured Avvo, Unilocal,Google, and much of any other such place you might look (and thus have come back to post this review in those places), and even originally chose a most unfortunate lawyer through word of mouth — he charmed me with his soothing introductory consultation, but he did not fit my case and I made effort to keep looking while he interestingly made me think my time was not worth the pennies I would be paying in wagons-​full.
Now, having had some time to heal, if you prompted me in the same Neuropsychological exercise with «Lauren Adler?», it would encourage sure responses, such as «Friendly», «Warm», «Encouraging», «Transparent», «Honest», «Realistic», «Reassuring», «Stable», «Secure», «Fierce», «Persistent», «Accessible», «Accommodating», «Understanding», «Knowledgable», «Flexible», «Efficient», «Available», «Communicative», «Connected», «Empathetic», «Supportive». The firm’s, including Lauren’s, knowledge and sometimes personal experience with insurance companies reassured me that they were not only familiar with the black and white of insurance documents, policies, and paperwork… but in identifying the grey tactics those companies use to leverage false power over accident victims in order to act in their own interest. And for Lauren, leveling the playing field between insurers and victims is a mission that she advocates for with fierceness.
As well, I was especially won over by Lauren and Adler Giersch’s incredible involvement in the medical and injury prevention & support community. I knew about it when I was researching, knowing that the accident had caused unique injuries (CRPS, disability); it made my choice in lawyer very important in that they had to be very medically knowledgable to understand and convey the extent of my injuries. Lauren, I later found, was actually familiar with several of my care facilities, programs, and coordinators, and it gave me instant relief.
Finally, I must say that accessibility and communication was a huge factor for me, and I am pleased to say that she was not only available at all times, herself, for my questions and concerns, but she made routine updates to let me know that she was still actively making progress on my case. This is an important part of how Lauren shows that you are working as a team, and that she is not leaving you alone in the dark, waiting for an answer. I was even offered guidance and assistance to find local support resources, as well as references and advice.
Lauren had kept me realistic, but ended up executing our goals at the maximum that we could, so I literally could not subtract a single point from her performance… though if I were at spear-​tip and had to be critical of one thing, it would be as laughable as that there was a typo one time in an email she sent me. Seriously, you can stop looking around, you have the one right here.
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As for Melissa, her guidance, reassurance, and presence on my team made me feel that much stronger and that much more supported, and her help with all of the other things sliding down the hill for me (financial, employment, disability, future insurance) was so much more important in my overwhelming life than she may ever know. This team really is empathetic and goes above and beyond what is expected of even the best-​of-​heart in the field.

After I broke my ankle, I was swamped with medical bills and the two parties involved were each pointing the finger at each other. After unsuccessfully trying to resolve the issue myself, I talked with Melissa. She worked with me on a regular basis for the almost three years that it took to complete my surgeries and treatments and file our claim. There is absolutely no way I would have been able to navigate the system without her.
She is extremely knowledgeable about personal injury claims and gave me great information at every turn. Aside from her expertise, I also really appreciated her kind nature. She was very patient and genuinely concerned about my recovery and prognosis.

I was involved in a high speed collision two years ago. When going through physical and psychological pain related to a serious accident, the last element someone wants to think about is finding a lawyer to handle the endless amount of interactions from insurance companies. Having dealt with non-​responsive lawyers in the past, I was reluctant in finding someone who would take my claim seriously, or fight on my behalf. I was lucky enough that my family had dealt with Melissa and her firm in the past, and I knew that if my family thought she was excellent, I would too. No doubt, Melissa Carter and her staff at Adler Giersch handled my claim with the utmost professionalism. From the moment I started having Melissa work on my case she handled everything, and kept me in the loop throughout the entire process. She fights for her clients when needed, and has the knowledge and compassion to deal with personal injury claims. No amount of compensation could take away the pain and damage that collision has caused me, however, Melissa made the nightmare more bearable. Thank you Melissa!

In December 2011 I was involved in a drinking and driving accident (vehicle vs. pedestrian). I woke up in the ICU after being hit while walking across the street at 40 MPH. No amount of money will fix the damage that was done to my body but when something like this happens that is all we have. Richard Adler and his team relentlessly fought for my case in every way they could. They kept in constant contact with me to make sure I was involved and comfortable with the process by scheduling regular meetings, phone calls and emails. It was a long road but in the end they did a great job in rectifying the circumstances that happened to me. They were compassionate and hardworking and I felt immediate trust in Richard’s ability to represent my case. I am very pleased with the results and would highly recommend Richard Adler and his team.

There honestly isn’t enough room here to say how amazing Melissa Carter and the Alder Giersch team truly are. In 2012 I was in a car accident that changed absolutely everything and I suddenly was desperate for help and guidance. The smartest thing I did was not just getting a lawyer in my case it was getting Melissa on my team! Melissa caught things my doctor did not. You can tell she truly has your back through the entire process and cares. When I was so overwhelmed and could not think, she walked me through the process of getting a resolution helping me every step of the way. I would recommend her and the firm to anyone!

Richard and his firm worked as an orchestra of expert, compassionate advocates on my behalf. I was unaware, due to my concussion, of what my medical and legal needs were after my car accident. Dealing with insurance companies calling right away, while experiencing the onset of physical and emotional pain, was overwhelming. I needed to focus on healing, but I was afraid of making decisions and of the implications of every call. I don’t trust easily and asking for help in sorting things out was hard. I called a few law firms that I saw on TV and was dismissed over the phone because I wasn’t transported in an ambulance to the hospital after my accident, and I was told that I could handle it myself. I felt very alone and scared. My doctor gave me a list of attorneys to call and at the top of the list was Richard Adler’s name. My doctor explained that traumatic brain injuries/​concussions can be long-​lasting and tricky, and recommended I call an expert in the legal field. I called Richard’s office and Mary Ellen (Richard’s right– hand person) spent 30 minutes on the phone calming me and helping me sort through the accident and next steps. Almost immediately, Richard called to introduce himself and to explain that my job was to heal and his job was to advocate for me to return to being whole again. For two and a half years after that moment I didn’t have to answer any more questions from insurance companies, they kept track of my medical bills and payments, and they checked in to see how I was doing on a regular basis. My case was resolved with outstanding competence and thoroughness in every detail, and I could not recommend Richard Adler more highly!

My husband, son, and I were rear-​ended in my Camry last Halloween (2014). I called 911 before I got out of our car and within a few days, all of us had been medically checked, with both adults suffering damage to our necks. It was clear to me even though I’ve never been in an accident before that it was relatively serious and I had no idea how to proceed. The other driver was a 19-​year old from Oregon driving a borrowed $ 90,000 car… that also made me nervous that it might be hard to deal with them.
A friend recalled an accident 20 years ago (!!) and she had great things to say about Adler Giersch, so I called them. From the very first phone call (answered by a real person, with knowledge and genuine concern) through today, everyone at the firm has been great. We were assigned to Melissa Carter, who specializes in the kinds of injuries we had, and she gave me good advice from our very first conversation. She helped me immensely, even before I decided to hire her because of complications caused by an uninsured driver and the significant medical expenses I was facing for needed neck surgery.
I never felt like she was in it for the money. Melissa called and checked on me when she knew I had significant doctor appointments and I felt genuinely cared about, which mattered to me a great deal; I’ve had medical procedures before but nothing with my spine, and I was really worried about permanent disability and all the ramifications of my injuries. She also always took the time to explain all the possible options, with her experience leading her to recommend a path that was likely to lead to the best outcome. When I emailed her at night or even on the weekend to provide a detail, she responded quickly… she was always «on» and immediately responded to my questions. Awesome!
Melissa and Rachael worked hard to get my settlement quickly, which meant that I got to keep a lot more of what little money there was to get. They made sure that the medical bills were sorted out and paid bills before they got any money from the involved insurance companies, meaning that nothing went to collections. She also has helped my husband, whose case is simpler and probably doesn’t require representation.
I hope to never need Melissa’s help again :-) but if I do, I will call Adler Giersch without hesitation.

A little over a year ago, I was on my lunch break at a restaurant where I worked. I was eating by the window, when an old lady crashed her car through the window. She destroyed my table and the back of my chair was bent. The whole front of the restaurant was destroyed. Miraculously, the car missed me by two feet. While I couldn’t walk for 4 days, the physical injuries were temporary. It was the PTSD that remained. Every few weeks, I would wake up in the middle of the night screaming. I am still unable to sit by restaurant windows with perpendicularly parked cars.
Throughout the process I kept my expectations low. Jacob politely warned me not to start expecting the full $ 100,000 we were asking. So I thought, «Ok, maybe I’ll get 3K, or 10K, maybe 20K max.» Well the settlement came through a few days ago and after fees and expenses, I will have more than 28K in my pocket. This will not take away the PTSD I have developed as a result of the accident, but it certainly goes a long way in terms of making my life more comfortable and taking away stress. In the long run, that might actually help my PTSD.
Not only that, but Jacob and Jenny, his paralegal, were friendly and accommodating. They always take an interest in your life and chat with you before meetings. The office was comfortable with a receptionist who offered to make tea while I was waiting. I even got a free Adler Giersch jacket upon reaching the settlement!
I highly recommend Jacob to anyone who’s willing to stick it out and make the necessary appointments for medical evaluations, etc. It’s more than worth it!

After talking to more than 30+ lawyers on the phone, I was tired, disappointed, and even thought maybe it’s not going to work out for us. This all changed after I talked to Richard. A few minutes on the phone with him and I knew that this is the right person to represent us. Unlike other lawyers, Richard actually made me feel that he cared, he took the time to listen instead of just telling me about numbers and percentages. This impression was confirmed after meeting him personally. I felt confident that we were in good hands.
Richard and Melissa handled our case from beginning to the end with total professionalism. They always kept us updated with what was going on and what was the next step we would take. They answered my questions quickly and made sure that we were well informed with our options. Richard totally impressed me (or I should say «shocked» me) with the final negotiation with the defendant’s lawyer. This is where his 30+ year experience shows. This is the one you want to be in your corner.

Last year, a driver fell asleep at the wheel and struck my daughter’s car head-​on. She had a bad cut and abrasion on her head, and an extremely bad break in her ankle. Her wrist was fractured, as well.
My husband and I were alarmed by our daughter’s description of the other driver’s behavior, making us believe he might not be a stand up kind of guy. We realized our daughter’s injuries were such that she would have a potentially bad facial scar and a lifetime of dealing with the extensive damage to her ankle. Thankfully, the other driver carried insurance, but we were concerned because he had the same insurance carrier we have. It stands to reason that the insurance company might be more concerned with protecting itself, as opposed to looking out for our daughter’s best interest. Hence, the search for a lawyer.
We consulted with three lawyers and Richard Adler seemed the obvious choice, though ultimately, it was to be my daughter’s call. I think it fair to say that she was impressed with Mr. Adler’s calm, friendly, approach. He outlined an anticipated progression of events, and a realistic potential financial outcome.
We never would have been able to navigate our way, on our own, through what can be a complicated process. We did not have the knowledge or familiarity of the insurance process to have known how to gain the maximum outcome for our daughter. Richard Adler and his staff handled it all with professionalism, and in a timely and pleasant manner. I believe they did all that was possible on her behalf. Also, it was hugely helpful and stress relieving to have Mr. Adler’s staff handling communications with the insurance companies (both car and medical), and dealing with payments to medical providers.
He and his staff had the foresight, and took the time, to give our daughter some great advice about not engaging in careless spending and considering investments instead. They also recommended she keep her financial situation private in order to avoid being asked to lend money, something that might not have occurred to us.
Hopefully, we will never require Mr. Adler’s services again, but I would not hesitate to utilize them, if needed, and I would heartily recommend him to anyone with a similar need.

I worked with Jacob Gent when I had a car accident. He was terrific and worked hard. I never felt like I was being swept along in that out of control feeling you sometimes get when working with a lawyer. At the times that I felt overwhelmed, he showed sympathy and understanding. The times when I felt strong we worked as a team and I always felt like he was listening to me. I called him a year or so ago to ask a question on an unrelated matter and, even though it had been several years since my case was closed, he knew exactly who I was. I am now contacting him on another matter and it dawned on me that now there is Unilocal and I can give him a review!
Thanks Jacob!