February 7, 2014
This is the final article in a series I’ve written about some of the cases I’ve seen, and the various ways our Alaskan visitors have suffered from these accidents. Now I’ll discuss the importance of an experienced local Alaskan attorney in cases like these.
Alaska can be a very risky place for tourists – Part 1
Alaskan Tourists – Pursuing their Rights
Sometimes tourists try to pursue their legal rights by relying on a local attorney in their home state. Attorneys, unfamiliar with Alaska Law, should not be handling Alaska cases. They do their clients a disservice and on occasion commit malpractice. Even if an out of state attorney can figure out the applicable law, the lack of “local knowledge” places an out of state attorney at a significant disadvantage in trying to negotiate a fair settlement of an injury or death case. The end result can be that accident victims and their families are shortchanged.
One example of Alaska Law which is not commonly understood by attorneys unfamiliar with Alaska law has to do with the right of an injured person who is represented by counsel to collect attorney fees. Unlike in most other state, Alaska has a specific court rule providing for an award of attorney fees. Thus, in Alaska, the face amount of liability insurance policy does not actually represent the policy limits. Under most circumstances liability insurance policies include an attorney’s fees endorsement which is paid in addition to the face amount of the policy. However, the attorney needs to know this additional coverage is available in order to request this coverage.
As an Alaska personal-injury and wrongful death attorney, I not only have the understanding of unique aspects of Alaska, but also Alaska law and the Alaska court systems. Consequently, my clients benefit from my knowledge and experience
The practice of law is not an exact science; it is more of an art form. Personal injury and wrongful death attorneys use their knowledge and local experience to the advantage of their clients whether they live in Alaska or Los Angeles. However, because I live in Alaska, I am better suited to represent a tourist from Los Angeles injured in Alaska than a lawyer from Los Angeles who knows nothing about Alaska.
Alaska is a wonderful place to visit and fortunately, only a few tourist who come to this great state are injured because of the negligence. For those few unfortunate souls or their families, who need help receiving fair compensation from an insurance company, they would be wise to hire an experienced Alaska personal injury and wrongful death attorney, who can make sure they get treated fairly.