To: Chris Jensen
Jensen Law Firm, PC
From: Dave and Sandy Lutz
Chris,
Sandy and I wish to express our appreciation for the efforts of yourself and your staff, on our behalf, leading to the settlement of our case related to the severe motor vehicle accident involving Sand and 3 of our kids. As you remember, this was a case in which an 18-wheel truck jackknifed across a highway and struck the vehicle Sandy was driving, leaving her with a severe wrist and forearm injury which required 2 surgeries and extended rehabilitation.
Not having experienced a motor vehicle accident situation of this severity, with its medical consequences, Sandy and I were not very familiar with the long and involved process of working out medical bills, insurance information, and all of the decisions along the way (although I was aware from my work as a physical therapist, talking with patients through the years, that this was often an unpleasant and stressful process). At first, we were hoping that things would be worked out smoothly and fairly by the insurance companies, perhaps without the need for an attorney. It wasn’t too long before it became clear to us that this would not be the case.
We appreciated the fact that as we first approached you for a consultation, you met with us over lunch without charging a fee, listened carefully, and did not feel the need to pressure us into hiring you. It was not long after this consultation that we saw clearly the need for your services, especially in dealing with a large trucking company, with its legal resources.
In retrospect, we are aware that we would have been better off seeking your services immediately after the accident, as decisions were pressed on us while Sandy was still in the hospital in Show Low, which would have consequences later. We would certainly advise our children, or other people we know, should they be involved in anything similar, regarding the need to obtain legal counsel right away.
We also appreciated your patience throughout the process, which stretched from the summer of 2003 to this past summer of 2005. It was clear you were very aware of the particulars of the various phases, and on several occasions during meetings, offered clear explanations, and took the time to answer all of our questions. We also appreciated that you showed integrity and honesty throughout the entire process.
As we went to mediation this past spring with the attorneys who were clearly working in opposition to what we felt was a fair settlement, we were especially thankful for your expertise and vigorous effort on our behalf. There is no way that we could have gone through this on our own with any success, as we are not trained for such legal proceedings. We are convinced that we would not have received anything near the final outcome if we would not have had a skilled attorney working hard for us.
We also appreciated the fact that, after our mediation (which resulted in the bulk of our settlement), you later successfully pursued appropriate further payment from another insurance company, which added significantly to our total settlement.
Please also thank your staff for the services they provided throughout the process, in particular, Natalie, who was along for the mediation in Phoenix and was especially supportive that week.
We have recommended your services to relatives and acquaintances and will continue this as the need arises. Of course, we would like to not see anyone have the misfortune to experience an auto accident, but unfortunately, accidents are part of life in an imperfect world.
Our experience gave us a direct look into our legal system and the insurance industry, which clearly in some ways is not set up to benefit the victims of accidents. Fortunately, we had the support of an experienced attorney whose efforts allowed us to reach a settlement agreement that was beneficial for our family. Not only did we have financial needs met, but we had much stress relieved as well. For these things, we will always be thankful.
In appreciation,
Dave and Sandy Lutz – 12/04/05