For most children, a significant portion of every day is spent at school under the care of educators. These are the people parents trust with their children’s safety and well-being. While these student-teacher relationships should be constructive and nurturing, some teachers use their position of influence to take advantage of and abuse innocent children. A physical education teacher in Salem … Continue reading
On June 6, 2017, Jay Hoffmeister, a former client of Kafoury & McDougal, stood before lawmakers in Salem in support of House Bill 2712 (HB 2712), which would require domestic violence prevention policies to be adopted by all police departments in Oregon. Memories of the tragic 2010 case in which Sgt. Jeffery Grahn turned a gun on his wife, Charlotte, and … Continue reading
A Providence St. Vincent certified nursing assistant has been charged with raping an 87-year-old woman in early September, 2016. The CNA, Adeladilew A. Mekonen, has reportedly confessed his guilt. Washington County Sheriffs report that a number of other victims now have come forward. In June, a 94-year-old woman accused Mekonen, 34, of sexually molesting her. The hospital briefly put Mekonen … Continue reading
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has launched an extensive study, spearheaded by a core group of reporters and staff, into the increasingly pervasive problem facing our health care system: sex abuse committed by medical professionals on the patients who trust them. Taking into account a multitude of public records spanning the past 16 years, the AJC has published a series of articles, … Continue reading
Eight pill mills in Washington state contributed to the overdose deaths of 16 people and left many more with serious addictions, investigators recently announced. If your doctor got you hooked on narcotic drugs, Kafoury & McDougal may be able to help. Investigators yanked the medical license of Dr. Frank D. Li, medical director for the Seattle Pain Center, which operates … Continue reading
A new law stops insurance companies from denying injured drivers from collecting underinsured motorist benefits that the law requires car insurance coverage to include – but it only applies to policies activated or reissued Jan. 1 and afterward. Before, if a driver with $25,000 in liability insurance wrecked your car and injured you, and you had a $25,000 policy for … Continue reading
Every once in a while you will see a case in the news that talks about one family member suing another family member. Recently, there was the case of the aunt who sued her nephew for accidentally injuring her when he exuberantly greeted her at his birthday party. The internet reaction was extremely harsh on the aunt. But there was … Continue reading
Ralph Nader’s American Museum of Tort Law opened with dedication ceremonies in Winsted, Connecticut, on September 25 and 26, 2015. Mark McDougal and Greg Kafoury provided considerable financial support to the creation of the museum, and, along with their wives, Natalie McDougal and Judy Kafoury, have been designated as “founders.” Mark had to miss the ceremonies because he was waiting … Continue reading
Predatory sexual criminal allegations have been brought against two male high school teachers, each accused of sexually abusing students. At West Linn High School, Jonathan Michael Peachey, a teacher of English and Spanish, was arrested in Lake Oswego on September 29, 2015, on suspicion of third-degree sex abuse and furnishing alcohol to a minor. In addition to his teaching duties, … Continue reading
Earlier this year, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted clearance to several of the major American insurance agencies, such as Allstate Corp. and State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co., to develop unmanned aircraft for use in processing insurance claims. The drones have the potential to radically change the way insurance companies conduct investigations. Instead of sending an agent who can … Continue reading
