Emerald City Bike Lawyer

• Bicycle injury cases, including crashes involving motorists and unsafe road or trail design
• A wide range of personal injury matters (bicycle and pedestrian injuries, car and motorcycle accidents, trips and falls, dog bites, and defective or negligent transportation design)
• Small business legal needs
• Select divorce and high-conflict custody matters

The firm provides hands-on service to clients rather than passing cases down a chain of staff.

Who leads the firm

• The firm is led by attorney Sean Kuhlmeyer, a Navy veteran and former carpenter and furniture maker.
• Sean describes himself as a personal injury lawyer based in Seattle, Washington, who also runs a small general practice.

Firm philosophy and approach

• The firm aims to provide strong legal representation with a focus on integrity, advocacy, and understanding.
• It is run as a "small town type" firm that emphasizes ongoing relationships rather than one-time transactions.
• The practice is designed for regular working people and small business owners who may find typical legal fees and large-firm environments intimidating or inaccessible.
• The firm keeps overhead lower than many large downtown firms and emphasizes reasonable rates and value for the services provided.
• Clients are encouraged to be involved in their cases; the lawyer explains where a case is strong or weak and discusses strategy with client input.
• Sean handles his own client communications, including answering his own phone and returning calls promptly.

Mediation and negotiation skills

• Sean is a trained mediator and experienced negotiator.
• He has worked in a New York City court-supervised mediation program.
• Mediation training and advanced valuation techniques are used to help evaluate claims and negotiate settlements.

Free initial conversation

• The firm offers a free initial conversation about a legal issue.
• No legal issue is described as "too small" to discuss in that initial conversation.

Geographic focus

• The firm is based in Seattle, Washington, and serves clients in and around Seattle and elsewhere in Washington as appropriate for the matter.

Types of assistance described

While the website does not list every possible business service, it notes that:

• Many issues can be addressed through legal research, phone calls, and letters.
• When informal efforts do not resolve a matter, the firm can file a lawsuit to require the other party to take the situation seriously.

Approach for business clients

• The firm keeps overhead lower than large downtown offices and emphasizes charging less than many big-firm lawyers, with a focus on providing good value.
• The lawyer aims to be the first place small business clients turn for legal advice.
• The practice emphasizes accessibility, direct communication with the attorney, and practical problem-solving for working people and small business owners.

How to engage the firm

• Small business owners are encouraged to call, text, or email the firm to discuss their legal issue and determine whether the firm is a good fit for their needs.

Email

• General contact email: sean@emeraldcitybikelawyer.com

Office and mailing addresses

• Office location: 700 NW 42nd St (Burke-Gilman Trail and 42nd), Seattle, WA
• Mailing address: 7511 Greenwood Ave. N. #1601, Seattle, WA 98103

How to get in touch

• Potential clients are invited to call, text the mobile number, or email to discuss their legal issue.
• The website does not list fixed office hours; clients should contact the firm to arrange a time to talk or meet.

Common causes of bicycle crashes involving motorists

The website describes several recurring causes of bike crashes with cars, including:

• Speeding
• Reckless driving
• Running red lights
• Failure to yield on left turns
• "Dooring" cyclists
• Hitting a cyclist in a crosswalk
• Illegal passing
• Failure to provide adequate space when passing

Dangerous road and trail conditions

The firm also handles cases involving unsafe road or trail conditions, including:

• Speed bumps
• Defective drainage grates
• Bollards
• Potholes
• Defective road design
• Poor maintenance

These conditions can be the responsibility of a city, state, or other public entity, and the firm works to trace liability back to the responsible party.

Experience with dangerous bollards and the Burke-Gilman Trail

• The firm has specific experience with dangerous bollard cases, including litigation against the City of Seattle over the safety of bollards on the Burke-Gilman Trail.
• That litigation resulted in the removal of dangerous bollards from the Burke-Gilman Trail.
• The firm describes itself as one of the few practices knowledgeable about defective trail and bike-versus-bollard claims.

Compensation and insurance issues for injured cyclists

• Cyclists injured by motorists may be entitled to compensation for harms such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, disability, medical expenses, lost earnings, and property damage, depending on the facts and the law.
• The website notes that cyclists hit by cars often have access to medical payments coverage under applicable auto insurance policies.
• The firm helps clients understand potential coverage and pursue claims, while the client focuses on recovery.

When to contact the firm

• The site encourages cyclists who have suffered a bike injury, or who believe dangerous road or trail conditions contributed to a crash, to contact an experienced bike lawyer promptly to discuss their situation.

Examples of what past clients say on the site include:

• Clients describe working with Sean as easy and communicative, noting that he keeps them informed about case status and explains how the process works.
• Clients report that he goes above and beyond, is vigilant about keeping them apprised of developments, and provides dedicated and attentive service.
• One small business client notes that he listens well and quickly gets to the bottom of legal issues.
• Another client mentions having two car accidents that were not their fault and describes Sean as well organized and very helpful in pursuing both cases.
• An injury client describes Sean as supportive during a difficult time, particularly after a family member's death.
• A cyclist with a brain injury reports that other lawyers had refused the case, but Sean took it, prevailed against the city, and helped the client move forward.

Representative personal injury outcomes (as described on the site)

The website also lists examples of prior personal injury matters, including:

• A 14-year-old boy run over by a motorcycle, suffering a serious broken leg, heavy arterial bleeding, and months of physical therapy, where the firm obtained a settlement the family considered very favorable.
• A couple rear-ended in a crash, with whiplash, herniated discs, head injuries, and other serious injuries, where the cases settled after firm negotiations.
• A client whose car (a Miata) was broadsided, spun, and then hit a telephone pole, with a settlement that was maximized in part because the client hired the firm early and followed legal advice.

These examples are drawn from the firm's own website and show the kinds of cases the firm has handled in the past. They are not a guarantee or prediction of results in any future matter.

Experience in divorce and custody litigation

• The website states that the firm has extensive experience in divorce and high-conflict custody litigation, including appeals.
• The attorney has personal experience with a long-term, high-conflict divorce based on false allegations, which informs his understanding of how emotionally and financially draining such cases can be.

Advocacy for family law reform

• The firm is active in lobbying the Washington Legislature to reform family law.
• The belief expressed on the site is that no family should have to "fight" in family court, and that the legal system should work better for families.

Approach to clients in family cases

• The firm's stated goal is to help clients move toward a "new family normal" rather than prolong conflict.
• Prospective clients are encouraged to contact the firm to discuss whether their divorce or custody matter is a good fit for the practice.

• Bicycle and pedestrian injuries
• Car accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Trips and falls
• Dog bites
• Defective or negligent transportation design
• Other general injury claims

Impact of injuries

The website emphasizes that being injured is a major disruption:

• Injuries interfere with daily life and plans.
• They can set people back financially and personally.

While no amount of money truly compensates for an injury, the law allows injured people to seek monetary damages from the person or entity responsible.

Potential categories of damages

Depending on the facts, Washington law may allow an injured person to pursue damages such as:

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Disability
• Medical expenses
• Loss of earnings
• Property damage

Insurance and Washington minimum liability coverage

• Washington law requires minimum automobile liability insurance coverage for all vehicles registered in the state.
• Depending on the terms of the policy, liability insurance usually covers property damage and may pay medical bills and lost wages resulting from an accident.

Settlement, litigation, and trial

• Only a small percentage of claims go to trial; the vast majority are resolved through negotiation, mediation, arbitration, or other settlement processes.
• The firm prepares and negotiates claims, and when necessary can file lawsuits to compel the opposing party or insurer to take the matter seriously.

Fees for most injury cases

• The website states that most of these injury cases are handled on a contingent fee basis, meaning clients do not pay attorney's fees unless there is a recovery from the other party.

When to seek help

• The firm cautions that a common mistake is waiting too long to call a lawyer after an injury.
• Visitors who think they might need a lawyer are encouraged to contact the firm promptly for a free initial conversation about their situation.

Ask anyway — the agent will say plainly that it is not published rather than guess.