Insurance Bad Faith
Ruiz & Smart is a leader in insurance bad faith litigation. Suing insurance companies for denying benefits, committing bad faith, or violating the Insurance Fair Conduct Act (IFCA) is at the core of what we do. Our team handles cases involving virtually every kind of insurance. If you’re frustrated with your claim and think your insurance company may be treating you unfairly, call us.
We never represent insurance companies. We only represent real people.
Personal Injury
To be a true plaintiff firm, its lawyers must have passion for helping people who have been seriously injured by the negligence of others. Personal injury cases come in every variety. We’ve handled everything from cases involving car crashes, to motorcycle crashes, to foreign objects in food, to slips and falls, to railway derailment. It’s important to act quickly to preserve evidence, so get in touch as soon as you can.
Employment Law
You have the right to a safe and secure workplace free from harassment and discrimination. You also have the right to get paid what you earned. We take pride in our work for employees—many of them women who have been harassed. We’ve taken on powerful entities including the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) and wafla (the Washington State Farm Labor Association).
Employee Benefits
Closely related to our insurance bad faith and employment practices, our employee benefits practice helps people recover benefits under employer-provided plans. This includes disability plans and health plans. These cases are often governed by the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act, also known as ERISA.
Civil Rights and Community Action
Civil rights and community action are at the core of the firm’s values. We are committed to putting our time where our mouth is. In addition to our civil rights litigation for clients, team members serve as cooperating counsel with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), as amicus counsel in major cases involving civil rights, as section leaders of important bar committees, and more. Managing Attorney Isaac Ruiz served as Co-Chair of the Seattle Community Police Commission (CPC) from 2016 to 2019 and played a meaningful role in the passage of Seattle’s landmark police accountability law.