All of us here at the Gatti & Gatti Law Firm wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season!

Traditions and memories keep families and communities united.  Sometimes, it is the little things which warm our hearts and bring us closer together.  A childhood memory of a brightly lit home during the holidays inspired Rich and Dan Gatti to light the 80 foot “Christmas” tree at their law offices in Salem, Oregon, 30 years ago.  With the help of their father and brother Jim, the tradition began.

The Salem community’s response encouraged expansion of the tree lighting into a Christmas display which has become one of the most cherished, sensitive, beautiful Christmas displays of its kind.  It now requires a full-time staff and months of preparation and installation to bring this fantasy Christmas event to reality each year.

There are thousands of lights; life-size reindeer, Santa and sleigh; New York style display windows; gingerbread men; nativity scenes; and a one-of-a-kind Mickey Mouse Santa.  Combined, these creations make the lighting of this display a “not to be missed” tradition for so many people.  From the very youngest and oldest visitors to those with handicaps and special needs, the Gattis have always wanted to help them create memories and traditions and have made the display and visits with Santa accessible to everyone.

Each visitor can find his or her own special scene to remember, but everyone is particularly enchanted by Santa’s house.  This colorful home was specially designed and built to be transported to the office location where it draws thousands of visitors each holiday season.  Its snow-covered roof and handicap accessible ramp entry lead to the doorway which opens up to a childhood fantasy environment.  Next to the fireplace sits Santa himself.  Crowd control is maintained by costumed elves in this toy workshop setting, providing a personal environment for family photos with Santa, as he inquires what each visitor’s wish list for Christmas may be.  No charge for photos here, as the display and Santa visits are courtesy of the law firm of Gatti, Gatti, Maier, Sayer, Thayer, Smith & Associates as its gift to the community.

For years, many people in Salem have  proclaimed, “It isn’t Christmas until the Gattis light their tree.”  The Gatti law offices located at 1781 Liberty Street SE, Salem, Oregon, are set aglow each year in a light ceremony which begins with a countdown at exactly 6:15 p.m.  Lines of children form earlier to the entrance of Santa’s house.  Mr. and Mrs. Santa and their helpful elves pass out candy canes, cookies, and hot chocolate, greeting visitors to the event.  The annual tree-lighting event takes place at 6:15 p.m. on the first Saturday following Thanksgiving (this year — 11/26/2011).

The lighting display continues each night until New Year’s Day.  The Santa house, with Santa in residence, is open to visitors from 5:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Thursday through Sunday until Santa must leave to begin deliveries.  This year, Santa’s last day open for visiting will be Friday, December 23.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ONE AND ALL FROM RICH AND DAN GATTI AND THE LAW FIRM OF GATTI, GATTI, MAIER, SAYER, THAYER, SMITH & ASSOCIATES!

As one of the lead co-counsel, Dan Gatti recently achieved a settlement in the case of Froeber v. Liberty Mutual Insurance Company for the sum of 8.2 million dollars. The class action complaint alleged that the insurance company routinely discounted health care providers’ bills based upon a unilateral percentage as opposed to paying what was reasonable and necessary. The case settled on a nationwide basis after years of litigation in Marion County Circuit Court in Oregon in April, 2006.

In a binding arbitration trial, Daniel J. Gatti received a verdict of $1,447,000 for a client who was injured on his motorcycle, requiring low back surgery. Fortunately, the client had an umbrella policy of $1,000,000. The offer, prior to arbitration, was $400,000. After the arbitration verdict was rendered, policy limits were paid in May, 2006.

Jeff Thayer successfully negotiated a $1.5 million settlement for a wrongful death case in Marion County. A local tavern was accused of overserving the defendant driver, who later caused a deadly motor collision.

Daniel J. Gatti tried and won the first Catholic Clergy-Abuse case in the State of Oregon. Plaintiffs Randy Sloan and Robert Paul were wards of the Court in the 1970s and were within the custody of MacLaren School for Boys when they allege that Fr. Michael Sprauer, the School’s Catholic Chaplain, molested them on multiple occasions. The jury’s verdict of nearly $1.4 million capped the three week trial. Not only did the jury find that Fr. Michael Sprauer abused the two plaintiffs, but they awarded punitive damages based upon clear and convincing evidence presented by attorney Daniel J. Gatti. The State of Oregon, who operates MacLaren, was found negligent as well.

Newslinks for the Trial:
Jurors discuss difficulty of Oregon’s first sex-abuse trial against a priest.
Jurors say they found accusers more credible.
Jury rules priest sexually abused 2 boys.

Ron Sayer is pursuing a case against Cigna Insurance Company for its wrongful denial of disability benefits. Ron’s client suffered from severe, debilitating headaches due to a rare blood condition for five years and was rendered disabled as a result. Cigna, after paying his benefits for five years, suddenly denied further benefits based upon the report of a Neuropsychologist who never examined Sayer’s client.

Based upon Cigna’s egregious conduct, Sayer has sued Cigna for breach of contract, bad faith insurance handling, and punitive damages. The case will proceed to trial in January, 2009. If you are a similar victim of an insurance carrier’s wrongful denial of disability benefits, or have information which may be beneficial to others, please contact Ron Sayer.