Why People Just "LOVE" Lawyers, Part I

"The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers"--Shakespeare

Lawyers:

From time to time we all need them, just like a plumber.  Like plumbers, they oftentimes are called in to clean up messes that stink--and then you get a huge bill for the service. 

Dick the Butcher in Shakespeare's Henry VI said it well:  "The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers"

I have a running schtick I employ from time to time:  "I don't like lawyers, and there's only 1 Lawyer I trust!"  (Soon, I'll be forced to modify this phrase, as in addition to my brother being a lawyer--in less than a year my oldest son will also be one upon his graduation from Marquette Law School in the Spring of 2022)  So it will be "Theres only 1-- I mean 2---that I trust."

And of course I say that facetiously, in jest.  It's humorous to those that know me and my brother. But in humor, sometimes, there is often a kernel of truth--so we will leave that right there....

Case in point and the focus of part I of this post--trickery, wordsmithed half truths posited as fact and posed to me as a question during my deposition by a shyster the county is using taxpayer money to pay.

  It is all related to the recent settlement in Public Safety--necessitated by a timeline that plainly established the fact that the county's medical director at that time engaged in retaliation against a subordinate employee, exceeded her authority in constructively demoting/disciplining the subordinate, and completely usurped the chain of command of her organization by being insubordinate and deciding to initiate the filing of a state level complaint against a subordinate without bringing the department head or the administrator into the loop about this decision-----until she, essentially, had pulled the trigger on it by writing it all up and wrapping a bow around it.  

Clear as crystal, it was retaliation, so far as I can tell and in my opinion.  I believe this is the impetus for the lawyers for the insurance company all but begging the BCC NOT to take this case to trial and to settle it.  We took their advice; we settled the case with Selover and subsequently paid him nearly $200,000.

During the last portion of my cross-examination by this creature on Jauary 18th---- she busts this statement/question out on me-------and I responded to her (p. 207 of the deposition):

"Q. Well, you are aware, are you not, sir, that

Dr. Edler sat down with Mr. Dosh, and with Mr.

Spainhower, and reviewed all of the documentation that

she was going to submit to the Department of Health

before she submitted it? You're aware of that?

A. That's not the information that I have, no."

(I didn't have that information and the reason I answered the question the way I did was  because I had been told, and everything I had seen, was that everyone was totally and completely blindsided by

Edler's unilateral decision and determination---which she formally announced to her boss via an angry email exchange on 5-13-19--that she was going to file a complaint on her subordinate employee to the department of health)  In fact, in reading the deposition of her direct supervisor at the time--this insinuation--that the decision to report to the state was shared/made in conjunction with notification up the chain of command--is flat out false!!

"Q. Did -- when was the first time that you

learned that she -- "she" being Dr. Edler -- was going

to turn my client in to the Department of Health or

report him to the Department of Health?

MS. KAFFER: Form.

MS. GUDAITIS: Object to form.

A. (By The Witness) I found out about it after it had already been submitted to the State.

Q. (By Mr. Talbott) So she never told you before

that, that she was going to turn him in to the State?

MS. KAFFER: Object to the form.

A. (By The Witness) That's correct."

TIMELINE:

On May 1st at precisely 4:11 PM --Rayme Edler was notified in writing that she was the subject of a harrassment complaint filed by Matt Selover against her.

On May 1st at 5:24 PM --same day, hour and thirteen minutes later---Rayme Edler puts in writing only to a co-worker and participant in Selover's  QA/QI Board (but NOT her chain of command): "I need to have any comments or recommendations on your behalf regarding the QA/QI for Matt Selover.  He has apparently filed a complaint with HR and they are requesting all documents to be submitted... include your documentation and evaluation in the packet that I will be submitting to the Florida DOH and HR." 

So why, if Edler was going to work with her supervisor and through the chain of command to report Selover to the DOH and the determination was purportedly made a week prior on April 23rd--why solicit input from this QA/QI board member (He had obviously not sent in his notes from the board held almost a week prior)stating the intention was to "submit to the Florida DOH")  Why mention that a complaint had been filed?  But most importantly--if it was known that a DOH compaint was going to be made----------why was no notification made to the EMS chief until May 13, 12 days later?  Why was no notification made to the Public Safety Director until May 13th, 12 days later?  Why was no notification made to the County Administrator until after the decision had been made and the document signed?  And finally--why no notification to the employee who was going to be subject to this complaint?

The shysters want you to believe that everyone knew, everyone was in the loop and knew, from the day of the QA/QI board forward, that a DOH complaint was going to be made.  But there was no evidence of this, and there isn't any.  What did tilt this case, what was evident, is that this was retaliation.  Timeline supports that, and settlement advice by other shysters (ones "working" for the insurance company) confirms it.

Harrassment, retaliation, and what appears to be a directed conspiracy to destroy one young man's name and reputation.  Thankfully, that didn't happen.  We settled the case and did what was right 😊

And things are turning around in Public Safety--as the Board has engaged the University of Florida to provide medical director services, update protocols, and provide ongoing training.  Things are looking up!

*This blog post is my opinion only, based upon my own independent research into the facts which I have learned second-hand and through written public records I have obtained after the events surrounding this particular case had occurred. This post is only written in relation to and specifically ONLY refers the recent case settled between Matt Selover and the Board of County Commissioners for $199,999.99--And in no way is this blog or any subsequent post to be construed to be the opinion of the full board, nor is it to be constued to be an opinion on any other current/pending litigation.