Free Noah's Law by Randa Abdel-Fattah

this.’
    â€˜Wouldn’t it all be set out in their position paper?’ I offered.
    Casey flashed a menacing look at me but before she had a chance to say anything, Bernie cut in.
    â€˜Yeah, maybe their so-called evidence is in there.’
    Casey cleared her throat and reached for the position paper on her desk. ‘I was just about to go through it.’
    Yeah, right.
    She read the paper silently. Bernie was sitting on the edge of his seat, his right leg jiggling up and down nervously. After several minutes Casey looked up.
    â€˜They have a statement from a former employee who says he saw Maureen asking the manager on duty that day if it was safe to take the money. The manager allegedly told her that if she didn’t feel comfortable she could wait half an hour until his shift was finished and he’d accompany her. Apparently Maureen declined the offer, saying she didn’t want to be home late as she had to make it to a gym class.’
    â€˜What’s the manager’s name?’ Bernie wanted to know.
    â€˜Harold Webb. Do you know him?’
    â€˜No,’ Bernie said. ‘I just wanted to know the name of the bastard who’s making up lies about Maureen.’
    Ignoring his outburst, Casey continued, ‘They are arguing any payment should be reduced on the basis that any damages Maureen would have been entitled to would have been proportionately—’
    â€˜English please, Casey,’ Bernie suggested.
    â€˜If Maureen had lived she would have sued them, correct?’
    â€˜Yeah.’
    â€˜The law says that if the person injured was somehow also responsible for their injury—’
    â€˜ Responsible ? She was murdered! What the hell is wrong with you mob? Jesus! Do you sell your soul to the devil to get qualified?’
    â€˜Bernie, please calm down. Let’s just stick to the allegations without addressing the merits or lack thereof. I know this is upsetting—’
    â€˜You’re damn right it is. She was me wife! We were married for nineteen years. Those pigs sent her out knowing full well it was risky. They have her blood on their hands. And now they’re saying she was partly to blame?’
    Casey sighed. ‘I’m on your side, Bernie. I just need you to understand what their argument is so we can then work out how to fight it. Okay?’
    Bernie grunted.
    â€˜Now, as I was saying, if the person injured was somehow also responsible for their injury, and this can be proved, any damages they are paid are reduced. Assuming they can prove Maureen was responsible – which I’m not saying they can – it will come down to the credibility of this Webb guy.’
    â€˜Reduced by how much?’ Bernie asked.
    â€˜Well, there’s no exact science to it really. It’s a matter of percentages. We’d basically fight over how much the reduction should be. Worst-case scenario is fifty or sixty percent, depending on the evidence they present.’
    â€˜This is bull—’
    The phone rang and Casey answered. ‘Yes . . . I see . . . Well I doubt my client will accept that but I’ll get instructions.’
    She hung up and turned to Bernie. ‘They’re offering twenty-five thousand dollars inclusive of legal costs as a full and final settlement.’
    â€˜Tell them to shove their cash up their—’
    Casey jumped back onto the phone. ‘That offer is rejected. We need time to consider your evidence and Webb’s statement. We’ll contact you once we’ve gone through it.’
    She hung up and Bernie leaped out of his seat.
    â€˜Now can I get out of here? I’m dying for a smoke. I can’t handle this anymore.’
    â€˜Okay, fine. I’ll wrap things up and show the other side out. I’ll be in touch as soon as I’ve examined the statement in detail and assessed its merits.’
    â€˜Whatever,’ Bernie said sullenly, and left quickly.

 
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