Alan D Carlson

I see that I am not the only client who had problems with Mr. Carlson. In June 2006, two bottles fell on my head from the highest shelf at the Whole Foods in Ft. Collins, breaking and sending ginger beer and shards of glass raining down the sides of my head. There was no manager on duty and no one ca...lled an ambulance. I had to ask for ice. I finally went home and was in a lot of pain from the top of my head down through my neck and shoulders. The top of my scalp felt like jelly for at least two weeks and I suffered four contusions, two of which are still there. I went to physical therapy for a month or two. Another attorney recommended Mr. Carlson as a premises liability attorney. I met with Mr. Carlson shortly after the accident and dictated to him the entire incident. He was also supposed to work with the claims company for Whole Foods (thank goodness I had really good insurance at the time). I moved to Massachusetts less than three months later and was unable to reach Mr. Carlson by phone or email for at least six months, if not more. He finally reappeared, claiming he had had no legal assistant, which was a very sorry excuse (there are plenty of temps). He then asked me to describe the incident in a written statement, which I found annoying considering that I had spent two hours with him in his office dictating the incident. By then, I thought I was okay. I was also on the other side of the country and consumed with a demanding career and taking care of my daughter, mother and six animals. I really felt like he should have had someone type up his notes (didn't he still have them or was he just pretending to write down what I was saying during our meeting?) Never did he say anything about how an accident like this can cause lasting problems, and that I should file a claim against Whole Foods. I continue to see precarious arrangements with bottles by Whole Foods all over the country, such as layers and layers of plastic squares (doesn't even qualify as shelving) with bottles stacked up really high at the ends of aisles (one cart hitting it and bottles would come falling down; what about small children riding in carts?). They needed to be sued to learn their lesson, one that they obviously haven't learned. Finally, right before the two year statue of limitations, Mr. Carlson asked me if I wanted to sue Whole Foods. Again, he never said anything about how an accident like that can cause lasting damage, even if one wasn't presently in pain. I said I wasn't interested in suing. I wish I had. Four years later, a woman backed into my stopped car in a commuter train lot. I had instant pain in my neck, which I continue to have to this day, nearly six years later. When my neck is tight enough, I can have headaches or blurry vision. The tightness can pull up into my head and down into my upper back and shoulders. The orthopedic doctor at Mass General said that the car accident brought out the damage from the Whole Foods accident. An MRI in 2011 revealed post traumatic degenerative arthritis (I was only 46 at the time of the Whole Foods accident), which probably started with the Whole Foods accident, which was obviously much worse than I thought. Meanwhile my car accident case drags on (the insurance defense attorney refusing to believe that a car accident could cause so much pain), and I have extensive out of pocket medical expenses for neck therapy. A three year suspension of Mr. Carlson's license isn't enough. He should be disbarred. Had he encouraged me to sue Whole Foods, I would have at least had enough to cover my out of pocket medical expenses. I earn a meager nonprofit salary and have had to use retirement money, which is also limited. In fact, I have been overdrawn many times because of these expenses. If I don't get regular orthopedic neck massage or special therapeutic stretching, I am unable to work, travel for work, or exercise.

When I would call Mr. Carlson, he would always return my call in a timely manner and keep me informed about paperwork I needed to sign, and when deadlines were coming up involving my case. I got the money I needed to cover my medical bills and then he even helped me by listening and being very kind t...o me. I am now feeling better and would never have been able to fight the insurance company by myself. I would recommend him to family and friends in the future.