Lane v. Brown & Haley

Brown & Haley appeals the vacation of an order of dismissal after a hearing on its motion for summary judgment. We hold that attorney negligence does not provide grounds for vacation of the judgment and reverse.

David W. Lane suffered severe head injuries from falling down a flight of stairs at Brown & Haley’s facility in Tacoma in July, 1986. The shortcomings of the Lanes’ attorney are as follows: (1) failure to contact witnesses, whose names had been previously supplied and who could have testified that Brown & Haley had notice of the defective condition of the stairs; (2) failure to advise…