Peterson Law Office

09/01/2026

When a serious injury case comes in the door, the first ninety days decide almost everything that follows — and the client rarely sees any of it.

Justin Peterson asked Kaci Christopher what she starts doing the moment one of these cases hits her desk. Her answer: preservation letters out immediately, before evidence can move. Medical records pulled from every provider. The scene and the vehicle locked down. Experts brought in during week one, not months later when it's too late to matter.

It's quiet, methodical work — and it's the difference between a case that holds up and one that quietly falls apart. Most people never realize how much happens before they ever hear the word 'settlement.'

That's what this episode of It's Not Fair is about — the work that decides outcomes before anyone knows the game has started. Watch the full conversation:
https://www.justinpetersonlaw.com/podcast/did-i-just-settle-a-2m-case-for-75k-what-attorneys-miss-on-big-injury-cases/

08/27/2026

Happy Birthday to Madeleine R. Hamlin! 🎂

Most young attorneys spend their early years learning how courtrooms work. Madeleine spent hers inside one — serving as a staff attorney for the Hon. Phillip J. Shepherd at Franklin Circuit Court, seeing firsthand how judges weigh arguments, read cases, and reach decisions. That's a perspective most lawyers never get, and she brings it to every tort and insurance case she handles for our clients.

Add a UK law degree and a background on the Trial Advocacy Board, and it's clear why we're so excited about her future here.

Happy Birthday, Madeleine — here's to the year ahead! 🎉

08/26/2026

A truck hit our client. The police report listed the company that owned it — a company with a $25,000 insurance policy. The damages were already $50,000, so on paper, the case was over before it started.

Then Sarah Cooley asked a simple question: can we see the photos from the scene?

The name painted on the truck in those photos belonged to a different company entirely. The police had written down the wrong one. And that second company carried a $1 million policy.

Same crash. Same injuries. The only thing that changed the outcome was somebody refusing to take the police report at face value.

That's what this episode of It's Not Fair is about — the details that quietly decide how a case turns out. Watch the full conversation:
https://www.justinpetersonlaw.com/podcast/did-i-just-settle-a-2m-case-for-75k-what-attorneys-miss-on-big-injury-cases/

Every case is different, and past results don't guarantee a future outcome. This is one case, shared to show why the details matter.

08/25/2026

Happy Birthday to Robert E. Maclin III! 🎂

Some attorneys talk about trial experience. Robert has it — decades of it. He's the one you want in your corner and the last one opposing counsel wants across the courtroom. Recognized for over a decade by Kentucky Super Lawyers® and named to The Best Lawyers in America® across multiple practice areas, Robert has, quite simply, been there and done that.

Outside the courtroom, he's a true Kentuckian at heart — a member of the American Quarter Horse Association, the Thoroughbred Owners & Breeders Association, and the United States Polo Association.

We're proud to have his experience on our team. Happy Birthday, Robert! 🎉🐎

08/24/2026

Peterson Law and Whiteford Taylor & Preston have filed a second lawsuit in the Herrington Lake case — this time naming Cody Casey and his brother, Jesse Casey.

The lawsuit alleges that just days after the July 4 collision, Cody Casey transferred several vehicles to his brother without fair payment, while the family's claims were pending — allegedly to keep those assets out of the family's reach.

The complaint asks the court to undo the transfers and hold both brothers accountable under Kentucky law.

This filing follows the family's original lawsuit and this month's grand jury indictment of Cody Casey.

Read the full statement: https://www.justinpetersonlaw.com/press/family-files-second-lawsuit-in-herrington-lake-case-alleging-cody-casey-transferred-assets-to-his-brother-to-avoid-paying-for-the-crash/

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Peterson Law at (859) 469-6390.

08/24/2026

If you're an attorney, here's the question that should keep you up at night:

Did I just settle a $2 million case for $75,000?

It happens more than the profession admits. The coverage was there — behind an umbrella policy nobody disclosed, a second defendant nobody named. The damages were provable — with an expert workup nobody funded. And the case quietly settled for a fraction of what it was worth, because the first offer became the ceiling.

Episode 4 of It's Not Fair is four trial attorneys breaking down exactly how a serious injury case gets valued, and the specific work that separates a full recovery from a fraction of one.

If you refer injury or malpractice cases — or you're wondering whether you should — this one's for you.

Listen and watch the full episode here: https://www.justinpetersonlaw.com/podcast/did-i-just-settle-a-2m-case-for-75k-what-attorneys-miss-on-big-injury-cases/

08/22/2026

Happy Birthday to Aalayah Purnell! 🎂

Every great legal team runs on people like Aalayah. She handles pressure with a smile, meets clients in their hardest moments with real empathy, and brings a personality that lights up the whole office. She does it all with grace well beyond her years — and a beautiful family to come home to.

We honestly don't know what we'd do without her at Peterson Law and Whiteford. Happy Birthday, Aalayah — today we celebrate you! 🎉

08/20/2026

An update in the Herrington Lake case: a Mercer County grand jury has returned an indictment against Cody Casey in connection with the July 4 boat collision, and he has been arrested by Kentucky Fish and Wildlife.

This family has carried an unimaginable loss with remarkable grace. Today marks an important step toward accountability. We are grateful to the investigators who worked this case thoroughly and to the witnesses who came forward.

The criminal case is being prosecuted by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Peterson Law and Whiteford Taylor & Preston separately represent members of the family in a civil action.

Coverage from last night:
https://fox56news.com/news/local/herrington-lake-boater-tied-to-deadly-fourth-of-july-crash-accused-of-manslaughter/

https://www.lex18.com/homepage/man-charged-with-second-degree-manslaughter-in-connection-with-deadly-boat-crash

https://www.wkyt.com/2026/08/19/herrington-lake-boat-operator-indicted-19-counts-including-manslaughter/

A man involved in a fatal Lake Herrington boat crash over the Fourth of July weekend has been arrested.

08/19/2026

Today we're celebrating someone who means everything to this firm — our founding partner, Justin Peterson.

Justin built Peterson Law Office on a simple belief: that people going through the worst moments of their lives deserve someone who will fight for them and never back down. That's the standard he holds us to every single day.

A proud UK Graduate and Wildcat through and through, he brings that same loyalty and fire to everything he does.

Happy birthday, Justin — from all of us who are lucky to work alongside you.

Drop him a birthday wish in the comments!

08/18/2026

A family injured in the July 4 boat collision on Herrington Lake has filed a lawsuit in Mercer Circuit Court against Cody Casey.

According to the complaint, the family was gathered on a stationary pontoon boat over the holiday when Casey's watercraft — allegedly speeding and performing repeated "donuts" — struck their boat head-on and then fled the scene without stopping to help.

The lawsuit brings claims for negligence, gross negligence, failure to render aid, and punitive damages. Peterson Law and Whiteford Taylor & Preston represent the family.

Read the full statement: https://www.justinpetersonlaw.com/.../family-files.../

See the story from LEX18: https://www.lex18.com/news/covering-kentucky/families-involved-in-deadly-herrington-lake-boat-crash-file-lawsuit-against-boater?fbclid=IwY2xjawTxebJwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMUNaRVBJdnM3eUxrdDBRdG5zcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEemcESd7OstmV4r0KfqqJ402VVZVHtQoAQ4fyNL0YSRt5IQqQdYWtFgdRqf54_aem_0jLl0u--GWMPCtIBO1tPhg