Z. Bergman

The applicant sought court approval for the settlement of a minor's tort claim arising from a dog bite, as well as approval of the contingency fee agreement.

The court found the $155,000 settlement to be fair and reasonable given the minor's good recovery.

The court also approved the reduced 25% contingency fee, noting the good result achieved and the promotion of access to justice.

The court directed the parties to provide reasons why the settlement funds should not be paid into court pursuant to Rule 7.09.

The applicant sought court approval under Rule 7.08 for a $155,000 settlement of a minor's tort claim arising from a dog bite.

The court found the evidentiary record insufficient to determine if the settlement was in the minor's best interests, noting a lack of current photographs of the facial scarring.

The court also found insufficient evidence to approve the proposed 25% contingency fee, as the retainer agreement and time dockets were not provided.

The application was adjourned for 20 days to allow the applicant to file additional materials.