From: David Gagne
To: Kelly Mathis
CC: Jill Bechtold
Subject: Re: Kathleen A. Gagne
Sent: January 3, 2013 @ 12:17 AM PDT

Hello, Kelly and Jill,

Thank you so much for your reply. The holiday season was very difficult for me; I’ve never celebrated Christmas without my mom.

A few days after I talked to you, I received a phone call from my attorney’s assistant. She told me that he was on vacation until January 2nd and would be calling me to explain its status. I decided at that point to give him one final chance, even though it was against my better judgment. I waited all day today but he never emailed or called. This is now the second (or third or fourth) time that he has gone multiple weeks without communicating with me in any way, despite my repeated attempts to make progress.

You are correct in assuming that an Estate was not created at any point. To the best of my knowledge, my mother did not have a will. My mother was married only to my father, and they were divorced in 1979. So, no, she was not married at the time of her death.

I am fairly certain that I discussed this on the phone with you, but I feel obligated to mention it again: I have so far — including the cost of the autopsy and travel and other expenses — spent well over $10,000.00 dealing with my mother’s death. It has, for all intents and purposes, completely depleted all of my savings, and I now have near-overwhelming credit card bills.

My wife (and family) are understandably concerned that I may be on a fools’ errand in attempting to achieve some sort of justice for my mother and / or recuperate some of my expenses. I am quite passionate about this, however, and — like my little sister — horrified and outraged by what happened to my mother. It has been nearly five months now since her death and not a day has passed in which I haven’t at least at one point collapsed in tears. She was only sixty-three (far, far too young) when she died, under absurd circumstances. We miss her tremendously, and no amount of money can possibly mend our broken hearts.

Can you give me any sort of estimate of what it will cost me to continue? Do you have an idea of what the court filing fees will be? Can you predict if there will be many (or any) fees in addition to this which may be incurred?

Please do send me via email whatever paperwork I need to sign. (If email is not a viable option, my physical address is [redacted], Los Angeles, CA *****.)

I will email and call attorney Steve Phillips, of Pincus & Currier, LLP, West Palm Beach, FL, to let him know that his services are no longer required. If you can recommend the most professional and polite way to communicate that to him, I would dearly appreciate it.

Thank you sincerely,
dvg