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CASE SUMMARIES
JUST A FEW EXAMPLES OF OUR RESULTS
Custom, Inc. 2001
A mid-sized manufacturing plant that did vegetable and salad processing
for restaurants was told to move by the County. The County told them they
would get no relocation benefits. A persistent manager spoke to three law
firms each of which confirmed what the County said. Then she called
Schnitker & Associates, P.A. We knew right away the County and the law
firms were wrong and eventually received relocation payments of
$485,000.00. This was done based on our knowledge of the rules and without
litigation.
G.S. Construction, Inc. 2003
A medium sized suburban city condemned G.S. Construction, Inc.s real
estate and offered to pay up to $100,000.00 in relocation benefits if
eligible claim costs could be proved. Our office assessed the business and
move costs and concluded that: there were actually several businesses on
site that had claims (all owned by the owner of the real estate); claim
costs would be far in excess of $100,000; and the city was trying to get
by on the cheap. We pursued the claim and after over $400,000.00 was paid
an administrative appeal hearing was held that resulted in a total overall
claim payment of $558,000.00
Boatworks, Inc. 2002
Two brothers were two small business tenants on property bought by the
State. The State tried to avoid paying relocation benefits by having a
third party non-profit organization do the direct buying. That third party
then deeded the real estate to the State after our clients had moved. The
clients were told they would get no relocation benefits. We pursued the
case and, based on our knowledge of the law, obtained payments for the two
businesses that exceeded $70,000.00. These clients were ecstatic and went
from zero to a significant amount of money to help offset relocation
costs. The result achieved was done without litigation and was based on
our knowledge of the relocation rules.
Our Catholic Church 2004
The State forced a rural church and its priest to move. The priest lived
in a rectory next to the church. The State offered to pay $31,000.00 in
relocation costs and nothing more. When Schnitker& Associates, P.A., got
involved, we quickly learned the amount offered was ridiculously low, not
based on the law or on a proper claim process. Additionally, the State had
never even advised the church or its priest that residential relocation
benefits were in order. Our office aggressively pursued the church claim
and the claim for its priest and in the end obtained benefits in excess of
$130,000.00. This was all done based on our knowledge of the law and
without any litigation.
Mr. and Mrs. D. P. 2004
A suburban city bought eight homes for a highway project. It broke the law
and failed to advise homeowners and tenants of their relocation benefits.
The City was quite sneaky and put a relocation waiver statement in most of
the purchase agreements. This waiver was later held to be illegal.
Two of the homeowners and one tenant decided to challenge the City and
hired Schnitker & Associates, P.A. We aggressively pursued claims and beat
the City and obtained in excess of $30,000.00 in payments for theses
persons.
All other homeowners failed to make claims and got nothing. They let the
government win by breaking the law. At least one of the other homeowners
had an attorney at the time of the sale to the City and that attorney
failed to set the City straight. He did not know the relocation rules.
Rural MN 2004
The State of Minnesota forced several homeowners, tenants and business
owners to move as a result of a highway project. The State refused to
provide housing relocation payments to the homeowners to assist them in
purchasing new homes and refused to recognize that many small home-based
businesses were eligible to make relocation claims, as well.
After Schnitker & Associates, P.A., held a public meeting in the area,
many of the homeowners and business owners retained Schnitker &
Associates, P.A., to make relocation claims for them. Schnitker &
Associates, P.A. aggressively pursued claims against the State to receive
the full amount of benefits for which the clients were eligible.
As of October 12, 2004, Schnitker & Associates, P.A. has obtained over
$120,000.00 for these displaced homeowners and business owners.
Suburban Twin Cities 2004
A suburban city in the Twin Cities area forced many homeowners and tenants
to move as part of a redevelopment project. The Citys real estate agent
obtained invalid waivers from the homeowners in an attempt to avoid having
to pay relocation benefits.
Three of the displaced homeowners contacted Schnitker & Associates, P.A.,
to make claims for them. After Schnitker determined that the waivers
obtained did not meet the requirements for a valid waiver, all three
homeowners made successful relocation claims.
Schnitker & Associates, P.A., was able to obtain relocation payments in
excess of $60,000.00 for these three clients without having to resort to
litigation. |
