Symphony violinist's lawsuit dismissed

You don't often have litigation covered by a newspaper's music critic, but here's a story: Melissa Bargreen, Symphony violinist's lawsuit dismissed, Seattle Times, Jan. 25, 2008.

Violinist Peter Kaman's personal-injury lawsuit against the Seattle Symphony was dismissed this morning in King County Superior Court, but Kaman isn't done fighting: "This case isn't over until the fat lady sings," he said following the ruling.

The Seattle Symphony violinist plans to appeal Judge Catherine Shaffer's dismissal of his discrimination suit. The lawsuit originally presented two claims of discrimination and one claim alleging "outrage," or "the intentional infliction of emotional distress," according to Kaman's attorney, Brenda Little. The two discrimination claims were dismissed last November; the third claim was dismissed Friday.

The ruling turned on the statute of limitations. Over the violinist's 20+ years with the symphony, he experienced treatment amounting to the tort of outrage, Judge Shaffer said, but not within the three year statute of limitations. See also Melinda Bargreen, Symphony player loses ruling, gains confidence, Seattle Times, Jan. 26, 2008.

Judge Shaffer is a UW Trial Ad instructor.

Photo: Violins by Amati, Stradivari, and Guarneri, from the Library of Congress's violin collection. Library of Congress Information Bulletin, Feb. 1999.