Unseen Impact

The friendliest "we just want to talk" moment is exactly when you need to slow down, protect yourself, and ask for a lawyer. In this episode of Unseen Impact, personal injury attorney Rory Pendergast sits down with former prosecutor and top San Diego criminal defense attorney Anna Yum to break down the constitutional rights that protect you from the system. If you’ve ever wondered what to do...

Have you ever looked at a hospital bill after a car accident or sudden injury and wondered how the numbers even make sense? Why does the exact same surgery cost $8,000 at one facility and $80,000 at another? In this episode of Unseen Impact, personal injury attorney Rory and co-host Kerrie pull back the curtain on the incredibly complex—and often broken—world of medical billing. They s...

¿Sabías que el término "cobertura completa" no existe en el mundo de los seguros? Miles de familias hispanas en California pagan lo mismo por sus pólizas pero reciben la mitad de la información por barreras de idioma, descubriendo la verdad solo después de un choque trágico. En este episodio especial completamente en español de Unseen Impact,...

In this episode of Unseen Impact, Rory sits down with cannabis compliance expert Kimberly Simms to pull back the curtain on the legal marijuana industry in California just in time for 4/20. While many assume that "legal" automatically means "regulated for safety," the reality is much more complex. We dive deep into the "hemp loophole" created by the 2018 Farm Bill, the rise of synthetic Delta-8, a...

Running a successful law firm is about so much more than just "knowing the law." In this episode of Unseen Impact, Rory and Kerrie sit down with Ryan McKean, co-founder of Best ERA and a renowned personal injury attorney who built a practice that secured a landmark $100M jury verdict. Ryan breaks down his "Three Eras" of a legal career—from learning the craft to building the business and, fi...

Wildfires are no longer a seasonal threat—they’re a year-round reality in California. In this episode of Unseen Impact, we sit down with Cal Fire Captain Robert Johnson to break down what most people don’t understand about modern wildfires: how fast they move, how embers can travel miles ahead of the flames, and why defensible space and home hardening can mean the difference betw...

What happens after the accident, when the injury isn’t visible—but the anxiety, identity loss, and emotional toll take over your life? In this episode of Unseen Impact, Rory and Kerrie sit down with Ben Coolik, a warm water somatic therapist, to explore the hidden trauma that follows personal injury — the part no one prepares you for. We dive into: Why anxiety often begins after...

In this powerful episode of Unseen Impact, hosts Rory and Kerrie sit down with Jane Doe, a courageous survivor who took a former Major League Baseball player, Jacque Jones, to trial after he weaponized her private photos against her. With the support of clinical psychologist and neuropsychologist Dr. Joanna Savarese from BrainWorks Behavioral Health, we break down the red flags, the psychological...

Get ready to dive into the revolutionary world of James Madison and the Bill of Rights! As we gather for Thanksgiving, it's the perfect time to reflect on what we’re truly thankful for—the fundamental freedoms that let us come together, speak openly, and live our lives freely. Join us as we explore how Madison’s Bill of Rights secured the Freedom of Assembly and Free Speech that...

Think you have “full coverage” on your auto insurance? You might be one accident away from financial disaster. 😬 In this episode of Unseen Impact, Kerrie & Rory bring back insurance expert Chad Colston to decode the most misunderstood parts of your auto insurance policy—from declarations pages to uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM), deductibles, OEM parts, teen...

What really happens after you survive getting hit by a truck? In this powerful episode of Unseen Impact, hosts Rory and Kerrie sit down with Ricky Sutherland, a former client who lived through every pedestrian’s nightmare — being struck by a commercial truck while simply crossing the street. Ricky shares his story of shock, recovery, and the long legal and emotional road that followed...

How MC Hammer's Story Reveals the Hidden Dangers of Sudden Wealth | Financial Planning After Personal Injury. In this eye-opening episode of Unseen Impact, we sit down with Manny Valdez, a pioneering structured settlement broker who revolutionized how injury victims protect their financial future. Learn how his fight against industry giants led to better protection for injury victims and their set...

In this episode of the "Unseen Impact" podcast, host Rory Pendergast and co-host Kerrie welcome insurance broker Chad Colston to discuss the importance of proper insurance and how to protect yourself from potentially life-altering financial loss. They use real-life examples to illustrate how a single, unexpected event—like a car accident or a dog bite—can lead...

In this episode of Unseen Impact, Rory and Kerrie dive into a shocking hypothetical: discovering your child’s face at a makeup counter, used in advertising without consent. What feels like a proud moment quickly turns into a personal violation, raising important questions about the use of likeness, image rights, and the power imbalance between everyday people and mas...

In this episode, Rory Pendergast and co-host Kerry unravel the rise and fall of Thomas Girardi, once a high-profile attorney celebrated for landmark cases like Erin Brockovich, and later exposed for running a massive Ponzi scheme. From Hollywood glitz and Real Housewives cameos to stolen settlements and betrayed clients, this case reveals how trust—betweeN attorney and cl...

In this special episode of Unseen Impact , Rory and Kerrie take a walk down memory lane to share how they met as Peace Corp volunteers in Guatemala in 2002. From building stoves in remote mountain communities to designing water systems after hurricanes, their stories highlight lessons in trust, adaptability, and listening that continue to shape their lives and careers. They also reflect on how the...

In this powerful episode, Rory Pendergast sits down with Dr. Roger Kasendorf, a board-certified pain management specialist, to break down one of the most misunderstood issues in personal injury law: chronic pain. They dive deep into the invisible toll it takes on the body, mind, and legal cases—from how pain spreads beyond the initial injury to why denial and stigma can make recovery even ha...

What happens when a $3 million lottery ticket comes between two lifelong friends? In this episode of Unseen Impact , Rory Pendergast and co-host Kerrie Rez unravel a wild true story filled with hidden scratchers, secret annuity payments, and a legal fight for justice. Tune in to hear how envy and greed collided with the law, why California Lottery payouts can turn into a legal maze, and how persev...

What does Thomas Jefferson’s “pursuit of happiness” have to do with pain and suffering in personal injury law? In this special micro-episode of Unseen Impact , Rory Pendergast and his new co-host Kerrie Rez dive into the surprising connection between America’s founding ideals and how the law measures emotional and physical harm today. It’s law, history, and a few patr...

What if the real damage from personal injury isn’t physical at all? In this episode of Unseen Impact, host and attorney Rory Pendergast sits down with clinical psychologist and neuropsychologist Dr. Clark Clipson to explore the unseen emotional toll of trauma. With over 4,300 evaluations under his belt, Dr. Clipson shares how injuries can lead to isolation, shame, and a loss of identity&mdas...

Rory sits down with California Assemblymember  David Alvarez to explore the TRACE Act (AB 358) , a groundbreaking bill reshaping how law enforcement can access digital evidence in stalking, abuse, and privacy invasion cases. With today’s technology outpacing our legal system, the TRACE Act aims to close critical gaps—giving victims the power to hand over tracking devices or hidden...

What really happens when the brain is injured—and why do so many cases go unseen? In this premiere episode of Unseen Impact with Rory Pendergast, Rory sits down with quadruple board-certified neurologist Dr. Amir Bahreman to break down the complexities of traumatic brain injuries (TBI). They explore how even a “mild” TBI—often caused by common events like rear-end collision...