Washington Injury Attorney Blog

Two biologists with the Department of Fish and Game, Larry Barrett, 47, and Danielle Schiff, 34, and a pilot were killed in a helicopter crash in Kamiah, Idaho reports The Seattle Times. Kamiah is approximately 65 miles south-east of Lewiston which is a city bordering Washington state.

The helicopter crash occurred on Tuesday on a downtown street in the small town of approximately 1,160. Luckily, no one on the ground was injured in the accident.

The helicopter had been chartered by the Fish and Game to use on a trip to count salmon spawning nests on the Selway river, according to the report.

The cause of the helicopter accident may have been mechanical problems because witnesses reported hearing metal grinding and saw the helicopter flip upside down before the pilot was able to right it again immediately before the crash.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in motor vehicle or work-related accidents and the family of those killed.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is one of the major causes of accidental death and disability in the United States. Causes of TBI can include falls, motor vehicle accidents, sports injuries and violence.

Because brain injuries are so devastating, there is a great effort in creating technologies to prevent and protect from these injuries. Seat belts, motorcycle and bicycle helmets are an example of technologies that have reduced the incidence of severe injury.

Causes of TBI

• Falls account to more than 35% of TBI injuries. Falls account for half of the injuries in children under the age of 14 and are the leading cause of brain injuries in older adults.
  
• Motor vehicle accidents - 17% of all TBIs are caused by motor vehicle accidents and this is the leading cause of TBI-related deaths.
  
• Struck by/against events -- Getting hit in the head or colliding with a fixed object accounts for 16.5% of all TBI injuries.
  
• Assault and domestic violence/child abuse -- 10% of TBIs in the general population are caused by assault. War-related injuries are not included in this figure.
  
• Bicycle accidents - account for 3% of accidental brain injuries..

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We have more than 30 years experience in representing brain injury victims and their families. Brain injury litigation is complex and requires attorneys who are experienced in the medical and legal issues involved. With our help, you may recover compensation for your injuries.

See our Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Resources

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

Members of a class-action lawsuit which represented 32,000 patients cared for by Skilled Healthcare have won a $677M verdict against Skilled Healthcare, a corporation that operates 76 skilled nursing facilities and 21 assisted living facilities in Montana, Idaho, New Mexico, Washington, Arizona, Nevada , New Mexico, Texas, Kansas, Missouri and Iowa.

The class action lawsuit claimed that Skilled Healthcare violated safety codes by providing inadequate nursing staff and other staff at the homes resulting in injury to the patients.

The heart of California's case against Skilled Healthcare is that state law requires 3.2 nursing hours per day. Documents which were presented in the nursing home neglect trial showed that Skilled Healthcare did not provide this level of care. The federal recommendation is 4.1 nursing hours per patient.

The company is appealing the verdict and it is likely they will face bankruptcy if the jury's verdict is upheld.

Many nursing homes are owned by public companies whose for-profit-motives influence their decisions. Many cases of injury to nursing home residents can be traced back to inadequate staffing and training.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured due to nursing home abuse or neglect and the family of those who have died. With our help you may be able to receive compensation for your damages.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

Three young men were killed in a car accident sometime Saturday night when the BMW they were riding in crashed into a tree in the Spokane Heights area of Spokane at 44th and Eastern.

According to a report on KREM.com, the BMW was traveling at speeds of up to 90mph on a dark and windy road where the speed limit is posted as 25mph when it crashed into a pine tree.

Police believe alcohol may have been involved in the car accident as they found a whiskey bottle in the wreck.

There were no witnesses to the accident and the car was cold when police arrived at the scene around 5:00 Sunday morning.

The names of the victims have not been released but police believe two were 21-year-old males from Spokane.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent the victims of drunken drivers and their family.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

A 16-year-old Portland girl was critically injured in a motor vehicle accident when the car she was riding in crashed into a tree in Tualatin, a suburb of Portland.

Apparently the driver of the vehicle the girl was riding in, 18-year-old Cameron Rathmanner of Lake Oswego man, was involved in a street race with another 18-year-old at the time.

Rathmanner was driving at speeds up to 80mph and apparently lost control of his 1993 Honda Civic and struck a tree on the passenger side. His brother, who was in the rear seat, was also injured in the accident.

The Oregonian said that the car accident occurred on Southwest Cipole Road and described it as a rural road with dips. The paper said that the road is not lit and has narrow shoulders.

In Washington State, in cases like this the driver might be charged with Vehicular Assault or Vehicular Homicide, if the passenger succumbed to her injuries. Washington Vehicle Code states that a driver can be charged if a person is seriously injured or killed and the driver was driving recklessly or without the regard for the safety of others. Most states have similar statutes.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We are a personal injury law firm and we represent people who have been seriously injured in car accidents due to the negligence of others and the family of those killed. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

Peter Lenz, 13, of Vancouver, Washington, was killed on Sunday in a motorcycle accident at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The Seattle Times reports Lenz was riding a warm-up lap before a race he was entering when he fell off his motorcycle and was hit by another motorcyclist.

Lenz suffered "traumatic injuries" in the accident and was pronounced dead three hours later.

The track was described as "slick" and "challenging" at the time of the accident.

The Times said that Lenz was a well-known racer despite his age. He had won nine national championships and nine regional titles said The Times.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in motorcycle accidents and the family of those killed.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

The family of a 24-year-old woman who died of a stroke in 2006 received a $5.3 million settlement in a medical malpractice lawsuit reports the Chicago Tribune.

The family of Samantha Medina filed their medical malpractice lawsuit claiming that Samantha's doctors and the hospital were negligent in diagnosing and treating her for a stroke when she was taken to the Central DuPage Hospital with a sudden headache and numbness on her right side. Samantha died 16 days later. The lawsuit alleged that if doctors had begun treatment promptly, Samantha would have survived.

Washington State has a wrongful death statute which allows the family of someone who was wrongfully killed due to the negligent act of another to recover damages in a civil action. Wrongful death can include medical negligence, unreasonably dangerous products, work-related injuries, car accidents and criminal attacks.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We have more than 30 years experience representing families in their wrongful death actions. With our help, you may be able to recover damages in a wrongful death medical malpractice lawsuit.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

The M.V. Kirkland, a 1924 ferryboat owned and operated by Argosy Cruises, had a fire on board early Saturday morning as it was docked at Marina Park in Kirkland.

The Seattle Times reports that no one was injured in the fire.

The fire appears to have been contained to the engine room of the historic ferry which was refurbished in 1996.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in boating accidents and the family of those killed.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

The Washington Department of Labor and Industries is investigating the death of a Renton man who killed in a tree trimming accident in Bellevue on Friday afternoon.

According to the Bellevue Reporter, the man, who was working with a tree cutting company, was struck by a falling tree part and received a fatal head injury.

The accident occurred in the 4400 block of 144th Ave. SE.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We have more than 30 years experience representing people who have been seriously injured in on-the-job accidents and the family of those killed.  Families of workers killed on-the-job may be eligible to claim for compensation to provide for the surviving family.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

Gregory A. Ross, 31, of Renton has been charged with vehicular homicide in the car accident deaths of Jessica Stenseth, 23, and her passenger, Kiana Cormier.

The King County prosecutor's office says that Ross was driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs when he ran a red light and hit the car the two young women were riding in.

The police report said that Ross failed field sobriety tests, fell asleep during questioning and was found with a crack pipe in his pocket. Ross is being held on $1 million bail.

Ross' prior criminal record includes convictions for fourth-degree assault, third-degree theft, harassment and false reporting. 

Washington vehicle code RCW 46.61.520 provides that a driver can be charged with vehicular homicide if someone is killed in a car accident and the driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent the victims of drunken drivers and their families.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

Source: The Seattle Times
Suspect in double-fatality wreck charged with vehicular homicide
by Jennifer Sullivan
Posted August 27, 2010 at 3:12PM

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating 3 million Jeep Grand Cherokees manufactured between 1993-2004 after The Center for Auto Safety alleged that the plastic gas tanks in the vehicles were installed too far back and too low making the vehicle unsafe in the event of an auto accident.

The Center for Auto Safety petition says that the design of the gas tank is "so bad that Chrysler frequently settles lawsuits without extensive discovery and subject to confidentiality agreements."

A search of the NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reports System (FARS) found that between 1992 and 2008 there were 172 fatal fire accidents and 254 fatalities involving the vehicle. The petition said, "There have been at least 44 crashes with 64 fatalities where the Most Harmful Event is fire." The document compared the Jeep with the now-infamous Ford Pinto.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents and the family of those killed. We also represent people who have been seriously injured due to defective and dangerous products. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

Click here to read the Center for Auto Safety Petition on Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Char-Broil LLC, of Columbus, GA, along with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a voluntary recall of vertical gas smokers. In all, approximately 18,450 units in all are being recalled as they pose an injury hazard to consumers.

According to the recall notice, the smokers were designed with a hose/valve/regulator which does not allow sufficient gas to flow and if the flame is extinguished and reignited, an explosion can occur.

Char-Broil has received reports of doors bursting open and hitting consumers. Reported injuries include burn injuries to the face and head, head concussions and lacerations.

The units were sold at Walmart and other retailers between March 2008 and June 2010.

Contact Char-Broil at (866) 671-7988 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's website at www.charbroil.com for a free replacement hose assembly.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people. We represent people who have been seriously injured by dangerous and defective products and the family of those killed.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.