Washington Injury Attorney Blog

There is no doubt about it that wearing a helmet saves lives and serious brain injuries when involved in an accident while riding a motorcycle, low-power cycle (LPC) or bicycle in Washington state. Not everyone is clear about who is required to wear a helmet so we will clarify the laws here.

Motorcycle Rider

Washington state law requires all motorcyclists to wear a helmet that has been certified to meet the U.S. Department of Transportation standards. A certified helmet has a DOT sticker on it and an inner lining with approximately 1 inch thickness of foam.

Low-Power Cycle Rider

Washington state requires all riders of low-power cycles (LPC) to wear a helmet.

What is a low-power cycle exactly? A low-power cycle can be a motor-driven cycle, moped, scooter or other 2-wheeled cycle which is not included in the motorcycle definition. Broadly speaking, a LPC has an engine displacement of 50 cubic centimeters or less, brake horsepower of 2 or less and top speeds of 30 mph or less.

Bicycle Riders

Washington state does not currently have a bicycle helmet law. However, King County which includes Bellevue, Duvall, Federal Way, Kenmore, Kent, Kirkland, Redmond, Renton, Sammamish, SeaTac, Seattle, Tukwila and Woodinville does require bicyclists to wear a helmet.

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, bicycle and pedestrian accidents and the families of those killed.

Often people who have been injured in a cycle accident through no negligence of there own have the worst injuries including fractures, brain trauma and spinal cord injury. The personal injury lawyers at The Farber Law Group will work to obtain the compensation that you deserve 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.

A California middle school administrator has been awarded a $5 million binding medical malpractice judgment against Kaiser HMO physicians who failed to diagnoses his symptoms which led to a stroke, leaving Howard paralyzed and disabled reports The Los Angeles Times.

Timothy Howard was diagnosed with a migraine by Kaiser's physicians, California state's largest HMO. Howard actually had a carotid artery tear which interrupted the blood flow to his head resulting in a stroke leaving him permanently paralyzed. If Howard had been diagnosed and treated properly with medication, his artery would have repaired itself and Howard would have avoided the disabling consequences of the misdiagnosis.

While Kaiser did not discipline their physicians the said their physicians learned from the case. Said Kaiser spokesman, Jim Anderson:

"They are more vigilant when they encounter cases with the symptoms that Mr. Howard reported to them."

The $5 million malpractice award is intended to cover the cost of Howard's care and medical costs. He is unable to work and care for himself. Howard and his wife, Mary, were also awarded noneconomic damages of $250,000 each.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured by medical malpractice and the families of those who have died.

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.

Pregnant drivers might want to read a column by Sharon Silke in USA Today's about car accidents and the risk of fetal death entitled "Researching trying to protect pregnant drivers." In the article Silke discusses how Ford Motor company is funding research at Virginia Tech and Wake Forest universities to determine how car accident affect pregnant women and their unborn babies.

The number of fetuses that die each year due to car accidents is estimated by Virginia Tech researcher, Stefan Duma, to be between 300 to 1,000. The problem is that States do not always collect data about fetal death in the Federal Fatal Accidents (FARS) system.

Pregnant women who are involved in car accidents face the danger of a placental abruption which is a catastrophe caused when the placenta separates from the uterus. It is a significant cause of maternal death and death to the fetus.

Recommendations for Pregnant Drivers

Leading experts recommend that to be safe, pregnant drivers should:

• Move the driver's seat as far back from the steering wheel as possible
  
• Make sure that there is at least 10 inches clearing between the steering wheel and breast bone
  
• Make sure the lap belt is below the belly and the shoulder belt between the breasts.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is looking into re-designing seat belt regulations which could protect pregnant drivers in addition to researching the effect of airbags on pregnant women.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber law Group. We represent car accident victims 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.

A 75-year-old man was inured in a car accident involving six vehicles on Interstate 5 at milepost 59 east of Vader, Washington reports The Daily News Online. The Washington State Patrol says excessive speed was the cause of the accident. Vader is a city approximately 20 miles south of Chehalis.

The motor vehicle accident occurred after noon on Thursdays when the driver of a 2002 Saturn lost control causing a chain-reaction accident.

Fortunately only one person was injured in the accident and he was treated for cuts to his hands and then released.

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 car accidents 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.

Toy safety is especially important this time of year when people are shopping for gifts for children. Consumers should check on product labels and make sure the toys that they buy are age appropriate. The Child Safety Protection Act sets forth U.S. safety standards to prevent toy-related accidents which might cause in an injury to a child or even death.

Toy-related accidents and deaths are quite common. More than 200 thousand children are treated in U.S. emergency rooms every year for toy-related injuries and approximately 20 children are killed each year by a toy-related accident. Toys can pose the following types of hazards to children:

• choking or aspiration on small parts or on balls or balloons.
  
• strangulation
  
• injury by projectiles which can cause a child to lose an eye or suffer lacerations or puncture wounds
  
• drowning
  
• motor vehicle accidents which involve toys like scooters, tricycles and ride-on toys
  
• lead paint caused poisoning.

Following are the safety rules provided by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission:

• Balls with a diameter of less than 1.75 inches should not be used by children under the age of 3 as they pose a choking hazard.
  
• Any toy or game intended for children between 3 and 8 must be labeled as a choking hazard if they contain a small ball of if they have small parts.
  
• Latex balloons pose a choking hazard and should not be used or given to children under the age of 8.
  
• Marbles should not be given or used by children under the age of 3 as they pose a choking hazard.
  
• Toys that produce noise that are close to children's ears cannot exceed 65 decibels.
  
• Toys that are used 25 centimeters or further from the ears cannot exceed 85 decibels.
  
• Children's products cannot contain phthalates in excess of 1,000 parts per million.
  
• Children's products cannot contain lead in excess of 300 parts per million.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured by defective or unsafe products. Washington State has a Products Liability Act which protects consumers from dangerous products and also helps them recover damages if they or a loved one is injured or 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.

A 24-year-old construction worker was seriously injured in a construction accident at Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton on Monday afternoon. According to a report on KOMO News.com, the woman was injured when crews were moving fabricated concrete pilings and one fell and pinned the woman.

According to the report, the victim works for a civilian contractor.

The woman was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for treatment.

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 construction 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.

A father and his daughter were awarded a $6 million lawsuit settlement after a 2006 motorcycle accident that seriously injured them both. The settlement was a record settlement for a personal injury case in Will County in Illinois reports the Chicago Sun-Times.

According to the report, Richard Wright was riding his motorcycle with his daughter Kelly Wright, age 15, in Joliet, Illinois when a truck driven by John Martis him them. Richard Wright suffered serious injuries including a fractured wrist and ankle. Kelly Wright suffered multiple fractures and will require fusion surgery to her ankle.

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 families 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.

The family of Peter Dzioba, age 60 of New Britain, Connecticut, who was killed in a pedicab accident in Seattle in August of 2008, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the pedicab company, Cascadia Cabs, and the pedicab manufacturer, Ningbo Nanyang Corporation of China reports The Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Dzioba was killed in the Belltown neighborhood of Seattle when the pedicab he and his wife were riding in could not stop at a red light and was hit by a minivan. Dzioba was thrown from the pedicab and he was run over by the minivan. Dzioba's wife Mary and the pedicab driver were also injured in the accident.

The lawsuit claims that the brake design on the pedicab was not adequate. The suit also claims that Cascadia did not properly train their drivers on how to drive and stop safely. The lawsuit cites the Washington Product Liability Act, RCW 7.72 which describes the responsibility of a manufacturer for the sale of defective and dangerous products to consumers.

Mary Dzioba filed the suit as the representative of her husband's estate. The wrongful death lawsuit was also filed on behalf of Dzioba's children, Patrick Andrew Dzioba, Colin Thomas Dzioba, Matthew Joseph Dzioba and Kelly Malarkey Dzioba. Washington state has a wrongful death statute which allows the family members of a person killed because of another's wrongful or negligent act recover damages.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We are a personal injury law firm with expertise in product liability and wrongful death claims.

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 U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) just released their annual report entitled Toy-Related Deaths and Injuries Calendar Year 2008. The report found that there were fewer toy-related deaths among children under the age of 15 in 2008 compared to 2006 and 2007. In 2008, there were 19 children whose deaths were reported as toy-related. The number of toy-related injuries averages around 229,600 each year.

The CPSC relies on data obtained at Emergency Rooms as to the cause of the injury and the toy involved. This information is not always obtained but it helps the CPSC identify dangerous toys.

Toy-Related Deaths

In 2008, there were 19 toy-related deaths among children under 15 years of age. Most deaths resulted from drowning, being hit by a motor vehicle or choking/airway obstruction caused by a small toy like a ball or a small toy part.

Riding toys continued to be the most dangerous. There were four deaths associated with tricycles: two children were killed while riding a tricycle when they were hit by a motor vehicle and two died when they rode their tricycles into swimming pools and drowned. Four deaths were related to non-motorized riding toys: two children were hit by motor vehicles, one while riding in a wagon and one while riding a toy motorcycle. One child rode his toy into a pond and drowned and the other fell from a toy and suffered fatal internal injuries.

Two toy-related deaths involved balls, one in which a child chased a ball into the street and was hit by a motor vehicle and the other death involved a child drowning when a ball obstructed a bathtub drain.

Toy-Related Injuries

In 2008, approximately 235,300 children under the age of 15 were treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms. 47% of the injuries treated were classified as lacerations, contusions or abrasions with 45% of these to the head or face.

Non-motorized scooters were the toy most closely related to injury to children under the age of 15. The CPSC has seen an increasing trend of injuries related to non-motorized scooters for all age children.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured by dangerous and defective products and the family of those killed. With our help, you may be able to recover compensation for your damages including hospital costs and for pain and suffering.

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.

Information for this post is from:
Toy-Related Deaths and Injuries Calendar Year 2008
Sarah Garland, Ph.D. Division of Hazard Analysis
Directorate for Epidemiology
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

The King County Medical Examiner (ME) released its annual report on deaths in the county in 2008. The leading cause of non-traffic accidental deaths were falls, primarily in the elderly. The second largest cause of accidental deaths in this category was accidental overdoses of drugs and/or poisons. Highlights of the report are below, or click here to read the full report.

Of the 739 non-traffic accidental deaths, 18% of the accidents occurred outside of King County but the injured person was taken to medical facilities, usually Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, for treatment.

Falls

The ME reported that there were 739 non-traffic accidental deaths in 2008 and that 44% of these deaths were attributed to falls. Approximately 81% of people whose deaths were attributed to falls were 70 years old or over and many of these falls were ground-level falls which resulted in fractures and complications including pneumonia.

Overdose

In 2008, 232 of the 739 -- or 31% -- of non-traffic accidental deaths were caused by overdoses of drugs and/or poisons. In this category, 32% of the deaths occurred in people between the ages of 40-49, 31% occurred in adults between the ages of 5-50. It is interesting to note that there were no accidental drug deaths of children or infants under the age of 15.

Burns

There were 13 fire-related deaths in King County in 2008. Many of these deaths (9 of the 13) were from people who were injured outside of King County but were brought to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for treatment at the Burn Intensive Care Unit.

Drowning

There were 23 drowning deaths in King County in 2008. 18 of the 23 drowning victims were male.

Aspiration

Ten people died from choking in 2008. All of these deaths occurred in adults over the age of 50 and 40% were in the 50-59 age group.

Complication of Therapy

In 2008, there were 81 "complication of therapy" deaths. These are deaths of people who die while being treated using a medical therapy and a complication arises which kills the patient. Complications of therapy sometimes involves medical malpractice and it includes hospital falls or injuries in hospitals, wrong-site surgeries, and prescription errors such as overdose or allergic reaction to a medication.

Of complication of therapy deaths, 37% were related to a medical procedure, 25% were drug related and 38% were surgery related.

Other accidental deaths

Other accidental deaths include:

• 14 people who died of asphyxia
  
• 2 people who died after being hit by an object
  
• 3 people who were struck by trains
  
• 4 people who succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning
  
• 4 people who died of of hypothermia
  
• 1 person who died after being electrocuted

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 accidents due to the negligence of another. We also represent families who have wrongful death claims when they have lost a loved one due to the negligence of another.

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.

Information for this posting is from:
King County Medical Examiner's Office - 2008 Annual Report prepared by David Fleming, MD and Richard Harruff, MD, PHD.

A teenage bicyclist was taken to Mary Bridge Hospital in Tacoma with critical head injuries after an accident with a car on Friday in McKenna. McKenna is a city about 25 miles south of Tacoma.

According to a report in the Tacoma The News Tribune, the 15-year-old boy was riding his bicycle near State Route 702 at 90th Avenue South around 5:30pm when he was hit by an SUV.

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 bicycle and pedestrian accidents 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.

The Washington State Patrol (WSP) was awarded the Outstanding Law Enforcement Agency Award by Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) for its efforts in 2008 to remove drunk and impaired drivers from the road according to WSP media release.

In 2008, WSP troopers arrested 20,240 impaired drivers which was 45% of all DUI drivers arrested by all law enforcement agencies. Coinciding with the efforts to remove drunk drivers from the roads, the number of fatal car accidents related to drunk driving fell from 10.4 percent in 2007 to 9.4 percent in 2008 in Washington. The legal limit for driving under the influence in Washington state is 0.08%.

The WSP has put into place many systems which help them remove drunk drivers from the road. These include emphasis patrols on weekends and over holidays, targeting aggressive drivers, air patrols and public education.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent victims of drunk drivers and their families. We aggressively work to help victims receive compensation for their damages including medical costs and pain and suffering.

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 Seattle Times reports that Neal Richard, 42 of Forks, Washington, was killed today when a tree limb fell on him. Richard's was working for the Department of Transportation clearing Highway 101 near Port Angeles when the accident occurred.

Richards had been an employee for the Department of Transportation for 11 years and was working out of Port Angeles. He leaves a wife and two children.

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 construction and work-related accidents.

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 Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports that a Seattle window washer survived a fall from the 8th floor of the building he was working on when his safety ropes stopped his fall at the second floor. According to the report, the 34-year-old man was working on the eighth floor of the Broadacres building at1601 Second Ave. when he fell.

Witnesses said the man's harness protected his torso from hitting the building and that he went through a window near the second floor. The man was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with serious injuries but not life-threatening injuries reports the P-I.

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 construction accidents and slip, trip and fall accidents. With our help, you may recover compensation for your injuries including medical costs.

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.

It appears that cell phone bans while driving does not seem to be having enough impact on our teens. A recent study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project revealed the following data:

• 33% of teenagers between the ages of 16 and 17 report that they have used their cell phone to text message while driving.
  
• 52% of teenagers between the ages of 16 and 17 report they have talked on a cell phone while driving.
  
• 48% of teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 say they have ridden in a motor vehicle while the driver was text messaging.
  
• 40% of the teenagers surveyed said that they have ridden in a car while the driver was using a cell phone in a way that put themselves and others in danger.

Washington state bans text messaging while driving and also bans the use of handheld cell phones.

There is no doubt that texting while driving is very dangerous behavior. Driver distraction is a huge factor in many car accidents./a> In fact a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study reports that in 2008, 5,870 people were killed in automobile accidents where one form of driver distraction was a factor.

Read Pew's report. Pew is a "nonpartisan nonprofit research center that provides information on issues, attitudes and trends that shape America and the world."

Talk to your teen about cell phone usage and driving. Then, model good behavior.

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 car accidents and the family of those killed. Read our article, "What if my accident was caused by

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.

Data on teens and text messaging from Pew:
Pew Internet: Teens and Distracted Driving http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2009/Teens-and-Distracted-Driving.aspx?r=1, accessed November 18, 2009

The Everett HeraldNet.com reports that two Everett women -- Sally Ring and Jean Jubie -- have filed lawsuits against the Ixtapa restaurant in Lake Stevens claiming that their illness was caused from E-coli, a form of food poisoning, contracted by eating at the restaurant. Last year a lawsuit was filed on behalf of Alison Riojas, age 9, who also contracted E-coli.

Ring's and Jubie's lawsuits did not specify damages but they are asking for medical and other expenses. Ring was treated at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett for her illness. Jubie was hospitalized for two days at the same hospital for gastrointestinal bleeding, colitis and dehydration.

E-coli is a bacterium that can be found in meat products and hamburger. Foodborne illness can cause a lifetime of health problems and kills approximately 5,000 people in the US every year. Children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems experience the worst symptoms but even for the healthy, E-coli can be "no walk in the park." Victims often have to be hospitalized for dehydration and other complications.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have serious illness due to foodborne illness. Contact us and we will work to help you obtain the compensation you deserve for medical costs and for pain and suffering.

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.

Richard Mark Garcia, age 51, has been charged with "one count of indecent liberties" after allegedly sexually molesting a patient who has cerebral palsy and was on a ventilator writes Levii Pulkkinen on SeattlePI.com.

According to Pulkkinen's report, the woman was on a ventilator at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle when she was placed on a ventilator because she had pneumonia. She was unable to speak because she had a tracheotomy. The woman communicated to her caregiver that Garcia, who has worked for Harborview for 19 years, forced her to touch him sexually on one occasion and on the following day, he touched the woman.

Garcia's semen was found on the woman's sheets.

It seems that Garcia targeted this patient because he thought she was mentally incompetent. Harborview may find that there was a pattern of patient abuse by this employee though he has only been charged with one count. It is abhorrent to think of someone repeatedly abusing such a vulnerable patient.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been victims of nursing home abuse and neglect and victims of hospital and medical malpractice. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages including pain and suffering.

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 Tacoma police department put into operation two speed enforcement cameras early this morning reports Brian Everstine reporting in Tacoma's The News Tribune.

According to the report, the cameras will be placed:

• 2900 East Bay street -- called "The Bay Street Curve"
  
• Near the intersection of North Orchard and 26th streets near Downing Elementary School.

The city is phasing in the cameras with a two week warning period in which car owners will receive a letter but will not be fined. Starting December 2, any owner of a car photographed speeding will receive a citation which includes a $101 fine.

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

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 Office of the Washington State Fire Marshall just provided a media release warning smokers about the fire danger caused by cigarettes. According to the release, approximately 1,000 people die each year in smoking-related home fires including four people so far this year in our state.

The Fire Marshall recommends purchasing reduced ignition propensity cigarettes, smoking outdoors and never smoking in sleeping areas or homes where medical oxygen is used.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have serious burn injuries due to the negligence of another.

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 Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) is warning consumers to be on the lookout for counterfeit electrical products including Christmas lights. Counterfeit electrical products cause fires, cause severe burn injuries and kill.

The counterfeiters have become very skilled in creating knock-off products, products that look authentic but are actually very dangerous. Often counterfeit electrical products don't provide shock or electrical fire protection.

Counterfeiters have been knocking off all different kinds of electrical products including circuit breakers, fuses, extension cords, power strips, toasters, hair dryers, decorate lights, irons, space heaters, and cell phone batteries. These counterfeit products have been known to catch on fire or even explode and they pose an enormous safety hazard.

Consumers need to be very savvy to avoid counterfeit and dangerous products. Here are some tips from the ESFI:

• Only buy electrical appliances from reputable retail stores. Avoid buying electrical products at flea markets, dollar stores or unknown web-sites.
  
• Avoid deeply discounted products.
  
• Buy branded products that you know and avoid brand-less products.
  
• Read the packaging and make sure they list the manufacturer name and address and a UPC code.
  
• Make sure the packaging is professional and doesn't have grammatical errors. Examine warning labels.
  
• Look for certification labels and make sure that it has a UL certification.

Underwriters Laboratories

The Underwriters Laboratories® Inc. (UL) is an independent product safety certification organization. The UL is committed to product safety and evaluates products and their components and allows acceptable products to carry a UL certification mark.

Currently, UL warns of that the following products have counterfeit UL marks and do not comply with UL safety requirements: "Santa's Magic Christmas" decorative lighting string and "100 sphere light" decorative outfit have a counterfeit UL Mark and do not comply with UL safety requirements.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured by dangerous or defective products and the families of those killed. With our help, you may obtain 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.

Randal J. Thomas, age 47 of Leavenworth, was killed in a bicycle accident Sunday afternoon on Blewett Pass Highway near the Highway 2 intersection.

According to a report in The Wenatchee World, Thomas suffered a head injury in the accident and was pronounced dead at Central Washington Hospital in Wenatchee.

The bicycle accident occurred when Thomas made a left turn in front of a tow truck driven by Kenneth W. Snart of North Bend that was traveling in the same direction.

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 pedestrian accidents and the families 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 Yakima Herald.com reports that Rogelio Soli, 65 of Toppenish, died of car accident injuries he sustained on Friday afternoon.

According to the report, the car accident happened when Solis went through an intersection on Branch Road without stopping at the intersection of Lateral A Road and his vehicle was hit by a Ford driven by Darrell Lamberton, 63 of Toppenish. Solis was taken to Yakima Regional Medical Center where he died approximately 12 hours later.

Darrell Lamberton, and his passenger, Ann Lamberton, 64, were both injured in the accident. Ann Lamberton was treated and has been released, Darryl Lamberton was reported to be in good condition.

The Washington state patrol do not believe alcohol or drugs were involved.

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 car 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 state patrol reports that they received reports of more than 20 motor vehicle accidents in the greater Seattle area in an hour and a half period early Saturday morning. Most of the collisions were caused by icy road conditions.

Western Washington is experiencing colder temperatures and in the local mountains including Steven's Pass and Mount Baker, winter has arrived. It is important that motorists drive safely on icy roads. The following are some tips to avoid getting into a car accident.

Icy Road Driving Tips

• Keep your speed down.
  
• Slow down to change lanes, turn or brake.
  
• Use your signals. Let other drivers know of your intention to change lanes, turn or stop.
  
• Pump your brakes slowly if you don't have anti lock brakes.
  
• Turn your wheels in the same direction as a skid.
  
• Freezing occurs quicker on bridges, highway overpasses and on shady roads. Slow down when approaching these areas.
  
• Know how to drive your car in icy conditions by practicing sudden stopping, turns and doughnuts in empty parking lots.

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 car 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.

I just read an excellent article by CNN's senior medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen. Her article, How to avoid falling victim to a hospital mistake is a must-read for anyone who is going to be a patient in the hospital or anyone who has a loved one there. The article is one in a series on the Empowered Patient.

In her article, Cohen tells the story of a young woman who was a victim of a medical mistake. Kerry Higuera went into a hospital ER room because she felt she was having a miscarriage. Because of a mix-up of patients with the same first name, the hospital performed a CT scan of Higuera's abdomen which had unknown but potentially dangerous consequences to her fetus because of the radiation exposure. Radiation can harm the development of a baby causing physical and mental problems.

Hospital malpractice like Higuera encountered are not that uncommon. According to The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations, medical mistakes which include the wrong surgical site, the wrong side of the body or the wrong patient happen about 40 times a week in US hospitals. In a study of 2.8 million surgeries, the Archives of Surgeries estimates that wrong-site surgeries occur in 1 out of every 112,994 surgeries.

The article on CNN.com coaches patients to advocate for themselves and provides the following tips:

• Identify yourself, your birthdate and the reason you are in the hospital to every professional who cares for you.
  
• Check your ID bracelet when you are admitted to ensure they have the correct information on it.
  
• Have your nurse read from your chart and tell you what it says about the procedure you are undergoing.
  
• Mark your surgical site with your surgeon in front of you.
  
• Correct and question nurses and/or doctors if they have the wrong information about you including your name, your condition, etc.

Cohen's article is excellent, read the full text here.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been injured by medical malpractice including surgical error and hospital error.

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.

Kristen E. Grindley, age 23 of Seattle, was found unconscious, injured and lying in a pool of blood on Pullman-Albion Road near state Highway 27. Now, the Whitman County sheriff's county is asking for anyone with information about what happened to Grindley to call them at 509-397-6266.

According to a report in The Spokesman-Review, Grindley, who is a recent WSU graduate, was airlifted from Pullman Regional Hospital to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and is currently unconscious.

The sheriff's office is trying to determine whether Grindley was struck while walking or if she fell from a motor vehicle.

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 pedestrian and motor vehicle 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.

A 45-year-old carpet layer was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with unknown injuries after he fell four stories from a window while working in Lynnwood.

According to a report in The Seattle Times, the man was installing carpet at the new Holiday Inn Express at 2515 196th St. SW around 10am this morning. He was offloading carpet from a forklift outside the building when he fell.

On-the-job accidents injure thousands of construction workers every year. In 2006, 87 workers were killed in construction accidents in Washington State.

More than 50% of the workplace injuries occur to workers under the age of 45. Accidents sometimes leave workers permanently disabled during their prime working and earning years. It is imperative that workers receive fair compensation for their injuries to cover loss of wages, rehabilitation and pain and suffering. Families of workers killed on site are also eligible to claim for compensation to provide a stable future for the family.

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 construction accidents and slip, trip and fall accidents.

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 20-year-old Washington State University (WSU) student suffered back injuries after he fell three stories from a fraternity house window and landed on the windshield of a parked car.

The accident occurred at the Alpha Kappa Lambda fraternity in Pullman, Washington.

According to a report in The Seattle Times, the student was taken to Pullman Regional Hospital with back injuries. The student was conscious a while after the accident. Alcohol was involved.

In May of this year, a 21-year-old WSU student from Bend, Oregon was killed after a fall from a cliff near campus.

The University of Washington in Seattle has also had its share of students falling from frat house windows. In May, a 22-year-old student was seriously injured after a fall from the Sigma Chi fraternity house.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people with serious personal injuries including traumatic brain injury and spinal cord damage.

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 driver was killed in a motor vehicle accident after he apparently hit a deer on Highway 20, north of Newport, Washington in Pend Orielle County which is about 50 miles north-east of Spokane

According to a report on KREM.com, the accident occurred around 6am this morning. The deer probably went through the windshield of the man's pickup truck and killed the driver on impact. The truck went down an embankment until it hit some trees.

October through December are the months when motorists are at the highest risk of a collision with a deer. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, November is statistically the worst month. Washington is not in the top 10 states of deer collisions, but it is still a common problem. Every year, approximate 150 motorists are killed and 10,000 more injured in accidents involving wildlife throughout the US.

Click here for information about avoiding collisions with deer and answers to your questions about insurance.

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. 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.

A 35-year-old woman has been sentenced to probation after pleading guilty to three Class C felony charges and three aggravated misdemeanor charges of wanton neglect of a nursing home resident after the woman stole pain medications from patients.

According to the Clinton Herald.com, Carrie A. Garza of Morrison, Iowa, removed Fentanyl patches used for pain management from three female patients. Fentanyl is used to create chronic pain and it is 100 times more potent than morphine.

Garza had an elaborate ruse to steal the medications. She called the nursing home -- The Alverno -- and claimed to be a representative of the pharmaceutical provider and said there had been a recall of the medication. She then went to rooms of Rosemary Sparks, Helen Parsons and Virginia Lange and removed their medication patches.

This seems like a pretty brazen act by Garza. It is hard to imagine a person removing needed pain medication from a patient for their own use. These women must have suffered pain after their medication was taken away.

It does not seem like the nursing home did everything they could to protect the patients involved. Allowing someone who was not an employee of the nursing home to actually touch a patient without checking their credentials seems like lax oversight.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured by nursing home abuse and neglect and the families of those who have died. Nursing home abuse and neglect can take many forms including medication errors, bedsores, and physical and sexual abuse.

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 Consumer Product Safety Commission along with Maclaren USA, Inc, of South Norwalk, Conn. Has announced a voluntary recall of approximately one million strollers after reports of 12 children having the tips of their fingers amputated by the stroller's hinge and other children suffering lacerations.

The recall involves the following strollers: Volo, Triumph, Quest Sport, Quest Mod, Techno XT, TechnoXLR, Twin Triumph, Twin Techno and Easy Traveler. These strollers are manufactured in China and were sold by Babies "R" Us, Target and other vendors between 199 and 2009.

If you purchased one of these strollers, contact MacLaren USA. They plan on providing consumers with a hinge protector.

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

The Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC) calls their program "X52." What does "X52" mean? Extra DUI patrols every weekend of the year. The WTSC has given local law enforcement agencies $450,000 to fund extra patrols on the weekends in order to reduce speeding and DUI car accidents which cause so many fatalities and serious injuries.

In Washington state, every year approximately 250 people are killed due to driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs. More than 40,000 motorists are arrested for DUI offenses every year in our state.

What are the penalties for DUI drivers?

• license suspension
  
• jail time
  
• up to $5,000 in fines
  
• ignition interlock devices

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 car accidents caused by drunk drivers and the families of those killed. We aggressively represent drunk driving victims so that they can be fully compensated for their losses.

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.

Ford Motor Corporation has announced that it will be the first car maker to build seat belt airbags into the rear seats of their Ford Explorer. The safety devices will be available in the Explorers next year.

Seat belt airbags are integrated into the shoulder portion of rear seat seat belts. The airbags deploy outward and side wise and provide safety for those riding in rear seats and limit movement of the neck and protect the head. The airbags are designed so that they deploy more slowly and with less force than front airbags so they are safe for young children and elderly passengers.

According to Wired magazine, Ford did extensive testing on the airbags and wanted to make sure that -- even in extreme conditions -- a child would not be injured by the airbags if he or she was sleeping and had their head slumped.

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 car accidents and the family of those killed. With our help, you may receive compensation for your injuries, including pain and suffering.

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.

Two women in their twenties were killed and a 24-year-old man was seriously injured when they were involved in a single-car accident in Bremerton early Sunday morning.

According to a report on Seattle's KOMO News.com, the man was driving a 2004 Dodge Stratus south on National Avenue South and the women were passengers when the car went off the road, went airborne and down a ravine, crashing into an embankment.

A 27-year-old woman and a 28-year-old-woman were both killed in the car accident. The 24-year-old man was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

The Kitsap County Sheriff's Department is investigating whether alcohol or drugs were a factor in the accident. They are asking anyone with information about the accident to contact Deputy Steve Martin at 360-337-4634.

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 car 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.

Joseph Anthony Garcia, 35, was sentenced to 18 months in jail for committing elder abuse at the Las Cruces Nursing Home where he worked. According to a report in the Las Cruces Sun-News, Garcia beat a 76-year-old man in the head, chest, stomach and back while he helped him get ready for bed.

Judge Lisa Schultz also added four years to Garcia's sentence because he had two previous convictions, one for breaking and entering and one for cocaine trafficking.

The really chilling part of this whole story was that the nursing home did not perform a background check on Garcia before they hired him.

Last November, the voters of Washington State overwhelmingly passed Initiative 1029 which requires that all long-term care workers complete training, pass a certification exam and undergo a federal background check for prior criminal records. It seems that in this Las Cruces case, the nursing home was guilty of negligence in not screening Garcia properly before allowing him to work with vulnerable adults.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We are a personal injury law firm with more than 30 years experience representing victims of nursing home abuse and neglect 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.

The Yakima Herald.com reports that William Kalichman, age 45, was injured in a motorcycle accident on Interstate 82 in Richland. The driver of the car who hit Kalichman was Alexa Aggeler, age 18; She may be charged with negligent driving.

According to the report, both Aggeler and Kalichman were headed west on I-82 on Thursday night around 11:15pm when Aggeler drove her car onto the right shoulder and she hit Kalichman when she returned to the roadway.

Kalichman was taken to Kennewick General Hospital for treatment of his injuries. Aggeler was not hurt in the accident.

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.

It's important that all Americans are able to detect elder abuse and neglect and report it. The frail and elderly senior citizens among us deserve our protection. Being able to spot the signs is important for the family and friends of senior citizens.

The Victims

Most elder abuse victims are over the age of 80. Many of the victims are shut ins and are isolated. Many lack resources or support in the community and are dependent on others financially, emotionally and physically. Some of the victims live in their own homes or in a caretaker's home. Many live in long term care settings such as nursing homes or adult family homes.

The Perpetrators

Statistics show that the perpetrators are often the caregivers of the elderly. Most perpetrators are between the age of 30 and 61 years old and 50 percent are family members and 50 percent are paid employees such as certified nursing assistants, nurses or other staff.

Forms of Elder Abuse

Elder abuse can take man forms including:

• Physical abuse -- hitting slapping punching. It can also include withholding food or care.
• Emotional abuse --name calling, berating, verbal abuse and intimidation.
• Sexual abuse -- rape, inappropriate touching or sexual harassment.
• Neglect -- by self because of impairment or by a caregiver. Some elderly are no longer to care for themselves which can threaten their well-being or health. Sometimes the caregiver withholds medical treatment or basic treatment such as hygiene.
• Exploitation -- is when the perpetrator financially takes advantage of an elderly person. Examples of this include people who take money or possessions from an older person or those who enter into contracts with an elderly person that are not valid because the elder has mental impairment and is unable to enter into the contract.

Signs of Physical Abuse or Neglect

• Bedsores
• Broken bones
• Depression or behavior change
• Urinary tract infection
• Malnutrition or dehydration
• Unexplained bruises

Many times victims do not report the abuse because they are unable to communicate or because they are ashamed or fear their abuser. In a nursing home setting, health care workers are required to report any suspected elder abuse but sometimes they don't because they fear losing their job.

Many types of citizens do come forward and report abuse. Sometimes it is a neighbor, a friend, a bank teller or an attorney. If you believe an elderly person that you know is being neglect or abused, check our Nursing Home & Elder Abuse Resources. There are many agencies that can help you. If the person you know is seriously injured, you should contact a qualified personal injury attorney who can help provide legal protection for the victim.

This information is provided by The Farber Law Group, a Washington law firm with more than 30 years experience represent nursing home abuse victims 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.

A child safety group, KidsandCars.org, is on a campaign to convince auto manufacturers and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that the design of power windows on cars needs to be changed. According to 2007 NHTSA statistics, 2,000 people are treated in hospital emergency rooms every year for injuries caused by power windows. The statistics show that more than 1,000 of those people are children. Since 1990, at least 50 children have been killed by power windows and many more suffered injuries including brain injuries, amputation of limbs and fractures.

KidsandCars would like laws to change so that auto manufacturers build cars with windows that automatically reverse directions when a window is obstructed. According to their Fact Sheet, power windows exert an upward force of between 30 and 80 pounds. It only takes 22 pounds of force to suffocate or injure an infant or small child and only two pounds to activate the window switch.

KidsandCars believes that, because so many drivers are distracted with the increase of cell phones, there may be an ever increasing number of injuries to children. A distracted driver might operate the window switch without realizing a child in the rear seat is obstructing the window.

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 car accidents and those injured by dangerous products.

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.

Safe Kids.org launched "Safe Crossing Week" for the week of November 1 through November 7 to teach children about how to be safe around railroad crossings. This year's program is called "Teaching Safety for Life."

Safe Kids "Top Railroad Safety Rules" for parents to teach their children include:

• Railroad tracks are dangerous, don't play around them. Only cross tracks at marked crossings and always look both ways.
  
• Obey railroad signs and signals, paying attention to warning bells or train whistles.
  
• Never cross a train track when a train is approaching even if it seems very far away.
  
• Walk bicycles across tracks.
  
• Stand at least 10 giant steps away from tracks.

According to Safe Kids, around 744 people were killed and 1,372 were injured in train accidents last year in the United States. Twenty-two of the victims that were killed and 120 of those injured were children, 14 years of age and under.

For more information about Railroad Safety, see the Safe Kids web-site.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been injured in motor vehicle 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.

Some of the states have been prodding the insurance companies to clean up their acts. In Georgia, United Healthcare has been fined $750K for delaying payments on health claims. The Insurance Commissioner Jon Oxendine directed United Healthcare and its sister companies to pay the fines. Says Oxendine, "It is unfortunate that fines must be imposed to encourage compliance, consumers and doctors deserve prompt payments."

UnitedHealthcare says it processes 97 percent of its claims within 15 days.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We take on insurance companies to insure that you are properly compensated for your injury accident.

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.

Information for this post is from the Examiner.Com.

The parents of Donnie Wade Jr. have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, Prairie View A & M and others claiming that their son's death was a result of the fraternity's hazing reports The Seattle Times.

Wade, who was a junior and transfer student collapsed and became ill while running track, doing push ups and other physical activities with other fraternity members. Apparently the fraternity members waved off calling an ambulance when Wade collapsed but later put him in a car and drove him to the hospital. Wade either died in the car or upon arrival at the hospital. An autopsy has been performed but the results are pending.

Fraternity hazing is a crime in Texas.

Wrongful death is the death of a person caused by either the negligence or a wrongful act of another. In Washington state, the family of a person who was wrongfully killed may recover damages in a civil action brought against the person or entity whose negligence caused their loved one's death.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We are a personal injury law firm with more than 30 years experience successfully representing families with their civil cases.

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 U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission along with Target Corporation has issued a voluntary recall of Halloween Flashlights imported by Target and manufactured by DGI LLC, of Warren N.J. and Tien Hsing of Wanchai, Hong Kong. The flashlights are dangerous and pose a burn hazard as they can overheat and melt.

The recall involves two types of flashlights: the mini flashlights and flashlights with stencils. The mini flashlight sold for $1 and the flashlight with stencil sold for $2.50

Consumers can return the flashlights to any Target store for a full refund.

See the CPSC web-site for a full description.

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

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.