Washington Injury Attorney Blog

The owner of two pit bull dogs that attacked Amber Hart of Vancouver, Washington has not come forward after the attack.

Hart tried to help a neighbor when two pit bull dogs were chasing cattle in the 14100 block of Northeast 18th Street. When Hart came to help, the dogs turned on her and she was bitten in the thigh and foot and required stitches at Southwest Washington Medical Center.

The dogs were captured and are being quarantined at the Humane Society for Southwest Washington. No owner has stepped to claim ownership of the dogs.

According to a report by Bob Albrecht in The Columbian, the two dogs had been running wild for at least an hour before Hart was bitten.

Because Hart has no health insurance a medical fund has been established at U.S. Bank Branches in the name of "Amber Hart."

Dog bites can cause serious injuries including disfigurement, permanent nerve damage, psychological damage including post-traumatic stress and severe pain. Every year, approximately 1,000 people are bitten in Seattle and King County. In 2006, there were 26 fatal dog bites in the United States.

If you are a loved one is bitten by a dog, you should seek immediate medical treatment. The animal control or police should be called to document the attack and to make a record of the attack. You should also photograph and document your wounds. If your injuries are serious, you should contact a knowledgeable and experienced personal injury attorney who can insure your rights are protected and will help you obtain compensation for your damages.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent dog bite 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.

Douglas McGregor, age 35, has been charged with second-degree rape after he was discovered exposing his genitals to an elderly Alzheimer's patient. McGregor, who has no previous criminal history, is being held on 250K bail.

The incident occurred at an assisted living facility for Alzheimer's patients, Weatherly Inn at Lake Meridian which is located in Kent, Washington.

According to a report in The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, McGregor claims that the patient broke the button on his pants and that the sexual contact was "accidental."

The patient's son describes his mother as "devastated" after the incident.

The Weatherly Inn immediately called 911 when an employee discovered McGregor. They also contacted the patient's family.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We are a personal injury law firm with offices in Seattle and Bellevue and we represent nursing home abuse and neglect 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.

See our Nursing Home & Elder Abuse Resources

The family of Hector Alvarez, who died at the age of 52 in Fairfax, Virginia, was awarded $1.25 million in a medical malpractice case against an Alexandria radiologist for misdiagnosing a hiatal hernia.

According to a report in The Washington Post, Alvarez went to the hospital in July 2006 with chest pains and trouble swallowing. A radiologist, William J. Dunwoody III, checked Alvarez's CT scan and diagnosed a hiatial hernia. Hiatial hernias are typically diagnosed using an upper GI or endoscopy.

Alvarez was treated for the hernia until the next day when a surgeon discovered that Alvarez actually had a perforated esophagus. Alvarez suffered cardiac arrest and during preparation for surgery to repair the tear. He subsequently died.

Alvarez's family's wrongful death suit claimed that if Alvarez had not been misdiagnosed he could have received prompt treatment and not become so weakened that he would not have died.

During the pretrial process, the Fairfax Anesthesiology group agreed to a $600,000 settlement. The radiology group, Pro Assurance, elected to go to trial. The Fairfax jury awarded $3 million to Avlarez's family in a judgment against ProAssurance but malpractice caps reduced the judgment to $1.25 million.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent families in their wrongful death claims when a loved one has died due to the negligence of another, including medical malpractice. With more than 30 years experience in representing wrongful death claims, we have recovered millions of dollars in compensation for 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 3-year-old boy, Noah B. Bishop, who was injured in a tragic accident at the University of Washington Medical Center Roosevelt Clinic has died of injuries sustained at the center.

According to the King County medical examiner's office, the boy suffered a traumatic brain injury and multiple skull fractures in an accident involving some type of medical equipment in a therapy room. He was rushed to Harborview Medical Center trauma center after the accident.

The boy, who was not a patient, was visiting the medical center with a parent who was there for therapy.

According to a report in The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, the UW Medical Center is investigating the cause of the accident. The parents and the medical center have not yet released details of 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 slip, trip and fall 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.

Police are investigating a Florida nursing home for possible abuse or neglect after the death of an patient who suffered multiple fractures after a fall fron her bed as her bedding was being changed. The patient laid in pain in her bed all day but an ambulance was not summoned for 12 hours. The patient subsequently died.

Barbara Fasold, age 76, was a resident at Ridgecrest Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Deland, Flordia. Fasold fell from her bed around 5am. A caregiver, who was in the room at the time of the fall, placed her back into bed but did not summon any medical services for the patient. An ambulance was not called until 4:42 pm when the nursing shift changed.

When Fasold was taken to the hospital, doctors discovered that she had a broken shoulder and two broken legs. Police are investigating whether nursing home abuse or neglect contributed to her death.

Signs of nursing home abuse or neglect can include bedsores, falls, dehydration, bruises, frequent bladder infections, malnutrition or medication errors.

This information is provided by Washignton Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been severely injured in nursing home falls and those who have been seriously injured by abuse or neglect.

With the help of The Farber Law Group, a law firm with more than 30 years experience in representing nursing home neglect cases, we may help recover compensation for 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.

See our Nursing Home & Elder Abuse Resources.

Source: WESH.com, Orlando, Florida
Posted 10:56 am EST February 26, 2010

The Washington State Liquor Control board has cited two Spokane bars for over-serving a young driver resulting in a fatal head-on car accident on I-90.

According to a report in The Seattle Times, the Board has cited Lions Lair, and are seeking a 5 day liquor license suspension, and BLVD, and are seeking a 30 day liquor license suspension.

Sterling Kruger, age 22 of Davenport, had visited both bars before driving drunk and being involved in a a head-on collision on December 17, 2009. Kruger was killed in the accident along with two of his passengers.

In civihttp://www.washingtoninjuryattorneyblog.com/l court, a bar, restaurant, bowling alley or other commecial estabilishment can be held legally liable if they served alcoholic beverages to an obvioulsy intoxicated person and that person subsequently injuries or kills another person due to their intoxication. This legal concept is called Dram Shop Liability. The family of the deceased would then have recourse to file suit against the bar or restaurant under Washigton's wrongful death statute.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney Blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been been the victims of drunken drivers and the families of those killed by drunken drivers.

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 man and a woman were injured in a pedestrian accident when they were hit by a car while walking near the Boise, Idaho airport early Tuesday morning.

According to a report in the Idaho Statesman, the pair were walking in a crosswalk on Airport Way when they were hit by a car that was turning onto Airport Way from Vista.

The couple reportedly were at the airport to catch a flight. There injuries were thought to be serious but not life-threatening.

Boise police are investigating the cause of 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 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.

A pastor at the Real Life Family Center in Spanaway, Thom Carlson, 43 of Puyallup, was killed in a motorcycle accident in Roy. According to a report in the Tacoma News Tribune, Carlson was riding his motorcycle in the 32100 block of Eighth Avenue South, when he ran into a vehicle pulling into a parking lot.

Carlson was taken to the hospital where he died of his injuries.

According to the article, speed was a factor in the motorcycle 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.

The Seattle Times reports that a Federal Way family was taken to Virginia Medical Center in Seattle for treatment of possible carbon monoxide poisoning.

According to the report, the electricity to their apartment building was out and the family was using a charcoal grill on their deck and the probably blew the gas from the grill into the apartment through an open door.

Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas but because it is colorless and odorless and it is very difficult to detect. For these reasons, it is called "the silent killer." Every year, approximately 300 people are killed by carbon monoxide poisoning in the United States according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headache, dizziness and flu-like symptoms. Too much exposure can cause central nervous system and heart complications and can cause death.

It is recommended that people install carbon monoxide alarms in their homes and test the alarms once a month.

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 by defective and 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.

Anthony Paul Cisco, 42, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to Vehicular Homicide in the pedestrian accident death of Rebecca Wilkie-Moore, of Purdy, in July of 2008.

Wilkie-Moore was a widowed single-mother when she was hit by Cisco as she walked from the bus on Purdy Drive in Tacoma.

Cisco drove away after the accident, leaving Wilkie-Moore mortally wounded, but was followed by a witness.

Vehicular Homicide can be charged if a person is killed and the driver was under the influence of alcohol and drugs, driving recklessly or driving without regard for the safety of other.

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 pedestrian 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.

Source: The Tacoma News Tribune, Man sentenced to 10 years in crash death of Purdy woman

Every year, approximately half a million people are treated for burn injuries in the United States and Canada. In Washington state, more than 400 people are treated for scald injuries.

Scald injuries are a type of burn injury caused by hot liquids or gases. Steam is often the cause of a scald injury but hot bath water, showers and spilled hot drinks are often common causes of scald injuries. According to information released by the Washington State Fire Marshal, Paul Perz, scald burn injuries are the second leading cause of death of children four years of age and younger.

To prevent scald injuries:

• Set water heater thermometers to 120 degrees F or less and mix hot water with cold water when filling a bath tub.
  
• Keep children away from the path between stove and sink.
  
• Use oven mitts and turn pot lids outward when removing and turn pot handles inwards.
  
• Do not head baby bottles in the microwave.
  
• Test and stir microwave-heated foods before serving.

This information is provided as a service by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who are the victims of serious burn injuries due to car accidents, dangerous or defective products and negligence.

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.

More than half of all bicycle accident fatalities are attributed to head injuries. Wearing a bicycle helmet that is properly fitted and is approved by the Consumer Product Safety Commission may reduce the risk of traumatic brain injury by as much as 88 percent.

Parents should first make sure that their child's bicycle helmet has not been recalled by checking the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission web-site here.

A perfect fit is also crucial to providing protection against injury. A helmet should fit snugly on the head and sit forward, protecting the brow and it should be secured with a taut strap. Most reputable bicycle stores can help with helmet fit or check the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute's information on How to Fit a Bicycle Helmet.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We are a leading personal injury law firm represent bicycle 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.

The parents of a 10-year-old Joel Diaz, of Kennewick, are waiting for autopsy results to find out why their son died.

Peter and Julie Diaz brought their son Joel to Urgent Care after he was injured in a bicycle accident and complained of stomach pain. In the bicycle accident, Joel was jabbed in the side with his bicycle handle bars.

The Urgent Care sent Joel to Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland where the boy underwent an ultrasound and when no serious injury was detected, Joel was given pain medication and sent home. The Diaz's say they stayed by their son's side all night even phoning the doctor when they thought his condition had changed. When they realized he had stopped breathing, they called 911 and paramedics rushed the boy back to Kadlec where he died.

Joel was the middle children in a family of six kids.

Hopefully, the autopsy report will give these parents answers as to what caused their son's death.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group.

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 two men in their 30s were critically injured when they fell 30 feet from scaffolding while working on a house this afternoon in South Seattle.

According to the report, both men were rushed to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with life-threatening injuries.

The construction accident occurred around 2pm at a house in the 3900 block of 48th Avenue south.

KIRO TV.com additionally reported that the men worked at Esary Roofing & Siding company and were working on the deck of a house. In their updated report at 5:34 pm, KIRO TV reported that one man was in intensive care in "serious condition" and the other man is listed in "satisfactory condition."

In 2007, the United States Department of Labor (DOL) reported 88 deaths related to scaffolds and staging. Annually, approximately 4,500 construction injuries and 50 deaths are attributed to scaffolding accidents. A study by the Bureau of Labor and Statistics found that 72% of workers in scaffold accident reported that the accident was caused by either the planking or support "giving way" or the worker slipping or being hit by a falling objects.

The DOL has an extensive web-site with information about scaffolding safety and best practices. OSHA will investigate this accident to determine the causes of the accident to determine if the accident was caused by faulty design, construction or lack of safety precautions.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who are 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.

Three employees of the Kitsap Health & Rehabilitation Center located in Bremerton, Washington have been fired after allegations that they sent each other lewd pictures of several patients who lived in the nursing home where they worked.

According to a report in The Seattle Times, a 41-year-old practical nurse said he and two nursing aides sent "funny pictures" to one another but he denied taking and sending inappropriate photos. He said that someone sent him pictures of a naked buttocks but that he did not know who.

Besides the male practical nurse, two female nursing aides, ages 26 and 27, were fired.

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 and neglecy. Signs of nursing home neglect can include falls, 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.

Richard Hess, 63 of Chelan, was killed in a single-vehicle accident when his pickup truck rolled on Interstate 90 near the Cle Elum exit reports the Yakima Herald.com.

According to the report, Hess drove his truck off of the road and when he over-corrected, he crossed into the eastbound lanes where his truck rolled off the highway.

According to the Washington State Patrol, Hess did not have his seat belt properly fastened. Investigators are trying to determine if 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 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.

Kenneth Schiedel, an 83-year-old man, returned to his room in his Milwaukie, Oregon retirement community, leaving his car perched over the 2nd story wall of a parking garage. Schiedel said that he accidentally pressed the gas pedal instead of the brake causing his car to crash through a wall and once he extricated himself from his predicament, he went back to his room.

Luckily, Schiedel was not injured in the car accident. Last week, however, a 70-year-old man from Kelso, Washington crashed his car through a Nevada casino, killing two people and injuring eight others.

Both of these cases highlight the aging population in America and the potential for serious car accidents. It is important that senior citizens who continue driving at advanced age have the cognitive processing speed to handle the task. Currently, there are no standardized tests that screen the elderly for their ability to drive.

Elderly drivers actually have fewer motor vehicle accidents than teenage drivers but they driver fewer miles. Many elderly start limiting their driving to compensate for their eyesight and other physical factors. They might stop driving at night, on the freeway or out of familiar surroundings.

While giving up driving is a difficult decision for many elderly, the family and the person's physician can help in making the decision. Usually, a threshold is reached in which the senior can no longer compensate for deficiencies in eyesight, cognitive processing and reflexes. The family can help by watching for warning signs of unsafe driving and helping their loved ones refresh their driving skills.

In Washington State, the AARP and other organizations offer driver safety programs for senior citizens. For more information, click here.

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 you damages including pain and suffering.

Source: KOMO News.com - Elderly Driver leaves his car teetering on the edge, Feb. 8, 2010

The U.S. Department of Justice provides a National Motor Vehicle Title Information System which allows consumers to check on a used car or truck they are considering buying to determine whether the vehicle is unsafe, stolen and whether it has been in an accident.

The Title Information System allows consumers to find out who the legal owner of a vehicle his, the car brand's history, the vehicle's accident history, the salvage history and the total loss history on a car for a fee of about $5.00.

States require that insurance carriers and auto salvage yard to submit information on vehicles to the national used car database.

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.

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 6-year-old boy, Michael Colombini, who was killed while he was undergoing an MRI, settled a $2.9 medical malpractice lawsuit against Westchester Medical Center where the boy was accidentally killed. The boys' parents filed the lawsuit in 2001 and settled right before the lawsuit went to trial.

Michael died in 2001 when he was hit in the head by an oxygen tank while he was undergoing the MRI. The oxygen tank was brought into the MRI room because the piped in oxygen had failed and the powerful magnets of the MRI machine pulled the oxygen tank into the bore of the magnet where the boy lay.

Young Michael was undergoing the MRI after the successful removal of a brain tumor.

The MRI community deconstructed the causes of Michael's accident, looking at the factors which caused his death including poor planning, improper suite design and construction, failed maintenance, lack of training of safety procedures, improper materials screening, failed segregation of unsafe tanks.

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 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.

Source: The Journal News - LoHud.com, February 5, 2010

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) along with Dolgencorp LLC, of Goodlettsville, Tenn. has issued a voluntary recall of Special Forces and Police SWAT Toy Gun sets because they pose a safety hazard. The toys are sold at Dollar General stores in 35 states.

According to the CPSC, the toy gun sets have bright orange tips on the guns barrels which helps people distinguish them from real guns but it has been found that the tips can be removed and pose a choking hazard to children.

Consumers should take the toys to Dollar General for a refund or replacement.

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 dangerous or defective products 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.

Source: U.S. Product Safety Commission, February 3, 2010, Release # 10-132.

Most parents are using but misusing child safety restraints which an increase of the risk of injury or death in a car accident.

One study that looked at 1446 drivers with 2287 children showed that, in 66.8% of the cases, the child safety seat was not being used properly, especially in the positioning of the seat belts. Some studies put the number much higher and say there is a 75% error rate in the use of car seats.

Common installation errors include:

• placing the car shoulder belt over the booster seat arm rest
  
• placing the shoulder belt in an incorrect shoulder position
  
• fastening the seat belt incorrectly
  
• placing the shoulder belt either behind a child's back or under their arm
  
• placing a child into a seat they have outgrown.

See The Safety Restraint Coalition web-site for information on car seat fit and installation and to find places in your county where you can have your car seat installation inspected by a fit expert.

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, 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 trial of Dennis Geyer, a 38-year-old neurosurgeon who is charged with second-degree assault with an enhancement of using a deadly weapon began on Tuesday reports The Olympian.

Geyer was charged with beating Robert Speed, 61, in a fit of 'road rage' says prosecutors.

The incident between Geyer and Speed apparently began on Highway 16 when Geyer claims Speed cut him off with his car. Geyer allegedly followed Speed and, when the two men were stopped at an intersection near Gig Harbor, a confrontation ensued and Geyer allegedly slugged Speed and hit him with a thermos after dragging him from his car.

Road rage is a form of aggressive driving which can include assaults or even collisions which cause injury or death. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, aggressive driving can include speeding, lane changes which include "cutting off" and failing to signal when passing or passing on the shoulder.

Road rage can often be a symptom of poor mental health and can be affected by traffic flow, traffic volume and over-exposure to driving. Excessive driving can increase the chance than an other-wise non-violent person can become more violent.

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 the negligence of another including car accidents and physical assault.

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.

An announcement for the Zackery Lystedt Project will be made at the Super Bowl this Sunday. The Zackery Lystedt Project is an initiative to convince all states to enact legislation like Washington state did which says that student athletes under the age of 18 who have symptoms of a concussion cannot return to play without approval by a physician or other health provider. The Lystedt initiative is sponsored by the Sarah Jane Brain project whose goal is to educate and prevent pediatric traumatic brain injury caused by trauma including car accidents, falls, violence, a blow to the head, sports incidents, gunshots, bicycle accidents and other traumas to the brain.

The law in Washington State is named for Zackery Lystedt who suffered a brain injury in a middle school football game. Washington's law requires coaches to receive concussion education and requires coaches to remove to remove a student athlete from the playing field if there is a possibility the athlete suffered a concussion. In addition, it requires the coach not to allow the player to return to play until examined.

A concussion is the most common type of mild traumatic brain injury and it can cause various systems including cognitive, physical and emotional. Diagnosis of concussion usually requires a physical and neurological exam. Symptoms can include persistent vomiting, headache, seizures and unequal or unreactive pupils. Treatment for concussions usually includes monitoring and rest. Concussion symptoms are usually gone approximately three weeks after the trauma.

Some studies suggest that concussions are under-diagnosed and that often student athletes cover up their injuries so they can remain at play.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have suffered a traumatic brain injury.

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.

For more information about initiatives to restrict student athletes returning to play, you might want to read All Clear? Head injuries get attention from states in The Seattle Times.

We came across an interesting blog posting entitled "Don't Want to Risk Going to Jail? You May Have to Give Up Driving!" a reader blog by Kary L. Krismer published in The Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

In the blog, Krismer discusses two bills in process in the Washington state legislature, HB 2774 and SB 5838. Both bills, according to the blog author, criminalizes car accidents and provide more leeway for prosecution of people in cases of car accidents where someone was seriously injured or killed.

Currently, motorists are charged criminally when they were involved in a car accident and they were driving under the influence, driving on a suspended license or in similar situations. In cases where the driver was just plain negligent, motorists are not charged criminally.

The bills in process in the legislature seek to criminalize car accidents. HB 2774, for example, "addresses traffic infractions where the conduct is a proximate cause of death, great bodily harm, or substantial bodily injury … may be classified as a criminal offense."

How might these bills affect the car accident victim? The blog author argues that the bills don't take in account that civil law makes people financially responsible for their negligence and that if more people go to jail because of negligent acts -- mistakes -- then they will be unable to financially compensate the victim under civil law.

These two bills may have unintended consequences to car accident victims and their families and they are two bills to watch as they wind through the legislature.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent car accident victims and their families. If you or a loved one is seriously injured or a loved one is killed in a car accident due to another person's negligence, then we will fight for you to obtain the compensation you deserve.

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.