Washington Injury Attorney Blog

Two people have drowned and another person is missing in a fishing boat accident on the Columbia River near Wishram, Washington. A fourth person was rescued after accident and is being treated for hypothermia.

According to the Yakima Herald.com, the boating accident occurred Friday morning around 7:45am when the 18-foot fishing boat capsized amidst high winds of 25 to 35mph and gusts to 40mph and heavy swells.

Yakama Tribal Council chairman said that all four fishermen were enrolled in the Yakama tribe.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We are a personal injury law firm in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metropolitan area and we represent boating 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.

Susy Jo Frazier, age 27, died at Yakima Regional Medical Center after being involved in a single car accident near Wapato on Monday night around 7:30pm.

The Yakima Herald reports that Frazier was critically injured when her car overturned on Jones Road and she died later at the hospital.

A Washington State Patrol memo said that Frazier was not wearing a seat belt at the time 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 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.

Nursing home administrator, Charlotte Wilson, is under investigation by the State Of Virginia's Attorney General's office for ignoring reports that one of her employees was molesting vulnerable adults at the nursing home where she was employed as an Administrator.

According to an article on TriCities.com by Michael Owens, a reporter for the Bristol Herald Courier,Wilson ignored complaints that James Wright, a nursing aide, was committing sexual assault on residents. People who care for Vulnerable Adults are legally bound by law to report abuse or neglect in a nursing home.

James Wright, recently entered an Alford Plea to four counts of aggravated sexual battery; he will be sentenced in May and faces 20 years of jail time for each count. It is alleged that Wilson reassigned Wright after complaints lodged by relatives of some patients but she allowed him to continue working.

In Washington State, as in many other states, it is mandatory for administrators to report conduct of an employee which involves patient abuse including physical, verbal and emotional; administrators and other professionals are considered Mandatory Reporters.

Wilson who works for National Healthcare-Bristol, may lose her license pending a hearing.

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 their families. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages.

Symptoms of nursing home abuse and neglect can include bedsores, broken bones, dehydration, frequent UTI infections, physical abuse 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.

A 29-year-old man who was walking and acting strangely on southbound Interstate 5 on the Ship Canal Bridge in Seattle was struck by at least three vehicles and killed early Tuesday morning.

According to a Washington State Patrol media release, the WSP had received numerous calls of a pedestrian "acting aggressively" towards vehicles. Before the patrol could arrive, the man was hit and killed.

It is not known what caused the man to act so strangely or whether he was under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

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.

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 50-year-old motorcyclist was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle after crashing his motorcycle in Arlington on Sunday night. The man's condition is listed as serious.

According to the Herald Net of Everett, the man may have been speeding when he lost control of his motorcycle on a curve on Highway 530 at 294th Street NE.

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 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.

Two Wenatchee residents were injured in a rollover car accident on Sunday evening just before 8:00pm when the driver swerved to avoid a deer on Highway 197, 15 miles south of Peshastin. The car they were riding in crossed the centerline, ran into a ditch and landed on its top.

According a report in The Wenatchee World, Edward Broten, 71, suffered cuts to his face and hands and was treated for his injuries at Cascade Medical Center. Loreena Broten, 42, was treated for injuries to her head, neck and shoulder at the same hospital. The article did not say who was driving at the time of the car accident.

According to State Farm Insurance, car vs. deer collision cause an estimate 1.5 million deer-vehicle collisions every year in the United States and cause 150 deaths and $1.1 billion in property damage.

Tips to avoid hitting a deer:

• Be extra cautious where you see signs for live stock and deer crossing. Slow down in these areas.
  
• If you see one deer, be on the lookout for another as they usually travel together.
  
• Turn your high beams on when traveling at night.
  
• Brake firmly when you see a deer but stay in your own lane. Many serious accidents happen when drivers swerve to avoid the deer, lose control and crash.
  
• Always wear your seat belt.
  
• If you do hit a deer, do not touch it as a wounded animal may injure you.

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.

Eleven orchard workers are lucky to be alive after they bailed from a pickup truck that had lost its brakes on a steep road seconds before it crashed in Douglas County. All eleven of the men riding in the truck suffered injuries, ranging from minor to serious, in the truck accident. One man received a serious head injury and he was airlifted to Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane. Eight victims were taken to the Okanogan Douglas Hospital in Brewster and three were taken to Mid-Valley Hospital in Omak.

The men were all employees of Crane & Crane Orchards and they were riding in a 1982 Ford pickup truck belonging to Crane & Crane. Three men were riding in the cab and eight in the rear when the brakes failed. The accident occurred along a gravel road around 12:30pm near the company's orchards in Brewster. Brewster is located about 75 miles northeast of Wenatchee.

The workers reported hearing a loud popping noise and jumped from the truck seconds before it went down a steep grade and rolled over onto its roof reports The Wenatchee World.

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 construction 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 Legislature enacted several Traffic Safety laws in 2009. The new laws that affect the most motorists include:

• SSB 5469 - Intermediate vehicle license
  Intermediate driver license holders who were in an accident may have restrictions on their license lifted if it is determined that another party in the accident they were involved in was cited.
• SB 5482 - 2 and 3 wheeled vehicles
  This law has three parts:
  1. Motorcyclists must have a motorcycle endorsement, cannot transport children under 5 years old and must wear a conforming helmet.
  2. Motorcyclists must register three-wheeled vehicles that are partially or completely enclosed with a steering wheel and a seat belt as a motorcycle; wear a seat belt; wear an approved helmet; must not transport children under the age of 5; and have a driver's license with a motorcycle endorsement.
  3. Jurisdictions that have traffic signals which are vehicle-activated must repair signals that have detection issues.
• SSB 5574 - Consumer data in vehicles
  This law requires manufacturers who install data recording devices in vehicles (similar to "black boxes" in airplanes) to disclose the presence and function of the device in the vehicle's owner's manual. It also maintains that the data recorded cannot be accessed by anyone but the vehicle's owners except a)by court order; b) upon the express consent of the owners; c) for research to improve vehicle safety; d) to respond to a medical emergency; e)if the data is used to fulfill a services agreement on the vehicle.
• HB 1448 - Tribal reservation speed limits
  Allows tribal authorities to change the speed limits on state highways on the portion of highway that is within the boundaries of the tribe's reservation provided: a) the change is based upon engineering and traffic investigations; b) the change is approved by WSDOT; c) the change is noted with proper signage.

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 car ran a red light and hit a Max Train on Friday night in downtown Portland, injuring the driver of the car and slightly injuring two people on the train. The driver of the car was taken to the hospital but the train passengers were checked out at the scene.

The car-train accident occurred at NW Everett at NW 1st Avenue around 10:15pm on the Blue Line.

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.

The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary is offering two boater education courses in Bellevue which enable boaters to receive their Washington State boaters education card.

In Washington, a boater education safety course or an equivalency is required before a person can operate boat of 15 horsepower or more.

The classes are offered on April 24 or May 8 at Bellevue Fire Station 9 which is located on 12412 SE 69th Way.

To register for a class contact Terry Hopper, Public Education Officer, at TerryHooper@verizon.net or call 425-885-0259.

This information is provided by Washington Boating Accident Lawyers at The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in boating accidents and the family of those killed.

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

Two employees at Independent Metals Recycling in South Seattle suffered minor injuries after a propane cylinder that was accidentally placed into a metal-recycling shredder blew up reports The Seattle Times..

The two injured employees were taken to Harborview Medical Center 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 and industrial 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.

An Illinois family has agreed to a $9.5M medical malpractice settlement after mediation with an Illinois hospital, nurse midwife and the nurse's employer after she claimed that her son's birth injury, resulting in cerebral palsy, was caused by negligence.

Helen O'Came filed a cerebral palsy lawsuit claiming her son was deprived of oxygen during the birth process which caused a brain injury. According to O'Came's lawsuit, the nurse midwife, Mary Traub, was required to have a sponsoring physician on call but her sponsoring physician, Dr. Han, was away in Korea and Traub did not call another physician in to the case.

Patrick, who is now 14, has a permanent disability which requires lifetime care. In the settlement, the hospital has greed to pay $7.5 million and Dr. Han and Traum will each pay $1 million as part of the settlement.

Cerebral palsy can be caused by the lack of oxygen at birth which can cause permanent disabilities including seizures, blindness, mental retardation and physical impairments.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We have more than 30 years experience representing families whose babies have suffered a birth injury including cerebral palsy.

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:
Chicago Breaking News Center
$9.5M settlement in case of boy born with cerebral palsy
Posted: April 15, 2010

The widow of Michael Scarpa, 55, was awarded a $1.2 settlement after a Pennsylvania jury spent only four hours deliberating the merits of the medical malpractice lawsuit against Tyler Memorial Hospital and two hospital physicians who treated her husband.

The jury found against the hospitals and doctors Daniel Costner and Jeffrey Lubin negligent in the death of Scarpa who died in 1999.

Scarpa went to Tyler Memorial complaining of chest pains and vomiting on April 16, 1999. He was told to take cough medicine and see his family doctor. Scarpa died two days later and the autopsy showed that he had an ulcerated esophagus and the cause of his death was blood poisoning/sepsis caused by food entering his pleural cavity through the perforated esophagus.

Source:
The Times-Tribune
Jury awards widow $1.2 million in Scranton malpractice trial
By Joe McDonald
Published April 21, 2010

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent clients who have suffered serious injury due to the malpractice of a medical professional. Malpractice refers to the professionals negligence in failing to meet the standards of his or her profession resulting in injury to a patient. If the patient is deceased, the family of the victim may bring a wrongful death lawsuit to recover damages on behalf of their deceased loved one under Washington State statute.

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.

Kelsey Macom, 36, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 30 days in jail, three months of home detention with electronic monitoring and three years of supervised release for tampering with a consumer products reports The News Tribune of Tacoma.

Macom, a resident of Buckley, had tried to get money from Coca-Cola by falsely claiming that her daughter's throat was cut by a shard of glass that was in a Dasani brand bottle of water; Dasani is owned by Coca-Cola corporation.

Macom admitted that her claim was fraudulent when Food and Drug Administration agents presented her with evidence that she had previously received a $1,500 settlement from another company after claiming her daughter was cut by glass contained in a chocolate bar.

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

Three fisherman were rescued and a fourth crew member -- the captain -- died when the Seattle-based fishing boat, the Northern Belle, sank near the mouth of Prince William Sound near Kodiak, Alaska.

The U.S. Coast Guard performed the rescue of the crew members after they received a mayday radio call around 5:30pm Tuesday night.

The captain apparently suffered a head injury as he exited the boat but no determination has yet been made whether he died as a result of head trauma, drowning or hypothermia. The three rescued crew members all suffered from hypothermia but were wearing survival suits. The named survivors were Robert Jack, 52, and Nicole Esau, both of Seattle.

The cause of the boating accident is under investigation but a report in The Seattle Times said that the captain feared that the boat was overloaded and that the boat began to list before it took on water.

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

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

A man was suffered serious injuries in an industrial accident at a gravel mine near Maple Valley on Monday morning reports Kris Hill writing for the Covington Reporter News.

Deputy Chief Matt Cowan said that the suffered "significant" but not "life threatening" injuries to his legs. The accident victim was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

The construction accident occurred around 10:41 am when a man was run over by a heavy piece of construction equipment called a front end loader.

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. A qualified and skilled construction accident attorney can help your obtain compensation for your damages including medical expenses, lost earnings and rehabilitation 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.

The passenger of an SUV was critically injured in a motor vehicle accident late Monday night when the driver of the SUV she was riding in crashed into a parked boat in the 19600 block of 61st Place NE in Kenmore.

According to a report on KOMO News.com, the female passenger was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. It took rescue workers approximately 15 minutes to free her from the vehicle.

The female driver of the SUV was also injured but her injuries did not appear to be as serious. Police believe that alcohol may have been a factor in the accident .

According to the article, the Bayliner boat was totaled in the accident. The boat owner apparently had just purchased the boat and had parked it for a few days before putting it into a slip.

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.

An 83-year-old Renton woman, who was hit by a bicyclist while she was walking on the Cedar River Trail, has died of her injuries reports Seattle's King.com.

According to the report, the woman stepped in front of the bicyclist -- a 57-year-old man -- as he was passing her on the left. The woman and the cyclist both fell and apparently the woman struck her head.

The bicycle-pedestrian accident occurred on Sunday around 4:45pm. The woman died at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle on Monday.

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

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

A 5-year-old boy was accidentally killed in the driveway of his Newcastle home on Friday when his father accidentally struck him with his car.

According to a report in the Seattle PI, the father did not see the boy run behind his car and he will not be charged.

Driveway accidents are all too common. Within a 10 day period, a 17-month old toddler was injured in Wenatchee, a 3-year-old girl was killed in University Place and this accident occurred in Newcastle-- all in Washington state.

In the U.S., there are approximately 100 children killed and thousands injured in driveway backover accidents. Parents, caregivers and all motorists need to be extra vigilant when backing out of driveways.

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.

Winco Foods with stores in Federal Way, Vancouver, Kennewick, Kent, Longview, Marysville, Puyallup, Richland, Spokane, Spokane Valley and Vancouver, Washington has issued a recall of all fresh ground beef packed in Styrofoam trays with March 28, 2010 through April 9, 2010 sale dates because of possibility of E-coli contamination.

An independent lab and a state of California lab tested samples of the meat and found that it had been contaminated with the E-coli bacteria. No illness from the bacteria has been reported reports The Seattle Times.

E-coli is a bacterium that can be found in meat products and hamburgers and can cause illness and even death in some people. Symptoms of a foodborne illness usually occur between several hours to a few days after consuming a food. Symptoms can include dehydration, diarrhea, fatigue, nausea, abdominal pain and or vomiting.

This information is provided by The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have become seriously ill due to foodborne illness.

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 woman was injured in a hit-and-run pedestrian accident around 6:30 am in Snohomish on Friday morning. The woman was treated for head lacerations at a local hospital and then released.

According an article in the Everett HeraldNet.com, the woman was hit in the 1100 block of Pine Avenue. Witnesses saw a 1970s white Chevrolet pickup with red trim leave the accident scene.

Anyone with information about the vehicle, the driver or the truck's passenger are asked to call Snohomish Police at 360-568-0888.

Washington State Vehicle code RCW 46.52.020 provides that it is the duty of any motorist involved in an accident which results in the injury or death of a person to remain at the accident. Failure to do so is a Class B felony.

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.

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.

Charchleen Hendrix , 36, was arrested for investigation of drunken driving and vehicular assault after she was responsible for a car accident that involved a pedestrian, a parked car and a motel.

According to a report in The Spokesman-Review, Hendrix was driving drunk when she struck a 40-year-old man who was standing in a motel parking lot. She also hit a parked car and ran into a motel building. She finally struck a pole which prevented her car from driving away.

All of this happened at Al's Motel on Division Street in Spokane.

The unidentified pedestrian was taken to a hospital for treatment of his injuries.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent victims of drunken drivers and their family. 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 Connecticut Law Tribune reports that Debbie Becker, a woman who was burned by hot wax at a beauty salon while getting a "Brazilian wax" treatment, has settled her negligence lawsuit for $100,000.

According to the report, Becker contracted with the salon to remove her pubic hair in a procedure commonly called "Brazilian wax" or "bikini waxing." During the waxing process, the technician allegedly allowed wax to spill onto the plaintiff's labia which caused burn injuries.

Becker was treated at an urgent care facility and she suffered significant pain during urination, sitting and also had to refrain from sexual activity. Her medical bills were $750 but her lawyer said she is still psychologically traumatized.

The lawsuit was settled in mediation for $100,000. Becker's attorney, Pamela Levin Cameron, said that bikini waxing burn injuries may be more common than people might imagine but many women may be just too embarrassed to seek a legal remedy.

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

Toyota Motor Corporation has temporarily suspended sales of the 2010 Lexus GX 460 after Consumer Reports magazine issued a "Don't Buy" safety rating because of concerns that the vehicle has a high risk of rollover accidents because of a flaw in the Electronic Stability control system .

Consumer Reports magazine put the car through a series of tests, pushing the vehicle to its limits. The tests were conducted at speeds of 60 miles per hour and were repeated by four separate Consumer Reports drivers. They also said they have had no reports of deaths or injuries caused by the stability problem.

Consumer Reports said:

When pushed to its limits on a handling course on CR's test track, the rear of the GX CR purchased slid out until the vehicle was almost sideways before the electronic stability control system was able to regain control." 

This is the first time Consumer Reports has ever placed a "don't buy" or "not acceptable" warning on any vehicle manufactured by Toyota.

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 families of those killed. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages. We also represent people who have been seriously injured by dangerous or defective 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.

Source:
Market Watch
Reported by Shawn Langlois
Consumer Reports: Don't buy the Lexus GX 460
Toyota's woes mount as rollover risk found in luxury SUV
April 31, 2010

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has just released their study regarding the efficacy of antilock brakes for motorcycles. The Institute believes that antilock brakes for motorcycles should be standard on all motorcycles because they reduce fatal motorcycle accidents by up to 37%

An analysis by the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) of insurance claims filed after motorcycle accidents found that motorcycles with antilock brakes have 22% fewer accident claims for damage.

In the past couple of years the number of motorcycle accident fatalities has gone up with more than 5,000 people killed in motorcycle-related accidents in 2008. The number of motorcycle deaths increased at the same time that car accident deaths were at their lowest in 50 years.

One of the key factors in the increase in motorcycle fatalities is that more people are buying and riding motorcycles than ever before. In 2008, there were 7.7 million registered motorcycles compared to 4.3 million in 2000.

Anti-lock brakes are a key component to motorcycle safety. Stopping a motorcycle is more difficult than a car because the front and back wheels usually have separate brake controls. Wheels can lock when a rider brakes hard. However, if a rider has anti-lock brakes, the motorcycle detects an impending lockup and can compensate so by reducing the braking pressure until the bike has traction.

Click here for a list of motorcycles which can be purchased with antilock brakes.

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. 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 has changed their Regulation Manual and now requires troopers to use hands-free devices if they use cell phones while driving. The change in the Regulation Manual also include prohibiting troopers from texting while driving.

WSP Chief John Batiste said:

“Using a hands-free device is a good idea for everyone, including troopers. Every driver has an obligation to be at their best while behind the wheel.”

For more information see:Washington State Patrol Media Release
WSP Manual Now Requires Troopers to Use Hands-Free Devices
April 12, 2010

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. If you believe your car accident was caused by someones negligent use of a cell phone, read What if my accident was caused by someone using a cell phone?

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 teenage boy, who was riding in the trunk of a car, and another person were injured in a single car accident on Britton Road in Bellingham on Sunday around 4:15am.

According to a report in The Bellingham Herald, seven people were jammed into a Honda Civic and one other person was riding in the trunk of the car when the vehicle went off the road and crashed into an embankment after running a stop sign.

One person, who was lying across the laps of three belted people in the rear seat, was injured along with the boy in the trunk. The injured were taken to St. Joseph Hospital; their injures appear to be non life-threatening.

The driver of the vehicle and the non-injured passengers fled the accident scene. However, the driver has been identified.

The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office believes alcohol was a factor in the car 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 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.

A 29-year-old Olympia man, Jonathan R. Burchanan, was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle after suffering facial and internal injuries in a two-car accident near Cosmopolis on Thursday.

According to a report in The Daily World of Aberdeen, Burchanan crossed the center line on U.S. Highway 101 a little after 6pm on Thursday evening and struck a southbound car driven by Laura L. Rogers, 43 of Raymond.

Raymond was taken to Grays Harbor Community Hospital with chest and back injuries.

Two passengers in Buchanan's car, 19-year-old Steven M. Wilder and 41-year-old Diann L. Hiebert, both of Tacoma, suffered bruising and sore muscles, according to the report.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We are a personal injury law firm that represents car accident victims including those with whiplash, traumatic brain injury and other injuries of a serious nature.

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 Seattle woman who was critically injured late Friday night when she was hit by at least one motorist as she crossed a Tukwila street has died of her injuries at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Tukwila police are looking for two cars that witnesses identified as being involved in the hit-and-run pedestrian accident. The first car to hit the woman is described as a Cadillac, reddish in color. The second car is described as a silver Honda or other import model.

According to KOMO News.com, the woman was crossing East Marginal Way South to go to The Annex, a tavern, after getting off a bus. A witness saw a speeding Cadillac hit the woman. The woman flew up on the hood of the car and perhaps into the windshield. The Cadillac stopped for a moment then the driver left the accident scene.

Witnesses said that a second car then hit the woman as she lay in the street.

Tukwila Police are asking anyone with information about either vehicle to call them at (206) 433-1808. They said that that both cars may have extensive front-end damages.

Leaving the scene of an accident is classified as a class B felony. The driver can be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison and fined up to $20,000. In addition, if either driver was found to be under the influence at the time of the accident, they may be charged with Vehicular Homicide.

This information has been 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.

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.

One child has died and three other children are recovering from E-coli O157:h7 infections that they apparently contacted at a Vancouver-area daycare center reports The Columbian.

An unnamed licensed Clark County daycare which all of the ill children attended has been closed until the precise cause of the infection has been identified.

According to the report, all four children who contracted the E-coli illness were hospitalized. The first child that became ill was hospitalized on March 19 and the other three around that time. Elizabeth Winter of the Washington state Department of Early Learning said the child who died was a 4-year-old boy reports The Oregonian.

All of the employees and children associated with the daycare were tested for the E-coli bacteria including 22 children and 4 adults; results of the tests found that six of those tested carried the E-coli bacteria but were asymptomatic.

Clark County health officer Dr. Alan Melnic said that it is believed that the children contracted the illness through person-to-person transmission. E-coli bacteria lives in the digestive tract of animals and humans but it can be transmitted when proper hand washing and sanitation procedures are not followed.

E-coli O157:h7 is one of the deadliest forms of the bacteria because it can cause hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) which is a life threatening condition.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously ill due to food-borne illness and the family of those who have died. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages 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.

Every year, more than one million Americans are seen by doctors and at emergency rooms after suffering a head injury. Of those people, 50,000 to 100,000 will have suffered a brain injury which will linger and will affect their every day lives including work and school. The majority of traumatic brain injuries are caused by motor vehicle accidents. Even if an accident victim does not hit their head on a the windshield, steering wheel or another fixed object, a brain injury can occur.

Sometimes diagnosing a brain injury is more difficult than one might think. Common tests used to examine the brain include CT scans (which use X-rays) and MRIs (which use magnetic fields). While both of these tools are fantastic in seeing blood and tumors in the brain, they are not good at seeing tears in the brain which can be microscopic. Studies show that in 85% to 90% of patients with brain injuries, there is no evidence of the injury on a CT scan or MRI.

Some predictors of a brain injury after a trauma can include the following:

• PERL - a test to determine if a person with a brain injury has pupils that are equal and reactive to light.
• Loss of Consciousness - this means that the accident victim lost conscious awareness and the person may be unable to react to stimuli. Loss of consciousness can range from being momentarily dazed or "out of it" to being in a coma. The Glasgow Coma Scale is a neurological scale which allows a physician to asses the level of consciousness after a brain injury. In the Glasgow scale, there are 15 points on which a patient can be rated on based upon eye response, verbal response and best motor response. The lower the number in the scale, the more severe the injury.
• Amnesia - loss of memory for events leading up to the traumatic injury. Generally, people with longer periods of amnesia have more severe injuries.
• Concussion - the most common type of traumatic brain injury. Symptoms can include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, headache, forgetfulness, irritability, anxiety, depression, mood swings and insomnia. Most people who suffer a concussion recover after a few months but up to 20% of patients can suffer symptoms for much longer periods. Diagnosis can include the Glasgow Coma Scale, testing pupil reactions and size and observing symptoms. Sometimes concussions can produce an abnormal EEG or PET scan.
• Encephalopathy - is a term that is often used to describe a brain injury. Symptoms of encephalopathy include confusion, memory loss, inattention, aggression, agitation and stupor.
• Focal neurologic signs - are signs which indicate to the physician that there may be an impairment in the brain or nervous system. Frontal lobe signs can include unsteadiness in walking, rigidity (hypertonia) of limbs, paralysis of limbs, head or eye movement, difficulty in expressing oneself (aphasia), seizures, changes in personality and loss of smell. Parietal lobe signs can include loss of tactile sensation, inability to pay attention, loss of ability to read or write, loss of ability to find a place and loss of ability to identify something by its touch. Temporal lobe signs include deafness, tinnitus, amnesia or memory loss, hallucinations and loss of ability to understand language. Occipital lobe signs include loss of vision, inability to recognize objects, faces or colors, visual hallucinations. Cerebellar signs include loss of balance and coordination. Spinal cord signs include paralysis and loss of sensation.
• Seizure - thrashing movements and loss of awareness caused by electrical discharges in the brains.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We are a personal injury law firm that specializes in representing people who have suffered a traumatic brain injury due to motor vehicle accidents, constructions accidents and falls. We work hard to insure that brain accident victims receive the compensation they deserve to provide for medical and rehabilitation costs, loss of wages 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.

Washington's Department of Transportation (DOT) has extended the deadline to remove studded tires to April 17th.

Weather forecasts continue to predict freezing nighttime temperatures and snow flurries.

The DOT asks drivers in areas with mild temperatures to remove their studded tires now.

After April 17, drivers will be fined $124 for driving with studded tires.

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.

Every year, between more than one million people are seen at emergency rooms and by physicians after a head injury. Between 50,000 and 100,000 of these will have a brain injury which will cause symptoms and problems which will affect their ability to function in their daily lives including in work and school.

Many brain injuries are due to car accidents. When a car is traveling at a high rate of speed and then stop suddenly, a head injury -- or traumatic brain injury -- is often the result. A person doesn't have to hit their head on the steering wheel or windshield to sustain a brain injury. Even at moderate rates of speed, brain injuries can happen.

There are three separate ways a brain can be injured:

• bleeding or bruising
  
• swelling
  
• tearing

Brain Bleeding/Bruising

In a head-on car accident, a person's brain can be traveling at a high rate of speed and then zero in an instant. In this type of motor vehicle accident, the brain is pushed against the skull which is made of hard bone. The brain tissue when pushed against the skull can cause blood vessels to tear. When the blood vessels tear, they can leak blood into areas of the brain and between the brain and skull.

Because the skull is closed, there is no room for the blood to go any where so the blood can pool and press on the brain tissue. When this happens, the brain tissue can be damaged and even die. With a lot of bleeding in and around the brain, areas of the brain can stop working and if it affects areas which control the heart or breathing, the person can be in a life-threatening situation which can result in death.

It is always wise to be checked out by a doctor after a car accidents because one can feel fine immediately following the accident but if they have a brain bleed, they can lapse into a coma a short time later.

Brain Swelling

After a car accident, the brain can swell, especially if there is bleeding or bruising. When the brain swells, there is no room for it to go because the skull is fixed and hard. The pressure of the brain swelling against the skull can damage the structures in the brain. In this case, brain surgeons can perform surgery and remove part of the skull or install a ICP to allow the extra pressure to escape. Swelling can impact important structures of the brain which control breathing and the heart.

Brain Tearing

In a motor vehicle accident, the brain can be thrown forward then bounced backwards. Because of this forward and backward motion, the brain can get small tears or cuts in it. These cuts or tears can be so microscopic that they do not even show up on CT Scans or on MRIs. In fact, up to 85% of brain injury patients have injuries that do not show up on CT Scans or on MRIs.

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This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We specialize in representing people who have suffered a traumatic brain injury due to a motor vehicle accident or due to some other type of accident like a fall. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages which include medical and rehabilitation 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.

The Seattle Times reports that Michael S. Pitcher, 30, of Bremerton died after falling approximately 35 feet from a tree that he was trimming in the 13000 block of Keyport Road Northeast in Poulsbo in Kitsap County.

Pitcher was the owner of Allstar Tree & Landscape.

According to the report, Pitcher was wearing a helmet at the time of his fall.

The tree trimming accident is being investigated by the Washington Department of Labor and Industries.

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 with more than 30 years experience representing 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 62-year-old Olympia man was killed in a motorcycle accident at Pacific Raceways track when he lost control of his motorcycle around 10:30am on Sunday.

According to a report in Tacoma's The News Tribune, the man lost control while traveling at a high speed around a curve and hit a tire barrier. He was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle where he died.

Pacific Raceways is a located in Kent and is a road racing facility that features a 2.25 mile road course. According to the report, the Washington Motorcycle Road Racing Association canceled their events for the day after 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.

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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.

Donita Kay Sandberg, 63, of Grandview was killed in a rollover car accident on Interstate 90 on Saturday evening when the Chevrolet Suburban she was riding in lost a wheel causing the driver -- her husband, David Sandberg -- to lose control. The vehicle went off the highway and rolled at least two times.

According to a report in The Spokesman-Review, the pair was traveling eastbound on I-90 near the Geiger interchange when the car accident occurred.

David Sandberg was taken to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center where his injuries were described as "non-critical." According to the Washington State Patrol, the pair was wearing seat belts.

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.

Yolanda Denice Pouncey was sentenced to 25 years in prison by Pierce County Superior Court Judge Susan Serko for preying on 26 victims -- mostly senior citizens -- and stealing their money, credit cards and identification.

According to a report in The Tacoma News Tribune, Pouncey would prey on her victims by conning them into letting her into their homes where she then stole their purses and wallets.

The length of Pouncey's sentence was influenced by 17 previous felony convictions and the number, age and vulnerability of her victims reported The Tribune.

There are many scams that target elderly and vulnerable people The AARP shows that one in four Washington adults are victims of fraud at one time or another. Identity theft, investment schemes, fake charities and bogus sweepstakes are all types of fraud against some of our most vulnerable citizens.

To report elder abuse or neglect to a vulnerable adult, you can contact the Department of Social and Health Services at 1-866-ENDHARM.

If a close friend or a loved one is seriously injured or their health impaired by abuse or neglect in a nursing home, then you might need to contact a knowledgeable and experienced personal injury attorney who specializes in nursing home abuse and neglect. At The Farber Law Group, we have 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.

Washington State Fire Marshal Paul Perz announced the release of the annual report 2009 Fire in Washington. The report details the causes of the 59 fire fatalities in Washington state in 2009.

According to the report, there were 8.8 fire deaths per million in population. Most fire-related fatalities occur where people live or sleep with 70% of the fatal fires classified as residential fires.

The causes of fatal fires for 2009 are:

• undetermined - 24%
  
• smoking related - 17%
  
• electrical appliances - 14%
  
• intentionally set - suicide or murder - 10%
  
• under investigation - 7%
  
• meth lab or drug manufacturing- 5%
  
• portable gas powered heating appliance - 5%
  
• vehicle-related - 5%
  
• cooking

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 car accidents, defective products and construction or industrial 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 woman and two men were injured, one person seriously, when part of the facade of the building housing the Icon Grill collapsed and fell on them around 9am this morning in downtown Seattle.

All three of the injured were taken to Harborview Medical Center. King5.com reported that a 23-year-old woman suffered a leg injury, a 45-year-old man suffered a back injury and a 40-year-old man suffered a head injury. Two of the injured were treated and released. The third person is listed as in "serious condition" at the hospital.

According to the report, the building at 5th Avenue and Virginia is structurally OK but the brick and concrete facade is what failed today.

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 caused by 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.

An explosion at the Tesoro Corporation refinery in Anacortes, Washington has killed four people and injured three.

According to several local news sources, three men died at the accident scene. The men were identified as  Matthew C. Bowen, 31, of Arlington; Darrin J. Hoines, 43, of Ferndale; and Daniel J. Aldridge, 50, of Anacortes. A 29-year-old woman, Kathryn Powell, died of burn injuries after she was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Three other people were reported to be hospitalized with severe burn injuries covering most of their bodies. The three are a 36-year-old woman and two men, ages 34 and 41.

Anacortes is a town of about 15,000 on Puget Sound and is north of Seattle and Everett.

The explosion occurred around 12:30 am this morning and it took about an hour and a half to extinguish the fire.

The cause of the explosion is being investigated by Tesoro, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board and by the Washington Department of Labor and Industries.

Our deepest condolences to the families of those killed and to those hospitalized with serious injuries.

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 industrial 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.

Volvo has just announced that its new S60 sports sedan will come with a new safety feature: pedestrian detection. The car will brake if it detects that it might be about to run into a pedestrian.

Volvo uses radar and cameras to detect pedestrians and it warns the driver to brake. If the driver doesn't respond quickly enough, the S60 automatically brakes.

Since there is a correlation between speed and the outcome of a pedestrian accident, this new system has the potential to save many lives. By reducing the vehicle speed, Volvo estimates the fatality risk to pedestrians may be reduced by up to 20%.

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.