Washington Injury Attorney Blog

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Causes of TBI

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

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

See our Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Resources

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

DePuy Orthopaedics unit of pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson, has issued a recall of two of their products: the ASR XL Acetabular System, a hip socket used in hip replacements, and the ASR Hip Resurfacing System, a partial hip replacement which entails placing a metal cap on the femur reports The Seattle Times.

According to the report, the company is recalling the two products because of a high failure rate which requires that patients undergo a second hip replacement surgery.

The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) issued a letter dated August 19, 2010, to Depuy Orthopaedics which said, in essence, that the company marketed a hip implant for an unapproved use:

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has learned that your firm is marketing the TruMatch™ Personalized Solutions System and the Corail® Hip System in the United States (U.S.) without the required marketing clearance or approval, in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act).

DePuy spokesperson Lorie Gawreluk said that 93,000 of the hip devices have been implanted world wide. An earlier report by The New York Times said that the FDA had received 400 complaints from patients in the United States that their hip devices failed requiring them to undergo a second hip replacement.

In March of 2010, Johnson & Johnson said they were phasing out the artificial hip because of slowing sales. Although that is the spin that J&J took on phasing out the device, it seems apparent that the company must have suspected that the hip device had a design defect.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We are Bellevue personal injury law firm with more than 30 years experience representing people in their product liability lawsuits. We welcome inquiries from people who have a DePuy hip implant and we provide a FREE and confidential case evaluation. Call us TOLL FREE at 1-800-244-9087 or use our CONTACT FORM.

Related Posts:

Women risk higher DePuy hip replacement redos then men

What is a DePuy hip "revision"?

Nearly half of DePuy ASR hip implant patients in Ireland may need 2nd surgery

Continue reading " Johnson & Johnson issues recall of hip replacement implants " »

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

An insurance agent, Kimberly Bisslessi Eddins, from Alabama has been charged with six counts of wire fraud for enrolling four patients at a Citronelle nursing home in insurance policies without their consent so that she could gain the commission.

Eddins somehow obtained the patients social security numbers along with other personal data and illegally signed them up for insurance which caused them to pay premiums for polices they were unaware of.

Eddins worked as a sales agent for Coventry Health care according to the Press-Register.

If convicted, Eddins could face prison time.

Financial exploitation of elderly and vulnerable residents at nursing home facilities, group homes and in their own homes has been increasing. Abuse of the elderly can take many forms including physical, sexual mental, emotional, neglect or financial abuse such as in this case.

If you suspect a loved one or a vulnerable adult that you know is being abused, contact a personal injury attorney who specializes in nursing home abuse and neglect. At The Farber Law Group, we have successfully represented nursing home abuse victims and their families for more than 30 years.

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:
Press-Register
Insurance agent accused of enrolling nursing home patients with consent pleads not guilty
Posted August 23, 2010

Magdaleno G. Vela, 74, of Wapato, was injured in a motorcycle accident when he was rear-ended by a Mazda Protégé whose driver then left the accident scene.

Vela was thrown from his motorcycle in the accident and was taken to Yakima Regional Medical Center, treated and released.

The motorcycle accident occurred on U.S. Highway 97, north of Toppenish, around 8:50pm reports the Yakima Herald.com.

The State Patrol located the Mazda but do not yet know who was driving it 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 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 Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel reports that Charles A. Carnell, 33, has been charged with a felony in the amusement park accident that critically injured Teagan Marti, 12, of Parkland Florida.

After investigating the accident that left Marti with numerous fractures, spinal injuries, internal injuries, brain injuries and permanent partial paralysis, the Sauk County district attorney's office found that the accident was caused by criminal negligence on the part of the ride's operator, Carnell.

Carnell faces a fine of more than $100,000 and up to 25 years in jail.

Every year approximately four people die in amusement park accidents. In this case, it is clear that the district attorney's office feels the ride operator was criminally negligent. However, Teagan's personal injury attorney will also want to have the following questions answered: "Were operators properly trained?" "Was the ride manufacturer and installer negligent in designing a ride which would allow a rider to be released before the safety net was in place?" "Did the amusement park owner have ever measure in place to insure safety?"

Teagan's attorney may prevail in a negligence lawsuit which could provide Teagan and her family with compensation which would pay for her medical bills and care for ongoing medical and educational needs.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We reprsent people who have suffered serious injuries due to the negligent or criminal act of another. We also have more than 30 years experience represent families with their 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 Bellevue Reporter reports that a 31-year-old Bellevue woman was stopped by the Washington State Patrol for suspicion of driving under the influence on the morning of her wedding.

According to the article, the bride-to-be was clocked at miles of over 90mph on Interstate 405 near NE Eighth Street in Bellevue.

The woman's BAC (blood-alcohol-content) was measured at twice the legal limit which 0.08%. She told the trooper that stopper her that she was returning from her bachelor party. It is fortunate that she wasn't involved in a serious motor vehicle accident that harmed herself or another person.

The woman will be charged in King County District Court.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent victims of drunken drivers 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 News Tribune of Tacoma reports that a 16-year-old teenager, Louie Hertel, of Puyallup was killed in an all-terrain vehicle accident in Oregon on Saturday afternoon around 3pm.

According to the report, the teen was in Oregon visiting family and took the ATV – a Yamaha Rhino 450 – out for a ride. He apparent hit some large tire ruts and rolled the ATV.

ATV accidents happen too often even though the federal government, as long as 20 years ago, called the vehicles an "imminent hazard." There are approximately 7.6 million of the popular vehicles in use and every year approximately 800 people are killed in ATV accidents and approximately 130,000 injured.

While ATV manufacturers blame riders for accidents, ATV stability and design are in question. More than half of the ATV accident fatalities occur when the vehicles roll over on their sides or flip. This kind of accident occurs when the rider hits something or on a steep slope.

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 ATV 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 number of fatal occupational injuries decreased in 2009 to 4,340 which was down from 5,214 in 2008. This is the smallest number of fatal occupational injuries in the past ten years. Economic factors appear to be a huge factor in the decrease of fatal accidents because dangerous occupations such as construction work employed fewer people.

In Washington state, the number of workplace fatalities was 75 which was the lowest number in the state since 2000. There were 9 construction fatalities in 2009 down from the 20 construction accident deaths in 2008.

An overview of the 2009 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries:

• Workplace homicides declined only 1 percent in 2009 while there was an overall decrease of 17% of fatal work injuries. The 2009 homicide fatalities included 13 Fort Hood shooting victims.
  
• Fatal injuries to salaried and wage workers dropped by 20 percent while self-employed worker fatality rates were down only 3%.
  
• Private construction accidents deaths declined by 16%
  
• One sector had an increase of fatalities and that was in building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations.

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. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages including loss of wages, 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.

Source:
United States Department of Labor - OSHA

Andrew W. Hayes, 62, of Soap Lake was critically injured with a head injury in a bicycle accident at Highway 28 and Grant Street in Soap Lake around 2pm on Thursday.

The Wenatchee World reports that Hayes was riding a 10-speed bicycle when he collided with a car driven by Vera M. Walker, 80 of Quincy.

The report said that Hayes was initially taken to Columbia Basin Hospital and then airlifted to Central Washington Hospital in Wenatchee. Walker was not injured 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 bicycle 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 FDA, along with Wright County Egg of Galt, Iowa, has issued a recall of 380 million eggs after a salmonella outbreak sickened people in four states.

The Seattle Times reports that no eggs sold at Albertsons, Safeway, Fred Meyer or QFC stores in Washington state have been recalled.

Salmonella is a foodborne illness which can sicken people when they consume contaminated food. Salmonella can cause serious illness resulting in hospitalization and even death in a few cases. The very young, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems are most at risk for serious illness.

Symptoms of foodborne illness can include severe dehydration, diarrhea, fatigue, fever, headache, nausea, sever abdominal cramping and vomiting.

If you need an attorney for a case of serious illness due to food poisoning, The Farber Law Group has more than 30 years experience in representing clients who contracted foodborne disease due to the negligence of another or entity. Herbert G. Farber, Esq., won a sizable settlement for a young Washington State boy who became seriously ill after eating at a popular fast food restaurant. 

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 the Egg Safety Center for more information about this recall.

The Seattle Times reports that a man who was in his 20s was hit and killed by the Sounder train south of Puyallup on Tuesday morning.

The report said the man's body was found on the tracks around 7:30am and that it was possible that no one on board the train were aware of the pedestrian accident.

The Sounder was traveling from Seattle to Tacoma and the pedestrian accident occurred near 18th Street Northwest and West Stewart Avenue.

Thirteen pedestrian have been killed in train accidents this year in Washington state.

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.

The family of Max DeVries, 61, who fell off an operating room table while undergoing brain surgery to install a lumbar drain which allows cerebrospinal fluid to drain, has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against St. Joseph's Hospital of St. Paul, Minnesota.

DeVries was undergoing the procedure and part of his skull had been removed when he rolled off the surgical table, hitting the exposed portion of his brain on the floor, causing additional injuries.

DeVries never recovered from the stroke he had suffered and the injury from the fall; he died approximately a month later.

The wrongful death lawsuit claims that the hospital was negligent in providing proper restraints for DeVries.

Washington state has a wrongful death statute which allows the family of a person who dies due to the wrongful or negligent act of another to sue on behalf of their deceased loved one.

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 medical malpractice 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.

Source:
The Seattle Times
Heavy patient falls off operating room table - later dies
Published: July 28, 2010

Kathie Larson, 52, reached a $4.25 million dollar in a settlement with the Washington State Department of Corrections (DOC) after a felon ran her down with her car and critically injured her while she was crossing a Tacoma street in June of 2008.

Larson's negligence lawsuit against the state claimed that the DOC should have supervised
Aiyisha Gillespie, 30, the woman who hit Larson with her car, more closely because they knew she was mentally ill. Gillespie was being supervised after a conviction for a similar offense.

Larson's injuries were so severed that she was confined to a hospital for six months and she has not fully recovered a little more than two years after her pedestrian accident.

Larson's daughter said that one purpose for her mother's lawsuit was to force the DOC to more closely supervise mentally ill felons.

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 the negligence of others. 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.

Source:
The Seattle Times
State settles lawsuit with woman injured by felon
August 11, 2010

The Los Angeles Times reports that at least eight people were killed and dozens were injured at an off-road truck race on a dry lake bed in Lucerne Valley, California.

According to a report, a driver in the race lost control of his off-roader and it went airborne, landing on spectators.

Six spectators were killed at the accident scene and two died at hospitals a short time later.

The race was described as 200-miles long and the drivers race around a 50-mile loop at speeds up to 60 mph.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We are personal injury law firm that represents people who have been seriously injured due to the negligent or wrongful act of another 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.

Patricia A. Lambine, 46, of Greenacres, Washington was killed in a bicycle accident on U.S. Highway 41 near Blanchard in northern Idaho on Saturday morning around 6:30am.

According to a report by The Seattle Times, Lambine was riding a bicycle in support of a runner who was running a leg of the 185 mile team relay race from Spokane, Washington to Sandpoint, Idaho.

Lambine was killed and an unidentified 17-year-old runner was injured when a vehicle driven by Bowden S. Kahuhu, 31, of Newport, Washington, crossed the center line and onto the shoulder and hit the two. It is suspected that Kahuhu may have been driving drunk at the time.

Both Lambine and the teen were wearing reflective gear when they were hit.

Kahuhu faces Vehicular Homicide charges. Washington State Vehicle Code RCW 46.61.520 says that Vehicular Homicide can be charged if someone is killed in a motor vehicle accident and the driver was driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, driving recklessly, or driving without regard for the safety of others.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent victims of drunken driving and their family. We have more than 30 years experience representing families with their wrongful death 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.

A Whidbey Island man, Jim Murdy, was bitten by a pitbull dog after it attacked his Welsh corgi on Thursday night.

According to a report by the Seattle PI.com, Murdy was working in his yard around 4pm when he went to check on his two small grandsons – ages 5 and 6– as they played in the yard. It was then that a pitbull that had escaped its owner's yard attacked his dog.

Murdy hit and kicked the pitbull bit it still seemed intent on attacking his dog. Murdy's wife, Sandi, hit the pitbull with a broom and it still attacked. Finally, Murdy took out his motorized hedge tool and cut the pitbull. When the pitbull kept attacking, Murdy grabbed it by the collar and that's when he was bitten.

This is the second pitbull attack on the Island in two days. An Oak Harbor police officer, after responding to a report of an aggressive dog, shot and killed a pit bull just south of Oak Harbor a day earlier.

The Washington State Dog Bite Law was drafted to allow people who have been injured by dog to be able to collect damages. The law states:

The owner of any dog which shall bite any person while such person is in or on a public place or lawfully in or on a private place including the property of the owner of such dog, shall be liable for such damages as may be suffered by the person bitten, regardless of the former viciousness of such dog or the owner's knowledge of such viciousness.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We are a law firm that has a specialty in dog bite liability. With our help, you may be able to recover compensation for your damages including 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.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), along with Goya Foods, Inc., has announced a precautionary recall of 14 ounce packages of Frozen Mamey Pulp after seven cases of Typhoid, a foodborne illness, in two western states.

The recalled pulp was distributed in western states at retail outlets including Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Washington.

The Centers for Disease Control reports that five of the people that came ill with typhoid drank smoothies or milkshakes prepared with frozen mamey fruit pulp. Four of the victims used the pulp made by Goya Foods.

The FDA tested sample packages of the product and found that one tested positive for the bacteria that causes typhoid.

Typhoid fever is caused by the Salmonella tyhia bacteria. It is transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacteria.

Symptoms of Typhoid fever include a fever that progressively increases, profuse sweating, gastroenteritis and diarrhea. Complications of typhoid can include intestinal hemorrhage, peritonitis, encephalitis and dehydration.

Typhoid can kill if it is not treated. Antibiotics are the general course of treatment including rehydration therapy.

For more information contact Goya at 1-800-275-4692 or see the FDA's web-site.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people with serious injury due to foodborne illness 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 Bellevue Reporter reports that there have been three deaths attributed to falls at the Lincoln Square office and shopping complex, located in downtown Bellevue, since 2006.

Last week John Curtis IV, 24, a former University of Florida football player, committed suicide by jumping from the fourth floor of the complex.

In 2009, an employee of Microsoft fell from the 28th floor of the complex. His death has been ruled undetermined because it is unknown whether the man, Jin Chen, had attempted to commit suicide.

A Kirkland man, Jeremy Johnson, fell down an elevator shaft in 2006 after he pried open the elevator door when the elevator became stuck and fell to his death.

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.

The journal Pediatrics just published a study that says that using an infant safety seat designed for motor vehicles outside of a car poses a risk of serious head injury.

According to the study, the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention program has had reports of many injuries due to the misuse of the seats.

Injuries include:

• The seat falling from an elevated surface like a table
  
• The seat overturning and the child suffocating on a soft surface like a bed
  
• The seat overturning and the child suffering strangulation due to the restraint strap.

Pediatrics is encouraging car seat manufacturers to provide engineering and design improvements which may reduce the tipping hazard. Pediatricians, parents and child care providers need to be aware of the potential hazard of misusing Child Restraint Systems.

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 who have been 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.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission announces the recall of the first generation of Nap Nanny® Recliners while the death of a baby girl from Michigan is being investigated. The preliminary investigation into the child's death found that the baby was caught between the Nap Nanny® and a crib bumper after the Nap Nanny® was placed into a crib. The Nap Nanny web-site says the product is not for use in a crib and it is intended to be used on the floor only.

The CPSC and Baby Matters LLC, of Berwyn Pa. has had approximately 22 reports of small infants hanging or falling out over the side of the Nap Nanny®.

The CPSC says that 30,000 units are being recalled. For more information, see the Nap Nanny® website.

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.

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 driver of a minivan was killed and five of his passengers were critically injured in a single car accident on westbound Interstate 90 near Snoqualmie pass.

The car accident occurred around 4pm when he vehicle crashed at an off ramp and rolled over.

The Washington State Patrol says that all the passengers in the car — men in their 30's and 40's — were ejected from the vehicle, a 1993 Mercury Villager.

Two of the men were airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle and three others were taken there via ambulance.

Preliminary signs show that speed may have been a factor in the accident. Police do not suspect alcohol involvement.

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.

Source:
King5.com
Six eject in fatal rollover on I-90
Posted August 9, 2010

Joseph L. Royer, 67, of Comox, BC, was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle after he was rear-ended in a motorcycle accident while riding his Harley Davidson Motorcycle in Omak. Royer suffered multiple fractures in the accident.

According to a report in The Wenatchee World, Royer was riding his motorcycle on Highway 97 around 8:15pm when he was hit by a Volkswagen Jetta driven by Jerry L. Branter, 23, of Okanogan. The report said that Branter was speeding and was attempting to pass another vehicle when he hit Royer.

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 due to the negligence of others. We will aggressively pursue compensation for your damages on your behalf.

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.

Six people who were employed by the Valley View Skilled Nursing Facility in California were arrested and face misdemeanor charges of injury to elder or dependent adult; battery committed on elder or a dependent adult; conspiracy; and battery committed while on hospital property.

The employees, who were all fired from the facility, allegedly lubricated dementia patients with a lubricant so that they were slippery and difficult to handle for the workers on the next shift.

The California State Attorney General's office said seven elderly patients were smeared with ointment from "head to foot."

According to a report by News10.net, four employees were directly involved in the abuse and two others failed to report it.

The Attorney General's office identifies the people charged as Jenny Bido, 26, Christina Guerrero, 30, Jared Buckley, 29, Jennifer Burton, 33, Kathleen Phillips, 23 and Monica Smith, 51.

This is an example of a breach of the nursing home's contract with the patients and their families. The nursing home did the right thing by firing the employees and the Attorney General's office made the right call in prosecuting the abusers.

Nursing home neglect and abuse can take many forms and any one that suspects that a loved one or a person in they know is being neglected or abused should contact the proper authorities.

At The Farber Law Group, we represent nursing home abuse victims and their families. Contact us for a free and confidential case evaluation.

Chris LeBoulch of Lake Cowichan, BC, survived a horrific nail gun accident in which he accidentally shot himself through the heart with a nail gun. Lake Cowichan is a town on Vancouver Island, BC, across the strait of Juan De Fuca from Port Angeles.

According to an article in the Lake Cowichan Gazette by Tyler Clarke, LeBoulch was working on a roof of a new home several months ago, when he accidentally fired the nail.

Luckily, Blake Sprague -- who was certified as a "first responder" -- was working on the house as well and was quickly able to provide first aide and seek help.

LeBoulch had to undergo heart surgery to repair the damage to his heart but he is now back to work several months later.

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, including nail gun 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 just released their annual report, "Recreational Boating Statistics 2009." Every year, the Coast Guard compiles statistics on recreational boating accidents. They base their data on accident reports filled out by people involved in the accidents.

In 2009, there were 736 boating accident fatalities and 3,358 injury accidents arising from 4,730 recreational boating accidents.

The Coast Guard reports that the number of deaths was 3.81 percent greater than the prior year even thought the number of boating accidents had decreased by 1.23 percent.

Causes

The leading causes of boating accidents include:

• Operator inattention
  
• Operator inexperience
  
• Excessive Speed
  
• Improper lookout
  
• Alcohol consumption. Alcohol consumption is involved in 16% of boating accident fatalities.

Education

Boating safety education is imperative; In 86% of boating accident deaths, the boat operator did not under go boating safety instruction.

Life jackets

The report also highlights the fact that wearing a life jacket saves life. According to Rear Admiral Kevin Cook, the Coast Guard's Director of Prevention Policy

“Nearly 75 percent of the 736 people who died in boating accidents in 2009 drowned, and 84 percent of those victims reportedly were not wearing a life jacket.   The two most important things boaters can do to prevent the loss of life is to wear a life jacket and take a boater education course.”

Washington State Accident Statistics

In Washington State, there were 111 boating accidents in 2009 which was higher than the three previous years that saw 96, 97 and 98 accidents. There were 22 fatalities in the state.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent boating accident victims and their families. 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: "Recreational Boating Statistics 2009."

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that Bed Bath & Beyond has issued a voluntary recall of Solar Lighted Cantilever Umbrellas after 21 reports of the umbrellas collapsing. Several reports of injuries have been noted.

According to the CPSC media release, there have 7,600 units sold. The umbrellas were sold exclusively at Bed Bath & Beyond stores between February and June 2010.

The umbrellas are a hazard because a plastic connector may break causing the umbrella to collapse. While the reported injuries have been minor including a bruise and abrasion, an umbrella collapse could cause a head injury, which could be serious.

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.

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 the CPSC web-site for more information.

George Shangrow, 59, a Seattle music director was killed in a car accident on Saturday evening around 5:50pm when a car driven by a teenager crossed the center line and hit the car he was driving.

The car accident occurred on Highway 20, approximately one mile east of Winthrop.

According to a report in The Wenatchee World, Shangrow's vehicle was hit head-on by a vehicle driven by a 16-year-old teenage boy from Twisp. The teen was taken to Mid-Valley Hospital in Omak for treatment of collar bone and ankle injuries.

The report described the weather at the time of the motor vehicle accident as a "pounding rainstorm."

Shangrow was the founder of the Seattle Chamber Singers and Orchestra Seattle. He also conducted the Seattle Symphony and other regional orchestras.

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.