Washington Injury Attorney Blog

The Seattle Times reports that Shavelle Lewis has been charged with Vehicular Homicide and hit-and-run driving in the death of tow-truck driver William Padilla, 51.

According to the report, Lewis, was driving with a suspended license, when she crossed several lanes of traffic and struck Padilla who was kneeling on the ground preparing to tow a disabled vehicle at the Spokane Street entrance to Interstate 5 in Seattle.

Lewis drove off after the Seattle car accident but she was apprehended a short time later.

The result of Lewis' blood alcohol content (BAC) test is not back yet but Washington State Troopers said she appeared intoxicated.

Lewis has prior convictions for prostitution, drug crimes and hit-and-run driving. She had 14 prior arrest warrants.

Washington State Vehicle Code, RCW 46.61.520, states that a person can be charged with Vehicular Homicide if a person was killed in a motor vehicle accident and the driver was driving 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 Seattle motor vehicle accidents and the family of those killed.

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Continue reading " Woman charged with 'Vehicular Homicide in Seattle hit-and-run accident that killed tow truck driver " »

The Seattle Times reports that a medical mistake resulted in the death of an 8-month old baby at Seattle Children's Hospital.

Zaia Zautner was being treated at Children's hospital for heart problems when a nurse accidentally gave her 10 times the proper dose of calcium cholordine.

Zaia died of a brain hemorrhage which was related to the overdose five days after the overdose was administered.

Children's Hospital has opened an investigation along with the Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission.

Tom Hansen, CEO said:

"An important way we can make medicine safer is if we admit that mistakes occur and openly investigate them. We must learn from these events and work together to evaluate our processes and to error-proof our care processes."

When horrific mistakes like this happens, hospitals generally look at process and determine what went wrong. Some times the mistake can be traced back to two similar named medications being packaged in similar looking vials. Sometimes it is a matter of a rushed or overworked employee who grabs the wrong medication without examining a label.

Medical errors can include failure to diagnosis or delayed diagnosis; misinterpretation of medical orders; errors in administering anesthesia; errors in blood transfusions; equipment failure; hospital-acquired infections.

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

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John V. Lyman, 65, a Tumwater Municipal Court Judge has been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and hitting a parked car and another vehicle on Saturday afternoon after he left the Tumwater Valley Golf Course.

Lyman was arrested after a motorist called 911 to report a hit-and-run accident. According to a report by Seattle's KING5 news, the motorist followed the judge to a home after calling police.

Police administered two breathalyzer tests to Lyman and determined that blood-alcohol content (BAC)measured .13 and .14%. In Washington State, 0.08% is the legal standard for intoxication.

According to a report, a witness saw Lyman hit a parked car at the Tumwater Valley Golf Course and leave the scene prior to the second accident. The witness recorded Lyman's license number.

No one suffered any injures in the Tumwater motor vehicle accidents.

 In Washington State, all DUI offenses are gross misdemeanors. RCW 9A.20.021, 46.61.502(5) & 46.61.504(5). Seattle Municipal Court generally requires a person arrested for DUI to appear in court within 48 hours of the next business day. Usually, prosecutors request bail and can ask the judge to require alcohol intervention programs, ignition interlock devices and abstinence from alcohol.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a motor vehicle accident caused by a drunken driver, you should contact an experienced Seattle personal injury attorney who can insure your rights are protected. We aggressively work the cases of our clients and we will investigate to see if the person who injured you was negligently served, violating DRAM shop laws which finds any established who served an apparently intoxicated person liable for damages. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages including lost wages, medical costs and for pain and suffering.

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The West Seattle water taxi -- the Rachel Marie -- ran into the sea wall at Pier 50 on Sunday, injuring at least seven people of the estimated 78 people on board in the Seattle boating accident. The taxi was carrying many Seahawks fans who were headed to Qwest field for the game.

One person was thrown overboard but was rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard reports The Seattle Times.

Most of the injuries were thought to be minor but several people were taken to the hospital.

The water taxi, which is operated by King County, makes 20 runs a day. The Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the boating accident but initial thought is that there was a mechanical malfunction.

When a person is injured in an accident that occurred as part of mass or public transportation, the municipality and third-party insurance companies may be liable for any injuries sustained including medical costs.

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 motor vehicle accidents. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages including pain and suffering, medical costs and lost wages.

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Two people were injured when the mast of the sailboat they were on collapsed and hit them. The Washington sailboat accident occurred near Lummi Island on Saturday afternoon around 2pm. Lummi Island is part of the San Juan Island chain and is east of Bellingham outside of Bellingham Bay.

One of the injured suffered a head injury described as a concussion and the other person suffered an arm injury. Both of the injured were taken by the Coast Guard to a hospital.

According to the report by KOMO News of Seattle, the sail boat was a 127-foot Zodiac. The sailboat was chartered.

The Coast Guard is investigating the cause of the boating accident to determine if dry rot or the way the mast was rung up was the cause of the mast snapping.

If it is determined that the cause of the boating accident was caused by negligence due to failing to maintain the sailboat, or failure to train the crew, the victims may be able to obtain compensation for their damages.

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 Seattle sailboat accidents and the family of those killed. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages including medical costs, loss of wages and for pain and suffering.

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A California Appeals Court has upheld the $9million medical malpractice settlement awarded to Maria Theresa Sanchez who suffered serious brain damage after her neurosurgeon failed to diagnose an infection in the shunt in her brain leaving Sanchez with disabling and permanent brain damage.

Dr. Harley Deere, M.D. was Sanchez's physician at the time of her illness and the original jury found that CareMore Medical Group was liable since he was an agent, or employee, of the medical group.

CareMore appealed the verdict and in a decision by the Second District Court of Appeals in California, the court upheld the verdict.

Sanchez had a peritoneal shunt placed in her brain in childhood because of condition called hydrocephalus. In 2003, when Sanchez was 37-year-olds, her sister took her to CareMore because of persistent headaches. Her primary care physician, Dr. Keipp, prescribed Tylenol for Theresa and did not examine her. A few days later, when Sanchez's condition worsened, she was taken to an Emergency Room at Downey Regional Medical Center which was not affiliated with CareMore. The physician at Downey suspected an infection of the shunt which might be life-threatening but he transferred her to a hospital affiliated with CareMore because CareMore did not cover care at Downey.

From that point on, Sanchez's medical care provided by CareMore was inadequate. Her condition deteriorated but she was denied timely access to a physician and the physicians failed to adequately examine her or diagnose her problem because the physicians failed to review the case notes sent over by Downey. Sanchez was discharged from the hospital and had to obtain permission to see Dr. Deere and on the occasions she did see him, his examination of her was only cursory.

Approximately five months after her initial complaint, Sanchez was diagnosed as having a brain infection. By that time, however, Sanchez's condition was so severe that she was left partially paralyzed, suffers constant pain and must be cared for by others.

Washington state statute finds that a health care provider is negligent if his or her conduct falls below the "standard of care." The statute reads:

The “standard of care” in Washington provides that a health care provider is negligent if he or she “failed to exercise that degree of care, skill, and learning expected of a reasonably prudent health care provider at that time in the profession or class to which he belongs, in the state of Washington, acting in the same or similar circumstances” and “such failure was a proximate cause of the injury complained of.” RCW 7.70.040(1), (2).

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been the victims of negligent health care providers including physicians, surgeons, pharmacists and hospitals. At The Farber Law Group, we are experienced in representing the victims of negligent doctorshttp://www.seattlecaraccidentlawyerblog.com/ and other health care providers and in helping victims recover compensation for your injuries, or those of a loved one.

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Recently there have been two horrific car accidents in the State of Washington with one person killed in one and 8 people injured in the other. In both cases, the motor vehicle accidents occurred just before 6am and in both cases, it is believed that the driver was driving under the influence of alcohol at the time.

While many drunken drivers are arrested between the hours of 11am and 3pm, impaired drivers can be out there driving at all the times of the night and in the daytime. One way to be safe is learning to identify a drunken driver and not to just chalk of a driver's erratic or aggressive driver to them being simply a "jerk."

Identifying an impaired or drunken driver

If you see a driver exhibiting one of the following behaviors, that driver may be drunk:

1. Driving slowly -- Many drunken drivers slow down so that they can concentrate to stay in their own lane.
2. Stopping for no reason -- Many drunken drivers are overly cautious and some will stop at an unmarked intersection or at a green light.
3. Swerving.
4. Driving off the road -- Many drunken drivers get confused and they'll drive on a sidewalk, the shoulder or on a bicycle lane.
5. Driving down the middle of the road -- Some drunken drivers use the centerline to help guide them and they do not realize they are driving down the middle of the road.
6. Making wide turns -- Drunken drivers may swing wide to maneuver a turn.
7. Tailgating -- Drunken drivers often will drive too closely to the car in front in attempt to drive straight.
8. Failing to use Headlights -- Drunken drives often will forget to use their headlights and not realize they are not on.
9. Driving the wrong way on the road -- some of the most horrific car accidents is when a drunken driver heads the wrong way up a freeway on ramp.
10. Hitting objects -- drunken drivers may hit a curb, a mail box or a parked car.

This information is provided by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We aggressively represent people injured in Seattle car accidents and the family of those killed. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages including medical costs and for pain and suffering.

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Orlando Abarca Rivera, 35, of Kennewick, was killed in a Pasco car accident around 5:30am on Friday morning. The driver that hit him was driving the wrong way and was suspected of driving under the influence.

According to The Seattle Times, Rivera's car was hit by a Ford Taurus driven by Lori Christensen, 47, of Kennewick.
The report said that Christensen was driving southbound in the northbound lanes of Highway 397, also known as Oregon Avenue, when she hit Rivera's Suzuki head-on. Rivera was killed at the scene.

Christensen was taken to Kadlec Regional Medical Center with unknown injuries.

If it is determined that Christen was driving under the influence, she may be charged with Vehicular Homicide Washington State Vehicle Code, RCW 46.61.520 VEHICULAR HOMICIDE states that a person can be charged with Vehicular Homicide if a person is killed in a car accident and the driver was driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

This car accident happened just a day after a van carrying seven people was rear-ended on Interstate 90 in Issaquah. In that case, the driver was also suspected of DUI. The similarities between the two accidents is that both drivers appeared to be impaired and it was 5:30am. Most DUIs occur between 11pm and 3am and that is the time most people think that is the most dangerous time because it's the time people leave bars and parties. However, the Washington State patrol reports that they arrest drunken drivers at all times of the day and night.

One study also shows that the rise of DUIs among women increased 30% between 1998 and 2008 while drunk driving among men has decreased over the past 10 years. One chilling fact about women who drink and drive is that they often have their children in the car.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We aggressively represent the victims of drunken drivers and their families. With more than 30 years experience representing people with their Kennewick wrongful death cases, we will work hard to earn the compensation you deserve for your damages.

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Douglas Henderson, 26, of Issaquah was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence after an Issaquah motor vehicle accident which sent seven passengers of a Chevy Uplander van to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle and Overlake Medical Center in Bellevue.

According to the Washington State Patrol in a media release, Henderson may have been under the influence of alcohol when he rear ended the Chevy van which was used as a Metro Rideshare. The motor vehicle accident occurred on east bound Interstate 90 in Issaquah just before 6am.

The report said that Henderson was speeding in his Ford pickup truck in the HOV lane when he hit the Chevy. The force of the impact caused the van to roll onto the passenger side. One passenger was ejected from the vehicle and it took Bellevue firefighters up to an hour to free the other passengers. Photos of the van made one wonder how anyone survived the accident as the van was severely damaged.

The condition of the injured is not known at this time.

Henderson most likely will be charged with Vehicular Assault in the accident. Washington Vehicle Code RCW 46.61.522 VEHICULAR ASSAULT states that a driver may be charged with Vehicular Assault if someone was seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident and the driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol or driving with reckless disregard to the safety of others.

In additional to criminal charges, the injured are also eligible to seek compensation for their damages under civil law. Damages includes loss of wages, medical costs and pain and suffering.

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 Issaquah motor vehicle accidents caused by drunken drivers and the family of those killed.

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Just a day after we posted an article about a school bus driver photographed texting while driving a bus load of school children, a TriMet bus driver in Portland, Oregon was videotaped by a passenger reading on a Kindle device while driving a metro bus.

King5.com of Seattle showed the videotape which clearly shows the bus driver with his Kindle laying on the dashboard directly under the bus steering wheel. The driver appears to be looking down, reading and even using the page turn button while speeding down Interstate 5.

TriMet terminated the driver saying:

"Operator Lahcen Qouchbane was terminated for posing an immediate threat to public safety and violation of district policy."

Distracted driving is a leading cause of motor vehicle accident fatalities. In Washington state, it is a significant problem even though a hands-free cell phone law was enacted within the past year. The Washington Department of Transportation estimates that an average of 160 people are killed every year in accidents related to distracted driving in the state.

Behaviors including text messaging, cell phone usage, eating, reading, applying make-up, fiddling with radio controls are what comes to mind when one thinks of distracted driving. Maybe Kindle-reading should be added to the list.

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 Seattle motor vehicle accidents caused by the negligence of another driver, including distracted driving. We represent the family of those killed in their wrongful death lawsuits.

See our article on What if my accident was caused by someone using a cell phone?

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David and Celia McCraw have reached an $11 million medical malpractice lawsuit settlement with Tripler Army Medical Center in their medical malpractice lawsuit against two doctors and the hospital reports KITV.com.

The McCraw's daughter, Kayla Mae, suffered a serious brain injury at birth resulting in in cerebral palsy and she requires full-time medical care. The settlement monies will go into a fund to provide for Kayla for the rest of her life.

The McCraw's physicians made several medical blunders during Celia's labor and delivery and they compounded that mistake after the birth of Kayla. During the birth,miscommunication between the resident physician and her supervisor let Celia labor instead of speeding up her delivery.

Once Kayla was born, a first-year intern incorrectly inserted an oxygen tube so that oxygen was pumped into the infants stomach rather than to her lungs. This mistake was not caught for 40 minutes.

In settling the case, Triper Army Medical Center said:

The circumstances surrounding the November 2005 birth of Kayla McCraw at Tripler Army Medical Center were an unfortunate tragedy. Tripler accepts full responsibility for the outcome, resulting in its decision to support settlement of the lawsuit brought by Kayla and her family. Tripler is especially gratified in knowing that the settlement monies will ensure that Kayla will receive the medical care, assistance and rehabilitation that she needs for the rest of her life.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. Our law firm represents the victims of medical malpractice including the parents of children with birth injuries. Birth injury malpractice can result in extreme injuries and while no financial compensation can ameliorate the pain of a child with birth injuries, compensation such as in this case, can make sure the child's medical and educational needs are met.

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A Child Safety Day will be held at Factoria Market Place in Bellevue on Saturday between 11m and 3pm according to The Bellevue Reporter.

At the fair, children will be able to have their bike helmets correctly fitted. The first 50 children under the age of 12 will receive a free helmet. Child bicycle helmets will also be on sale for $9 each while supplies last.

The event is being sponsored by the Bellevue Police Department, Overlake Hospital Medical Center and Factoria Market Place.

While there is not a Washington state law requiring bicyclists to wear helmets, Snohomish, Pierce and King Counties do require them as well as the cities of Seattle and Tacoma.

Every year, approximately 700 bicyclists die in bicycle accidents and two-third of those suffered a traumatic brain injury. Bicycle helmets protect the brain and skull and the neck in an accident. However, the helmet needs to be fitted properly for maximum protection. Improperly fitted helmets have a tendency to shift so an expert fitting can insure a snug and correct fit.

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.

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Continue reading " Factoria Market Place in Bellevue site of Child Safety day Wednesday, September 22, 2010 " »

The United States Food and Drug Administration along with Hallmark Fisheries of Charleston, Oregon has issued a recall of several some of their packaged crab meat products because they have the potential for Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Routine testing by Hallmark Fisheries revealed the presence of the bacteria; no illnesses have been reported.

Listeria monocytogenes is a virulent foodborne pathogen which can sicken people and in 20-30% of the cases, results in death. Listeria is the leading cause of foodborne illness-related deaths in the United States and every year, approximately 2,500 cases of serious illness and 500 deaths result from the bacterium.

The bacterium is especially virulent in newborns, who can suffer meningitis as a result of infection, the elderly and the infirm. Healthy individuals can also suffer illness and it can cause miscarriage and stillbirths in pregnant women.

According to the FDA Press Release, the crab meat is sold under the Hallmark, Peacock, Quality Ocean International and Yaquina Bay brands which were distributed mostly to food service companies in Washington, Nevada, Oregon and California.

The codes for the recalled products are:

CP 232 4A (A-H)
CP 233 4A (A-F)
CP 235 4A (A-F)
CP 236 4A (A-G)
CP 238 4A (A-H)
CP 239 4A (A-C)
CP 240 4A (A-B)
CP 242 4A (A-C)
CP 243 4A (A-H)
CP 244 4A (A-E)

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have become seriously ill due to foodborne illness and the family of those killed. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages including medical costs, lost wages and for pain and suffering.

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Distracted driving is one of the number one causes of car accident deaths. Distracted driving remains a significant problem in Washington state even through the hands-free cell phone law was enacted. An average of 160 people are killed every year in Washington in car accidents in which the driver was distracted. Distracted driving includes behaviors such as text messaging, eating, reading, applying make-up, attending to children and fiddling with radio controls.

When we look at accident statistics involving distracted driving, in 66% of the cases it is the driver who is killed. 25% of the people killed in car accidents where distracted driving was a factor occur to people between the ages of 16 and 25.

The top 5 counties in Washington State where a death was related to distracted driving are:

• King
• Pierce
• Yakima
• Snohomish
• Thurston

The hours between 3:00pm and 5:59pm is the peak time for distracted driving-related fatalities with the average of 23% of deaths occurred during those hours.

The distracted driver is a negligent driver and thus can be held accountable for his or her actions just as if he or she was driving under the influence of alcohol or breaking another of the myriad of traffic laws.

If the automobile accident in which you were injured was caused by someone using a cell phone or otherwise distracted, you may have a valid case in which you can seek compensation for your damages. At The Farber Law Group, we have more than 30 years experience representing car accident victims and their families.

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has just published some proposed rules for commercial pilots of passenger aircraft which would require pilots be given more rest time between flights and reduce pilots flight duty time from 16 hours to 13.

The FAA proposes these new guidelines after a Continental Connection Flight 3407 crashed in Clarence City, New York in February, 2009. The First Officer of that flight was Rebecca (Morris) Shaw, a recent graduate of Central Washington University in Ellensburg and a resident of Maple Valley.

The inquiry into that airplane accident found that Shaw was probably fatigued and was also ill with a cold and probably should not have flown that day. However, the FAA did not say that pilot fatigue was a cause of the crash. Nevertheless, the airplane accident brought the topic of pilot fatigue into the forefront.

Read the FAA's proposal, Flightcrew Member Duty and Rest Requirements, for more information.

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 caused the negligence of another and we represent the families of those who have died.

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The News Tribune of Tacoma reports that a man was critically injured when he was run over by a backhoe while he was clearing property near Renton. The man was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle where he died of his injuries shortly after.

According to The Tribune, the accident occurred in the 11900 block of 171st Place Southeast when a a tie rod broke on the backhoe and the machine started to roll. The man tried to reach the backhoe controls to stop it and he fell and was run over.

It is unclear what caused the tie rod to break. In cases like this, it is important to look at the vehicle's maintenance record and determine whether if it was properly maintained, especially if it was a rental.

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 Seattle motor vehicle accidents and the family of those killed.

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In 2010 The Seattle Times won a Pulitzer Prize for local reporting with their article, The slaying of four Lakewood police officers. In another display of excellent reportage, The Times has an ongoing investigation into Adult Family Homes (AFH) which conceal the abuse and neglect of some of our most vulnerable citizens, the elderly and infirm.

The series entitled "Seniors for Sale" is in 5 parts:

1. The Owners - describes the home-care industry and how it exploits the elderly.
   
2. The Homes - describes how an AFH can stay in business even though there has been a death and evidence of a pattern of neglect of elderly residents.
   
3. The Exodus - describes how the State of Washington saves money placing the ill elderly in AFH instead of skilled nursing facilities where they can receive proper medical care.
   
4. The Deaths - details cases of suspicious deaths where the deaths were not even investigated despite signs of abuse or neglect.
   
5. The Hidden Victims - describes how AFHs hide neglect and how some health-care professionals, despite being Mandatory Reporters, fail to report the problem.

The Times has done a fantastic job in their series and they provide resources such as:

• How to report abuse
  
• Who to report abuse to
  
• How to choose an Adult Family Home
  
• How to check up on an Adult Family Home
  

If you suspect a loved one has been injured due to nursing home abuse or neglect, you should contact a personal injury attorney who specializes in these types of cases. At The Farber Law Group, we have more than 30 years experience representing nursing home abuse and neglect cases including those having to do with bedsores, broken bones and fractures among others. With our help, you may recover compensation for damages and, more importantly, can shed light on nursing homes and adult family homes that behave irresponsibly and criminally.

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The Centers for Disease Control reports that more than 1,500 people have become ill with salmonella food poisoning this summer after eating contaminated eggs. The CDC had a massive egg recall after cases of Salmonella Enteritidis spiked. Usually, the CDC sees approximately 1,000 cases of salmonella in the summer, but this year, the number shot up to 2,600 because of the egg contamination.

Consumers, however, can reduce their risk of salmonella illness by taking some precautions. One cannot tell by looking at an egg if it is contaminated or not and the bacterium can be in both the inside and outside of the egg.

Eggs involved in the latest recall include those that were packaged with the following labels:  Sunny Farms, Sunny Meadow, Farm Fresh, Lund, and Mountain Dairy.

Tips to reduce Salmonella Enteritidis infection:

• Keep eggs adequately refrigerated which keeps any bacteria that might be present from multiplying. Proper refrigeration temperature is less than 45 degrees.
• Throw away any cracked or dirty eggs.
• Thoroughly cook eggs until both the egg white and yolk are firm.
• Eat eggs promptly after cooking.
• Promptly refrigerate any foods containing eggs.
• Do not eat raw eggs.
• Avoid dishes in restaurants that have raw or runny eggs including Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise sauce or Caesar salad with a dressing made of raw eggs.
• Young children and elderly adults or those people with compromised immune systems should avoid eating raw or under cooked eggs.

Symptoms of food poisoning can be mild or severe. For healthy adults, food borne illness runs its course in a few days or weeks. However, in the very young, the frail elderly or people with compromised immune symptoms, food poisoning can result in dehydration, hospitalization or even death.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people with serious illness due to food contamination in the greater Seattle - Tacoma - Bellevue metropolitan area and the families of those killed. With our help, you may be able to recover compensation for your damages which may include medical costs, loss of wages and for pain and suffering.

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The National Transportation Safety Board investigation into a helicopter accident in Kamiah, Idaho reveals that a dropped metal clipboard may have been a factor in the accident.

The helicopter, which crashed in downtown Kamiah, killed the pilot, Perry Drinnitt, and two Idaho Fish and Game biologists, Larry Barrett and Dani Schiff.

The NTSB investigation revealed that eyewitnesses observed objects falling from the helicopter prior to the crash. If an object hit the tail rotor, it might have unbalanced the helicopter. Newer models of helicopters enclose the tail rotors.

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 Auburn motor vehicle accidents caused by the negligence of others.

Source:
KXLY.com
NTSB: Clipboard found near tail rotor at Kamiah crash
Posted September 10, 2010

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The Daily News of Longview reports that Benny White, age 50 of Kelso, was accidentally killed in a bow hunting accident on Friday morning.

According to the report in The Daily News of Longview, the man and a 31-year-old companion, were hunting elk with bows near Toutle. Apparently White stopped abruptly while the two men were walking and the second man accidentally ran into White, spearing him with his arrow in the torso. The bow had not been fired.

White's companion drove him to South Toutle Road where rescue responders attempted to revive White but he was pronounced dead.

According to state Department of Fish and Wildlife records, this is only the second archery fatality in the state since 1970s when records were first tabulated. Most hunting accidents are due to firearms, just 10 of 767 hunting injury accidents were archery-related.

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

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Continue reading " Bow hunting accident claims life of Kelso man " »

Sherree Denise James, 43, a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) has been arrested for investigation of abusing an elderly resident at the Grace Center Nursing Home where she worked.

The Lufkin Daily News of Lufkin, Texas, reports that James hit and pulled an 83-year-old woman's hair as she gave her a shower. Two witnesses said they heard the elderly patient crying and pleading with James to quit hitting her. When the witnesses went into the shower room, they saw James pulling the woman's hair and twisting her ear.

The administration of Grace Center did the right thing, they immediately notified the local police department and filed a report with the state. The nursing home administrator, Pam Humphrey, said:

“We followed all of our policies and procedures. (James) was let go after the incident happened, and she has not been back in this building since. It’s our duty to protect our residents.”

Often times, nursing home employees do not the right thing and alert police when there is a case of suspected abuse. Legally, however, employees or owners of nursing homes, boarding homes or adult family homes are considered Mandatory Reporters and are required by law to report any time they suspect abuse, abandonment, neglect or financial exploitation.

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 Seattle nursing home abuse or neglect and the family of those killed. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages.

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Continue reading " CNA stands fired and accused of abusing nursing home resident " »

The family of Kenneth Bock has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Konrad Haskins whose Redbone Coonhound bit Bock, who later died of complication of dog bites, a bacterial infection.

Washington state has a wrongful death lawsuit which allows the family of a person who died because of the wrongful or negligent act of another to recover damages.

According to an article in The Seattle Times, Bock and Haskins were at Chain Lake Mini-Storage in Monroe last February when Haskins' dog, Buddy, bit Bock on the finger, a bite that drew blood.

The following day, Bock went to the hospital with leg pain and physicians found a blood clot and that they diagnosed a condition called Capnocytophaga canimorsus. This is a common bacteria in the gingival flora of both dogs and cats. The bacterium can be transferred to people in the case of an animal bite. The usual course of treatment is antibiotics. However, in Bock's case, he died 10 days after the bite after multiple organ failure and tissue necrosis, a painful death.

In the civil suit, Bock's family claims that Buddy had a history of biting people and that he had been wandering around the Mini-Storage unleashed. Washington States Dog Bite Law which allows supports dog bite victims and their families by finding dog owners whose animals bite negligent under the law. The dog bite law, 16.08.040, 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.

Haskins has insurance on both his home and his small business but the insurance companies have balked at paying the full amounts of the polices.

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 families with their wrongful death claims in Western Washington and throughout the Pacific Northwest.

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

See our Dog Bite Resources.

Jacob A. Korn, of Seattle, entered a guilty plea in Washington's largest mortgage fraud case. Korn was involved in the scheme that siphoned off millions of dollars from home loans.

Joshua Adam Hicks, writing for The Bellevue Reporter, reveals that Korn did not report real-estate transactions that he helped close and failed to file a 2008 income tax return.

Korn founded Emerald City Escrow which was based in Bellevue.

The article did not say when Korn would be sentenced but he faces a prison sentence of up to one year, five years of probation and a $25,000 fine.

Others indicted in the scheme were Emerald City Escrow co-owner Donata Baydovskiy, mortgage brokers Vladislav Baydovskiy of Bellevue, Viktor Kobzar of Federal Way and Alla Sobol of Renton, as well as Issaquah real-estate agent David Sobol and Renton resident Camie Byron, a loan officer with Kobay Financial Corp. and Nationwide Home Lending.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have suffered harm due to legal malpractice.

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 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) just published their latest evaluation of booster seats. Booster seats are designed for children ages of 4 to 8 and their purpose is to insure that lap belts and shoulder harnesses fit across a child's torso so that the belts can do their job in the case of a car accident.

The IIHS says that overall, booster seat design and manufacture has improved and they have given 21 seats a "Best Bets" rating and 7 seats a "Good Bet" rating. They also provided a list of seats they do not recommend. In all, the Institute examined 72 booster seats.

The IIHs reminds parents that not every booster fits well in every family car. They recommend that parents try the seat out and check to make sure the lap and shoulder belts fit their child.

The IIHS tells parents to avoid belts that ride up on the tummy and shoulder belts that fall off the shoulder or rub on the child's neck.

IIHS' BEST BETS List

• Britax Frontier 85 (combination highback)
• Chicco Keyfit Strada (dual highback)
• Clek Oobr (dual highback)
• Cosco Juvenile Pronto (dual highback)
• Cybex Solution X-Fix (highback)
• Eddie Bauer Auto Booster (dual highback)
• Evenflo Big Kid Amp (backless)
• Evenflo Maestro (combination highback)
• Graco TurboBooster Crawford (dual highback)
• Harmony Baby Armor (dual highback)
• Harmony Dreamtime (dual backless)
• Harmony Dreamtime (dual highback)
• Harmony Secure Comfort Deluxe (backless)
• Harmony Youth Booster Seat (backless)
• Maxi-Cosi Rodi XR (dual highback)
• Recaro ProBOOSTER (highback)
• Recaro ProSPORT (combination highback)
• Recaro Vivo (highback)
• Recaro Young Sport (combination highback)
• Safety 1st Boost Air Protect (dual highback)
• The First Years Pathway B570 (highback)

See the IIHS web-site for a complete list of all the seats rated.

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.

Catherine H. Halliwell, 25, of Vancouver was killed and Sara Edge, 26, was seriously injured in a single car accident on Interstate 5 near Arlington early Monday morning as the pair was returning from a Dave Matthews concert at the Gorge amphitheater.

According to a report by Everett's HeraldNet.com, the two women were passengers in a Nissan Pathfinder driven by a 22-year-old Michael Vinitsky of Montreal when Vinitsky lost control of the vehicle and ran into the concrete highway barrier at milepost 208.

Neither of the two women were wearing seat belts and the impact of the collision caused them to be thrown from the car through the rear hatch. Halliwell was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with a head injury where she pronounced dead. Edge was taken to Cascade Valley Hospital in Arlington; her condition.

Vinitsky faces charges of Vehicular Assault and Vehicular Homicide charges because it is believed that he was under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the accident.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Faber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured by drunken drivers 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 driver was killed and another suffered minor injuries in a motor vehicle accident when the driver of a Ford F-350 crossed into oncoming traffic and hit a Toyota Echo head-on.

The motor vehicle accident occurred around 1am on Stewart Road near Valentine Avenue in Pacific. Steward runs northeast and intersects State Route 167 between Algona and Sumner.

The driver of the Toyota was pronounced dead at the accident scene.

The driver of the Ford was taken to Auburn Regional medical center with minor injuries and then was arrested for investigation of Vehicular Homicide. Washington vehicle code RCW 46.61.520 states that a person can be charged with Vehicular Homicide if someone dies in a car accident and the driver was driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, driving recklessly or driving without regard to the safety of others.

This information is provided by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We aggressively represent victims of drunken drivers and their families. With more than 30 years experience in Washington's wrongful death statute, we are on the victim's side.

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:
1 dead, 1 arrested after Pacific crash
Seattlepi.com
Posted: September 6, 2010

A negligence lawsuit brought by Patricia Miller, of Ferndale, Washington, against the Mt. Baker Ski Area has gone to jury.

Miller suffered a spinal injury which left her a paraplegic in 2008 at White Salmon Lodge when accumulated snow and ice slid off the roof on top of her while she sat reading a book outside the lodge.

Miller's negligence lawsuit claims that the resort was aware of the snow and ice accumulation on the roof but failed to remove it causing a hazard.

The lawsuit went to the jury on Friday after a three-week trial.

Civil law provides that an injured person is eligible to receive compensation for damages if a reasonable person had negligent behavior which resulted in the injury. Negligence lawsuits against property owners can include but may not be limited to injuries due to failure to secure a swimming pool, failure to provide proper lighting, failure to clean up wet floors, failure to repair sidewalks, etc. The injured person can seek compensation for medical costs, property, loss of income and for pain and suffering.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured injured due to the negligence of property owners.

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 Bellingham Herald
Ferndale woman sues from Mt. Baker Ski Area
Posted: September 05, 2010

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration just released a study which looked at incapacitating injuries in children under 8 years of age when involved in motor vehicle accidents. The results of the study tell us what we should all know:

Child safety seats when properly fitted and used through 8 years of age dramatically reduces the incidence of incapacitating injuries and death.

The study found that children fared the worst in rollover car accidents and that their likelihood of incapacitating injury was more than three times than of children properly restrained. In side-impact car accidents, unrestrained children was eight times more likely to receive incapacitating injuries.

What are incapacitating injuries?

Head injuries - in car accidents, head injury is the most common injury to children. They are the most dangerous type of injury because they permanently injure a child's developing brain which can lead to lifelong impairment. These injuries include concussions, skull fractures and whiplash. Effects of a brain injury can include "neuropsychological problems, neurological deficits, frontal lobe injuries affecting social interactions and interpersonal skills, and injuries to the brain centers that control reading and writing."

Thoracic Injuries - these include rib fractures and lung injuries. Children under the age of 1 were most likely to sustain this type of injury.

Abdominal injuries - these include small and large-bowel injuries.

Upper Extremity Injuries - Fractures of the humerus, radius and ulna bones in the arms.

The NHTSA report provides parents with information they need to realize the importance of using child safety seats. Read the complete report here.

For information on choosing the correct infant and child booster seat, see The Safety Restraint Coalition Coalition. Based in Kirkland, Washington, they have a lot of information for parents and child care givers.

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.

A Massachusetts jury awarded Marlene Owens $400K in a case of nursing home negligence. Owen's filed her negligence lawsuit after her stepfather, John J. Donahue, was seriously injured in 2005 as he was being transferred from his bed at the Embassy House nursing home. His eye was gouged by a metal safety hook on the lift that was used to transfer him from his bed and he developed sepsis and died after having his eye removed.

Owens said of the award, "I feel like I got some closure and some justice of him [her stepfather]."

The Plymouth Superior Court jury found that Embassy House nursing home was negligent in their care of Donahue which contributed to his death. The lift used to move Donahue required two personnel to operate, but in the case of Donahue's accident, only one person was operating it.

One notable aspect of this case was that Donahue had signed an arbitration agreement with Kindred which said that he or his estate would not sue if he was killed or injured at the nursing home. A judge invalidated that agreement citing the fact that Donahue was 91 and suffering from delusions when he signed the agreement.

Source:
The Boston Herald
Stepdaughter wins $400G over nursing home abuse
Posted: August 15, 2010

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been the victims of nursing home abuse or negligence which resulted in serious injury and the families with their wrongful death claims when their loved has died. 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.

See our Nursing Home Resources.

Almaz Kucukovic, 51, of Vancouver, Washington, was killed today when he was run over a truck while trying to charge the battery of a school bus.

The unfortunate work-related accident occurred at the Petermann Northwest bus yard on Northeast 199th Street in Battle Ground.

Kucukovic apparently was working on the bus when the truck he was using to jump the battery started rolling. Kucukovic tried to board the truck to stop it but he slipped and fell under the tire.

Kucukovic leaves behind a wife and three children.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in work-related accidents and the family of those killed. The Farber Law Group has more than 30 years experience navigating worker's compensation laws and laws regarding 3rd parties on behalf of our clients.

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:
Fox 12 News
Vancouver Mechanic Killed in Bus Yard Accident
Posted 09/02/10

The Bellevue Reporter reports that Chung Po Liu, 69, of Bellevue, has entered a guilty plea for conspiring to illegally import more than $40 million of Chinese honey into the United States.

Lui was indicted along 11 other individuals and six companies.

Some of the imported honey was found to be contaminated with an antibiotic which is banned in food in the U.S.

Liu and his co-conspirators altered documents and product labels to make it appear that the honey was being imported from Russia, the Philippines and other countries to avoid tariffs and custom duties. The illegal imports spanned a seven year period from 2002 to 2009.

The Food and Drug Administration does not believe that any one was sickened by the honey.

Liu entered a plea agreement so prosecutors may recommend a prison sentence of up to two years.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have developed serious illness due to foodborne illness or contamination and the family of those who have died. 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.