Washington Injury Attorney Blog

The Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA) has a goal or providing transparency so that patients can make health care decisions based on the quality of hospital care by looking at various indicators including Hospital Infection Rates, Patient Satisfaction, Heart Failure and Attack and Pneumonia rate.

Surgical wound infections are one quality measure of a hospital since surgical wounds can be prevented by providing surgery patients with antibiotics right before their surgery. By using the WSHA web-site, patients can see the infection rates for Ventilator Pneumonia and Central Lines, for example.

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a hospital-acquired pneumonia in people who have mechanical ventilation through a tracheostomy tube or an endotracheal tube.

Central venous catheter infections is a catheter which is placed in a large vein in the neck, chest or groin to administer medications or fluids or to do blood tests. Catheters can introduce bacteria into the blood stream and cause serious and life-threatening illness including endocarditis. To prevent infection, medical professionals should thoroughly clean the insertion site.

Looking at a hospitals quality data can help a patient make informed decision on where they can have elective surgeries like hip replacements performed.

For more information, see the Quality Indicators Search Page of the Washington State Hospital Association web-site.

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 medical malpractice including hospital-acquired infections, and the family of those killed.

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Joseph Heitman, 25, of Cle Elum, was killed in a Cle Elum-area snowmobile accident on Saturday and his passenger, Karla Vicente, 19, of Ellensburg was critically injured.

The Yakima Herald.com reports that the snowmobile accident occurred on McElroy Road late Saturday. Heitman was driving his 2003 Polaris at a high rate of speed when he collided with the elk

A passerby called firefighters and attempted to revive Heitman but he succumbed to his injuries.

Vicente was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for treatment of her injuries.

Motorcyclists and snowmobilers are most at risk in deer or elk collisions. When cars collide with wildlife, in only 2% of the cases there is a fatality to the driver. However, in 85% of motorcycle-wildlife collisions, the driver is killed.

In October, November and December, motorists are at the highest risk of collisions with deer and other wildlife because of wildlife migration. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that insurance claims for collisions with wildlife are at their highest in November.

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 including snowmobile accidents and the family of those killed.

Click here for information on Tips to Avoid Deer Collisions.

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The U.S. Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs) has created a list of tips for consumers with recommendations on purchasing safe toys. Parents, grandparents and friends should pay special attention when purchasing toys for children under the age of 4 because they are at high risk for toy-related injuries.

Children under the age of 4 are have the highest rate of choking deaths but small children are also injured in falls, strangulation, drowning, and burns when playing with unsafe toys.

Toy Hazards

Choking Hazards

Choking is the most common cause of toy-related fatalities. Approximately 41 children in the past five years have died due to aspirating or choking on toys such as balloons, toys or toy parts. It is recommend that consumers avoid purchasing any toy or toy part that could pass through a toilet paper tube because of the it may be a potential choking hazard.

Small children should never be given small balls or balloons as they can block a child's airway.

Toys with Magnets

Many of today's toys are built with powerful and small magnets. Magnets can be especially hazardous when swallowed especially if a child swallows more than one. There have been cases where magnets in a child's stomach or intestines attract each other and cause life-threatening injuries.

Batteries

Small batteries can be hazardous to children especially if they are swallowed because the battery acid can cause serious and sometimes fatal injuries.

Loud Toys

Children's ears are very sensitive and loud toys can cause permanent ear damage and cause hearing loss. Avoid toys that are loud.

Strangulation Hazards

Consumers should be especially wary of clothing that have drawstrings on the hood which can get caught on playground equipment and strangle a child. Crib mobiles can cause a strangulation hazard as well as cords longer than one foot.

Toys with Toxic Chemicals

Consumers should be wary of older toys and play cosmetics with xylene, toluene or dibutyl phthalate.

For more information in Toy Safety, see the PIRG's Trouble in Toyland web-site.http://www.uspirg.org/toysafety-2010

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have suffered serious injury due defective consumer products.

Washington state has a Products Liability Act which allows an injured person to recover damages if a product was unreasonably dangerous.

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Johnson & Johnson the American pharmaceutical company has issued a major recall of over-the counter cold and asthma medication for children.

Included in the recall is 4 million units of Children's Benadryl tablets; 800,000 bottles of Motrin; 71,000 packages of Rolaids.

The company recalled the products due to "insufficiencies in the development of the manufacturing process."

The recall is not at the consumer-level and is aimed at the wholesale and retail level.

Johnson & Johnson has received harsh criticism about this recall because it appears as if the company did a secret or a "phantom" recall, hiring a private contractor to purchase potentially defective Motrin tables. Apparently the secret buyback was to circumvent a recall. See the FDA web-site "Johnson and Johnson’s Recall of Children’s Tylenol and Other Children’http://www.hgfarber.com/lawyer-attorney-1275508.htmls Medicines and The Phantom Recall of Motrin (Part 2)”

For specific information on the recall, see the McNeil Consumer Health Care Product Recall web-site.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent personal injury victims including victims of pharmaceutical liability. Call us for a free consultation or e-mail us.

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The U.S.Drug Enforcement Administration has placed five chemicals (JWH-018, JWH-073, JWH-200, CP-47,497, and cannabicyclohexanol) used in herbal blend products as a substitute for marijuana. The DEA's action will make possessing and selling these chemical or products that contain them illegal in the U.S. for one year while the DHHS studies these chemicals.

The DEA ban is set to begin in December and it effects herbal blend products including Spice, K2, Freedom, Red X Dawn and Genie.

Synthetic or "fake pot" has increased in popularity among teenagers and young adults as these chemicals mimic THC which is an active ingredient in marijuana.

The DEA says that synthetic compounds used in the "fake pot" has never been approved for human consumption.

The News Tribune of Tacoma reports that a Tumwater teen nearly died after smoking an "herbal spice" product after he experienced muscle contractions, low blood pressure, increased heart rate.

The DEA reports that since 2009, it seen “received an increasing number of reports from poison centers, hospitals and law enforcement regarding these products.” Poison control centers have received more than 500 calls from people about the drug which is exponentially more than the 12 calls they received last year.

Manufacturers of the herbal spice blends try to cover their liability for the products they manufacture by labeling them with "not fit for human consumption" and say their product is to be only used as incense but the DEA says these labels are intended only to mask their "intended purpose."

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

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Three people were killed and a young woman was critically injured in a Garden City head-on car accident early this morning. Garden City is approximately 23 miles west of Olympia in Western Washington

The car accident occurred when a Lincoln Town Car driven by Noah Willhide, 25, of Boise, ID, drove the wrong way on Chinden Boulevard and hit a car driven by Jamie L. Taylor, 22, of Eagle.

Both Willhide and Taylor were killed in the car accident along with an unidentified passenger in the Kia.

A second passenger sitting in the backseat of the Kia, Rebecca A. Cross, 22, of Eagle, was critically injured and was transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Garden City Police Sgt. Blair Brannan described the crash as, "one of the hardest impacts I've ever seen."

Police believe that Willhide may have been driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the accident.

In 2009, there were 453 fatal accidents. In the U.S., there were almost 22,000 fatalities due to alcohol-related car accidents. The consequences of drinking and driving are often too tragic.

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 by drunken drivers and the family of those killed.

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A Seattle woman -- Katelynn Doolittle -- credits a man who came to her attack with saving her life when she was attacked by a vicious pit bull near Lake Washington.

According to King 5 News of Seattle, Doolittle was jogging when a pit bull escaped its owner and attacked her; she was bitten five times. Matt Lloyd ran to her rescue she credits him with saving her life. Lloyd was also bitten by the dog.

Whenever we discuss pit bulls on this forum, we usually get a lot of comments. Many people say that a pit bull's nature is not to be aggressive but that it is nurture and the way they are raised that makes them turn vicious.

The 2009 dog bite statistics reveal that there were 32 people killed in dog attacks and in 44% of those fatal attacks, the dog(s) involved were pit bulls. When we look at "rampage attacks," attacks where one ore more dogs are involved or more than one person is injured, pit bulls were involved in 58% of those cases.

University of Washington animal behaviorist Dr. Jim Ha says,

The reason we're focusing just on pit bulls is that we hear so much about them, and that is not because of the breed difference, the genetic difference - that's because of the way they've been raised.

Dog bite injuries can cause serious physical and psychological trauma. Victims of severe dog mauling often require multiple surgeries, leaving victims with both psychological and permanent scarring and nerve damages.

Washington State has a dog bite law, RCW 16.08.040, which makes the owner of any dog which bites a person to be liable for the damages inflicted by the dog regardless of whether the dog was previously identified as vicious.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We are a Seattle dog bite attorney and we represent people who have been seriously injured by dog attacks. 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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Winter has arrived in Washington state and even the greater Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue areas and Western Washington are experiencing freezing temperatures and snow.

With Thanksgiving just a few days away and many people traveling on the highways for the holiday, the Washington State Department of Transportation is recommending that Motorists be prepared for the cold weather with an emergency car kit.

Emergency Car Kit Supplies

• jumper cables
  
• cat litter or sand
  
• shovel
  
• ice scraper
  
• extra warm clothes
  
• blanket
  
• flashlight and batteries
  
• extra food
  
• water for each person in the car
  
• AM/FM radio

In addition to the Emergency car Kit the WSDOT reminds motorists not to forget:

• A fully charged cell phone
  
• Flares or reflective triangle
  
• Full gas tank
  
• Baby supplies including extra diapers and fomula

If your car is stranded, the DOT recommends that you use your flashers and flares and to stay in your car.

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

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12 people were taken to local hospitals after a Pierce Transit bus accident in Tacoma this morning.

The News Tribune reports that the bus accident occurred at South 19th Street and Jefferson Avenue around 10:40 this morning. This location is in front of the science building on the University of Washington Tacoma campus.

The were 20 people on the bus when it crashed.

Conditions were snowy and icy in Western Washington and the bus driver lost control on the roadway; The bus slid, hit a concrete bench and flipped on its side.

The report said none of the injuries were life threatening.

In 2009, there were 221 fatal bus accidents in the U.S. In those accidents, 77 of the fatal bus accidents involved Transit Bus. Compare that with 89 fatal school bus accidents.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Seattle or Tacoma bus accident, call the Bellevue personal injury lawyers and wrongful death attorneys at The Farber Law Group. We represent bus accident victims and their families and 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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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration report that Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals Inc., manufacturer of Davon and Darvocet, has agreed to pull the two pain medication from the market due to risk of potentially serious or fatal side effects including heart rhythm abnormalities and also because of concerns that too many patients have overdosed on the drug.

Darvon and Darvocet has been prescribed to 10 million people since 2009.

The FDA says that intentional or unintentional overdoses can occur when the drug is taken by itself or with alcohol or other medications.

Davon and Darvocet have been linked to more than 2,000 deaths in the past 30 years. Both medications contain propoxyphene which can be habit forming.

The FDA has asked generic makers of the medical to pull their drugs as well.

Many people feel that this decision is a long time in coming; the UK pulled the medication off of the market in 2005 and Europe's medical regulator removed it from that market in 2009.

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 due to dangerous and defective products and the family of those who have died. For information about your legal rights, contact The Farber Law Group today.

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A 55-year-old man who was taking a prospective buyer out for a test drive in his Nissan 300ZX was killed and the potential buyer was critically injured in a Lynnwood single-car accident on Wednesday night.

The Seattle Times reports that the two men took the car out for a test drive around 5pm and the driver was apparently speeding on 2100 block of Cypress Way when he lost control of the vehicle, went into a ditch and hit a tree.

The prospective buyer, a Missoula, Montana man was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for treatment of injuries that were described as "serious but not life-threatening."

Approximately 20 percent of car accident deaths occur when a vehicle leaves the road and hits a fixed object such as a tree, utility pole or traffic barrier. Approximately 50% of these accidents occur at night and often alcohol is a contributing factor. In 2009, 7,800 people were killed in fixed object crashes.

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 are a Seattle car accident law firm and are dedicated to helping car accident victims and their families seek civil justice.

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A Peninsula School District bus accident injured at least six students and the school bus driver and the driver of a pickup truck today west of Gig Harbor.

Seattle's KOMO news reports that the school bus accident occurred near 11125 Key Peninsula Highway North around 11:45. The children on board the bus were students from Key Peninsula Middle School.

The accident occurred when the school bus was rear-ended by a pickup truck after the bus had slowed to allow another vehicle to pull out of a driveway.

According to the report, 9 children and two drivers were taken to St. Andrews Hospital for treatment of injuries.

The pickup truck driver was cited for driving with a suspended license and not having insurance.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in motor vehicle accident. We are a Seattle car accident law firm and are dedicated to helping car accident victims and their families seek civil justice.

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We turned back the clocks last week and motorists and pedestrians need to be more aware to prevent pedestrian accidents.

In 2009, 4,092 pedestrians were killed in accidents and 59,000 were injured across the U.S. In Washington state, 61 pedestrians were killed in motor vehicle accidents last year.

According to the NHTSA, 25% of those killed in pedestrian accidents were killed between 4pm and 8pm and 13 percent were killed between 4am and 8am. With daylight savings time and winter upon us, pedestrians and motorists alike must be cautious to avoid an accident.

Motorist Tips

• Drive slowly especially early morning and evenings when kids are catching buses and walking to and from school.
  
• Remember that pedestrians may not hear your approach especially with the ubiquitous use of earbuds and iPods.
  
• Use your defroster and make sure your windows are clear.

Pedestrian Tips

• Choose clothing and backpacks that have reflective tape or materials on them.
  
• Don't count on a traffic signal keeping you save: look, listen and make eye contact with motorists before crossing a street.
  
• Don't walk or jog in the street; use sidewalks.
  
• Use crosswalks to cross the street. Don't cross between parked vehicles.
  
• Walk facing traffic.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in pedestrian accidents and the family of those killed. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages including medical costs and pain and suffering if your Seattle pedestrian accident was caused by the negligence of a motorist.

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The National Transportation Safety Board is calling upon all the states to enact mandatory motorcycle helmet laws and provide strict enforcement of these laws. Last year across the U.S. there were 4281 fatal motorcycle accidents with 67 of those in Washington state.

Washington among other western states including Oregon, Nevada and California require motorcycle riders to wear approved helmets. Helmets are 67% effective in preventing traumatic brain injury which a leading cause of motorcycle accident deaths. Only 20 states mandate helmet usage.

When comparing miles driven, motorcycle riders have 37 times the risk of being involved in a fatal accidents when compared to drivers of cars.

The NTSB says that motorcycle accident deaths have been rising over the past decade and have doubled between 1997 through 2008 due to the increase of motorcycle ridership.

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 the negligence of another 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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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announces that consumers should discontinue using Hyland Teething Tablet because they contain belladonna which comes from the deadly nightshade and can be highly toxic.

The Hyland Teething tablets were sold at pharmacies, retail stores and on the internet as a homeopathic drug to treat teething pain in small children.

The FDA reports they have had reports of serious reactions in some children who have taken used the product which are consistent with belladonna toxicity. In the reported cases, the children took more than the recommended dosage because the product does not come with child-resistant caps.

Symptoms of belladonna overdose or toxicity include:

• Rapid heart rate
  
• Increased body temperature
• Dry skin and mouth
• Skin flushing
• Constipation
• Decreased urination
• Agitation
• Disorientation
• Hallucinations
• Dilated pupils
• Drowsiness

The FDA says that this product has not been tested or approved by them and that you the product should not be used. They ask people who have had a child with an adverse reaction, to report it online at www.fda.gov/MedWatch/report.htm.

Washington State has consumer protection which holds manufacturers liable for injuries resulting from defective or dangerous products.

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

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Jolene Larsen, 38, a licensed practical nurse at Merry Haven Care Center in Snohomish, Washington for 14 years has pleaded guilty to a single count of product tampering in the theft of morphine medications. In her plea, Larsen admitted to acting "with reckless disregard for the risk that another person would be placed in danger of bodily injury" and held "extreme indifference" to the pain potentially caused by her actions.

The Seattle PI.com reports that Larsen admitted to substituting tap water with morphine. The diluted medication then was administered to at least one patient in the care center.

As part of her guilty plea, Larsen admitted that she stole morphine between November 2009 through May.

Larsen is free on bond until sentencing. She faces up to 10 years in prison.

Theft of narcotics in nursing homes by employees is a common problem. Medical professional are addicted to drugs at about a 2 percent higher rate than the general population. Thefts can happen when a nursing home does not count narcotics after every shift or when nurses are negligent in dispensing medications.

Theft of medications intended for patients can endanger the patient's treatment and quality of life.

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

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Seattle PI.com reports that two men in their 20s were taken to Harborview Medical Center after a Seattle single-car accident in the Greenwood area early Monday morning.

According to the report, the men were riding in a Honda Civic when the driver lost control and ran into a pole on the traffic island on North 105 Street at Holman Road Northwest.

The 25-year-old driver of the Honda may have suffered a broken sternum. His 23-year-old passenger suffered several broken bones in his face and a fractured leg.

Police are investigating whether the driver of the vehicle was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the accident. If so, he may face charges of Vehicular Assault. Vehicular Assault can be charged if a person is seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident and the driver 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 Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in Seattle motor vehicle accidents due to the negligence of another. With our help, you may recover the compensation your deserve.

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The U.S. Department of Transportation released information from their Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) regarding motor vehicle accident death rates in 2009. Nationwide, there were 30,797 fatal motor vehicle accident in the and 33,808 fatalities.

The states with the highest per capita motor vehicle accident fatality rate includes North Dakota (21.6), Montana (22.7), Mississippi (23.7) and Wyoming (24.6). The states with the least per capita motor vehicle accident fatality rates include Washington DC (4.8), Massachusetts (5.1), New York (5.9) and Connecticut (6.3). Washington state was on the lower-end of the specturm with a total of 492 traffic accident deaths and a per capita death rate of 7.4 per 100,000 people.

There are many factors that affect a state's car accident fatality rate per capita including traffic laws, access to trauma centers, weather, population density and types of travels.

The following is a breakdown by category of the 492 traffic accident fatalities in Washington State for 2009:

• 204 car occupant accident deaths
• 134 pickup and SUV occupant accident deaths
• 9 large truck occupant accident deaths
• 67 motorcyclists accident deaths
• 61 pedestrian accident deaths
• 9 bicycle accident deaths

Single Vehicle Accident Deaths

53% of all the people killed nationwide in motor vehicle accident in 2009 occurred in single vehicle accidents. 57%, or 191 of Washington state's motor vehicle accident deaths were single vehicle accidents.

Alcohol-Related Motor Vehicle Accidents

Nation-wide, 71% of all fatally injured drivers had alcohol involvement. In Washington, 46% of drivers who were killed in accidents had a blood alcohol content level (BAC) which was equal to or greater than the legal limit of 0.08%.

Seat Belt Use

Washington state leads the nation with seatbelt compliance observed at 96%, only Michigan has a higher compliance rate at 98%

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 due the negligence of another and the family of those killed. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages including loss of wages, property damages, medical costs and for pain and suffering.

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Source:
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
Fatality Facts 2009
State by State

Continue reading " Washington State motor vehicle accident fatality rates for 2009 " »

The Food and Drug Administration and the Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning parents with babies under the age of 1 years not to use infant sleep positioners because of the risk of suffocation related to their use.

Infant sleep positioners are bolsters are wedge shaped cushions which are intended to keep a baby in a certain position while sleeping. The devices were marketed to parents to minimize a flat head, to reduce acid reflux and to reduce the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).

In calling for the ban of the products, it was noted that there have been 12 infant deaths in the past 13 years associated with the devices. Babies have died when they roll from their back to their stomach and become trapped by the device and suffocate.

The FDA and CPSC warns parents, caregivers and healthcare professionals to discontinue using sleep petitioners or any device that holds an infant in a particular position and to never place pillow, comforters or quilts in a babies' crib. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that babies be placed on their backs to sleep.

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 products and the family of those who have died.

Every year, more than 77,000 children under the age of five have been injured by products that were designed for them. Infant carriers and car seats were some of the top sources of injuries followed by strollers, high chairs and changing tables.

Washington state has a Product Liability Act, WPLA RCW 7.72 which describes the rules concerning a manufacturers sale of defective or dangerous products. The Products Liability Act was enacted to protect the consumer and provide recourse if there is an injury and obtain damages in a civil suit.

If you or a loved one was injured as a result of a defective or dangerous product, contact The Farber Law Group. At The Farber Law Group, we are experienced in representing the victims of defective or dangerous products and in helping victims recover compensation for their injuries.

Source:
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
CPSC and FDA Warn Against Using Infant Sleep Positioners Because of Suffocation Risk: Initial Communication
Posted: Sept. 29, 2010

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Two ground workers employed by Menzies Aviation at Sea-Tac Airport have been fired after two Alaska Airlines planes were involved in a ground accident reports The Seattle PI.

The October 28th airline accident occurred around 7am when the wing of one Alaska plane hit the horizontal stabilizer on the tail of another jet. Luckily, none of the 139 passengers on board the departing plane were injured.

An investigation into the Seattle airline accident found that the tug driver pushed the departing aircraft too far back and when he lost visual contact with the wing walker that protocol called for him to stop immediately.

All four Menzie workers involved in the accident were given routine drug and alcohol tests but the results have not been revealed. Two of the employees were fired and two others were required to receive additional safety training.

One of the damaged planes was repaired and went back into service on the same day as the accident. The 2nd plane, is expected to go back into service some time this week.

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 airline accidents due to the negligence of another. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages including medical costs and for pain and suffering.

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Juanita Wright, 43, has been charged with Vehicular Assault in the Saturday night pedestrian accident in which she hit five pedestrian as they crossed a street outside the Showbox SoDo nightclub reports The Seattle Times.

Four people were seriously injured in the Seattle pedestrian accident with injuries that include fractured vertebrae, a brain injury and pelvic and leg fractures. The injured were taken to Harborview Medical Center where two of the victims remain in serious condition.

Prior to the pedestrian accident, a construction worker who witnessed the accident reported seeing Wright speeding.

Police found empty and partially filled cans of high-alcohol-content beer and measured Wright's blood alcohol content (BAC) at .29 percent.

Washington State vehicle code RCW 46.61.522 "Vehicular Assault" provides that a driver can be charged if someone was seriously injured in a car accident and the driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

When a driver is charged with Vehicular Assault, he or she is tried by the State of Washington. In addition, a personal injury law firm who is experienced in representing clients with serious personal injuries can represent the injured and file a claim for damages, for loss of wages, damage to the vehicle and for pain and suffering.

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

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Barbara Corrigan, 77, of Friday Harbor was injured in an Idaho car accident last Friday when a horse ran onto the highway in front of her car and she hit it reports the Idaho Mountain Express. Corrigan suffered injuries in the car accident and she was taken to St. Luke's Wood River Medical Center.

The car accident occurred on state Highway 75, south of Bellevue, Idaho around 7am.

The horse was severely injured in the accident and has died.

Police have located the owner of the horse. The owner of the horse could be found liable for the injuries that Corrigan received. An investigation can determine whether the property owner failed to maintain the fences around the area where the horse was kept and whether the horses on the property had a history of escaping in the past. The owner's comprehensive property insurance may cover Corrigan's 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 motor vehicle accidents and the family of those killed. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages.

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The Yakima Herald reports that three residents of Sunnyside were killed in a Richland single-car accident on Sunday morning around 2:20am.

According to the report, Joel Barajas, 32, his wife, Bertha Barajas, 28, along with their nephew, Christian Valdez, 8, were killed when Joel Barajas lost control of the GMC Yukon he was driving.

Two children, a girl, age 8, and a boy, age 10, were taken to Kadlec Medical Center for treatment of undisclosed injuries. The Barajas' 2-year-old son was apparently not injured.

The motor vehicle accident occurred on Interstate 182 just west of Richland. Barajas failed to negotiate a curve, went off the highway and the vehicle rolled several times.

The Washington State Patrol suspect that alcohol may have been a factor in the car accident but the results of toxicology tests have not been released. One report also said that Barajas had been using a cell phone shortly before the accident.

The legal standard for intoxication in Washington state is 0.08%. The calculation of BAC depends on many factors including your sex, your weight, and the type of alcohol consumed. A person can also be impaired at below the 0.08% legal limit.

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 Car Accidents and the family of those killed. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages.

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