Washington Injury Attorney Blog

Seattle's KOMO News reports that Ronda Jo Emerson, 41, of Newman Lake was killed in a Montana snowmobiling accident.

The snowmobiling accident occurred around 1:30pm on Sunday afternoon. According to the report, Emerson was injured when she hit a tree in the Spread Creek drainage. Emerson was taken to St. John's Hospital in Libby where she died of her injuries this morning.

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.

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The Washington State Patrol reports that a 37-year-old woman and four children under the age of 7 survived a Thurston County car accident unscathed when the minivan they were riding in went off of the icy roadway and rolled down a 20ft embankment. The WSP credit seat belts and child safety seats for everyone surviving the accident uninjured.

The car accident occurred on February 24 around 9:00am when the driver lost control on SR510 near Mullen Road.

In Washington State, drivers are responsible for ensuring that all children under the age of 16 are properly restrained. Children age 7 years and younger and less than 4'9" tall must be restrained in a child booster seat. Children under the age of 12 should be in the rear seat if at all possible.

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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Continue reading " WSP credits seat belts for woman and children surviving rollover car accident unscathed " »

Stores in Washington state and in the Pacific Northwest including Safeway, Vons, Pavilions and Pank N' Save, are cooperating with a recall of some products containing fresh broccoli from Taylor farms after there was an isolated instance of a test sample testing positively for the bacterium Listeria onocytogenes organism. No foodborne illnesses have been linked to the recalled foods.

Taylor Farms Pacific is a Northern California company that sourced the broccoli used in a variety of cooked and fresh grocery products and deli trays between February 7 to March 7, 2011.

The Seattle Times has a list of the recalled products as well as the Safeway web-site.

Customers who have questions about the recall can contact Safeway at 1-800-SAFEWAY or Taylor Farms at 209-835-6300.

Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium found commonly in soil, streams, plants, sewage and food. It has been found in uncooked vegetables, unpasteurized milks and uncooked meats The bacteria rarely causes a lethal food-borne infection called listeriosis. Though listeriosis is rare it can manifest as meningitis.

Foodborne illness kills about 5,000 people in the U.S. every year and causes approximately 325,000 hospitalizations. When a restaurant or food supplier falls below hygiene rules set forth by the State, they may be liable for negligence in the case of serious illness or death.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber La w Group. 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. Herbert G. Farber, Esq., won a sizable settlement for a Washington State young boy who became seriously ill after eating at a popular fast food restaurant.

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The Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with B.O.B. Trailers, Inc., of Boise, Idaho, has issued a voluntary recall of 337,000 B.O.B. ® single and double strollers because they pose a strangulation hazard.

According to the CPSC, the recall came after an 11-month-old girl's neck got tangled up in the stroller's drawstring. Luckily, her mother was able to free her.

The recalled models include the Sport Utility Stroller, Sport Utility Stroller D'Lux, Ironman® , Sport Utility Duallie, Ironman® Duallie , Revolution, Revolution 12", Stroller Strides®, Revolution Duallie, Revolutiion Duallie 12" and the Stroller Strides® Dualie.

The strollers were sold at REI, Babiesrus.com, Target.com and Amazon.com among other retailers.

The company recommends that the drawstring should be removed. The company can be contacted for a free canopy retrofit kit.

For information on the affected models, or to order a canopy retrofit kit, contact B.O.B. Trailers at (855) 242-2245 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. MT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s website at www.bobcanopy.com.

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

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A Montana jury has awarded the family of Gerard Heidt a $1.7 million wrongful death settlement after the family filed the civil lawsuit claiming Heidt's death was a result of medical malpractice.

Heidt died in October 2005 at the age of 42 after his physician, Dr. Faranak Argani, misdiagnosed chest pain as a torn muscle instead of a leaky heart valve. The jury agreed that Heidt should have been referred to a cardiologist who would have operated on Heidt and surgically received a replacement valve.

Heidt left a wife and four children. The jury awarded $1.6 million for lost wages and $120,000 for the children's college funds.

In Washington state, the family of a person who has died due to the wrongful or negligent act of another can seek compensation under wrongful death statutes on behalf of their deceased loved one. Wrongful death cases can arise from motor vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, work-related accidents and criminal attacks.

Source:
Billings Gazette
$1.7 million verdict returned against Billings Clinic, physician in medical negligence case
February 21, 2011

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

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The Washington state legislature is seeking to get tougher on drunk drivers. There are several bills in the House which seek to increase penalties for those convicted of DUI offenses.

The following lists the House Bills, their sponsors and what the bill seeks to accomplish:

HB 1113

Modifying provisions relating to prior offenses for the purposes of felony driving or being in physical control of a vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug.

Sponsors: Rolfes, Klippert, Warnick, Hurst, Finn, Miloscia, Kelley, Goodman, Liias, Fitzgibbon, Smith

Allows the courts to take into account previous DUI convictions from other states and tribal jurisdictions as well as removes the 10 year statute of limitations for including previous DUI convictions in determining felony DUI status.

1167

Expanding provisions relating to driving or being in physical control of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Sponsors: Liias, Goodman, Probst, Rolfes, Moscoso, Roberts, Fitzgibbon, Billig, Miloscia, Maxwell

Allows counties to create and operate DUI courts, increases fees for drivers convicted of DUI, vehicular homicide or vehicular assault and requires courts to establish victim impact panel registries.

1556

Increasing the penalties for first-time offenders of driving or being in physical control of a vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug.

Sponsors: Kirby, Orwall, Miloscia, Stanford, Kelley, Blake, Smith

Increases the mandatory minimum sentencing for first-time DUI offenders and requires offenders to pay for their own incarceration. This would include costs of administering electronic home monitoring, ignition interlock requirements, probation and supervision of the person's driver's license, etc.

HB 1789

Addressing accountability for persons driving or being in physical control of a vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug.

Sponsors: Goodman, Pedersen, Roberts and Miloscia

Requires a driver convicted of negligent driving in the first degree or reckless driving to install an ignition interlock device. Expands the definition of "prior offenses" and allows a driver charged with certain DUI-related misdemeanors be eligible for two deferred prosecutions.

HB 1646

Increasing penalties for vehicular homicide and vehicular assault.

Sponsors: Orcutt, Ahern, Pearson, Hope, Klippert, McCune

Increases the sentencing for vehicular homicide and vehicular assault and changes the the sentencing guidelines so that some convictions runs consecutively (one after the other) rather than concurrently (convictions served at the same time).

---

Approximately 45% of all traffic fatalities in Washington State are related to driving under the influence. DUI related car accidents leave victims seriously injured, disabled, paralyzed, brain damaged and dead. The public supports increasing penalties for drunken driving.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We are a Seattle personal injury law firm dedicated to fighting for the victims of drunken drivers and their families.

Source: Washington State Legislature - Bill Information.

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The Wall Street Journal published an article recently regarding the conversation going on between the FDA and Congress over the review of medical devices.

Some Republicans in Congress criticize the FDA and say that the long review process delays products coming to market which causes the device manufacturers to move Europe, taking jobs with them.

Dr. Jeffrey Shuren, director of the FDA's medical device devision, said that if the process is speeded up then more patients will get hurt.

One physician, Cardiologist Steven Nissen, who testified at the Congressional hearing, said that most of the medical devices that seriously injured patients in the past few years were cleared using the 510(k) program, a "fast track" through the FDA which does not rely on clinical trials which are costly to the manufacturer.

This is certainly true of DePuy Orthopaedic, Inc., ASR XL Acetabular and Hip Resurfacing Systems which were recalled on August 24, 2010. The ASR hip implants have shown to have a 1 in 8 patient failure rate requiring revision or second surgeries in patients. There are also studies that show that the device may cause metallosis or cobalt/chromium poisoning which has a potential for serious side effects including cancer, heart disease, tissue necrosis and brain disease.

Source:
The Wall Street Journal
FDA Criticized Over Device Approvals
By Alicia Mundy
February 17, 2011

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.

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The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries issued their report for Workplace Deaths Report for 2010 which found that the number of people killed in work-related accidents and assaults increased in 2010.

In 2010, 86 men and women were killed on-the-job which is a significant increase from the 65 fatalities reported in 2009.

L&I Drector, Judy Schurke, said:

Last year was a difficult one for worker safety, and this report demonstrates that. Behind these numbers are grieving families and traumatized co-workers. It is only with the continuing cooperation of labor, business and safety and health professionals that we can hope to prevent future deaths like these from happening.

In 2010 there were seven workers killed in the Tesoro refinery explosion in Anacortes, Washington. This was a great tragedy for the state especially as the investigation found that these deaths were preventable.

There were 20 job-related deaths among farm workers, fishing industry workers and loggers in 2010. Seven farm workers died in tractor-rollover accidents. These accidents may have been prevented if safety practices and maintenance had been adhered too.

2010 found a decline in workplace homicides and suicides. There were only seven last year compared to 20 in 2009.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have died in on-the-job accidents and construction accidents.  At The Farber Law Group, our lawyers are familiar with worker's compensation laws and laws regarding 3rd parties. While money cannot fully compensate for a serious and debilitating injury or the loss of a loved one, compensation for medical expenses, lost earnings can help insure a stable future for you and your family. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.

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Police believe that a 22-year-old female driver, Ashley R. Davis-Jones, who was killed in an Olympia head-on car accident was texting when her car crossed the centerline and collided head-on with another vehicle reports King5.com of Seattle.

The car accident occurred on State Route 12 on Friday. Police found an open cell phone on the floor of the Davis-Jone's Mazda 3 and determined that Ashley had been texting moments before the car accident.

The other driver, a trucker hauling drums of iodine and bleach, was not injured in the motor vehicle accident.

Texting and driving can be a lethal combination. The Seattle Times had an article in the paper today about Wendy Lerch who publicly speaks about the danger of texting and driving ever since her daughter Heather was killed in a car accident just about a year ago. Wendy Lerch has created a website, heathersstory.org, which discusses her daughter Heather's death and the dangers of texting and driving.

Washington state vehicle code RCW 46.61.668 prohibits sending, reading, or writing a text message while driving. Though the law was enacted about a year ago, Heather's mother says she still sees drivers texting and driving which makes her very angry.

This information is provided by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents due to the negligence of another.

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has just posted some important information on their web-site for patients who have Metal-on-Metal Hip Implants who have concerns about their hip implants since the August 2010 recall by DePuy orthopedics of the ASR hip implant systems.

The FDA's web-site addresses questions for people who are asymptomatic -- without symptoms -- and for those patients who have experienced complications including serious pain, swelling, numbness and other complications due to their hip implant.

The FDA describes some of the side effects that can occur with a metal-on-metal hip implant systems like DePuy's ASR:

There are some case reports of the metal particles causing a reaction around the joint, leading to deterioration of the tissue around the joint, loosening of the implant and failure of the device, as well as some of the symptoms described above. In addition, some metal ions from the implant may enter into the bloodstream. There have been a few recent case reports of patients with metal-on-metal hip implants developing a reaction to these ions and experiencing medical problems that might have been related to their implants, including effects on the nervous system, heart and thyroid gland.

If you received a hip implant since 2003, it is recommended that you check with your orthopedic surgeon to determine if your hip implant was manufactured by DePuy and if it is one of the implants recalled. Your orthopaedic surgeon can also monitor your condition using both imaging procedures and blood tests.

In addition to medical care, The Farber Law Group, recommends that you make contact with a qualified product liability personal injury law firm. Since the recall, many patients will require future surgery to replace the defective device. A revision procedure can cause significant pain and also result in significant financial costs. With the help of an experienced personal injury law firm you can be assured that all legal options will be explored so that you receive compensation for your damages.

Source:

U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Information for Patients who have Metal-on-Metal Hip Implants

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Sirlinda Hayles, a 66-year-old Columbia, South Carolina woman, was attacked and fatally mauled by two Rotweiller dogs as she stood in her garden says a report carried in The Seattle Times.

Hayes apparently worked daily in her garden and did not fear her neighbor's dogs. The dog's owner came to her aide and he was seriously injured in the dog attack.

Officers shot and killed the dogs when they arrived. According to reports, the there had been no previous reports of the dogs being vicious. It is not known whether there will be charges against the dogs' owners. The family of the deceased seemed very forgiving about the attack while at the same time mourning the loss of their loved one.

Pit bull, Rottweilers and Presa Canarios dogs are responsible for nearly 75% of dog attacks and are responsible for 65% of the deaths according to a study by Merritt Clifton "Dog Attack Deaths and Maimings, US and Canada, September 1982 to November 13, 2006."

Approximately 16 people are killed every year across the United States in dog attacks. Washington State has a Dog Bite Law, RCW 16.08.040, which supports dog bite victims in seeking compensation in civil court for their damages.

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.

If you or a loved one has suffered a serious dog bite injury, you should contact a personal injury attorney who has experience representing dog bite victims. At The Farber Law Group, a Bellevue, Washington based personal injury firm, we have more than 30 years experience in representing dog bite victims. With our help, you may recover compensation for your medical costs, rehabilitation costs and for pain and suffering. 

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A wrong-way driver caused a Marysville multi-car accident on Interstate 5 this morning. The wrong-way driver, a 51-year-old Everett man, was killed at the accident scene. Two other drivers were injured in the accident which occurred around 5am.

According to a report on The Seattle Times, the wrong-way driver may have entered the I-5 at 4th Street (exit 199). Though the Washington State Patrol received numerous 9-1-1 calls, they were not able to make contact with the driver before he collided with two vehicles.

The injured were a Marysville man who was driving a pickup truck and a Stanwood woman in a a Dodge Caliber. Both of the injured were treated at Providence Hospital in Everett and are expected to recover from their injuries.

Police are investigating the cause of the car accident. It is not known at this point whether the man was driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, 3% of all fatal car accidents are caused by wrong-way drivers. In 75% of these cases, the wrong way driver was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident.

This information is provided by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer 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.

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USC University Hospital suspended their kidney transplant program on January 29 after the hospital made an egregious mistake; they transplanted the wrong donor kidney into a recipient reports KTLA.com.

USC said:

"The hospital inactivated the program while clinical protocols are assessed and additional safeguards to the kidney transplant program are developed."

What happened was that two kidneys arrived at the hospital from separate donors. The hospital, through a process error, transplanted the one organ into a patient that was not its intended recipient.

The hospital said that luckily the patient was not harmed and they did not have to remove the organ because the kidney was of the universal blood type O.

USC generally does two kidney transplant surgeries per week. They hope to correct the processor error and have their transplant program up and running shortly.

Most hospitals have safety measures to prevent a wrong-site surgery such as having the patient write with a sharpie pen on their limb. Removal of the wrong organ or wrong-site surgeries rarely happen but it is a type of medical mistake that does make the news. We are not aware of any other incident where the wrong organ was given to a patient.

Approximately 98,000 people die every year due to hospital errors. The government seeks to cap award damages that patients and their families receive. However, we are a plaintiffs attorney and we believe that it is far better to eliminate medical errors. In fields such as aviation, there is no acceptance of errors and there should not be any in the medical field.

If you or a loved one has been injured due to medical malpractice, there are many things to consider. At The Farber Law Group, we can provide you with information you need on how to proceed.

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The daughter of 70-year-old Raymond Veloz, who was struck and killed while standing next to his vehicle after a "fender bender" car accident, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the woman, Araceli Beas, who was driving the car that hit her father.

In her wrongful death lawsuit, Veloz's daughter, Regina Cabrales, alleges that Beas was distracted when she was involved in the pedestrian accident because she was updating her Facebook. Veloz made an emergency 911 phone call about his car accident at 7:54am and Beas's Facebook page shows that Beas' Facebook status was updated at the same time.

Police ticketed Beas with "failure to avoid striking a pedestrian," according to the Chicago Tribune. Beas claimed that sun in her eyes was the cause of the accident.

Washington state motor vehicle code RCW 46.61.668 prohibits drivers from using a sending, reading, or writing a text message while driving.

A wrongful death lawsuit can be filed on behalf of a deceased loved one when that person's death was caused by the negligent or wrongful act of another. Often, wrongful death lawsuits arise from the negligent operation of a motor vehicle accident as in this case.

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The TriCity Herald.com reports that Joel Vance, 52, was killed and his wife, Lorri Vance, 51, was seriously injured in a West Richland motorcycle accident on Saturday at 4:38pm .

According to the report, the couple who are from Benton City, were both riding motorcycles west on Kennedy Road, when an eastbound sedan crossed the centerline line and collided with the couple head on.

Joel Vance died at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane. Lorri Vance was taken to Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland.

Police are investigating the cause of the accident but at this point speed is considered a contributing factor.

Motor vehicle accidents when one driver crosses the centerline are among the highways most deadly. Often speed, driving under the influence or distracted driving can be causes.

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 due to the negligence of another driver. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages including medical costs, loss of wages and for pain and suffering. Under Washington State's wrongful death statute, you can also make a claim on behalf of your deceased loved one.

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The Washington Department of Health has designed Evergreen Hospital Medical Center in Kirkland, Washington a Level III Trauma Center.

Level III Trauma centers can perform 24-hour emergency surgery and resuscitation. Previously, Evergreen Hospital was designated a level IV trauma center.

Evergreen was ranked #2 in Washington state and Top 10% in the nation for General Surgery by HealthGrades.

Harborview Medical Center in Seattle provides Level I trauma services in the region for patients requiring neurosurgery, plastic surgery, orthopedic surgery or a maxillofacial surgeon.

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, construction accidents and slip, trip & fall accidents.

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The medical drama "House" is popular with its fans because of its interesting main character, Dr. House played by the actor Hugh Laurie, and for the way the show's writers pluck interesting medical news stories out of the headlines and weaves them into the episode's storyline.

In the episode "Family Practice" aired on February 7, 2011, Dr. House solves the case of a patient who many thought was suffering from nothing more than hypochondria. It turns out, the patient's symptoms were genuine and she was suffering from metal poisoning caused by her artificial hip implant.

In August 2010, the DePuy Orthopaedics division of the giant Johnson & Johnson, issued a recall of the  ASR XL Acetabular and Hip Resurfacing Systems due to a high revision rate. Though patients were told that they would experience a 15-year lifespan from their ASR hip implants, patients started experiencing severe pain, bone fractures, dislocation, fractures and other complications in as little as three years.

Perhaps the most concerning data from the DePuy defective hip implants is that studies show they may cause metallosis or cobalt/chromium poisoning. Surgeons found tissue damage and necrosis in the thigh tissue of some patients with the implant. Metallosis is known to cause a whole host of other side effects including brain disease, heart disease and cancer.

The DePuy hip implants, because of their shallow cup design, can have metal-on-metal rubbing which releases cobalt and chromium ions into the patients body and blood stream which can result in metallosis. Patients with DePuy hip implants are advised to obtain blood tests to check for metals as well as getting CT scans of their hip joints.

In this episode of House, the patient, who happens to be the mother of House's girlfriend, is first diagnosed with endocarditis, an inflammation of the heart valves. Dr. House discovers that the patient has a problem with her parahippocampal gyrus, which is a region in the brain that play a role in memory encoding and retrieval. That clue leads Dr. House to diagnose the patient with metallosis, or metal poisoning.

If you or a loved one received an artificial hip implant between 2003 and 2010, The Farber Law Group advises you to find out from your surgeon if the implant device was one of the recalled DePuy devices. If so, it is recommended that you see your surgeon and obtain blood tests and have your health monitored. Click here for more information about the DePuy Hip Implant recall.

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The Seattle Times reports that Steve E. Strand, 55, of Shelton, was killed in a Lacey-area motorcycle accident on Wednesday night. Strand, the father of five sons, was hit by a pickup truck driven by Brett Sotak.

According to the report, Brett L. Sotak, 39, of Lacey, was to believed have caused the fatal motorcycle accident. Police arrested Sotak and are investigating for Vehicular Homicide. Washington State Vehicle Code RCW 46.61.520 states that a driver can be charged with Vehicular Homicide if someone is killed in a motor vehicle accident and the driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Sotak has two prior DUI convictions.

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

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration press release announced that, due to the extreme pain that some patients who have had a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) implant, they are ordering three device manufacturers to conduct post-surgical studies of their devices.

TMJ implants are used in patients to connect the lower jaw (mandible) to the skull. Some patients have the implant surgery because of injury, arthritis, physical abnormality and limited mobility of their jaw. Jaw implant surgery is performed after physicians have exhausted other treatment modalities including prescribing a soft diet, a jaw splint, medication, physical therapy and immobilization of the jaw.

The three approved manufacturers of TMJ devices are TMJ Solutions, TMJ Medical and Biomet Microfixation.

THE FDA is looking at adverse event ports they have received between April 30, 2004 and August 17, 2010. When looking at the data, the FDA found that there was a "substantial" number of patients who had a failure of the device within three years of the original surgery. The device was supposed to last a minimum of five years. In the case of the DePuy hip device, reports of devices failures showed the hip implants were defective but the company continued to market them.

Post market Study

Because of the higher than expected number of reports about the devices, the FDA is asking the three manufacturers to survey implant patients and collect data about the removal of the implant, the reasons why it was replaced, and the time-frame between removal and replacement.

For more information about the post market study, click here.

Concerns about TMJ implant along with DePuy ASR Hip Implant Devices highlight the fact that the United States lacks a Joint Registry system like they have in Australia, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

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 to defective medical devices including the DePuy hip implant. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages including for pain and suffering.

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We ran across an article on NPR.org -- Autopsy Cutbacks Reveal 'Gray Homicides' -- by Sandra Bartlett that was particularly disturbing. Bartlett writes that because many medical examiner and coroner offices are not properly staffed and have suffered budget cuts they are no longer performing autopsies on people over the age of 60.

Bartlett says that health care providers and law enforcement tend to assume that people over the age of 60 die of natural causes unless there are dramatic signs of trauma or abuse. She says that investigators are concerned that there is an epidemic of "gray homicides" -- murder of our elderly that goes unreported and undetected.

Bartlett's fine article described a couple of suspicious deaths that occurred at nursing homes. When one 80-year-old patient died, he was buried without an autopsy. Later, his widow got an anonymous phone call from someone at his nursing home that informed her that her husband's death was as a result of "horrific abuse" at the hands of a nursing home employee. The patient's body was exhumed and the autopsy showed that he had multiple fractures including to the sternum, larynx, ribs and toes.

The Robin Allen of the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office said that there are many deaths of elderly people under "suspicious circumstances." Allen said that just proving murder or neglect can be more challenging in senior citizens because of underlying health problems but that doesn't mean their deaths should not be investigated.

Nursing home abuse and neglect can take many forms including physical and emotional abuse, malnutrition and chemical restraint. In Washington State, a vulnerable adult is defined as a person who is 60 years of age or older had livings in a nursing home or long-term facility or does not have the mental, physical or functional ability to care of themselves. State law designates Mandatory Reporters as professionals who are required by law to report if they believe a vulnerable adult is a victim of abuse, abandonment, neglect or financial exploitation. Failure to do so may result in criminal charges.

If one of your loved ones has been seriously injured or died as a result of nursing home staff negligence or abuse, contact The Farber Law Group, a law firm that specializes in nursing home abuse and neglect.

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The Olympian reports Tanya M. Bowers, 29, and a 2-year-old girl were injured in an Lacey car accident when the Bowers crashed their car into a parked car. Police believe the woman was texting while driving. A 4-year-old boy in the vehicle was not injured.

The car accident occurred in the 600 block of southbound School Street Southeast in Lacey.

Neither Bowers nor the girl were wearing seat belts. Bowers will be cited under Washington's seatbelt law, RCW 46.61.687, which requires every person in a motor vehicle to be properly restrained by an approved passenger restraint system and requires adults to properly restrain children.

She will also be cited with RCW 46.61.688 which prohibits a driver from sending, reading or writing a text message while driving.

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 to the negligence of another. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages.

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The Sun reports that Mitcheel Carey, 43, son-in-law of the British soccer star Bob Wilson, died from food poisoning as a result of the bacteria Clostridium perfringens Type A.

Clostridium perfringens is a common bacteria that is a normal part of decaying vegetation and marine sediment and can be found in the intestinal tract of humans. It is believed that most people have had food poisoning from this bacteria at some point.

Carey became ill after eating a corned beef sandwich. His condition worsened and he developed multiple organ failure. It is extremely rare that anyone suffer fatal symptoms; there are only seven other recorded cases of a person suffering multiple organ failure after becoming ill with this bacteria.

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 food poisoning and the family of those killed.

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