Washington Injury Attorney Blog

83-year-old man crashes car through parking garage wall

2010-02-09T05:34:48Z

Kenneth Schiedel, an 83-year-old man, returned to his room in his Milwaukie, Oregon retirement community, leaving his car perched over the 2nd story wall of a parking garage. Schiedel said that he accidentally pressed the gas pedal instead of the brake causing his car to crash through a wall and once he extricated himself from his predicament, he went back to his room.

Luckily, Schiedel was not injured in the car accident. Last week, however, a 70-year-old man from Kelso, Washington crashed his car through a Nevada casino, killing two people and injuring eight others.

Both of these cases highlight the aging population in America and the potential for serious car accidents. It is important that senior citizens who continue driving at advanced age have the cognitive processing speed to handle the task. Currently, there are no standardized tests that screen the elderly for their ability to drive.

Elderly drivers actually have fewer motor vehicle accidents than teenage drivers but they driver fewer miles. Many elderly start limiting their driving to compensate for their eyesight and other physical factors. They might stop driving at night, on the freeway or out of familiar surroundings.

While giving up driving is a difficult decision for many elderly, the family and the person's physician can help in making the decision. Usually, a threshold is reached in which the senior can no longer compensate for deficiencies in eyesight, cognitive processing and reflexes. The family can help by watching for warning signs of unsafe driving and helping their loved ones refresh their driving skills.

In Washington State, the AARP and other organizations offer driver safety programs for senior citizens. For more information, click here.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in car accidents and the family of those killed. With our help, you may recover compensation for you damages including pain and suffering.

Source: KOMO News.com - Elderly Driver leaves his car teetering on the edge, Feb. 8, 2010

Web-site allows consumers to check if a car has been in an accident

2010-02-07T21:53:52Z

The U.S. Department of Justice provides a National Motor Vehicle Title Information System which allows consumers to check on a used car or truck they are considering buying to determine whether the vehicle is unsafe, stolen and whether it has been in an accident.

The Title Information System allows consumers to find out who the legal owner of a vehicle his, the car brand's history, the vehicle's accident history, the salvage history and the total loss history on a car for a fee of about $5.00.

States require that insurance carriers and auto salvage yard to submit information on vehicles to the national used car database.

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.

$2.9 million medical malpractice settlement to family of boy killed during MRI

2010-02-06T23:23:11Z

The family of a 6-year-old boy, Michael Colombini, who was killed while he was undergoing an MRI, settled a $2.9 medical malpractice lawsuit against Westchester Medical Center where the boy was accidentally killed. The boys' parents filed the lawsuit in 2001 and settled right before the lawsuit went to trial.

Michael died in 2001 when he was hit in the head by an oxygen tank while he was undergoing the MRI. The oxygen tank was brought into the MRI room because the piped in oxygen had failed and the powerful magnets of the MRI machine pulled the oxygen tank into the bore of the magnet where the boy lay.

Young Michael was undergoing the MRI after the successful removal of a brain tumor.

The MRI community deconstructed the causes of Michael's accident, looking at the factors which caused his death including poor planning, improper suite design and construction, failed maintenance, lack of training of safety procedures, improper materials screening, failed segregation of unsafe tanks.

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

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

Source: The Journal News - LoHud.com, February 5, 2010

Toy guns recalled due to safety hazard

2010-02-06T21:19:50Z

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) along with Dolgencorp LLC, of Goodlettsville, Tenn. has issued a voluntary recall of Special Forces and Police SWAT Toy Gun sets because they pose a safety hazard. The toys are sold at Dollar General stores in 35 states.

According to the CPSC, the toy gun sets have bright orange tips on the guns barrels which helps people distinguish them from real guns but it has been found that the tips can be removed and pose a choking hazard to children.

Consumers should take the toys to Dollar General for a refund or replacement.

This information is provided by Washington injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured due to dangerous or defective products and the families 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.

Source: U.S. Product Safety Commission, February 3, 2010, Release # 10-132.

Parents using but misusing child safety seats

2010-02-06T03:24:22Z

Most parents are using but misusing child safety restraints which an increase of the risk of injury or death in a car accident.

One study that looked at 1446 drivers with 2287 children showed that, in 66.8% of the cases, the child safety seat was not being used properly, especially in the positioning of the seat belts. Some studies put the number much higher and say there is a 75% error rate in the use of car seats.

Common installation errors include:

placing the car shoulder belt over the booster seat arm rest
placing the shoulder belt in an incorrect shoulder position
fastening the seat belt incorrectly
placing the shoulder belt either behind a child's back or under their arm
placing a child into a seat they have outgrown.

Parents often install seats incorrectly because it can be physically difficult to install seats or they do not understand the directions.

See The Safety Restraint Coalition web-site for information on car seat fit and installation and to find places in your county where you can have your car seat installation inspected by a fit expert.

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.

Neurosurgeon's 'road rage' trial begins

2010-02-05T00:52:41Z

The trial of Dennis Geyer, a 38-year-old neurosurgeon who is charged with second-degree assault with an enhancement of using a deadly weapon began on Tuesday reports The Olympian.

Geyer was charged with beating Robert Speed, 61, in a fit of 'road rage' says prosecutors.

The incident between Geyer and Speed apparently began on Highway 16 when Geyer claims Speed cut him off with his car. Geyer allegedly followed Speed and, when the two men were stopped at an intersection near Gig Harbor, a confrontation ensued and Geyer allegedly slugged Speed and hit him with a thermos after dragging him from his car.

Road rage is a form of aggressive driving which can include assaults or even collisions which cause injury or death. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, aggressive driving can include speeding, lane changes which include "cutting off" and failing to signal when passing or passing on the shoulder.

Road rage can often be a symptom of poor mental health and can be affected by traffic flow, traffic volume and over-exposure to driving. Excessive driving can increase the chance than an other-wise non-violent person can become more violent.

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 another including car accidents and physical assault.

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.

Super Bowl announcement to promote Zackery Lystedt brain project

2010-02-04T23:19:37Z

An announcement for the Zackery Lystedt Project will be made at the Super Bowl this Sunday. The Zackery Lystedt Project is an initiative to convince all states to enact legislation like Washington state did which says that student athletes under the age of 18 who have symptoms of a concussion cannot return to play without approval by a physician or other health provider. The Lystedt initiative is sponsored by the Sarah Jane Brain project whose goal is to educate and prevent pediatric traumatic brain injury caused by trauma including car accidents, falls, violence, a blow to the head, sports incidents, gunshots, bicycle accidents and other traumas to the brain.

The law in Washington State is named for Zackery Lystedt who suffered a brain injury in a middle school football game. Washington's law requires coaches to receive concussion education and requires coaches to remove to remove a student athlete from the playing field if there is a possibility the athlete suffered a concussion. In addition, it requires the coach not to allow the player to return to play until examined.

A concussion is the most common type of mild traumatic brain injury and it can cause various systems including cognitive, physical and emotional. Diagnosis of concussion usually requires a physical and neurological exam. Symptoms can include persistent vomiting, headache, seizures and unequal or unreactive pupils. Treatment for concussions usually includes monitoring and rest. Concussion symptoms are usually gone approximately three weeks after the trauma.

Some studies suggest that concussions are under-diagnosed and that often student athletes cover up their injuries so they can remain at play.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have suffered a traumatic brain injury.

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.

For more information about initiatives to restrict student athletes returning to play, you might want to read All Clear? Head injuries get attention from states in The Seattle Times.

2010-02-02T03:01:30Z

We came across an interesting blog posting entitled "Don't Want to Risk Going to Jail? You May Have to Give Up Driving!" a reader blog by Kary L. Krismer published in The Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

In the blog, Krismer discusses two bills in process in the Washington state legislature, HB 2774 and SB 5838. Both bills, according to the blog author, criminalizes car accidents and provide more leeway for prosecution of people in cases of car accidents where someone was seriously injured or killed.

Currently, motorists are charged criminally when they were involved in a car accident and they were driving under the influence, driving on a suspended license or in similar situations. In cases where the driver was just plain negligent, motorists are not charged criminally.

The bills in process in the legislature seek to criminalize car accidents. HB 2774, for example, "addresses traffic infractions where the conduct is a proximate cause of death, great bodily harm, or substantial bodily injury … may be classified as a criminal offense."

How might these bills affect the car accident victim? The blog author argues that the bills don't take in account that civil law makes people financially responsible for their negligence and that if more people go to jail because of negligent acts -- mistakes -- then they will be unable to financially compensate the victim under civil law.

These two bills may have unintended consequences to car accident victims and their families and they are two bills to watch as they wind through the legislature.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent car accident victims and their families. If you or a loved one is seriously injured or a loved one is killed in a car accident due to another person's negligence, then we will fight for you to obtain the compensation you deserve.

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.

Body of canoeist found in Lake Padden, Bellingham

2010-02-01T03:48:30Z

Divers have apparently recovered the body of Clay Weden, 28 of Bellingham, from Lake Padden in Bellingham on Saturday afternoon. Weden had been canoeing with a companion, Cole B. Smith, 28, when their canoe overturned on Friday reports The Seattle Times.

Smith was rescued by a police officer and an off-duty Bellingham firefighter but they were not able to find Weden until rescue divers found his body the following day.

The lake temperatures was about 40 degrees at the time of the boating accident. It appears that neither boater was wearing life jackets though there were two jackets in the canoe.

Approximately 20-30 people die in boating accidents every year in Washington State.

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

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

Cell phones and distracted walking: pedestrian accidents on the rise

2010-02-01T03:18:42Z

There have been a lot of studies and reports lately regarding distracted driving which compare texting and driving to drunk driving. Now, studies show that texting and walking can also be hazardous.

Recently, the New York Times cited an Ohio State University study that showed that twice the number of pedestrians are being treated in emergency rooms for trip and fall accidents while using a cell phone to make calls or text message.

In another study, a psychology professor at Western Washington University in Bellingham conducted a study to test the theory of "inattentional blindness." The study which was posted in Applied Cognitive Psychology showed that people who were distracted while walking because of a cell phone or iPod usage or walking in groups were less likely to notice even bizarre occurrences like a clown riding a unicycle. Inattention blindness means that a person can look at something but fail to recognize or register the object because of their inattention.

While many distracted walkers may suffer minor injuries like tripping on a sidewalk and spraining an ankle but other more serious injuries can include walking into fixed objects or in the path of oncoming cars which can be extremely dangerous. While many pedestrian accidents are caused by motorists, pedestrians need to be aware of their surroundings, make eye contact and a wave to drivers before they cross intersections.

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 due to the negligence of another. With our help, you may receive compensation for your damages including pain and suffering.

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

Liebherr recalls built-in refrigerators after doors detach

2010-01-29T03:37:04Z

Liebherr-Hausgeraete Ochsenhausen GmbH, of Germany has recalled approximately 2,700 refrigerator units after 13 reports of doors falling off and two injury reports including bruises and sprains.

The units recalled were sold between January 2005 and November 2009 and include models
SBS240, SBS24 I0, SBS245, SBS24I5.

If you own a Liebherr refrigerator, you should call Liebherr toll-free at (877) 337-2653 or visit their web-site, www.liebherr-appliances.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.

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.

Starbucks recall 12,00 glass water bottles after 8 injury reports

2010-01-29T03:20:34Z

Starbucks Coffee Company of Seattle, Washington, along with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada has issued a voluntary recall of approximately 11,000 glass water bottles sold in the United States and 1,200 in Canada.

The recall was issued after there were 10 reports of the glass stoppers or water bottles shattering and eight reports of hand lacerations. Starbucks has recalled the water bottles because they pose a hazard to consumers.

The water bottles in question was sold at Starbucks stores and in Safeway and Target stores.

If you have a Starbucks Glass Water Bottle printed on a blue label, return the bottle to the Starbucks location where you purchased it for a refund and a complimentary beverage.

See the USPC web-site 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 by defective and dangerous products.

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

Cat Seat Ratings: A visual look at the safest models

2010-01-28T04:54:10Z

We just came across a really cool web-site by Tableau Software which uses technology which provides 'data visualization.' What this means in plain English is that people understand data better when it is presented in a visual form instead of having to wade through graphs, charts and a lot of verbiage.

A really great example of this is their webpage which helps parents choose the safest car seat for their children.

Choosing a car seat can be a bit nerve wracking and this visual guide along with ratings and Department of Transportation/National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration notes can really help parents and caregivers choose the best mode.

The visualization on the web-site uses stars and pictures to help parents. Check it out today.

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

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.

Toddler killed when television and dresser topples over

2010-01-28T04:27:49Z

A 2-year-old boy was killed after a television that was sitting on top of a chest-of-drawers fell on him reports James Queally for The Star-Ledger. The toddler was apparently watching TV with his brother when he opened one of the dresser drawers causing the dresser and the TV to become unbalanced and fall on him.

Unfortunately, this not an uncommon home accident. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warns parents and daycare providers about the danger of appliances -- and especially TV sets -- tipping and falling on small children and seriously injuring and killing them. The CPSC published a report in 2008 entitled Instability and Tipover of Appliances, Furniture and Televisions: Estimated Injuries and Reported Fatalities. According to the report, in one year alone -- 2006 -- 16,3000 children ages five and younger were injured due to TVs or other pieces of furniture or appliances falling on them.

Tipover injuries typically when children climb onto furniture or appliances or when a heavy appliance like a TV is perched on a piece of furniture that was not designed for it. The CPSC recommends using straps to secure TVs and furniture to the wall so they can not tipover. Children injured in these types of accidents often suffocate or suffer severe brain injuries.

Education and prevention are certainly the keys to avoiding this type of injury.

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

Man killed in Snoqualmie Pass snowmobile accident near I-90

2010-01-26T00:08:31Z

James V. Okada was killed in a snowmobiling accident near Interstate 90 next exit 70 outside of Easton reports The Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

According to the report, Okada was traveling at a high rate of speed on East Sparks Road near Easton when he must have hit a guardrail. He was not wearing a helmet. The report said that the road was slick and snow was falling.

Apparently Okada had been drinking at the Parkside Lounge shortly before the motor vehicle accident.

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.