January 12, 2012

Family of pedestrian killed by drunk driver receives $11M wrongful death award

The family of a young man who was struck and killed by a drunk driver has been awarded $11M from a Tennessee jury. The award included $5M in punitive damages. (Citation: Hudson v. Wilcox, No. 26601 (Tenn., Washington Co. Cir. Nov. 18, 2011).)

David Hudson, 27, a small business owner was crossing a street when he was hit by David Wilcox who was allegedly driving while intoxicated and without his headlights on when the pedestrian accident occurred.

Wrongful Death Claims
lynnwood pedestrian accident lawyer
David Hudson's estate which includes his parents and siblings filed a wrongful death claim after his death. A wrongful death claim can be filed on the behalf of a loved one who has been killed due to the wrongful or negligent act of another. Often times a wrongful death claim arises out of the negligent use of an automobile accident (i.e., a drunk driving accident, a hit and run accident, or a pedestrian accident) but they can also arise from on-the-job accidents, medical malpractice, school sports or even criminal actions such as murder or manslaughter.

Wrongful death claims can also in product liability law in which a person is killed by a defective or dangerous product.

Wrongful death statutes allow the family of the deceased to recover damages for a wrongful death. Damages might include burial costs, medical costs, future lost earnings and pain and suffering.

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages can be awarded by a judge (if a jury trial is not held) or by a jury. Punitive damages do provide compensation to the plaintiffs for their loss but they are damages intended to punish or deter the defendant or others from behaving in a similar fashion.

In the case of David Hudson, the jury was sending a message to drunken drivers that their actions are not to be tolerated.

Punitive damages are applied differently depending on the state. Many insurance companies have lobbied states which have enacted "caps" on punitive damages awards.

Washington Wrongful Death Claims

The Farber Law Group has more than 30 years experience assisting families who have had a loved one die an untimely death whether it was a child who was not supervised properly at school, a construction worker who fell from a poorly erected scaffold or the death of a pedestrian caused by a drunken driver.

Statute of Limitations

Immediate family members of someone who died due to the negligence of another may have a Washington wrongful death claim. Every state has a time limit -- called a "statute of limitations" -- on which a wrongful death lawsuit can be filed in court. You should seek the counsel of a personal injury attorney who is experienced with Washington's wrongful death statute and who can evaluate your claim.

Continue reading "Family of pedestrian killed by drunk driver receives $11M wrongful death award" »

November 28, 2011

Are new technologies the solution the drunk driving problem?

Not so long ago in the United States, the legal standard for drunken driving was 0.15%. The standard from state-to-state varied but in 2011, the standard was set to 0.08%. The blood alcohol content can be measured either by a breathalyzer, through urinalysis or a blood test.
breathalyzer.jpg
Even though the standard was lowered to 0.08%, the U.S. still has one of the most lenient drunk driving policies in the world when compared with other nations. Some nations including Brazil, Hungary and Romania have a zero tolerance policy. Other countries such as Canada and New Zealand have a zero policy for young drivers Norway, Puerto Rico and Sweden have a 0.02% standard. Countries that have a 0.05% policy include Argentina, Canada, Denmark, France, Ireland and Switzerland.

Studies have shown that at BAC levels of between .030 and 0.059%, people experience euphoria and lose concentration. At levels up to .09%, people have impaired reasoning, depth perception, peripheral vision and problems recovering from glare.

The author of One for the Road: Drunk Driving since 1900, Barron H. Lerner, doesn't believe that we have the political will in the U.S. to lower the blood alcohol content standard. He believes that technology may be the answer to preventing intoxicated drivers from driving. Mothers Against Drunk Driving concur and believe that new technologies could save an estimated 8,000 lives each year.

The Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS), a partnership of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, Inc. and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), is working to develop a couple of technologies which would prevent an intoxicated driver from being able to start their motor vehicle.

One proposed technology would be to have sensors on the steering wheel which would scan a driver's skin for blood alcohol content.

Another technology, already commonly in use, is to fit all cars with an interlock device which measures a person’s BAC via their exhaled breath. Drivers who have been convicted of drunken driving are often ordered by the court to install an ignition interlock devices. In Washington state, interlock devices prevent a person’s vehicle from starting if their BAC is over 0.25%. The court will require an interlock device for convictions of reckless and negligent driving.

The problem with the interlock device is that many drivers try to circumvent it because it is costly or because they want to continue their behavior. People have been known to have companions blow into the interlock device or they will drive someone else’s car.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We are a Seattle Personal Injury Law Firm and we represent people who have been seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents caused by drunken drivers and the family of those killed. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages.

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November 21, 2011

New book about the history of drunk driving in America

The United States has made huge strides against drunk driving. In the past 50 years, the number of drunk driving car accident deaths have dropped from 25 thousand deaths a year to 10 to 11 thousand deaths per year. Still, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there are 110 million instances of drunk driving in the U.S. every single year.

Compared to other countries, the U.S. is very permissive about the driving under the influence says the author of a new book, "One for the Road -- Drunk Driving Since 1900", Barron H. Lerner, a Columbia University Professor. Says Lerner, "You can still drink an awful lot in this country and get into your car and drive legally."

In his book, Lerner says that while the U.S. allows a driver to have up to a 0.08% blood alcohol content (BAC), countries like Sweden and Norway are considerably more strict and their legal limit is 0.02%.

Lerner conducted an experiment upon himself and found that it took about 5 shots of alcohol for him to reach a BAC of .08% and he found himself "pretty wasted" at that point. Still, he says, had he had one fewer drinks and a BAC of .075%, he still would have been to drunk to drive.

In his fascinating book, Lerner discusses the attitudes towards drinking and driving in this country. For example, he does not feel like there is the political will in the country to lower the blood alcohol limit for driving so he opens that new technologies like breathalyzers may be part of the solution to the problem.

The author feels that Americans should more heartily embrace the concept of a designated driver. He says Americans are still reticent to designate a non-drinking driver while in other countries designated drivers are enthusiastically embraced.

Lerner says that 50 years ago, a victim of a drunken driver was viewed at someone "in the wrong place at the wrong time" or someone "whose time it was to go."

At The Farber Law Group, a Bellevue personal injury law firm, we represent victims of drunken driving. Many of them have serious injuries due to the negligent behavior of the person who decides to get behind the wheel and drive while intoxicated. With our help, victims can recover their damages which includes medical expenses, lost wages and for pain and suffering.

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November 5, 2011

Understanding Personal Injury Law

If you have some kind of accident, such as a car accident, workplace accident, or even if you slip and fall on someone else’s property, you may suddenly find yourself trying to learn all you can about personal injury law.

Personal injury law covers personal accidents and damages that can be awarded when claims are made.

While you can file a personal injury claim for any type of accident, there are some things you should understand about personal injury law and how you can win your case.

For starters, accidents do happen, but sometimes they are just that-accidents, meaning no one is to blame. In these cases you probably won’t get far in the way of a personal injury claim.

If you file a claim and expect to be compensated for damages, you need to be able to clearly demonstrate that the party you are filing the claim against could have prevented the accident. For example, if you are walking down the street and fall on the sidewalk in front of someone’s house because you simply weren’t paying attention to where you were going, you are probably going to have a hard time getting a settlement from the homeowner. If, however you fall because the homeowner failed to remove a branch, or ice, or something else from the sidewalk and you fall, that homeowner may be responsible for your accident and may have to pay your medical bills or any other costs associated with the accident.

While this may seem like simple logic, personal injury law is a complex, and sometimes controversial topic. Many politicians feel that the amount of damages one can receive in a personal injury claim should be capped to a certain amount. Different accidents require different things however. Maybe you not only have medical bills from an accident, but you also can’t return to work due to a hospital stay. You lose money by not working, should the responsible party not be held liable for these damages as well?

Personal injury law is hard to navigate, and for that reason, if you feel like you need to file a personal injury claim, you should immediately contact a lawyer for advice. The lawyer can tell you what they think your chances are of a settlement and what the next step should be. You should get compensated if you have an accident that is not your fault, and a lawyer can help make that happen.

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 construction accidents, motor vehicle accidents and slip trip and fall accidents.

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October 30, 2011

3 injured in wrong-way car accident on Washington Interstate 90

A suspected drunken driver who drove east in the westbound lanes of Interstate 90 at Liberty Lake and struck another vehicle, injuring three people in the car he hit and injuring himself, has been charged with Vehicular Assault. The car accident occurred near the Washington/Idaho boarder.

Edward McElmurry, 28, was arrested on charges of Vehicular Assault. In Washington State, vehicle code RCW 46.61.522 "Vehicular Assault", can be charged if someone is seriously injured in a car accident and the driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

In addition to criminal charges, the victims have a right to seek compensation for their medical costs, lost wages and other damages and are advised to seek a personal injury attorney.

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

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September 8, 2011

Police arrest DUI driver twice within five hours

KOMO News reports that a Boise, Idaho woman was arrested for DUI twice within in a five hour period.

According to the report, Michelle Caves, 47, was arrested at around 5:30pm on Tuesday and her blood alcohol content (BAC) was measured at four times the legal limit.

Caves was booked and released whereupon she returned to her vehicle around 10pm and drove again. Police stopped her and this time her BAC was about three times the legal limit. She was re-arrested.

This scenario happened in Washington state quite frequently but the legislature just enacted a 12 hour DUI impound law, Senate Bill 5000. The law which went into effect this month allows police to impound a drunker driver's for 12 hours after they arrest someone for DUI.

The Washington law, known as "Hailey's Law" was enacted to prevent the scenario that we see in this case. The woman in the KOMO news story could have very well gotten into a motor vehicle accident and seriously injured or killed someone.

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

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August 19, 2011

Drive Hammered, Get Nailed in full force between Aug. 19-Sept. 5

King County law enforcement is working together to conduct been up DUI patrols in hopes of getting drunken and unsafe drivers off of the road.

The King County Target Zero Task Force organizes the efforts of King County law enforcement to conduct the DUI patrols for the last two weeks of August through the Labor Day weekend.

The Task Force is trained to detect motorists who are driving under the influence. They look for drivers who are driving erratically, have committed a moving violation, are driving with an equipment violation such as a burned-out tail light, have an expired registration or drivers whom they have seen leaving bars, restaurants, markets or parties.

Police are able to identify a lot of driving patterns which tip them off that the driver might be intoxicated including drifting, braking erratically, following too closely, weaving, making wide turns, driving without headlights and driving on the shoulder are a few of the tip-off behaviors.

Once a driver has been stopped, the officer can administer a field sobriety test but often they can detect if a motoring is intoxicated just by the way they answer questions, get out of their vehicle or by visually seeing alcohol containers in the vehicle. If a driver is stopped for suspected DUI, he or she will be asked to submit to a breath test.

In Washington state, the standard for intoxication is 0.08% blood alcohol content. In Washington State, all DUI offenses are gross misdemeanors. RCW 9A.20.021, 46.61.502(5) & 46.61.504(5).

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 families of those killed.

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Continue reading "Drive Hammered, Get Nailed in full force between Aug. 19-Sept. 5" »

July 5, 2011

Seattle woman injured after being hit by police ATV in Miami

A Seattle woman, Kitzie Nicanor, was injured along with two other people as she sat on a Miami beach when she was hit by an ATV driven by an on-duty Miami police officer early Sunday morning.

Nicanor's injuries were were not reported but her friend, Luis Almonte suffered a shattered femur in the accident. Nicanor and Almonter had been sitting on the beach waiting for sunrise when they were hit.

According to a report on PoliceOne.com, the officer, Derrick Kulian, was on-duty and reportedly had been drinking at a The Clevelander hotel bar prior to driving his ATV. Kulian was apparently joy riding with a female, Adelee Sharee Martin, that he had met at the bar and was driving with his lights out. Martin was thrown from the ATV in the accident and suffered minor injuries.

One witness told The Miami Herald that Officer Kulian fled the accident scene on foot.

The Miami Herald reports that Kulian, and a second police officer, Rolando Gutierrez, had both been drinking at the Clevelander Hotel. Both officers reportedly are being processed for termination.

This certainly seems like a scandal in the Miami police department. The police were charged with patrolling the beach due to a rash of thefts yet their reckless behavior resulted in the injury of citizens they were hired to protect.

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In an accident such as this one, the victims may have a strong civil suit not only against the officer but also against the Miami police department, especially if it is revealed that drinking on the job was condoned and that other officers attempted to cover for the offending officers.

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.

Continue reading "Seattle woman injured after being hit by police ATV in Miami" »

April 30, 2011

Woman pleads guilty to Vehicular Homicide in death of Seattle tow truck driver

A woman, who was driving under the influence of under the influence of alcohol and marijuana, has pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and felony hit-and-run charges in the death of William A. Padilla,51 a tow truck driver from Burien. She will be sentenced on May 20 and she faces a prison sentence of between 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 years.

Shavelle M. Lewis was 20-years-old when she hit Padilla as he work preparing to tow a 2000 Chrysler Sebring on an entrance ramp to southbound Interstate 5. After hitting Padilla, Lewis fled the accident scene but was apprehended a short time later.

Even at her young age, Lewis had previous criminal history including prostitution.

Vehicular Homicide, RCW 46.61.520, can be charged if a person dies as a result of a motor vehicle accident and the motorist was driving recklessly, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs or driving without regard to the safety of others.

Every year, tow truck drivers and other first responders are seriously injured or killed when they are struck by other cars and trucks while they are on the job. This is a double tragedy as tow trucks workers help stranded motorists.

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 drunken drivers and the family of those killed. We are uniquely qualified to assist those families who loved ones have died in on-the-job accidents.

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April 25, 2011

Pedestrian injured, dog killed in Gresham, OR drunk driving accident

A suspected drunk driver, Craig Brian Day II, lost control of his SUV and caused a Gresham pedestrian accident in which a pedestrian was seriously injured and the man's dog was killed.

Seattle's KOMO News carried the story and reported that Joshua Grant was hit by the SUV while walking his Labrador Retriever for a walk. Grant was taken to OHSU where he was listed in "fair" condition with a broken leg.

According to the report, Day's SUV rolled a couple of times after hitting Grant before running into a storage unit next to an apartment building. Luckily no one inside of the apartment building was injured.

Day faces charges of driving under the influence of intoxicants, reckless driving, assault, criminal mischief and animal abuse.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent pedestrian accident victims and their families. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages.

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April 18, 2011

Oak Harbor woman seriously injured in Whidbey Island car accident

The Whidbey News-Times reports that Kathryn Simpson, 22, of Oak Harbor was critically injured in a single car accident on Sunday morning around 4am.

According to the report, Simpson was driving southbound on Highway 20 when she lost control of her 200 Ford Taurus on a curve and rolled it. Police suspect speed and alcohol were factors in the car accident.

Simpson was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, a Level I Trauma Center, for undisclosed injuries. Her condition was described as "serious." Hopefully, she will recover from her injuries.

There has been a dramatic decrease in the number of alcohol-related car accident deaths in recent years. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there has been a 42 percent decline in the number of passenger vehicle drivers killed in alcohol related accidents since 1982. Safer cars and people getting the message that driving after drinking can impair driving.

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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April 10, 2011

Family reaches settlement with Tacoma & Spanaway bars in fatal DUI car accident

The family of Cassandra Clay who was killed 4-1/2 hears ago by a drunken driver have reached a out-of-court settlement with two of the bars that they claim over-served the drunken driver that caused the car accident in which their daughter was killed. Cassandra's boyfriend, Shane Bender, 20, was also killed in the 2006 Spanaway drunk driving car accident.
bellevue drunk driving car accident lawyer
Cassandra was 19-years-old when her vehicle was hit at a Highway 7 intersection near Spanaway. Clevan Derrer, the man that hit Cassandra's vehicle, was convicted of driving under the influence. This was his 6th DUI says Cassandra's mother, Caroline.

The amount of Clay's family settlement with the two bars has not been disclosed. Families of people who have been killed by drunken drivers may file wrongful death claims against bars that over-served a drunken driver. Dram Shop Liability is a legal concept refers to the legal liability of taverns, liquor stores or other commercial establishment that serve alcohol. Dram shop laws establish that establishments that serve alcohol to obviously intoxicated persons or minors who cause the death or injury to another in alcohol-related car accidents may be held liable for damages.

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

Source:

4 1/2 years after deadly DUI crash, bars pay up
KOMO News
By Ray Lane

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February 24, 2011

Washington state bills seeks to increase penalties for DUI

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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February 18, 2011

Wrong way driver killed in I-5 car accident, 2 injured

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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February 11, 2011

Kirkland's Evergreen Hospital designated Level III trauma center

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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February 10, 2011

Shelton man killed in Lacey-area motorcycle accident

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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January 23, 2011

East Wenatchee car accident kills passenger, driver arrested

Seattle's KOMO news reports that Joseph A. De Grasse, 29, has been arrested for investigation of DUI and Vehicular Homicide in the East Wenatchee car accident that killed his passenger, Jacob D. De Los Reyes, 28.

According to the report, the car accident occurred around 6PM on Highway 28 just east of East Wenatchee.

De Grasse was allegedly driving drunk when he hit a bus parked at the side of the road.

De Grasse was taken to Central Washington Hospital for treatment of a head injury and then booked into the Chelan County jail.

We see this kind of motor vehicle accident far too often. When people drive drunk, they often mistake a vehicle parked on the side of the road as moving and slam into it. These are some of the worst accidents because striking an object that is not moving when a car is traveling at speeds higher than 25 miles per hour are often fatal.

Washington Vehicle code RCW 46.61.520, Vehicular Homicide, can be charged if a person is killed in a car accident and the driver was driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. When a driver is charged with Vehicular Homicide, he or she is tried by the State of Washington. In addition, the family of a person killed as a result of Vehicular Homicide can bring a suit for wrongful death.

The 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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January 22, 2011

Woman critically injured in Seattle pedestrian accident

The Seattle Times reports that a woman suffered life-threatening injuries in a Seattle pedestrian accident when she was hit by a pickup truck driven by woman who is now being investigated for driving under the influence.

The woman was walking in the Capitol Hill area of Seattle when she was hit at Boylston Avenue East and East Pine Street at 2:13am.

The injured woman was transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, according to the report.

The driver of the pickup left the scene but police located her and the truck a short time later and arrested her for investigation of drunken driving and leaving the scene of an accident.

The pickup truck driver faces serious charges in this accident including RCW 46.61.522 Vehicular Assault and RCW 46.52.020 Leaving the Scene of an Accident/Hit and Run.

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.

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January 3, 2011

Puyallup man charged with Vehicular Assault in head-on car accident

The Washington State Patrol reports that Benjamin Cabral, 36, is being charged with Vehicular Assault in the State Route 512 wrong-way car accident that injured Miguel Salinas of Lakewood.

The report said that Cabral drove his car for the wrong way for more than 3 miles when he collided with Salinas near Steele Street.

Cabral and Salinas were both seriously injured in the car accident. A 23-year-old female passenger in Salinas' car suffered only minor injuries.

Police suspect Cabral was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the car accident. Washington State vehicle RCW 46.61.522 states that a driver can be charged with Vehicular Assault if he or she seriously injures someone while driving recklessly, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs or driving without regard for the safety of others.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent victims of drunken drivers and their families. . 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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December 30, 2010

Washington State bans fake pot

The Washington state Board of Pharmacy says that it will ban synthetic marijuana products sold to consumers under the names of K2, Black Mamba and Spice under emergency rules. The synthetic marijuana is now classified as a Schedule I controlled substance and the new rules make it illegal to make, possess or sell the product.

Synthetic marijuana is an intoxicant which can affect a person's behavior, judgment, physical coordination and health according to the Department of Health.

The new rules were enacted after several motor vehicle accidents occurred in which the driver had used the synthetic pot including one in which 3 pedestrians were injured when they were run down near Seattle's Pike Street Market .

The Washington State Poison Center has also seen their call volume increase 8 times over regarding people who had used these substance.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent victims of drunken drivers and their family. We also represent people who have been injured by dangerous or defective products.

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