Washington Injury Attorney Blog

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is one of the major causes of accidental death and disability in the United States. Causes of TBI can include falls, motor vehicle accidents, sports injuries and violence.

Because brain injuries are so devastating, there is a great effort in creating technologies to prevent and protect from these injuries. Seat belts, motorcycle and bicycle helmets are an example of technologies that have reduced the incidence of severe injury.

Causes of TBI

• Falls account to more than 35% of TBI injuries. Falls account for half of the injuries in children under the age of 14 and are the leading cause of brain injuries in older adults.
  
• Motor vehicle accidents - 17% of all TBIs are caused by motor vehicle accidents and this is the leading cause of TBI-related deaths.
  
• Struck by/against events -- Getting hit in the head or colliding with a fixed object accounts for 16.5% of all TBI injuries.
  
• Assault and domestic violence/child abuse -- 10% of TBIs in the general population are caused by assault. War-related injuries are not included in this figure.
  
• Bicycle accidents - account for 3% of accidental brain injuries..

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We have more than 30 years experience in representing brain injury victims and their families. Brain injury litigation is complex and requires attorneys who are experienced in the medical and legal issues involved. With our help, you may recover compensation for your injuries.

See our Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Resources

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.

Members of a class-action lawsuit which represented 32,000 patients cared for by Skilled Healthcare have won a $677M verdict against Skilled Healthcare, a corporation that operates 76 skilled nursing facilities and 21 assisted living facilities in Montana, Idaho, New Mexico, Washington, Arizona, Nevada , New Mexico, Texas, Kansas, Missouri and Iowa.

The class action lawsuit claimed that Skilled Healthcare violated safety codes by providing inadequate nursing staff and other staff at the homes resulting in injury to the patients.

The heart of California's case against Skilled Healthcare is that state law requires 3.2 nursing hours per day. Documents which were presented in the nursing home neglect trial showed that Skilled Healthcare did not provide this level of care. The federal recommendation is 4.1 nursing hours per patient.

The company is appealing the verdict and it is likely they will face bankruptcy if the jury's verdict is upheld.

Many nursing homes are owned by public companies whose for-profit-motives influence their decisions. Many cases of injury to nursing home residents can be traced back to inadequate staffing and training.

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 nursing home abuse or neglect and the family of those who have died. With our help you may be able to receive 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.

A 16-year-old Portland girl was critically injured in a motor vehicle accident when the car she was riding in crashed into a tree in Tualatin, a suburb of Portland.

Apparently the driver of the vehicle the girl was riding in, 18-year-old Cameron Rathmanner of Lake Oswego man, was involved in a street race with another 18-year-old at the time.

Rathmanner was driving at speeds up to 80mph and apparently lost control of his 1993 Honda Civic and struck a tree on the passenger side. His brother, who was in the rear seat, was also injured in the accident.

The Oregonian said that the car accident occurred on Southwest Cipole Road and described it as a rural road with dips. The paper said that the road is not lit and has narrow shoulders.

In Washington State, in cases like this the driver might be charged with Vehicular Assault or Vehicular Homicide, if the passenger succumbed to her injuries. Washington Vehicle Code states that a driver can be charged if a person is seriously injured or killed and the driver was driving recklessly or without the regard for the safety of others. Most states have similar statutes.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We are a personal injury law firm and we represent people who have been seriously injured in car accidents due to the negligence of others 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.

The family of a 24-year-old woman who died of a stroke in 2006 received a $5.3 million settlement in a medical malpractice lawsuit reports the Chicago Tribune.

The family of Samantha Medina filed their medical malpractice lawsuit claiming that Samantha's doctors and the hospital were negligent in diagnosing and treating her for a stroke when she was taken to the Central DuPage Hospital with a sudden headache and numbness on her right side. Samantha died 16 days later. The lawsuit alleged that if doctors had begun treatment promptly, Samantha would have survived.

Washington State has a wrongful death statute which allows the family of someone who was wrongfully killed due to the negligent act of another to recover damages in a civil action. Wrongful death can include medical negligence, unreasonably dangerous products, work-related injuries, car accidents and criminal attacks.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We have more than 30 years experience representing families in their wrongful death actions. With our help, you may be able to recover damages in a wrongful death medical malpractice lawsuit.

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

The Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel reports that Charles A. Carnell, 33, has been charged with a felony in the amusement park accident that critically injured Teagan Marti, 12, of Parkland Florida.

After investigating the accident that left Marti with numerous fractures, spinal injuries, internal injuries, brain injuries and permanent partial paralysis, the Sauk County district attorney's office found that the accident was caused by criminal negligence on the part of the ride's operator, Carnell.

Carnell faces a fine of more than $100,000 and up to 25 years in jail.

Every year approximately four people die in amusement park accidents. In this case, it is clear that the district attorney's office feels the ride operator was criminally negligent. However, Teagan's personal injury attorney will also want to have the following questions answered: "Were operators properly trained?" "Was the ride manufacturer and installer negligent in designing a ride which would allow a rider to be released before the safety net was in place?" "Did the amusement park owner have ever measure in place to insure safety?"

Teagan's attorney may prevail in a negligence lawsuit which could provide Teagan and her family with compensation which would pay for her medical bills and care for ongoing medical and educational needs.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We reprsent people who have suffered serious injuries due to the negligent or criminal act of another. We also have more than 30 years experience represent families with their wrongful death claims.

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

The family of Max DeVries, 61, who fell off an operating room table while undergoing brain surgery to install a lumbar drain which allows cerebrospinal fluid to drain, has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against St. Joseph's Hospital of St. Paul, Minnesota.

DeVries was undergoing the procedure and part of his skull had been removed when he rolled off the surgical table, hitting the exposed portion of his brain on the floor, causing additional injuries.

DeVries never recovered from the stroke he had suffered and the injury from the fall; he died approximately a month later.

The wrongful death lawsuit claims that the hospital was negligent in providing proper restraints for DeVries.

Washington state has a wrongful death statute which allows the family of a person who dies due to the wrongful or negligent act of another to sue on behalf of their deceased loved one.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We are a personal injury law firm with more than 30 years experience representing medical malpractice victims and their families.

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 Seattle Times
Heavy patient falls off operating room table - later dies
Published: July 28, 2010

Kathie Larson, 52, reached a $4.25 million dollar in a settlement with the Washington State Department of Corrections (DOC) after a felon ran her down with her car and critically injured her while she was crossing a Tacoma street in June of 2008.

Larson's negligence lawsuit against the state claimed that the DOC should have supervised
Aiyisha Gillespie, 30, the woman who hit Larson with her car, more closely because they knew she was mentally ill. Gillespie was being supervised after a conviction for a similar offense.

Larson's injuries were so severed that she was confined to a hospital for six months and she has not fully recovered a little more than two years after her pedestrian accident.

Larson's daughter said that one purpose for her mother's lawsuit was to force the DOC to more closely supervise mentally ill felons.

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 the negligence of others. With our help, you may recover 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.

Source:
The Seattle Times
State settles lawsuit with woman injured by felon
August 11, 2010

A Whidbey Island man, Jim Murdy, was bitten by a pitbull dog after it attacked his Welsh corgi on Thursday night.

According to a report by the Seattle PI.com, Murdy was working in his yard around 4pm when he went to check on his two small grandsons – ages 5 and 6– as they played in the yard. It was then that a pitbull that had escaped its owner's yard attacked his dog.

Murdy hit and kicked the pitbull bit it still seemed intent on attacking his dog. Murdy's wife, Sandi, hit the pitbull with a broom and it still attacked. Finally, Murdy took out his motorized hedge tool and cut the pitbull. When the pitbull kept attacking, Murdy grabbed it by the collar and that's when he was bitten.

This is the second pitbull attack on the Island in two days. An Oak Harbor police officer, after responding to a report of an aggressive dog, shot and killed a pit bull just south of Oak Harbor a day earlier.

The Washington State Dog Bite Law was drafted to allow people who have been injured by dog to be able to collect damages. The law states:

The owner of any dog which shall bite any person while such person is in or on a public place or lawfully in or on a private place including the property of the owner of such dog, shall be liable for such damages as may be suffered by the person bitten, regardless of the former viciousness of such dog or the owner's knowledge of such viciousness.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We are a law firm that has a specialty in dog bite liability. With our help, you may be able to recover compensation for your damages including medical costs and for 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.

Baja Motorsports along with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety (CPSC) commission has issued a voluntary recall of approximately 308,000 go-carts and mini bikes because they pose a burn and fire hazard.

According to the recall notice, there was one instance of a serious burn injury due to a leaking or detaching gas cap. The notice also said the throttle can stick and pose an acceleration hazard to users. There have been 25 reports of injuries due to the face or other body parts because of a sticking throttle.

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.

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 further information concerning the recall, consumers can contact Baja Motorsports toll-free at (888) 863-2252 between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit their website at www.bajamotorsports.net.

A 71-year-old man, William Parker, died after two pit bull dogs attacked him while he was walking. The man suffered severe dog bites and then went into cardiac arrest and died after the attack.

Parker's daughter was hospitalized in critical condition after the dogs attacked her.

Another man, Kevin Stringell, also suffered dog bites.

The dog attack occurred at 230 North Manassas Street in downtown Memphis, TN.

Two firefighters who came to the man's rescue were also attacked by the dogs and they were treated at a local hospital and released.

The owner of the dogs has been arrested for violating the sex offender registry act. The dogs have been impounded.

Every year, approximately 885,000 require treatment after a dog attack and approximately 16 people are killed. Dog bite injuries can be horrific and many of them require multiple surgeries to repair the damage. Dog bite injuries can leave a person with disfiguring scars, post-traumatic stress syndrome and permanent nerve damage.

Washington State has a Dog Bite Law which can find the owner of a dog that injures a person to be held liable for the person's damages including medical costs and for pain and suffering.

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

The estate of Robert Smith, 42, of Tacoma, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Intercity Transit Authority, the City of Olympia and a bus driver, Betty Bridges, in the motorcycle accident in which Smith and Tammi Small, 44, of Olympia, were killed.

According to a report in The News Tribune of Tacoma, the bus driver was negligent and did not come to a complete stop at the intersection of Central Street and Ethridge Avenue, thus causing the fatal accident. The wrongful death lawsuit also claims that the City of Olympia had failed to trim the trees and bushes at the intersection.

The police report on the investigation of the accident states that Smith was speeding before the accident. Toxicology reports also show that Smith had methamphetamine in his system.

Washington state has a wrongful death statute which allows the family of a person who has died due to the negligence of another to file a lawsuit on the behalf of their deceased loved one. This case may be successful if the attorney for Smith's estate is able to prove that the bus driver acted recklessly by not coming to a complete stop at the intersection because Smith had the right-of-way and that Smith's drug use and speed were less than 50% of the cause of the accident.

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

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that almost one in 25 outbreaks of foodborne illness such as salmonella, norovirus and E-coli can be linked to fresh guacamole or salsa served by restaurants and delis.

Guacamole and salsa are more easily contaminated than some foods because they contain ingredients that come from many sources and they also contain many raw ingredients. If they are not prepared using sanitary prep conditions and if they are not properly refrigerated, bacteria has a chance to grow. Both dishes are made in large batches, so even a small amount of bacteria can infect many diners.

According to the CDC, in 20008, more than 1,400 people were sickened by salmonella and the source of the outbreak was traced back to Serrano and jalapeño peppers used in salsa. The CDC note that outbreaks of foodborne disease due to salsa come from the commercially prepared salsas that one purchases at grocery stores but from homemade salsas prepared at restaurants and delis.

Foodborne illness can cause vomiting, acute stomach cramping and diarrhea. In some cases, victims require hospitalization. In extreme cases, some victims suffer severe complications such as kidney disease.

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

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:
CDC.gov
Salsa and Guacamole Increasingly Important Causes of Foodborne Disease
July 12, 2010

Even after a nursing home receives a citation for the abuse or death of a patient, it some times takes a very long time for criminal charges to be filed, if ever.

In Kentucky, in May of 2009, James "Ronnie Duncan" fell in the nursing home where he lived but he was not treated for three hours after the fall and he died because of traumatic brain injury and bleeding in the brain. Now, eleven months later, a citation has been made against the Johnson Mather Nursing Home where he lived but no decision regarding criminal charges has been made.

This is not an isolated case. Investigations in wrong doing by nursing homes often languish for years going by before a decision about criminal charges is ever made.

In an investigative report in the Lexington Herald-Leader by Valarie Honeycutt Spears and Beth Musgrave, other cases involving patients who were seriously injured by nursing home neglect are profiled. In the profiled cases, criminal charges have yet to be filed. States often drag their feet in filing charges because of budget cuts and case back logs. Also one wonders if nursing home abuse is just not a high priority when there are other criminals out there.

If you have a loved one who has been injured due to nursing home abuse or neglect, you should contact an experienced Personal Injury Attorney who can protect your loved one's rights and help them obtain compensation for their damages. The Farber Law Group has more than 30 years experience representing nursing home abuse victims and their families.

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:
Abuse investigations tend to languish
Regulators blame staff, budget cuts and bureaucracy for delays
By Valarie Honeycutt Spears and Beth Musgrave
Lexington Herald-Leader
July 12, 2010

A 5-year-od boy from was critically injured when a 200-pound engine hoist fell on his stomach near Yelm.

The accident occurred around 3:45 on Wednesday afternoon in the 16000 block of Kalmia Court Southeast.

The boy was taken by air ambulance to Mary Bridge Children's Hospital for treatment.

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.

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 Olympian
Engine hoist falls on 5-year-old Yelm-area boy
written by Jeremy Pawloski
Published July 14, 2010

Recovering from a brain injury or illness is never a straight line and there are often setbacks along the way. Brain injuries or illness are often catastrophic events to the sufferers.

Brain injuries can be caused by illness or disease including infection, hemorrhages, tumors and strokes. Brain trauma due to car accidents, bicycle accidents, falls, sports injury or a hit in the head can also cause a severe injury which require a lengthy recovery.

Often times it takes a long time to diagnose a brain injury and physicians and therapists often find it difficult to predict the outcome. Brain injury victims often plateau during their recovery and often experience setbacks. Man victims never fully recover from their injury or illness.

Brain injury victims often suffer profoundly after the acute phase of the injury or illness. Many brain injury victims suffer from depression, cognitive problems, loss of confidence, overwhelming fatigue and exhaustion. Often people who have suffered a traumatic brain injury face discrimination and are unable to return to their line of work in the same capacity.

Lingering effects of a traumatic brain injury can include loss of oral fluency, vertigo, loss of balance and coordination.

People who suffer a brain injury can experience a change in personality and their loved ones can experience caregivers fatigue and burnout. Many brain injury patients may appear healthy when looking at them but can suffer many subtle effects.

If you or a loved one has experienced a brain injury due to an accident caused by the negligence of another, you should hire an experienced personal injury attorney who has a long history of working with traumatic brain injury patients and their families. At The Farber law Group we work tirelessly to help you receive the compensation you deserve for medical costs, rehabilitation, loss of wages and for 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.

Quality Food Centers (QFC) has issued a recall of their Broccoli Raisin Salad that they sold by the pound in the deli service department on July 10th.

According to the recall notice, the salad may contain walnuts though walnuts are not listed as an ingredient on the product label. Some people are severely allergic to walnuts and ingestion of the nut may cause a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction.

QFC says the salad was sold in stores in Oregon and Washington . QFC has offered to provide a refund or a replacement product.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have become sickened because of dangerous products including those that cause foodborne illness. For more information, see the QFC web-site.

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

A 22-month-old baby is in serious condition at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle after a fall from a window on the second story of a building in Martha Lake. Martha Lake is a community west of Mill Creek and northeast of Lynnwood.

According to the report in The Seattle Times, this child fell through a window that had a screen in place. Often, parents have a false sense of security when screens are in place but screens are not strong enough when a child leans against it.

Annually, Harborview Medical Center treats between 50-60 children in the greater Seattle area for falls from windows. These small patients are nick named "window jumpers."

Falls from windows can result in severe head injuries, brain injuries and often death.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent accident victims and their families including those with traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries.

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

A 64-year-old man was critically injured when a homemade fireworks device exploded, causing pieces of concrete to fly in the air and hit him in the head. The unidentified man was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with life-threatening injuries.

According to a report in The Seattle Times, the fireworks accident occurred in the 2800 block of S. 138th Street in SeaTac when the victim's roommate built a device using a bunch of sparklers and then put the device inside a cinder block to brace it.

Using illegal fireworks can result in large fines or criminal charges. Illegal fireworks include firecrackers, all bottle rockets, missile type rockets with fins and fireworks with sticks or fins. Types of illegal explosives include M80s, M100s, cherry bombs, tennis balls, pipe bombs, homemade fireworks, and large dangerous explosives.

Fireworks are deemed illegal when they are larger than allowed, they contain prohibited chemicals or are homemade.

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.

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

The Office of the State Fire Marshal is providing a list of all of the Public Fireworks Displays and Events for the 4th of July Independence Day celebration.

The Fire Marshall recommends attending a public celebration with professional displays. In 2009, there were 1,036 fires caused by fireworks over the 4th of July weekend including 91 injuries which included burns, trauma to the face, chest and legs and puncture wounds.

Click here for the full list which includes the following cities in Western Washington: Bainbridge Island, Bellevue, Bellingham, Bothell, Burien, Burlington, Carnation, Centralia, Des Moines, Eatonville, Ellensburg, Enumclaw, Everett, Federal Way, Forks, Fort Lewis, Friday Harbor, Gig Harbor, Kirkland, Lacey, Lake Forest Park, Maple Valley, Mercer Island, Monroe, Moses Lake, Mount Vernon, Renton, Sammamish, Tacoma, Vancouver and Wenatchee.

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

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.

Just before 4th of July, the State Fire Marshal Charles M. Duffy released firework accident data for last year. The media release noted that in 2009, there were 200 fire accident related injuries and 1,036 fires.

Most of the accidents happened on the forth of July and most of the incidents were caused by boys between the ages of eight and fourteen. The Fire Marshall advises parents closely supervise children 14 and under to prevent injuries and fires.

The major incidents last year include:

• 89 residential fires
  
• 40 school fires
  
• 105 fires and 91 injuries due to illegal fireworks
  
• 9 sparkler bomb incidents which resulted in injuries including metal puncture wounds, burns and trauma to the face, chest and legs.

Fire Work Safety Tips

• Water - Keep water close at hand
  
• Pets - Keep pets indoors
  
• Safety - Adults should be the only one to light fireworks
  
• Clean Up - properly dispose of fireworks debris.

See the Fire Marshall's web-site for Fireworks Safety & Injury Prevention.

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

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.