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.

Peter Lenz, 13, of Vancouver, Washington, was killed on Sunday in a motorcycle accident at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The Seattle Times reports Lenz was riding a warm-up lap before a race he was entering when he fell off his motorcycle and was hit by another motorcyclist.

Lenz suffered "traumatic injuries" in the accident and was pronounced dead three hours later.

The track was described as "slick" and "challenging" at the time of the accident.

The Times said that Lenz was a well-known racer despite his age. He had won nine national championships and nine regional titles said The Times.

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.

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.

Magdaleno G. Vela, 74, of Wapato, was injured in a motorcycle accident when he was rear-ended by a Mazda Protégé whose driver then left the accident scene.

Vela was thrown from his motorcycle in the accident and was taken to Yakima Regional Medical Center, treated and released.

The motorcycle accident occurred on U.S. Highway 97, north of Toppenish, around 8:50pm reports the Yakima Herald.com.

The State Patrol located the Mazda but do not yet know who was driving it at the time of the accident.

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

Joseph L. Royer, 67, of Comox, BC, was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle after he was rear-ended in a motorcycle accident while riding his Harley Davidson Motorcycle in Omak. Royer suffered multiple fractures in the accident.

According to a report in The Wenatchee World, Royer was riding his motorcycle on Highway 97 around 8:15pm when he was hit by a Volkswagen Jetta driven by Jerry L. Branter, 23, of Okanogan. The report said that Branter was speeding and was attempting to pass another vehicle when he hit Royer.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in motorcycle accidents due to the negligence of others. We will aggressively pursue compensation for your damages on your behalf.

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.

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.

Kenneth C. Owens, 55, of Redmond, Washington was killed in a motorcycle accident near Othello on Wednesday afternoon. His father, Robert E. Owens, 76, also of Redmond, was listed in critical condition with hand and internal injuries at Kadlec Medical Center in Richland.

According to a report in the Yakima Herald.com, John Mosley, 61, of Cle Elum, crossed the centerline line on State Route 17 around 2:15pm and hit the motorcycles driven by the Owens'. Another motorcycle rider, Michael Willard, 73, of Freeland, was not injured but his motorcycle was damaged by flying debris.

Police are investigating the cause of the motor vehicle accident but they do not believe alcohol or drugs were involved.

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 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.

Michael G. Vicente, 26, of Fife, suffered a shoulder injury when he was involved in a motorcycle accident in Cle Elum.

According to the Yakima Herald.com, Vicente was traveling southbound on Oak Street, the Interstate 90 overpass, when he crossed the centerline and hit the guardrail.

Vicente was taken to Emergent Care in Cle Elum 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 in motorcycle accidents 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.

Jason Patrick Largen, 40, suffered facial, hand and arm lacerations in a motorcycle accident near Chehalis on Friday night.

According to a report published in Tacoma's The News Tribune, Largen lost control of a50 cc motorbike on Coulson Road near Koontz Road around 6:45pm.

Largen faces charges of driving under the influence. In Washington state, a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08% is the standard for driving under the influence (DUI).

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.

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.

Mark Hammonds, 55, of Federal Way was killed Wednesday night in a motorcycle accident on I-705 in Tacoma reports The News Tribune.

According to the report, Hammonds was riding a 2004 Harley Davidson north on I-705 when he crashed into a concrete barrier at the 15th street exit.

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 motorcycle 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.

A Washington State Patrol motorcycle trooper suffered injuries, including road rash and bruises, when his motorcycle collided with a deer on northbound state Route 101 in Pacific County on Saturday morning.

According to a report by King5.com of Seattle, the 39-year-old trooper was taken to Willapa Harbor Hospital in Raymond.

Motorcyclists are most at risk in deer-motorcycle collisions. According to the Insurance Information Institute, in 2% of car v. deer accidents there is a fatality. However, in nearly 85% of motorcycle v. deer collision, a human is killed.

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.

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.

Read the Defenders of Wildlife Tip Sheet on avoiding collisions with wildlife.

Read also, Auto-Deer Collision Risk at Highest October-December.

Elle Jean Powell, 19, of Olympia, died Saturday around 9:30pm after being struck by an ATV at Winchester Bay, Oregon.

According to a report in The Oregonian, Powell was watching an ATV jumping event at Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area when she ran into the path of an airborne ATV. Although CPR was performed on Powell, she died of her injuries at the accident scene.

The driver of the ATV was Jonathan Shonk, 21, of Rogue River; he was not injured in the ATV 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 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.

The National Highway Safety Administration has seven rules for bicycle safety:

1. Wear a properly fitted helmet. While there is no state law in Washington requiring you to wear a helmet, many counties including Snohomish, Pierce and King Counties require them.
   
2. Assure your bicycle is in good working order -- make sure brakes work, handlebars won't slip, cranks are tightened and the quick release hub bolt closed.
   
3. Follow traffic laws -- bicyclists must follow the rules of the road the same as drivers of motor vehicles. Washington State law provides that bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as motorists.
   
4. Ride like a driver -- bicyclists should ride with the flow of traffic and on the right hand side of the road.
   
5. Get noticed -- Wear clothing that makes you visible and make sure you have reflective accessories, and lights.
   
6. Ride focused and stay alert - keep focused on the road, don't ride distracted and don't ride with head phones or while talking on a cell phone.
   
7. Ride safely -- stay in the bike lane if one is available. Be predictable and don't run red lights or stop signs.

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

The Farber Law Group represents people who have been seriously injured in car accidents, motorcycle accidents and truck accidents. Many of our clients have received injuries so severe that they have spent time in the hospital, suffered a disability, had to have physical therapy or required chiropractic, massage therapy or other types of specialized care over a prolonged period of time.

There is not always a correlation between the severity of the motor vehicle accident and the types of injuries people sustain. Sometimes a car is totaled yet the driver and passenger walk away with little or no injury and other times, what appears to be a minor accident, leaves the victim with serious injuries.

Some of the typical injuries our clients have sustained include:

• Traumatic brain injuries - including concussion, post-concussion syndrome, and severe brain injuries which affect neurological functioning
  
• Injuries to the face or head including bruises, fractures, dental injuries, and lacerations
  
• Whiplash injuries to neck including sprains, strains, fractures, hyperflexion/hyperextension injury or cervical strain/sprain
  
• Arm and shoulder injuries including rotator cuff, fractures, sprains and dislocation
  
• Back injuries including lumbar spine injury, thoracic spine injury, disc injury, sprain, strain and fractures
  
• Internal injuries including those to organs such as the spleen, liver and kidneys
  
• Injuries to the extremities including leg, knees and feet including injuries to ligaments, fractures lacerations, bruises, strains and amputations.
  

If you or a loved one has been injured in serious car accident in the Seattle-Bellevue-Tacoma metropolitan area, the injured person may be treated at a trauma center such as Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

If your injuries are serious, you should consult with a personal injury attorney before you sign anything from an insurance company to insure that your rights are protected and that you are fully compensated for your injuries if the accident was not your fault.

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. If you are in the hospital and cannot come to us, then we will come to you.

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 49-year-old motorcyclist from Puyallup was taken to Harborview Medical Center after he crashed off of the Michigan Street overpass and onto Interstate 5 around 11am on Saturday. The injured man's condition is unknown.

The Tacoma News Tribune reports that the motorcycle accident occurred when the man was changing lanes and he lost control, struck a guardrail and was thrown off the bike and into the HOV lane of the I-5 below. The report does not say that the man was struck by any vehicle.

The WSP says the man was wearing a motorcycle helmet and that his accident does not appear to be caused by drugs or alcohol.

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.

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 50-year-old motorcyclist was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle after crashing his motorcycle in Arlington on Sunday night. The man's condition is listed as serious.

According to the Herald Net of Everett, the man may have been speeding when he lost control of his motorcycle on a curve on Highway 530 at 294th Street NE.

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 car accidents 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 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has just released their study regarding the efficacy of antilock brakes for motorcycles. The Institute believes that antilock brakes for motorcycles should be standard on all motorcycles because they reduce fatal motorcycle accidents by up to 37%

An analysis by the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) of insurance claims filed after motorcycle accidents found that motorcycles with antilock brakes have 22% fewer accident claims for damage.

In the past couple of years the number of motorcycle accident fatalities has gone up with more than 5,000 people killed in motorcycle-related accidents in 2008. The number of motorcycle deaths increased at the same time that car accident deaths were at their lowest in 50 years.

One of the key factors in the increase in motorcycle fatalities is that more people are buying and riding motorcycles than ever before. In 2008, there were 7.7 million registered motorcycles compared to 4.3 million in 2000.

Anti-lock brakes are a key component to motorcycle safety. Stopping a motorcycle is more difficult than a car because the front and back wheels usually have separate brake controls. Wheels can lock when a rider brakes hard. However, if a rider has anti-lock brakes, the motorcycle detects an impending lockup and can compensate so by reducing the braking pressure until the bike has traction.

Click here for a list of motorcycles which can be purchased with antilock brakes.

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. 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.

A 62-year-old Olympia man was killed in a motorcycle accident at Pacific Raceways track when he lost control of his motorcycle around 10:30am on Sunday.

According to a report in Tacoma's The News Tribune, the man lost control while traveling at a high speed around a curve and hit a tire barrier. He was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle where he died.

Pacific Raceways is a located in Kent and is a road racing facility that features a 2.25 mile road course. According to the report, the Washington Motorcycle Road Racing Association canceled their events for the day after the motorcycle 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 motorcycle accidents and the family of those killed.

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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 pastor at the Real Life Family Center in Spanaway, Thom Carlson, 43 of Puyallup, was killed in a motorcycle accident in Roy. According to a report in the Tacoma News Tribune, Carlson was riding his motorcycle in the 32100 block of Eighth Avenue South, when he ran into a vehicle pulling into a parking lot.

Carlson was taken to the hospital where he died of his injuries.

According to the article, speed was a factor in the motorcycle 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 motorcycle 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.

There is no doubt about it that wearing a helmet saves lives and serious brain injuries when involved in an accident while riding a motorcycle, low-power cycle (LPC) or bicycle in Washington state. Not everyone is clear about who is required to wear a helmet so we will clarify the laws here.

Motorcycle Rider

Washington state law requires all motorcyclists to wear a helmet that has been certified to meet the U.S. Department of Transportation standards. A certified helmet has a DOT sticker on it and an inner lining with approximately 1 inch thickness of foam.

Low-Power Cycle Rider

Washington state requires all riders of low-power cycles (LPC) to wear a helmet.

What is a low-power cycle exactly? A low-power cycle can be a motor-driven cycle, moped, scooter or other 2-wheeled cycle which is not included in the motorcycle definition. Broadly speaking, a LPC has an engine displacement of 50 cubic centimeters or less, brake horsepower of 2 or less and top speeds of 30 mph or less.

Bicycle Riders

Washington state does not currently have a bicycle helmet law. However, King County which includes Bellevue, Duvall, Federal Way, Kenmore, Kent, Kirkland, Redmond, Renton, Sammamish, SeaTac, Seattle, Tukwila and Woodinville does require bicyclists to wear a helmet.

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, bicycle and pedestrian accidents and the families of those killed.

Often people who have been injured in a cycle accident through no negligence of there own have the worst injuries including fractures, brain trauma and spinal cord injury. The personal injury lawyers at The Farber Law Group will work to obtain the compensation that you deserve 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 father and his daughter were awarded a $6 million lawsuit settlement after a 2006 motorcycle accident that seriously injured them both. The settlement was a record settlement for a personal injury case in Will County in Illinois reports the Chicago Sun-Times.

According to the report, Richard Wright was riding his motorcycle with his daughter Kelly Wright, age 15, in Joliet, Illinois when a truck driven by John Martis him them. Richard Wright suffered serious injuries including a fractured wrist and ankle. Kelly Wright suffered multiple fractures and will require fusion surgery to her ankle.

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 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.