Washington Injury Attorney Blog

A Consumer Product Safety Alert cites 21 deaths in warning that movable soccer goals can be dangerous to kids. The US. Consumer Product Safety Commission says that movable goals are responsible for at least 21 deaths since 1979 due to the goals falling on children. Click here to view an ABC video regarding a deadly soccer goal accident in Phoenix.

According to the web-site Anchored for Safety, there have been 34 deaths and 51 injuries since 1979 attributed to soccer goals including the death of a 22 year old man in Bellevue, Washington who died when a goal post fell onto his head causing massive head injuries. In Woodinville, Washington, a 5 year old girl was injured when a goal post bar fell on her and a 16 year old girl was seriously injured in Yakima when a goal fell on her, striking her in the head. Other injuries include broken bones and severe head and brain injury.

According to Anchored for Safety, the problem with soccer goals is their design. Goals can weigh up to 400 pounds and they are top heavy. Both the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Anchored for Safety call for anchoring soccer goals to the ground to prevent injury and death. Goals should also be re-anchored after they are moved for mowing the grass or for storage. Long term solutions include designing new goals to be tip-resistant and building them out of lighter materials.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission also provides the following safety suggestions:

• Securely anchor all movable goals at all times.
• Never climb on the net or goal framework.
• All nets should be removed when not in use.
• Anchor goals to sturdy fixtures like fence posts when not in use.
• Check all anchor hardware before use and replace damaged or missing parts.
• Disassemble goals for off-season storage.
• Use caution when moving goals.
• Instruct players on goal hazards.
• Use movable goals only on flat surfaces.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a soccer goal accident, you should contact a personal injury attorney. The Farber Law Group has more than 30 years experience in representing victims of serious personal injury and wrongful death. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.

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Posted In: Brain Injury , Serious Personal Injuries , Slip, Trip and Fall , Wrongful Death

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The Seattle Times reports that 12 members of a youth group were hurt when the deck they were standing on collapsed. None of the teens was seriously hurt but nine teenagers were taken to Pierce County Hospitals for treatment. The teens are between 14 to 18 years in age.

The deck which measured six feet wide and 12 feet long was 14 feet high.

This kind of accident comes under the category of "premise liability". Premise liability laws consider that the homeowner or property owner are liable for injures suffered by people who visit their premise. In a premise liability case, a victim needs to prove that the property owner was responsible for the dangerous condition. The deck builder may also be liable. The property owner has the responsibility of insuring:

• The deck was built to code and inspected. Deck plans must be submitted before a permit to build can be issued.
  
• The deck was properly maintained and cleaned.

If you have been injured in a slip, trip or fall accident and received a serious injury due to the negligence of a property owner, you should consult a personal injury attorney. The Farber Law Group is a Washington-based firm with more than 30 years experience in representing people with serious personal injuries or wrongful death. Depending on your case. you may be eligible for reimburse of you medical bills, lost wages and damages you suffered due to your injury. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.

Posted by The Farber Law Group | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Serious Personal Injuries , Slip, Trip and Fall

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Every day, an average of 100 people across the United States are treated in emergency rooms for construction accidents involving pneumatic nail guns. In a previous posting, we highlighted some of the serious injuries and even deaths caused by the use of the coil type. In that posting, we discussed a wrongful death claim brought by a widow of a man killed while using a coil type of pneumatic gun. In her wrongful death suit, the widow claims that the contact type of gun should be banned from the market. She is not alone as forensic scientists and emergency room doctors alike believe that the sequential type of nail gun is far safer.

Injuries caused by using automatic nail guns include puncture wounds, brain and head injuries, eye injuries and fractured bones. Musculoskeletal injuries include sprains and tendonitis.

Use the following safety tips when operating a nail gun:

• Use the sequential trigger type, not the coil type of tools

• Obtain proper training in the correct use of the tool

• Carry the tool with your finger away from the trigger

• Always assume the tool is loaded

• Don't point the tool at anyone at any time

• Keep your hands out of the way

• Keep a safety zone around you, making sure co-workers do not enter it

• Disconnect the tool before trying to repair it or clear jams

• Wear safety glasses.

If you have been seriously injured while using a nail gun, contact the construction attorneys at The Farber Law Group. We have more than 30 years experience in representing people who have been seriously injured or killed while working in the construction trade. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.

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Posted In: Brain Injury , Construction Accident , Serious Personal Injuries , Wrongful Death

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The Seattle Post Intelligencer reports that the Washington State Patrol is making a concerted effort to convince drivers not to carry unsecured loads; they will be ticketing drivers if they catch them on a trip to the dump or moving household goods, etc. if the load is not properly tied down. According to the Washington State Department of Ecology, every year there is an average of 400 accidents in Washington State caused by road debris, and some of these accidents result in serious personal injury and even death. RCW 46.61.655 is the Revised Code of Washington which outlines the penalties for carrying an unsecured load. Drivers can expect fines of $216 for unsecured loads. If an unsecured load injures someone, you may be fined $5,000 and be sentenced to a year in jail.

The case of Maria Federici, a Renton resident, brought the dangers of unsecured loads to the forefront. Federici was awarded $15.5 million by a King County jury after she was blinded and disfigured by furniture that crashed into her car when it flew out of a rented U-Haul trailer.

The State Patrol asks that if you have witnessed or been a victim of objects that have fallen off of a vehicle, you should call 911 immediately.

View Secure Your Load Video which was produced by the Washington State Department of Ecology. It tells the story of Maria Federici and other drivers who have been seriously injured due to flying debris.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed by debris from an unsecured load, you need to contact a personal injury attorney immediately. The Farber Law Group has more than 30 years experience in representing people with serious injuries and wrongful death. Contact us today for a free case consultation. You are entitled to compensation for your medical costs and for consideration of future medical costs.

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Posted In: Car Accidents , Motor Vehicle Accidents , Serious Personal Injuries

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In an accident reminiscent of the November, 2006 accident in Bellevue, Washington, a large construction crane in New York City toppled, killing seven and injuring 24 more. In the Bellevue, Washington accident – an accident that occurred next door to the offices of The Farber Law Group – the crane toppled after it had been seen swaying in heavy winds. Only one person was killed in that accident, but it could have been much worse had it occurred during normal business hours.

The New York crane accident involved a 19-story-tall crane that toppled onto a four-story brownstone in the East Side. The six of the seven deaths were all construction worker with the seventh death a woman who was staying in an apartment in the building that was damaged. Of the 24 injured, 11 were first responders. New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg said that investigators are looking at for cause of the accident and that it was either “mechanical failure” or “perhaps human error.”

In the wake of the Bellevue accident, the parents of the victim, Microsoft attorney, Matthew Ammon, filed suit against Lease Crutcher Lewis, general contract and Magnusson Klemencic Associates, an engineering firm according to The Seattle Post Intellligencer. Ammon’s parents said they filed suit because “Despite the state’s investigation and report, the companies that caused our son’s death are refusing to acknowledge their responsibility.” A trial date of March 23, 2009 is set.

If your or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed as a result of the negligence on the part of another person (wrongful death), you are entitled to compensation. At The Farber Law Group, our lawyers are familiar with laws regarding 3rd parties and construction-related injuries. While money cannot fully compensate for a serious or debilitating injury or the loss of loved one, compensation for medical expenses and lost earning can help insure a stable future for you and your family. Contact us today for a free case consultation.

Posted by The Farber Law Group | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Construction Accident , Serious Personal Injuries , Wrongful Death

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