Articles Posted in News & Information

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According to Seattletimes.com, a Pierce Transit shuttle van for the disabled was involved in a car accident on Highway 512 in Lakewood.

At Bernard Law Group, we handle personal injury lawsuits that are the results of auto accidents in Washington State every day. Call our attorneys at 1-800-418-8282. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Lars Erickson, a Pierce Transit spokesman, said that the driver and all five passengers were taken to St. Clare Hospital in Lakewood.
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The seattletimes.com website reported in a story on January 20, 2009 that State Senator Claudia Kauffman was sponsoring the senate version of bill SB 5011 that would ban Novelty lighters to prevent personal injury in Seattle.

Kauffman said, “It’s really to stave off any potential dangers that are out there for youth in such a confusing manner.”

One lighter that particularly struck Kauffman as dangerous was one shaped like a miniature camera. Kauffman said, “you put it up to your eye, and the flame comes out the top, and these lighters are displayed at the front counter of any convenience store.”

Joe Meinecke, public educator with the Tacoma Fire Department can attest personally to the dangers of these novelty lighters. As a matter of fact, he owns one shaped like a miniature gun and refers to it as his $50,000 lighter. The reason for this name is because that is the total sum of damage it caused to a Tacoma family’s home when a four year old played with it and set a couch on fire. Meinecke now uses it as a prop in his fire safety lessons with children and families.
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The Seattle Times reported in an article on January 14, 2009 that the President of Seattle University, Rev. Stephen Sundborg, has been sued. The claim is that since he is president, Sundborg must have been aware of an abusive Jesuit priest. Nonetheless, the priest was allowed to continue with the ministry. According to the Seattle personal injury lawsuit, more than 40 victims claim to have been abused when they were children or teenagers by Sundborg and/or other defendants who are mentioned in the lawsuit. The suit also states that Sundborg had examined “hell files” which were files comprising of information about priests that was “not public,” and “not good.”

Given this information, Sundborg must have been aware of Rev. Henry Hargreaves past of child abuse. The priest now resides with a Jesuit community in Spokane.
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The website pnwlocalnew.com reported in an article on January 14, 2009 that the search for Lynn Stafford-Yilmaz 45, had been called off. Stafford-Yilmaz’s van was found with no sight of the woman when the Puyallup ferry she was riding from Seattle to Bainbridge arrived at Eagle Harbor. Washington state police reported that Stafford-Yilmaz’s personal items were found on the passenger deck.

Marine divisions from the Seattle police department, Bainbridge police department, along with a coast guard helicopter, searched the area with no luck in this wrongful death case. Commander Michael Long, chief response for the Seattle coast guard, stated that the search had been exhaustive.

Long said, “We have saturated the search area and have not located anyone. Our thoughts are with the family during this difficult time.”
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The Seattle Times published an article on January 18, 2009 about the tragic story of a young 6 year old boy who was killed by flying debris launched from a Monster Truck during a performance in Tacoma, Washington. Crime scene investigators were taking a closer look at the drive train from a “monster” truck to try to determine why ripped parts came off the vehicle.

Sebastian Hizey 6, was struck with a metal ring-like object that came from the monster truck as it was performing doughnuts on the field. Jessie Hizey, the child’s father, was interviewed by the News Tribune of Tacoma and stated that a metal ring about 7-12 pounds flew at his son partially severing his skull. This accident may lead to a premises liability lawsuit.

Hizey said, “You go out for a night of fun, and you loose your son.”
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Jennifer Sullivan, a Seattle Times writer, reported in an account on January 19, 2009 that the cause of the SeaTac apartment fire was still unknown to fire fighters. Two women who jumped from their balconies to avoid the fire sustained life-threatening injuries and were being treated at Harborview Medical Center. Flames broke out at the Emerald Place Apartments around 6:55pm, forcing young children to jump from their balconies to get away from the flames.

In all, seven people were taken to the hospital to be treated for minor injuries. Approximately 100 people were left without a home in the area of the 3000 block of South 192nd street. Those affected by the fire may need to contact a skilled premises liability lawyer.

Spokesperson for King County Fire District said, “Everyone in this complex did a great job notifying their neighbors.” Moreover, Nelson stated that the apartment units did not have sprinklers, but were not required by law due to the building’s age. Officials estimated that 15 of the 48 apartments would not be habitable. On a gracious note, the building management opened up empty units and several tenants stayed there while others stayed with family and friends.
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The newstribune.com website reported in a story on January 19, 2009 that a Fort Lewis soldier had died while on post. The family of the soldier has yet to be contacted and so the identity of the soldier was not released. The only information that was released by the army was that the soldier died from his injuries sustained during a Washington car accident sometime before 6 am.

Based on Allstate data for 197 U.S. cities with more than 100,000 people, Seattle ranks 150th. Drivers here are 20 percent more likely to have an accident than those in other areas — and file accident claims on average once every 8.3 years. In Tacoma, ranked 157th, residents are 22 percent more likely to have an accident, and file accident claims every 8.2 years.
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The Peninsula Daily News reported in a story on January 19, 2009 that a Clallam County sheriff’s deputy along with another male where shot in a residence between Sekiu and Neah Bay on the Olympia Peninsula. Sheriff Bill Benedict confirmed that deputy Bill Cortani, an 18 year veteran, had been shot while answering to a trespassing call.

Each man had shots to the hip and arm area and were being transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Their status has not been released. The sheriff’s name involved in the shooting is Bill Cortani, 41 of Forks who was fortunate to have been wearing a bullet proof vest according to Krista Hedstrom, State Patrol Trooper. Hedstrom also said that the man came from the Silverdale region and no name was given to report for in this Washington personal injury.
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A report states that a $300,000 settlement was reached between Snohomish County and a bicyclist injured in a traffic accident that occurred three years ago. The Washington trucking accident involved a 31-year old man and a public-works employee who hit the bicyclist with his public utility truck.

The accident left the man with two broken elbows. He was subsequently unable to continue his job at a lumber yard and is looking to train for another form of employment.

At Bernard Law Group, we handle personal injury lawsuits that are the results of auto accidents in Washington State every day.

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Tacoma Pierce County DUI Task Force is trying to make the roads safer for drivers. On January 3rd, they conducted an X-52 speeding patrol 3 focused on enforcing the speed limit on State Routes 512 and 7 and on Meridian and 176th Streets where there are a significant number of speed-related crashes.

At Bernard Law Group, we handle Washington personal injury lawsuits that are the results of auto accidents in Seattle and communities throughout Washington State every day. Call our attorneys at 1-800-418-8282. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

According to the Tacoma Daily Index, 36 officers, deputies and troopers stopped 558 motorists and issued 288 speeding tickets. An additional 183 citations for unsafe driving were issued including driving aggressively or while suspended or, in the case of teenagers, in violation of intermediate driver’s license restrictions.
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