Articles Posted in Personal Injury

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A Washington State trooper was hospitalized with injuries after a Seattle car accident involving a suspected drunk driver. According to a KOMO news report, a drunk driver in a pickup truck crashed into the patrol car at the intersection of South 348th Street and 16th Avenue South in Federal Way. The pickup was apparently trying to turn north on to 16th Avenue from westbound 348th Street and was speeding.

The 46-year-old driver lost control of his pickup truck, slid across the two northbound lanes and slammed into the trooper’s car as she was attempting a left turn from the opposite direction. The truck jumped the curb and struck her at the driver’s door. The trooper is believed to be recovering in the hospital. The driver of the pickup was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and apparently, also had drug paraphernalia in his vehicle.
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Rollover accidents can be extremely devastating for the occupants of a vehicle. Because of the intensity of a violent rollover, victims may suffer catastrophic injuries such as traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries or even death. Sometimes, factors such as vehicle defects including tire defects, seatbelt defects, or seatback failure could cause or contribute to these injuries. That is why it is extremely important that these auto accident victims or their families consult an experienced Seattle personal injury lawyer if they suspect auto product defects, roadway defects or negligence on the part of another driver.

A recent car crash in Yakima, Washington, shows how deadly a rollover accident can be. A 67-yar-old man was killed in Pasco after his car hit another driver’s SUV. According to a news report in the Yakima Herald-Republic, the crash occurred on the Interstate 182 in Pasco. Both drivers were westbound on the highway when the man’s Honda Accord clipped the rear of a Dodge Durango SUV. The impact of the crash caused the Honda to roll over and land on its top. Officials determined that the man was not wearing his seatbelt and believe that speed may have played a part in the crash as well.
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Motorcycle accidents throughout the State of Washington have been known to occur for various reasons. Most collisions involving motorcycles have to do with the inattention or negligent driving on the part of a motorist other than the motorcyclist. Other accidents have been known to be caused by dangerous road conditions, inclement weather, or even a defective motorcycle part or auto part of another vehicle involved in an accident. Aside from these more obvious causes, incidents involving animals, such as deer in the road, are another unfortunate cause of vehicular accidents.

According to a kitsapsun.com article, a Port Orchard motorcyclist hit a deer recently while riding in Mason County. The motorcyclist and his rider suffered serious injuries after being thrown from the bike, which slid approximately 25 yards, after striking the deer. Apparently, alcohol was involved in the accident, and a Washington State Patrol report even mentions that the 55-year-old motorcyclist may face vehicular assault charges since his passenger was injured. The report did not mention any other cause contributing to the accident.
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Authorities say alcohol was a factor in a Washington car accident involving four vehicles, which sent one person to a Seattle hospital. According to a news report in the Columbia Basin Herald, a 23-year-old driver was arrested on suspicion of vehicular assault and DUI. The driver was apparently driving at a high rate of speed and lost control of his car, causing a chain reaction crash involving three other cars, which were legally parked on the street and thankfully, not occupied. The suspected drunk driver sustained head injuries. His passenger suffered facial injuries and was also transported to the hospital. The suspected drunk driver reportedly did not have car insurance.

Drunk driving is a serious crime in the state of Washington. It is against Washington law (Revised Code of Washington Section 46.61.502) to operate a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs or drive a vehicle with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or higher. When a drunk driver injures or kills individuals other than himself, he could not only face criminal charges, but may also be held civilly liable for his wrongdoing.
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A defective product recall has been issued for more than 600,000 Perfect Flame SLG Series gas grills, which were sold exclusively at Lowe’s stores. According to a news report in Consumeraffairs.com, the gas burners on these grills can deteriorate causing irregular flames and the lids of some models can catch fire posing a serious fire and burn injury hazard to users. So far, LG Sourcing has received about 40 reports of fires as a result of this product defect and about 23 lids catching fire. There was also one report of an eye injury that required surgery and 21 incidents of burn injuries to consumers’ hands, arms or face.

The recalled grills are the SLG series Perfect Flame brand outdoor propane or natural gas grills, which are painted black or gray metal. The products, which were manufactured in China, were sold at Lowe’s retail outlets nationwide between September 2005 through May 2009 for between $200 and $500. Consumers who own these defective grills are asked to stop using the products and contact LG Sourcing to get a free replacement burner and depending on the model, a free replacement lid.
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The Washington State Supreme Court has ruled in an auto products liability case against Hyundai Motor Co. that the auto maker withheld evidence in a lawsuit over flawed seat design and should pay $8 million to a man who was rendered paraplegic in a car accident as a result of that auto product defect. According to a Bloomberg news report, the state’s high court reversed an appellate court ruling and reinstated a trial court’s judgment. The Olympia, Washington court, in its 7-2 ruling stated that the Korean auto maker tried to undermine the discovery of evidence in the 9-year-old case.

One of the Supreme Court justices said he hoped the ruling in addition to appropriately compensating the victim will also send a strong message to Hyundai and other corporations, deterring them from involving themselves in such “deliberate and willful discovery abuse.” The victim in this case sued Hyundai in 2000, three years after he was injured as a passenger in a Hyundai hatchback that went off the road. The victim was ejected from the rear window and claimed that his injuries were partly caused by design flaws in the seat, which collapsed during the crash. In 2006, the trial court found that Hyundai officials had falsely responded to the victim’s request for internal documents and police reports relating to previous accidents. The court found that this impeded the victim’s preparation for trial and undermined this important evidence.
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A 20-year-old Grandview, Washington, woman was killed after a drunk driver going the wrong way struck her vehicle head-on on the Interstate 82, the Tri-City Herald reports. The 49-year-old man was charged with vehicular homicide. Prosecutors say the man had been drinking beer before he got behind the wheel of his truck and drove the wrong way on the Interstate 82 slamming into a 2007 Chrysler 300 driven by the young victim. The wrong-way driver apparently had bloodshot and watery eyes and emitted a strong odor of alcohol. His speech was slurred and he admitted to drinking beer, Washington State Patrol officials said.

In Washington State, it is illegal to get behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. It is also against the law to drive with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or higher. If a DUI accident results in the death of an individual other than the drunk driver, the person will face vehicular manslaughter or vehicular homicide. Conviction on these charges could mean a lengthy prison time.
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A Washington car accident killed a 25-year-old man and injured five of his passengers including a toddler, The Kitsap Sun reports. Washington State Patrol officials said that the 1993 Dodge four-door was heading south on Highway 3 when it collided with a 2002 Toyota pickup truck heading north. According to officials, it was the driver of the Dodge who failed to yield right-of-way to the other vehicle. The driver of the Dodge was pronounced dead at the scene. Five passengers were taken to a Seattle hospital in serious condition. The driver of the Toyota pickup truck was apparently not injured.

A number of car accidents in Seattle and elsewhere in Washington occur as a result of drivers failing to yield the right-of-way at intersections. That’s exactly what happened in this car accident. The driver, whom officials say failed to yield the right-of-way, was killed, and all of his passengers were seriously injured. I hope that these injured victims recover from their injuries.
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As trusting consumers, we expect the food products we buy to be free of any substance or ingredient that may cause us harm, illness, or injury. When a food product’s labeling fails to include an important ingredient that many individuals are allegoric to, such as soy, it may be subject to a recall.

According to a Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) report by the United States Department of Agriculture issued on November 4, 2009, Curly’s Food, Inc., has recalled an estimated 12,181 pounds of roast beef deli products. This recall is due to the deli products being accidentally mislabeled in that they contain an allergen – soy. Apparently, the mislabeling issue was revealed after a product check by Curly’s Food, Inc.

Based on the report, the roast beef deli products were made on October 5 and 12, 2009, and were circulated to retail-type delicatessens and Department of Defense Commissaries in Washington and 14 other U.S. states. The report on the recalled product states the following about the product: “Cases containing two (2) various size weight deli-faced pieces of “Healthy Ones, Medium Cooked Roast Beef, 97% Fat Free, No Fillers, No Artificial Flavors, Lower Sodium” in vacuum packaged bags. Each package bears a use by date of “01/03/2010” or “01/10/2010,” a case code of “30900-17856” as well as the establishment number “EST. 15878″ inside the USDA mark of inspection.”
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A Washington car accident involving a Valley Transit bus injured at least three people, the Union-Bulletin reports. The collision apparently occurred at the intersection of Ninth Avenue and Main Street in Walla Walla, Washington. There was not much information as to what caused the car accident. A city ambulance transported a 28-year-old woman to a local hospital with injuries. A 20-year-old woman and a 69-year-old man were treated at the scene for unspecified injuries, as well.

In any case where a collision occurs at a street intersection, it usually means that one of the vehicles did not yield right-of-way to the other. One of the vehicles may have also run a red light slamming into the other. In such cases, where a negligent driver may have caused an accident, he or she could be held liable for the accident or injuries caused. If the negligent driver works for a public or private bus carrier, then the bus company or transit authority could also be liable for the victims’ injuries.
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