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A pedestrian has been struck and killed in a Seattle car accident after a wrong-way driver hit him and fled the scene. The hit-and-run suspect was later apprehended by police and arrested on suspicion of drunk driving. According to an Associated Press news report, the accident occurred as the pedestrian was crossing at the intersection of Bell Street and Western Avenue. The motorist was going west on Bell Street in a white 2006 Honda. The Honda then turned left at Western after hitting the pedestrian, traveling the wrong way down the one-way street. The pedestrian was transported to a Seattle hospital where he died shortly afterward. The driver of the Honda was later stopped and arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and vehicular homicide.

Driving under the influence of intoxicants is a serious crime in Washington State. According to the Revised Code of Washington Section 46.61.502, driving under the influence is when “a person is guilty of driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug if the person drives a vehicle within the state.” It is also illegal to drive with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or higher.
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Incidents of nursing home negligence and abuse are hitting an all-time high in the United States. This is definitely a major concern. The news accounts get more and more disturbing. A recent news report says that a nursing home was fined after health investigators found several incidents of “widespread deficiencies,” which could immediately put residents in jeopardy.

The 120-bed nursing home is facing a hefty fine after an investigation revealed that several residents were being abused. In fact, an employee told investigators that she saw two other employees mocking a resident who stuttered because that individual has Parkinson’s disease. Another resident told investigators that an employee had threatened to strangle her.

What officials found turned out to be hardly surprising. The nursing home was chronically short-staffed and because employees were being over-worked, incidents of staff “burnout” and employees calling in sick have increased exponentially.
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A Washington cosmetic surgeon is being accused of unprofessional conduct by the state agency that licenses doctors. According to an Associated Press news report, the agency states that the Seattle doctor in 2005 botched a breast reduction on a 15-year-old girl. The Washington Medical Quality Assurance Commission states that the doctor should not have performed the procedure because he did not have the education and training required for the job. The doctor apparently put the teen’s nipples back in the wrong place giving it an “aesthetically odd and unnatural appearance.”

He is also said to have performed liposuction on the 15-year-old exposing her to risk of serious infection. The girl and her parents approached the doctor because she was a high school athlete and the size of her breasts impeded her performance as an athlete and caused her to have neck and back pain, the report states. The same doctor was also previously fined by the state agency in connection with the death of a cosmetic surgery patient who stopped breathing under anesthesia during surgery.
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Tire defects can become a serious factor in car accidents causing devastating injuries and in numerous cases, fatalities. Many car accidents are the result of what is known as “tire tread separation.” The aftermath of such accidents can be catastrophic. Tread belt separations frequently cause tire blowouts. Even when the tire does not lose pressure, the driver often loses control of the vehicle when the tire tread and belt separate from the tire. Even experienced and skilled drivers can lose control of their vehicles. There is also more of a chance that a vehicle can roll over, causing serious personal injury and even deaths.

There was a recent report of an SUV rollover crash involving tire tread separation, which resulted in four people getting ejected from the vehicle. Thankfully, there were no life-threatening injuries. Apparently, in this case, the tread came off a rear tire, causing it to blow out. The driver ended up losing control of the SUV. The SUV then rolled over ejected three men, who were not wearing seatbelts as well as a woman who was wearing her seatbelt. In such accidents where people are ejected in spite of wearing a seatbelt, it is important to look into whether there were any seatbelt defects.
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Washington construction site accident can result in serious if not catastrophic or fatal injuries. A lot of construction accidents in Washington State and elsewhere in the country occur because of trench collapses in the construction site. A recent construction site fatality was caused by a loose embankment. This incident caused the death of a 27-year-old worker. The embankment reportedly gave way, burying the worker. The injuries he sustained proved fatal.

Officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are apparently investigating how and why this embankment collapsed. They should inspect the construction site for safety violations, verify whether this worker had sufficient training to do his job and also whether he was being properly supervised. OSHA must also look into how well the embankment was secured before the man began work and the contractor’s prior history to check if OSHA had investigated them in the past.

OSHA investigations typically take up to six months. But, if you or a loved one has been injured in a Washington construction site accident, it definitely, would not be advisable for you to wait that long before contacting an experienced construction accident lawyer. What many workers and their families do not realize is that employers are constantly protecting themselves, thanks to their team of insurers and attorneys who watch their backs. But, who is looking out for the victim? Who’s watching your back?
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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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