Owner: Seattle Personal Injury Attorney URL:http://www.injurytriallawyer.com/blog/ Join Date: Sun, 23 Mar 2008 13:22:06 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: Seattle Personal Injury Attorney Blog is created and managed by the Davis Law Group, P.S. which specializes in personal injury law.
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Study shows that more than 60 percent of car accident victims still suffer significant pain a year after the accident. 2008-03-21 08:00:00 A recent car accident
pain study has found that more than 60 percent of car accident victims still suffer
significant pain a year after the accident. The study was published on Monday in the journal Archives of Surgery. Researchers tracked 3,047 patients ages 18 to 84 from 14 U.S. states who survived an acute traumatic injury--such as a car accident. A year after the injury, 63 percent reported that they had pain related to the accident.
Read more:Study
Enumclaw Car Accident 2008-03-21 08:00:00 An 18-year-old Enumclaw woman was killed in a collision Wednesday morning on state Highway 410 approximately 20 miles outside of Enumclaw. Apparently she lost control of her car and struck a tree.
There were an estimated 6,420,000 car accidents in the US in 2005. There were about 2.9 million injury cases and 42,636 car accident deaths. An average of 115 persons die each day in car accidents in the United States -- one every 13 minutes. According to the World Health Organization about 3000 people die in car accidents each day worldwide.
This and other car accident statistics, reports, news, videos, etc. are available at -accidents-truck.cfm.
Yet another wrong-way accident in the Seattle area 2008-03-21 08:00:00 Thursday morning there was a rollover accident
caused by a wrong-way driver on Highway 2 near Stevens Pass. Apparently a driver was headed eastbound about 30 miles west of Leavenworth at about 6:55 a.m. when he swerved to avoid the oncoming vehicle. The wrong-way vehicle fled the scene. Investigators are asking anyone who may have seen the light blue vehicle to call 663-9721. That vehicle was last seen headed westbound in the eastbound lane, according to the State Patrol.
Our office recently investigated the apparent increase in wrong-way accidents in Seattle
and the surrounding area. Here is what we found: -the-wrongway.cfm
According to a recent Seattle PI story, wrong-way accidents are on the rise:
No title 2008-03-21 08:00:00 In 1990, Washington State began requiring drivers to stop for pedestrians at unprotected crosswalks. The Seattle Police Department collaborated with the Harborview Injury Prevention Research Center to examine whether or not drivers were paying attention to the new law.
Despite stepped-up Seattle-wide awareness efforts for the new right-of-way laws - law enforcement reminders and such - compliance with the law didn't change. 81 of 100 motorists failed to stop for pedestrians involved in the study. However, when researchers and police focused awareness efforts on smaller neighborhoods, the study cited a decreased compliance in a commuter-heavy downtown neighborhood, but significantly increased compliance with the right-of-way law in a more residential area of the city. Over five years, the
NEWS: Pedestrian hurt in downtown Seattle collision 2008-03-19 08:00:00
A Seattle
pedestrian was hit by one of two vehicles involved in a collision early Tuesday. The accident happened around 6 a.m. at the intersection of Spring Street and Fifth Avenue. Apparently the two vehicles were in an accident but how the pedestrian was hit is unclear.
We have recently added pedestrian accident statistics to our website and online pedestrian collision research library. Read more:Pedestrian
King County Bus accident injures dozen, snarls traffic 2008-03-19 08:00:00 Approximately a dozen bus riders and a car driver were taken to area hospitals Wednesday after a Metro bus accident
on Pacific Highway South. The accident happened near the Kent-Des Moines interchange. According to King County
Metro Transit spokeswoman, the Route 174 bus was southbound in the far right-hand lane on Pacific Highway South when a vehicle in the lane to the left cut in front of the bus in an attempt to make a right-hand turn into a parking lot.
Who is liable in a bus accident? Read more:traffic
, King County
Distracted Driving Research and Legislation 2008-03-13 08:00:00 Driver distraction is a major cause of accidents. Which is why 29 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws restricting cell phone use to use with a hands-free device (no jurisdiction has an outright ban). New Jersey and Washington state have been the only states ones to ban text messaging, though 21 states are considering such bills this year.
Why the legislative trend?
In 2006, nearly half of the 3,580 phone-related crashes in New Jersey involved a cellular phone. Forty-five percent of fatal accidents that year also involved a hands-free device.
That same year over 350 drivers were reported to be distracted by cell phones when involved in accidents on Florida roadways. But don't feel think that using a hands-free device with your cell phone is enough to reduce Read more:Driving
, Research
, Legislation
"Fast Claims Service" May Be a Disservice to You: Don't Be Too Hasty To Settle Your Claim 2008-03-12 08:00:00 Below is part of an email that a car accident victim recently sent to me. Unfortunately, I cannot help her with her claim because once you have settled with the insurance company for injuries caused by a car accident you can not ?renegotiate? if you are later found to have more serious injuries. This case is a good example of why you 1-) should not settle with the insurance company until your medical condition is fixed and stable for some period of time, 2-) you should not be in a hurry to settle medical claims immediately following an accident, 3-) you may need an attorney to help negotiate your settlement. I was in a car accident on Tuesday, March 4th. I hit my head and shoulder on the left side and had neck and lower back pain. I went to the emergency roo Read more:Service
, Hasty
, Settle
Texting while driving is now against the law in Washington State! 2008-03-11 08:00:00 Texting while driving is always a very bad idea. Things happen too fast on the highway. You shouldn't take your eyes off the road long enough to read or type a message.The WashingtonState
Patrol plans to vigorously enforce the state's new law against
sending text messages while driving now that the law is in effect.But texting while driving is a secondary violation. Which means that troopers cannot stop drivers if they see them texting. But it could mean drivers end up with two tickets instead of just one. If they see other driving errors, such as weaving or unsafe lane changes, they can write a second citation under the texting law if that contributed to the first violation. If a text message or cell phone call requires immediate attention, you Read more:Texting
, Washington State
Washington's Attorney General Is Wrong to Oppose New Wrongful Death Bill 2008-03-08 07:00:00 Mr. Davis comments on the Seattle PI article,"Disturbing truth on wrongful death bill," written by guest columnist and Washington
State's AttorneyGeneral
Rob McKenna. The article appeared in the Seattle PI on March 4, 2008. You can find a link to the original article on our Wrong
ful Death practice area page.Surprisingly, Mr. McKenna opposes the new wrongful death bill which would give adult parents the legal right to sue and recover damages for the wrongful death of an adult child (age 26 and younger). Mr. McKenna's primary argument is that the new bill will cost the state of Washington more money because there will be more cases filed against the state in cases where an adult person who is unmarried and child-less (between the ages of 18 and 26) is wrong Read more:Attorney General
The Daylight Savings Time Switch and Increased Accidents 2008-03-06 07:00:00 A study shows an increase in traffic accidents immediately following the spring daylight savings time shift.
When clocks are set back an hour in the spring, accidents go up according to a 1998 study of the effect of daylight savings time. Sleep deprivation is considered the most likely cause of a 17 percent increase in accidents on the Monday following the time change. The study also found no significant reduction in accidents in the fall when clocks are set back an hour.
The study used data from NHTSA's Fatal Accident Reporting System from 1986 to 1995. The same researcher had concluded in 1996 that sleep deprivation led to a 6.6 percent increase in non-vehicle deaths after the spring change, with an insignificant 1.5 percent decrease following the fall clock change.
Psychologist Stanl Read more:Daylight
, Savings
, Accidents
Cost of Car Accidents vs. Cost of Traffic Congestion 2008-03-05 07:00:00 Today AAA released the results of a suprising new study. The study reveals that the societal cost of crashes is a staggering $164.2 billion annually, nearly two and a half times greater than the $67.6 billion price tag for congestion.
We have placed the report, ?Crashes vs. Congestion
: What?s the Cost to Society?,? in our firm's online library. The report demonstrates that traffic safety issues warrant increased attention from the public and policymakers, particularly as Congress prepares to reauthorize federal transportation programs in 2009.
According to the study, the $164.2 billion cost for crashes equates to an annual per person cost of $1,051, compared to $430 per person annually for congestion. These safety costs include medical, emergency and police services, proper Read more:Accidents
Anatomy of a Crash 2008-03-04 07:00:00 Last night my wife and I came across a very interesting Discovery Channel program called Anatomy of a Crash. The program give a history of the work of William Haddon Jr. who wrote the first federal safety standards for motor vehicles in the 1960s. It also details modern accident reconstruction techniques; crash safety standards; car crash tests; in treatment of injuries.
We thought the program was interesting. If you have been injured in an accident you might want to pick up this video as you research your case. We have added information on the car accident video to our firm's online library.
Wrong-way accidents in Washington State 2008-03-03 07:00:00 There seems to be a sudden increase in wrong-way driving accidents occurring in the metro Seattle area.
Between Dec. 1, 2007 and January 13, 2008 the State
Patrol has received 23 reports of wrong-way drivers in King County.
Not only have we have noticed more of these types of accidents being reported in the news, but lately we've received several inquires from wrong-way accident victims. So we decided to look into the matter to find out just how big of a problem wrong-way driving is in Washington
State. What we discovered was somewhat surprising. Here is what we learned.
Read more:Washington State
, Wrong
New Resources for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Victims 2008-03-03 07:00:00 The state Department of Social and Health Services and the Washington Traumatic BrainInjury
Strategic Partnership Advisory Council are launching a campaign to raise awareness and provide a way for people to get information about available resources. There was a great article about it in the Seattle P-I today. You can find a link to the article and other TBI resources in the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) & Merve Damage library on our website. Read more:Resources
, Victims
Car Accidents & Children 2008-03-01 07:00:00 I recently added a new section devoted to resources that address children's safety issues as related to car accidents to our firm's online library. We have added a lot of great safety tips, articles, and studies. Check it out. Read more:Accidents
, Children
Car Crashes And The Elderly 2008-02-29 07:00:00 A new study released by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found drivers over the age of 65 are almost twice (1.78 times) as likely to die in car crashes as drivers age 55 to 64. Read more:Crashes
Computing While Driving: A Car Accident Waiting To Happen 2008-02-29 07:00:00 According to an article in the New York Times, the switch from flying to driving is being pushed by business drivers who install wireless laptops and portable desks so they can get work done along the way. This is the cause of more and more accidents. Read more:Driving
, Computing
, Waiting
, Car Accident
Great article on car accidents and airbags 2008-02-29 07:00:00 I found a great article on the history of airbags and how the help to reduce car accident injuries. I put it in my library so anyone can find it. Read more:Great
Allstate Claims Process Explained 2008-02-29 07:00:00 I found a great article on how Allstate Insurance Co. rigged a computer program to produce artificially low values for injury claims, sent fraudulent information to state regulators to avoid scrutiny, and accepted lawsuits over its claims handling as a cost of doing business. Read more:Process
Seattle car accident kills father, injures child 2008-02-28 07:00:00 A rush-hour accident
this morning near East Jefferson Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Way has left a father dead, and his daughter seriously injured. Two other people were also injured. The accident involved a car and a truck. The injured girl, approximately 10- or 11-years-old, was also taken to Harborview Medical Center with "life threatening injuries." Apparently they were on their way to school when the accident occurred.
This accident brings to mind the need for proper child
restraints.
June 1st, 2007 Washington's Child Restraint Law changed to require:
Children under 13 years old be transported in the back seat where it is practical to do so.
Children up to their 8th birthday, unless they are 4'9" tall (which ever comes first), mus Read more:Seattle
Health Insurer Ordered to Pay $9 Million for Illegally Terminating Benefits 2008-02-25 07:00:00 A woman who had her medical coverage canceled as she was undergoing treatment for breast cancer has been awarded more than $9 million in a case against one of California's largest health insurers. Patsy Bates, 52, a hairdresser from Lakewood, had been left with more than $129,000 in unpaid medical bills when Health
Net Inc. canceled her policy in 2004. On Friday, arbitration judge Sam Cianchetti ordered Health Net to repay that amount while providing $8.4 million in punitive damages and $750,000 for emotional distress.
The next day, the Los Angeles city attorney sued Health Net, claiming it illegally canceled the coverage of about 1,600 other patients. City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo also said the company illegally ran an incentive program in which it paid bonuses to an adminis Read more:Benefits
Crash Victim Has MySpace Account Subpoenaed by Defense Attorneys 2008-02-15 07:00:00 Marissa Schneider of Arlington was just out of high school and an aspiring art student, but now the 21-year-old is in a nursing home because she can't talk or take care of herself. Marissa was on her way to work when her car was hit by an on-coming vehicle that crossed the center line. She had no fault for the accident. Marissa's parents are devastated. But after Marissa's family sued Chrysler over an allegation that the vehicle was unsafe, the company denied the claim and turned its attention to the young victim. Chrysler's lawyers issued a subpoena to Marissa's MySpace
account. They are seeking copies of everything that was posted to the page, including personal diary entries, photos, and other personal information.Marissa's parents are shocked and angry as you can imag Read more:Account
, Defense
, Attorneys
Driver Killed In Roll-Over Crash Near Sammamish 2008-02-15 07:00:00 SAMMAMISH, Wash. -- One person was killed late Friday morning when their car crashed off a winding two-lane road and rolled over. King County Sheriff's deputies say the accident happened along NE Union Hill Road near 232nd Ave. NE just before 11 o'clock. The driver of the car became trapped inside and died at the scene. That person was the only one in the car. Investigators have not yet identified the victim. Union Hill Road was expected to remain closed until early Friday afternoon.
Roll-over accidents are the most deadly and can cause life-long injury and problems. The most frequent injury I see in this type of accident is neck and back injuries involving herniated discs and sometimes paralysis. Unfortunately, death can also occur, usually from Read more:Driver
, Killed
Washington State's DUI Drivers Could Get the Automobile Equivalent of the Scarlet Letter 2008-02-11 07:00:00
Today, the WashingtonState
Senate Transportation Committee is meeting to discuss a bill (Senate Bill 6402) that would require some drivers convicted of DUI to drive only a vehicle that has front and rear yellow license plates for a year once their driving privileges are restored. Currently, only Ohio has a similar law in effect. Failure to drive with a fluorescent plate or trying to disguise the plate's color would be a misdemeanor.
If passed, the new law would take effect January 1, 2009. Read more:Washington State
, Drivers
, Automobile
, Letter
Man accidently falls from moving vehicle later dies at hospital 2008-02-11 07:00:00 Victor Vega-Espinoza was riding home from an event with several other family members when he bcame ill and opened the car door throw up and accidently fell out of the car. Family members say that although the car was not speeding, he was not wearing a seat belt, lost his balance and fell out of the car. He later
died at a local hospital
.
New Study shows That Chronic Pain Interferes With Brain Activity 2008-02-07 07:00:00 A new study shows that chronic pain interferes with normal brain activity more so than what was previously thought. The study suggests that chronic pain alters brain function in the same way as disorders involving cognitive impairment, the researchers said.The researchers enrolled 15 healthy people and 15 patients with back pain of 6.3 years mean duration. Brain
activity was monitored with functional MRI scans at baseline and while the participants performed a simple target-tracking task. Dante R. Chialvo, M.D., of Northwestern University, published the study in the recent issue of the Journal of Neuroscience. Dr. Chialvo said, "These findings suggest that the brain of a chronic pain patient is not simply a healthy brain processing pain information, but rather is altered by Read more:Study
, Activity
, New Study
Seattle's Pedestrian Accident Problem 2008-02-07 07:00:00 I?ve posted a lot about pedestrian accidents over the past several weeks. It seems as if we hear about a pedestrian death almost every week. The Seattle
PI just reported on another case where an elderly woman was run over by a motorist while walking half-way through a cross-walk. The woman, 94-year-old Ruby Blood, had made it half way across the street when the traffic light turned green. The motorist proceeded through the cross-walk and killed Ms. Blood. The death was likely instantaneous.
Is the motorist legally responsible? Probably. A specific law ? RCW 46.61.235 ? requires a motorist approaching a cross walk to stop or remain stopped to allow a pedestrian to cross in a marked cross walk. This means that even though the light turned gre Read more:Pedestrian
, Problem
Insurance Tip: Why Uninsured Motorist Coverage Is A Good Idea 2008-02-07 07:00:00 You probably have never heard about it, or if you have, you may really not know what it is. Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage is a type of coverage that is available on your Washington automobile insurance policy. UM coverage is designed to pay you for damages that have been caused by an uninsured motorist. A related type of coverage is Underinsured Motorist (UIM) coverage. UIM is designed to pay you for damages caused by another motorist who may not have enough insurance to fully compensate you for all of your damages. UIM is considered ?floating coverage.? That is, this type of coverage floats on top of the other motorists insurance to provide you an additional layer of coverage if it is needed.
UM or UIM coverage is extremely important. In Read more:Coverage
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