Seattle Car Accident Lawyer Blog

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports that a bicyclist was killed in an accident while biking to work on Thursday morning around 6:30am in Skyway, Washington, south of Seattle.

According to one report, the man was riding his bicycle near 130th and Renton Avenue South when he was struck by a car driven by a man in his late 70's. Police said that alcohol or drugs were not a factor.

John Urquhart of the King County sheriff's office said the man was "riding legally" at the time of the accident.

Every year approximately 540,000 bicyclists are injured in accidents and more than 700 are killed. There is no state law requiring bicyclists to wear helmets but Snohomish, Pierce and King Counties do require them. It is unknown whether the cyclist in this accident was wearing a helmet.

This information was brought to you by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, as service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in bicycle accidents and the families of those killed.

Contact The Farber law Group today for a free and confidential case evaluation. We handle bicycle accidents on a contingent fee basis; you pay nothing unless we recover a settlement for you.

See our Bicycling Resources.

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Posted In: Bicycle Accidents , Car Accidents , Motor Vehicle Accidents , Wrongful Death

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Dean Kahn, writing in the Bellingham Herald, thinks it is time for a bicycling under the influence law. Some states such as California and Delaware apply driving under the influence laws to bicyclists and impose fines from $150 to $1150. In Washington State, bicyclists can not be arrested for bicycling under the influence.

According to Kahn's article, one federal official said that in 30 percent of adult bicycle fatalities, the bicyclist was intoxicated at the time of the accident. While cars pose a much greater risk, there are still some risks to other involved while bicycling under the influence.

"He [the drunken bicyclist] can still cause an accident," said Bellingham police Sgt. David Richards. "He can still cause an injury accident. He can still cause a fatal accident."

In reading the comments on The Bellingham Herald web-site, many people don't believe that another law is needed. They say that existing laws regarding public drunkenness should be adequate. Bicyclists are also subject to other traffic laws and can be ticketed for offenses like running a red light or making an illegal left hand turn. Perhaps a specific inclusion of bicycles in driving under the influence laws is not needed.

This information was brought to you by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been killed or severely injured by drunken drivers. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or a loved one killed because of the negligence of another driver, you should contact an experienced personal injury attorney. At The Farber Law Group, we have more than 30 years experiences in the greater Seattle area.

Contact us today for a free case evaluation.

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The Seattle 911 blog written by Casey McNerthney reports that a 5-year-old West Seattle boy was hit by a van while riding his bicycle around 4:40 pm on Friday. The boy's head apparently hit the concrete but it appears that he only suffered cuts and bruises and no serious injuries.

The bicycle accident happened at the 1600 block of Southwest Barton Street when the boy rode into the street from the sidewalk mid-block. The vehicle that hit the boy was a van driven by a 23-year-old person. Police said the van driver was not intoxicated and was not cited.

Comments to the blog reminded bicyclists to wear helmets and reflective clothing and lights at this time of day. Also, a child of the age of 5 years old should have constant adult supervision while bicycle riding.

This information was brought to you by Seattle car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured and the families of those killed in bicycle accidents, pedestrian accidents and car accidents.

Contact The Farber Law Group today for a free case evaluation.

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Posted In: Bicycle Accidents , Car Accidents , Motor Vehicle Accidents , Pedestrian Accidents

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The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), in a Media Release, warns motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians: beware of accidents as daylight savings time ends on Sunday and darkness comes earlier.

According to the WSDOT, nearly 50% -- 33 of 67 pedestrian accidents between February 1, 2007 and January 30, 2008 -- occurred between the October and January, the days with the shortest amount of daylight.

The two most "at risk" groups for pedestrian accidents are children between the ages of 1-19 and seniors age 71 and older.

WSDOT Tips for Pedestrians:

• Wear reflective clothing, cross at intersection & carry a flashlight
  
• Make eye contact with drivers and watch for vehicles
  
• Walk where it's safe -- sidewalks and facing traffic if you are walking on a roadway edge
  
• Cross at intersections -- jaywalking is one of the leading causes of pedestrian accidents

WSDOT Tips for Drivers:

• Drive at the posted speed limit
• Stop for pedestrians. It's the law.
• Do not pass another vehicle who is stopped at a crosswalk.
• Pay attention near schools and recreation areas

This information was brought to you by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured and the families of those killed in pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, car accidents and motorcycle accidents. With our help, you may recover compensation for your injuries.

Contact The Farber Law Group today.

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Posted In: Auto Safety , Bicycle Accidents , Car Accidents , Pedestrian Accidents

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The Wenatchee World reports that Andrew Sandoval, a 56-year-old security guard, will be issued a citation for "Negligent Driving -- Second Degree (RCW 46.61.525)" in the accident that seriously injured Dr. Ed Farrar, 57, a prominent Wenatchee orthopedic surgeon and father of pro-cyclist Tyler Farrar.

Dr. Farrar was hit head-on by Sandoval while riding his bicycle. Sandoval was negligent because he took his eyes off of the road, crossed into the other lane of traffic to retrieve a dropped item when he hit Farrar. Read our entry from last week about this accident.

Dr. Farrar is still in Central Washington Hospital where he is in serious condition with a spinal injury a week after the accident.

This information was brought to you by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured and the families of those killed in automobile, truck, bicycle, motorcycle and pedestrian accidents.

Contact The Farber Law Group for a free and confidential case review.

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

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The Wenatchee World reports that Dr. Ed Farrar, a prominent Wenatchee orthopedic physician and father of professional bicyclist Tyler Farrar, sustained a "serious spine injury" in a bicycling accident when a car hit him head-on. The 57-year-old physician has been an orthopedic surgeon at Wenatchee Orthopedics for 25 years.

The accident occurred around 7:15 am when Andrew Sandoval, a 56-year-old security guard driving a patrol for Merchant Patrol Security was distracted, crossed the center line and hit Dr. Farrar head-on. Sandoval may be cited and/or face criminal charges.

Around 50,000 bicyclists are seriously injured in accidents every year and bicycle accident fatalities account for about 2 percent of traffic fatalities each year according to the National Center for Statistics and Analysis of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

This information was brought to you by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have sustained serious injuries due to the negligence of another person. We have more than 30 years experience in representing people who have been injured and the families of those killed in bicycle accidents, car accidents, pedestrian accidents and motorcycle accidents.

Contact us today for a free case evaluation.

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The Seattle Post Intelligencer reports that a 22-year-old bicyclist was killed in a freak bicycle accident with a dump truck on Thursday morning in Sumner. Apparently, the man who was riding in the 14200 block of Eight Street East on his way to work, wiped out on the gravel shoulder of the road. He fell into the path of a oncoming dump drunk who was unable to stop.

The bicyclist was killed at the scene.

This information was brought to you by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured or killed in motor vehicle accidents, pedestrian accidents and bicycle accidents because of the negligence of another person.

Contact The Farber Law Group for a free case evaluation. You don't pay unless we recover a settlement for you.

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KiroTV.com reports that a bicyclist received serious injuries after being hit by a car near the intersection of South Jackson Street and 7th Avenue South in Seattle around 10am. The bicyclist, a man in his 20's, was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Police are currently investigating the accident.

In Washington State, bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as drivers of car. (RCW 46.61.755).

Every year about 540,000 bicyclists are taken to emergency rooms with injuries including 67,000 with head injuries. Bicycle vs. car accidents can result in serious injuries including head injuries, broken bones, brain injuries and disfigurement.

If you or a loved one has suffered serious injuries due to a bicycle accident that was not your fault, you need a personal injury attorney because you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, rehabilitation costs and property damage.

Contact The Farber Law Group immediately. We have more than 30 years experience representing people with serious injuries. We handle most cases on a contingent fee basis; that means you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.

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Posted In: Bicycle Accidents , Car Accidents , Motor Vehicle Accidents

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A man who was being sought after a Puyallup man was killed on Monday in a hit-and-run accident has turned himself in and has been released on bail. Blair Jensen who was being sought by police for three days turned himself in on Friday.

Police suspect Jensen of hitting and killing 51-year-old John "Chip" McRae III who was riding his bicycle on East Maine Street in Puyallup when he was struck and killed by a Cadillac STS. Police say that Jensen owns the Cadillac that hit McRae.

According to KIROTV.com, McRae was the father of three sons

This information was brought to you by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer, a service of The Farber Law Group. The Farber Law Group has more than 30 years experience in handling personal injury lawsuits resulting from motor vehicle accidents, bicycle accidents and pedestrian accidents.

If you have been seriously injured in a car accident, or a loved one has been seriously injured or possibly killed, call the Washington car accident lawyers at The Farber Law Group. All e-mail and form submissions are responded to by Herb Farber or a qualified and knowledgeable member of our firm.

Contact us today.

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The Seattle Times reports a driver of a Cadillac hit and killed a bicyclist this evening around 8:10 pm in Puyallup and then drove away. The bicyclist is said to be a man in his 50's. He could not be resuscitated and died at the accident scene.

Police are now looking for a late-model Cadillac with possible front-end damage and perhaps broken glass. Some onlookers described the driver as a white male in his 20s.

According to the report, the man had been driving erratically before he hit the bicyclist at the 2600 block of East Main.

This information was brought to you by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer, a service of The Farber Law Group. Located in Bellevue, Washington we represent people who have been seriously injured or killed in motor vehicle accidents and their families.

Contact us today for a free case evaluation.

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Posted In: Bicycle Accidents , Pedestrian Accidents , Wrongful Death

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The Farber Law Group, located in Bellevue, Washington represents people who have been seriously hurt in motor vehicle accidents including car accidents, truck accidents, pedestrian accidents, single or multiple truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, boating accidents and bicycle accidents throughout Western Washington and the Pacific Northwest.

People are often seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents and their injuries can include traumatic brain injury (TBI), spinal cord injury and whiplash, broken limbs, severe lacerations and internal injuries.

In Washington State, there were 568 fatal car accidents in 2007. Mr. Farber is experienced in representing the families who have lost a loved one in a motor vehicle accident through the negligence of another person. While no amount money can compensate for the loss of a loved one, a successful wrongful death claim may help a family through a very difficult time, especially when they have lost the major wage earner.

With more than 30 years experience in Western Washington and throughout the Pacific Northwest, Mr. Farber represents cases in Bellevue, Kirkland, Seattle, Renton, Auburn, Spokane, Bothell, Federal Way, Tacoma, Arlington, Marysville, Puyallup, Tacoma and Bellingham. For out-of-state cases, Mr. Farber works with partner attorneys.

Contact The Farber Law Group for a free case evaluation.

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Posted In: Bicycle Accidents , Car Accidents , Drunk Driving Victims , Motor Vehicle Accidents , Motorcycle Accidents , Pedestrian Accidents , Serious Personal Injuries , Train Accident , Trucking Accidents , Wrongful Death

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Our previous Blog Posting reported on the recent pedicab accident that occurred in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood. In that tragic accident, a pedicab apparently went through a red light on a steep hill, collided with a car, resulting in the death of a tourist and injuring his wife and the pedicab operator.

We presume that the investigation into the accident's cause is still ongoing and our deepest sympathies go out to the victims of this tragic accident. The question on a lot of people's minds is, "Whose at fault?"

Lingering questions remain:

• Did the pedicab fail to provide proper training for their drivers? Are drivers cautioned about hilly streets and also the amount of weight a cab can carry and shave the brakes function correctly?

• Did the company have approved and non-approved routes? Was the driver allowed to drive on this hilly route with a steep grade?

• Was brake failure the cause? If so, were the brakes rated to work with the load it was carrying? Were the brakes properly maintained?

• Was the pedicab operating the cab in a safe manner? Was he negligent in any way in the operation of the vehicle?

Seattle's, The Stranger, wrote an article entitled The Fall Guy which is well worth reading. In the article, Eli Sanders interviews a former pedicab driver who believes the accident was "caused by shoddy maintenance and lax safety."

The Belltowner also is blog where people are commenting on the accident. You might want to read that too.

For now, we hope the victims are recovering from the injuries.

For the future, we hope the investigation pinpoints the exact cause of the accident and then steps be taken so this tragic accident is not repeated.

This information was brought to you by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer Blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in motor vehicle and bicycle accidents. Our Washington injury attorneys, specializing in personal injury and wrongful death, have more than 30 years experience helping people in the Pacific Northwest.

Contact us today for a free case evaluation.

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has just released a statistical summary of traffic safety for the year 2007. According to the report, more than 41,000 Americans were killed in motor vehicle accidents in 2007 and more than 2.49 million people were injured.

The good news is that the number of fatal motor vehicle accidents has decreased by 10% in Washington State where there were 568 fatal motor vehicle accidents in 2007 compared with 633 accidents in 2006.

The bad news is that the number of motorcycle accident fatalities continues to rise. Motorcycle accident fatalities across the States account for 13% of the total fatalities and went up 17% over all.

Fatalities caused by a drunk driver decreased by 3.7% with 13,000 deaths attributed to someone driving under the influence.

The report notes that, in the United States, there were 4,654 pedestrians killed in 2007 and 698 bicyclists were killed.

Trucking accident fatalities remained about the same from the previous year.

Traffic injuries and death may be down because Americans are driving less with gas prices being so high. The concern is that, as more people ride bicycles and motorcycles to avoid high gas prices, accidents and fatalities in this group may continue to rise.

This information was brought to you by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer Blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent the victims of car, motorcycle, pedestrian and bicycle accidents. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or a loved one has been killed in an accident due to the negligence of another person, you should contact a personal injury attorney to insure your rights are preserved. With our help, you may be able to recover compensation for your injuries including pain and suffering.

Contact us today for a free case evaluation.

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Posted In: Bicycle Accidents , Car Accidents , Drunk Driving Victims , Motor Vehicle Accidents , Motorcycle Accidents , Pedestrian Accidents , Trucking Accidents

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According to the BainbridgeReview.com and reporter Tad Sooter, there was a series of motor vehicle accidents on Bainbridge Island last Friday. Two of the accident victims remain hospitalized.

One of the accidents involved 20-year-old Bainbridge bicyclist was struck by a minivan on State Route 305. According to Deputy Police Chief Mark Duncan, the young woman is out of intensive care and is in stable condition at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. According to the report, the bicyclist appeared to swerve in front of a minivan.

In a separate accident, David Ortiz, a 51-year-old Bainbridge man, was injured in a two-car collision on Miller Road. According to the report, Ortiz is out of intensive care but still hospitalized with internal injuries at Harborview. Ortiz is co-owner of the Salmon Canyon Café in Lynwood Center.

This information was brought to you by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer Blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a car accident, motorcycle accident, pedestrian accident or bicycle accident, you should contact an experienced personal injury attorney to insure that your rights are protected. With our help, you may also receive compensation for your injuries.

For more information and for a free case review, contact The Farber Law Group today.

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The Seattle Times reports that a tourist was killed and five people were injured when a pedicab ran a red light and collided with van in Belltown. Peter Dzioba, 60, of Watertown, Connecticut was killed in the accident. His wife, Mary Dzioba, was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle where she listed in satisfactory condition. The pedicab driver, a 23-year-old Seattle man was also listed in satisfactory condition.

The Dzioba's were visiting Seattle to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary and were scheduled to take an Alaskan cruise.

The accident occurred in the Belltown section of Seattle on Cedar Street between First and Western. This area of Seattle has a steep grade. According to the report, the pedicab may have ran a red light and hit a scooter and then crashed into a minivan. Peter Dzioba was crushed under the van and was pronounced dead at the scene.

A pedicab is a tricycle with a rear seat for passengers. They are not regulated in Seattle. This is the first pedicab related death in the area. The pedicab involved in the accident is owned by Cascadia Cabs. The owner of the company, Ryan Hashagen, owns a fleet of 46 cabs and operates them in cities from Eugene, Oregon to Vancouver, B.C. The 17 that are operated in Seattle mostly traverse a route along the waterfront and around Seattle Center and the Sodo district.

The cause of the accident is being investigated. Speculation on the cause is that the brakes on the pedicab failed or that they were not designed for the load it was carrying on such a steep grade.

This information was brought to you by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer Blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured or killed in pedestrian accidents, car accidents, bicycle accidents and motorcycle accidents. We handle most auto accidents on a contingent fee basis. This means that no attorney's fees are charged unless we recover a settlement for you.

With the help of The Farber Law Group, a Washington law firm specializing in personal injury and wrongful death, we may recover a settlement for you. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.

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Posted In: Bicycle Accidents , Car Accidents , Motor Vehicle Accidents , Pedestrian Accidents , Wrongful Death

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The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports that Terry McMacken, a bicyclist who was seriously injured on the Ballard Bridge in Seattle has filed a lawsuit against the city for damages. McMacken, who lost his arm and shoulder at the collarbone and also suffered brain injuries was injured about a year ago, July 6, 2007. Approximately 140 bicyclists are injured each year in Seattle bicycle accidents.

McMacken's lawsuit contends that the low concrete wall intended to protect pedestrians and cyclists on 15th Avenue was poorly designed. His attorney said that cyclists have been complaining about the low guard rail on the Ballard Bridge for some time. A letter dated in August of 2004 warns the city, "It is just a matter of time before a bicyclist or pedestrian is injured or killed [on Ballard Bridge]."

According to the Seattle Transportation Department, the city plans to spend $240 million in the next 10 years to make bicycle riding in the city easier. They hope to increase both the safety for riders and the number of riders.

This information is brought to you by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer Blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a bicycle accident, you may be entitled for compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, permanent disability, cost of a caregiver, property damage and rehabilitation costs.

Contact the Farber Law Group immediately for a free case review. You pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.

Link for Bicycle Watchdog, a Seattle-based web-site which publicizes and identifies bicycle hazards and communicates problems for those responsible for the design, construction and maintenance of Seattle's streets.

See our Bicycling Resources.