Seattle Car Accident Lawyer Blog

The Washington State Patrol issued a media release reporting that twice as many of their vehicles were hit by drivers who were impaired by alcohol in 2008 than in 2007. In 2007, 11 Patrol vehicles were hit but in 2008, 25 trooper vehicles have been involved in alcohol-related car accidents. Luckily, no officers have been killed in the accidents.

More than 50% of the vehicles that have been hit were parked along side a road or highway while the officer was dealing with another traffic accident or traffic violator.

WSP Chief John R. Batiste said, "How drunk do you have to be to run into a marked police car with its lights flashing?"

On Christmas Eve, we reported a Patrol officer who was injured on the I-90 when he was stopped to perform an accident investigation and a driver slammed into his car pushing him into the parked car that had been involved in the previous accident.

If you or a loved one has been injured by a drunk or impaired driver, or if a loved one has been killed, contact a personal injury attorney to insure your rights are protected. At The Farber Law Group, we have more than 32 years experience representing people who have been seriously injured by drunken drivers. With our help, you may recover compensation for your injuries.

Contact us today.

Posted by The Farber Law Group | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Car Accidents , Drunk Driving Victims , Motor Vehicle Accidents

Bookmark:

A Bellevue man was arrested late Sunday night after he his car struck a pedestrian who was walking along State Route 202 in Fall City reports The Seattle Post-Intelligencer. According to the report, Matthew R. Mahaffey, 34, of Snoqualmie was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle after the accident.

Washington State Patrol booked the 53-year-old Bellevue man on suspicion of Vehicular Assault because they believe he may have been under the influence at the time of the accident. Vehicular Assault , Washington State Statute RCW 46.61.522, can be charged if a person was under the alcohol or drugs in an accident that caused serious injuries to another person.

When a person criminally with the Vehicular Assault statue, the victim can also make a claim civilly for loss of wages, medical costs and for pain and suffering. In this case, a person should retain an experienced personal injury attorney.

At The Farber Law Group, we have more than 30 years experience of representing victims of drunken driving.

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

Posted by The Farber Law Group | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Car Accidents , Drunk Driving Victims , Motor Vehicle Accidents , Serious Personal Injuries

Bookmark:

The Washington State Patrol has released a Media Bulletin informing the public that they are stepping up their efforts to apprehend drivers who are intoxicated during this holiday season. Working with local law enforcement agencies, the Patrol is working overtime shifts, especially on Friday and Saturday nights when many people may be intoxicated after attending holiday parties.

The Patrol reports that there were 31 alcohol-related deaths during the holiday season last year due to drivers who drove while intoxicated.

The Patrol urges people who are drinking alcohol at parties and restaurants to use a designated driver or to call a taxi cab. They also ask people to call 9-1-1 if to report drunk drivers.

This information was brought to you by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent the victims of drunken drivers who have been seriously injured in a car accident. Drunken driving accidents often leave victims with severe injuries including head injuries, broken bones, severe whiplash, paralysis and brain damage.

At The Farber Law Group, we have more than 30 years experience working with drunken driving victims to help them recover compensation for their damages. We find out whether the drunk driver had a previous DUI charge, whether they became intoxicated at a work-related party or whether a bar served them when they were obviously intoxicated.

Contact The Farber Law Group today.

Posted by The Farber Law Group | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Car Accidents , Drunk Driving Victims , Motor Vehicle Accidents , Serious Personal Injuries

Bookmark:

The Seattle Time reports that two Everett men were killed after their speeding car went off the road and ran into a tree. Killed in the accident were the driver, age 39, and one passenger, a 27 year-old man. A second passenger, a 26-year-old Everett man, was treated for minor cuts and was released from the hospital.

The car accident happened around 1:30 am on Sunday at the 5500 block of Riverview Road in unincorporated Snohomish County.

Police says that speed an alcohol were factors in the car accident.

This information was brought to you by Seattle car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people seriously injured and the families of those killed in car accidents. We also specialize in representing the victims of drunk drivers.

If you or a loved one been injured in a car accident and your injuries are the result of a drunken driver, you need a personal injury attorney so that your rights are protected. At The Farber Law Group, we have more than 30 years in the greater Seattle area. Contact us today for a free and confidential case review.

Posted by The Farber Law Group | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Car Accidents , Drunk Driving Victims , Motor Vehicle Accidents

Bookmark:

Spokane police have arrested Jason G. Cross, 32, and booked him into Spokane County Jail on the charge of driving under the influence and seven charges of failure to leave information at the scene of an accident according to King5.com.

Spokane police reported that they believe Cross left a Spokane bar and within 13 minutes hit at least seven other vehicles. Someone at the bar called police and alerted them to the fact that someone was driving a pickup truck under the influence. Police arrested Cross after he hit the car driven by off-duty police detective Neil Gallion who then followed him.

This information was brought to you by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent drunk driving victims and their families. If you or a loved one has been seriously hurt because of the negligence of another driver, contact The Farber Law Group today. We will work to help you recover compensation including for pain and suffering.

Posted by The Farber Law Group | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Car Accidents , Drunk Driving Victims

Bookmark:

Four teenagers were injured in an auto accident which occurred on Highway 9 and 172nd Street SE in Snohomish. The teenagers were travelling Northbound on Highway 9 in a Dodge Durango when a Chevrolet Tahoe, driven by a 45-year-old Snohomish-man crossed over the centerline and struck them. Police suspect that the driver of the Tahoe may have been driving under the influence when the car accident occurred.

The driver of the Dodge, a 16-year-old from Snohomish, was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for treatment of his injuries. All three of his passengers, ages 12, 13, and 18, were taken to local hospitals. The condition of the teenagers has not been released.

The driver of the Tahoe has been booked into Snohomish County Jail for investigation of driving under the influence. His 6-year-old passenger, a little boy, was not injured.

In Washington State, it is illegal to drive if your blood alcohol limit (BAC) is .08% or above. If the driver was driving under the influence and someone was seriously injured, the driver could be charged with Vehicular Assault, RCW 46.61.522.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident caused by a drunk driver, you should contact a knowledgeable and skilled personal injury attorney. The Farber Law Group has more than 30 years experience representing the victims of drunk drivers. We aggressively gather the facts and determine all the sources of potential liability. We determine whether the driver had previous DUI arrests, whether they were served at a restaurant or a bar and whether they were in the course of their employment.

We represent drunk driving victims on a contingency fee basis; you pay nothing unless we recover a settlement for you. Contact The Farber Law Group today.

See our Victims of Drunken Driving Resources.

Information for this blog is from the Everett Herald Net.

Posted by The Farber Law Group | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Car Accidents , Drunk Driving Victims , Motor Vehicle Accidents

Bookmark:

In a media release yesterday, the Washington State Patrol announced that they will be targeting state routes and interstate highways in the Tri-Cities area -- Richmond, Pasco and Kennewick -- looking for drivers not wearing their seat belts.

The WSP dubs their initiative "Nighttime Seat Belt Enforcement" (NTSBE). The Patrol will be looking for drivers not wearing seat belts in areas where there has been a higher incidence of automobile accidents and where drivers have a low seat belt compliance. The NTSBE program will be concentrated between the nighttime hours of 7pm - 6 am. The death rate due to car accidents is four times higher at night than in day time night as people comply with seat belt laws less.

There have already been 12 fatalities in auto accidents in the Tri-Cities area in 2008. In seven of the twelve fatalities -- 58% -- the driver was not wearing a seat belt. 67% of the 12 deaths involved a driver who was impaired by alcohol or drugs.

Washington State Patrol Captain Shawn Berry said, “The majority of fatality collisions in this region involve drivers who are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs and occupants who are not wearing seat belts. We are urging motorists to remember to wear their seat belts and to not drink and drive during this upcoming holiday season.”

This information was brought to you by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in car accidents and the families of those killed. We are aggressive in the actions we take against motorist who were driving drunk at the time of the accident.

Contact The Farber Law Group for a free consultation. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages, including pain and suffering.

Posted by The Farber Law Group | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Safety , Car Accidents , Drunk Driving Victims , Motor Vehicle Accidents , Wrongful Death

Bookmark:

The victims in Thursday nights' Federal Way cross-over crash have been identified according to The Seattle Times. Killed in the accident were Robert Galaviz, 55, of Federal Way and Georgina Steele, 61, of Seattle. A 66-year-old passenger in Steele's car suffered serious injuries and a 25-year-old Des Moines woman suffered minor injuries.

Washington State Patrol reports they have arrested a 51-year-old Puyallup man, who crossed over the center median near the 320th Street exit and struck four southbound cars. The man is suspected of being impaired at the time of the accident and he may be charged with vehicular homicide.

Vehicular homicide (RCW 46.61.520) is a statute that provides a driver can be charged if a person dies as a result of "negligent" operation of a motor vehicle. A driver is negligent if he/she was driving recklessly, under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or driving without regard for the safety of others.

When a driver is charged with vehicular homicide, the family may also bring a suit for wrongful death.

If you or a loved one has received serious injuries, or a loved one has been killed due to an automobile accident, you should contact The Farber Law Group. We have more than 30 years experience in Western Washington representing automobile accident victims and families of wrongful death victims.

Posted by The Farber Law Group | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Car Accidents , Drunk Driving Victims , Motor Vehicle Accidents , Wrongful Death

Bookmark:

The Everett Herald Net reports that Todd Olson has been convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) ten times. He also has three hit-and-run convictions and 14 convictions for driving with a suspended license. Now he is going to prison for seven years.

Because of a 2007 law that says that a person with more than five DUIs in 10 years, Olson is going to be spending seven years in prison for felony drunken driving, hit-and-run and first degree driving with a suspended license after a car accident in May according to the Herald Net. He is the first person in Snohomish County to be convicted under the new felony DUI law. Drunken driving is usually treated as a gross misdemeanor with prison sentences of one year.

Olson, who has struggled with alcoholism for years, started drinking beer as a boy.

With more than 18,000 people killed a year in alcohol related automobile accidents, it seems like the Court had no alternative but to take Olson off the street before he kills someone.

At The Farber Law Group, we have more than 30 years experience in representing victims of drunken driving accidents and helping the victims recover compensation for the damages they suffered.

If you or a loved one was the victim of a drunken driver and you sustained serious injuries, contact The Farber Law Group for a free case evaluation.

Posted by The Farber Law Group | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Car Accidents , Drunk Driving Victims , Motor Vehicle Accidents

Bookmark:

The Automobile Association of America (AAA) reports that traffic fatalities increase 30% when Halloween is on a weekend. They recommend using a designated driver, calling a cab and if you're giving a party, to not let any guests drive when they are impaired.

"Halloween is, in fact, a pretty scary holiday," says Mike Mitchell, Chief of the Bonney Lake Police Department and chair of the Tacoma Pierce County DUI Task Force. "It can be as dangerous to be on the road as it is on New Year’s Eve."

The Tacoma Pierce County DUI task Force has announced that they will be targeting drunk drivers starting tomorrow -- Halloween -- and continue throughout the weekend. The Washington State Liquor Control board will also be working to insure that liquor stores, bars, grocery stores and taverns comply with liquor laws.

Last year, nearly 45% of the 700 traffic-related fatalities in Washington State were alcohol related. In Washington State, all DUI offenses are gross misdemeanors. RCW 9A.20.021, 46.61.502(5) & 46.61.504(5).

At The Farber Law Group, we are experienced in representing victims of drunken driving accidents and in helping victims recover compensation for damages they have suffered. We will aggressively gather the facts, determine all sources of potential liability, and advocate on your behalf.

If you or a loved one was the victim of a drunk driver, please contact The Farber Law Group today to arrange for a free consultation.

Victims of Drunken Driving Resources

Posted by The Farber Law Group | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Auto Safety , Car Accidents , Drunk Driving Victims , Motor Vehicle Accidents

Bookmark:

A Lynnwood, Washington woman, Michelle Sawyer, 29, was killed along with three others when the car they were riding in was rear-ended by a suspected drunk driver on I-84 in Oregon.

John C. Carlgren, 46, 0f Carlton, Oregon has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and driving under the influence. In Oregon, as it is in Washington State, a driver is deemed intoxicated who has a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 percent. Any driver with a BAC at or above .08 are intoxicated in the eyes of the law.

Nearly half of the approximately 700 car accident fatalities that occur every year in Washington State are related to alcohol. Drunken drivers leave their victims seriously injured, disabled and cause traumatic brain injury and spinal cord damage.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or a loved one killed due to the actions of a drunk driver, you should contact The Farber Law Group. With more than 30 years experience in representing car accident victims, we will insure that your rights are protected.

Contact us today to arrange a free consultation.

See our Victims of Drunken Driving Resources.

Posted by The Farber Law Group | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Car Accidents , Drunk Driving Victims , Motor Vehicle Accidents , Wrongful Death

Bookmark:

A multiple car and motorcycle crash last week on State Route 20 near Sedro-Wooley, Washington in Skagit County killed one man at the accident scene and now a second man has died a week after the accident at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

The accident occurred last week when a pickup truck crossed the center line and hit another car. Two motorcycles then rear-ended one of the crashed vehicles.

A Burlington man, Anthony M. Burwell, 21, died at the scene; he was one of the motorcyclists.

Tuesday morning, Shawn R. Tygret, 34, of Concrete died of his injuries at Harborview. He was driving in his Buick Sedan when the truck him head-on.

The driver of the truck has been arrested for vehicular homicide. Investigators believe he may have been under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident.

Vehicular homicide can be charged if a person's negligent operation of a motor vehicle results in a person's death within three years of the accident. Negligence includes being under the influence of alcohol or drugs or driving with reckless disregard to the safety of others.

If a you have been a victim of a drunken driver or a family member has been killed, you need to contact a personal injury attorney. At The Farber Law Group, we help victims of drunken driving recover compensation for the damages they have suffered.

We thoroughly investigate your accident and then aggressively pursue compensation on your behalf. We represent drunken driving victims on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.

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

The accident information was compiled from KOMONews.com.

Posted by The Farber Law Group | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Car Accidents , Drunk Driving Victims , Motor Vehicle Accidents , Motorcycle Accidents , Wrongful Death

Bookmark:

A 22-year-old male passenger in a 1990 Nissan Stanza was killed after the vehicle's driver ran a stop sign at a "T" intersection and ploughed into a tree. Police are looking for the driver of the vehicle who fled the car accident scene reports King5.com.

The motor vehicle accident happened at 46th Avenue South and South 352nd Street around 4 am in Federal Way, Washington.

One wonders the reasons why the driver fled. If it was because the driver was intoxicated, he/she could be charged with Vehicular Homicide. Washington State Vehicle statute RCW 46.61.520 provides that a person can be charged with vehicular homicide if a person dies as a result of negligent operation of a motor vehicle. Negligent actions can include driving recklessly, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs or driving without regard to the safety of others.

This information was bought to you by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. With the help of The Farber Law Group, a Washington firm experienced and knowledgeable in handling wrongful death auto accident cases, the family of the victim may be compensated for the loss of their loved one.

Please contact us for more information and to schedule a free consultation.

Posted by The Farber Law Group | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Car Accidents , Drunk Driving Victims , Motor Vehicle Accidents , Wrongful Death

Bookmark:

KOMONews.com reports that Amanda Schroeder, who pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and possession of alcohol as a minor after an accident where two sisters were killed, has been sentenced to 90 days in jail and given 5 years probation for the DUI. Her driver's license was also suspended for 90 days.

Schroeder was involved in the June 2007 crash that killed Tina Garcia and Renee Nunez, two sisters. Nunez was the mother of four children.

Prosecutors struck a plea deal with Schroeder because new findings in the case confirmed that the victims' car was in the intersection on a red light and that the driver had THC in her system and her passenger had alcohol in hers.

Nearly 45% of the 700 traffic fatalities in Washington State last year involved alcohol. The Washington State Legislature enacted the drunk driving law which sets the BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) as 0.08 percent.

This information was brought to you by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured and families of those killed in car accidents. At the Farber Law Group, we are experienced in representing the victims of drunken driving accidents and in helping the victims recover compensation for the damages they suffered. We aggressively gather the facts and determine if the drunk driver had a previous DUI, whether a bar or restaurant knowingly served an intoxicated person and whether the drunk driver was in the course of their employment.

We present victims of drunken driving on a contingency fee basis; you pay nothing unless we recover a settlement for you. Contact us today for a free and confidential case evaluation.

Posted by The Farber Law Group | Permalink | Email This Post

Posted In: Car Accidents , Drunk Driving Victims , Motor Vehicle Accidents

Bookmark: