Seattle Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Richard Wittegenstein, 59, of Bellevue, was killed in a motorcycle accident on Highway 395 near Deer Park when the driver of an SUV crossed the centerline and hit him head-on.

The Bellevue Reporter reports that Wittgenstein was traveling southbound on Highway 395 when he was hit by a car driven by Richard A. Handley, 65, of Loon Lake.

The report said that charges were pending against Handley.

Washington State vehicle code states that Vehicular Homicide can be charged if a person was killed in a motor vehicle accident and the driver was driving under the influence of alcohol, driving recklessly, or driving without regard to the safety of others.

In addition to criminal charges, the family of someone who is killed due to the negligent or criminal act of another may file a wrongful death lawsuit in civil court.

This information is provided by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We are a personal injury law firm located in Bellevue, Washington and have more than 30 years experience representing families with their wrongful death cases.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

The Seattle Times reports that Charles Hoover, 54, of Stanwood, was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident on Interstate 5 near the Snohomish-Skagit County line.

According to the report, Hoover swerved to avoid a collision between a pickup truck driven by Henry Bennett, 70, of Newcastle, who had collided with a disabled car.

Hoover was transported to Colby Campus of Providence Regional Medical Center Everett for treatment.

This information is provided by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously in motorcycle accident and the family of those killed. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

Two Washington State Patrol troopers were injured -- one critically -- in a motorcycle accident on State Route 7 near Alder which is approximately 45 miles south-west of Olympia.

According to Tacoma's The News Tribune, Trooper Tony Brock, 37, was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Trooper Willie Boxhorn, 40, was taken to the same hospital by ambulance.

The State Patrol attribute the accident's fault to a 72-year-old-woman who pulled out in front of the trooper on Alder Cutoff Road East at state Route 7. The woman was injured in the accident as well. The article said she may be cited for failure to yield.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents and the family of those killed. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

Carlos Cuyton, 20, of Kirkland was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident on Interstate 405 on Friday morning when he was rear-ended by a suspected drunken driver.

Cuyton was taken to Evergreen Medical Center for treatment of a road rash, neurological injuries and orthopedic injuries after the accident. He was hospitalized twice and has been released to recover at home.

The motorcycle accident occurred a little after midnight in the HOV lanes of the southbound I-405 near the 85th street exit.

The force of the rear-end collision knocked Cuyton off his motorcycle. The rear of his motorcycle was wedged under the front of the car that hit him which then traveled approximately a tenth of the mile with the motorcycle wedged in an upright position before stopping.

Police arrested the 38-year-old Bothell woman who hit Cuyton on suspicion of driving under the influence. She may be charged with Vehicular Assault, RCW 46.61.522, which can be charged if a person is seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident and the driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs or alcohol at the time.

Cuyton has retained The Farber Law Group, a personal injury law firm with offices in Bellevue and Seattle. The Farber Law Group recently went to a jury trial with a very similar case in which the motorcycle accident victim received a $1.2 million settlement. In that case, Mr. Farber represented a motorcyclist who was rear-ended on the same stretch of the I-405 by a drunken driver. In cases of serious injuries, an experienced trial lawyer can make sure the victim's rights are protected.

In Washington state, they are almost 700 traffic fatalities every year and 45% of them are alcohol-related. Drunken drivers continue to be a menace on the roadways to themselves and their victims.

This information is provided by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent victims of drunken drivers and their family. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages, including pain and suffering.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

See KIRO TV.com "Motorcyclist Escapes Death in Amazing Crash" for photos of the aftermath of Cuyton's motorcycle accident.

John Lancaster, 22, of Olympia, has been awarded a $2million settlement after he sued the Washington Department of Transportation (DOT) claiming that the DOT failed to repair a poorly designed intersection where he was critically injured in a motor vehicle accident.

Lancaster was riding his motorcycle on U.S. Highway 101 when he collided with a car that was making a left hand turn onto the highway. Lancaster nearly died in the accident and has limited use of one hand and cannot not use the other arm. He was on life support at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for three weeks after the accident.

According to a report in The Olympian, the intersection where Lancaster was hit had been especially problematic. There had been 55 accidents at the intersection since 2001 including two fatal ones. In 2001, a DOT study said that the intersection was poorly designed and it recommended closing the left-turn lane. At one point the state legislature had funded $1 million to repair the road but thee repair has never been completed.

This information is provided by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents and the family of those killed. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

Source:
The Olympian
State to pay hurt man $2M
U.S. 101: Olympia 22-year-old was nearly killed in crash on dangerously designed road, suit says

Darrell W. Benoschek, 46, of Yelm was taken to Kittitas Valley Community Hospital in Ellensburg with leg and head injuries after he was involved in a motorcycle accident.

The motorcycle occurred as Benoschek was driving his motorcycle east on Interstate 90, eight miles west of Cle Elum, when a flat tire caused him to crash.

Irene E. Beonschek, 43, of Yelm, who was riding with Darrell, was not injured in the motorcycle accident.

This information is provided by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent motorcycle accident victims and their families.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

Renwick Dayton, 44, of Gig Harbor died at a Tacoma hospital after he was involved in a motorcycle accident at 40th Street Northwest and 80th Avenue Northwest in the Artondale area; Artondale is about 3 miles southeast of Gig Harbor.

The Olympian reports that Dayton's motorcycle collided with another vehicle around 12:35pm.

The report did not specify the cause of the motorcycle accident but said that the Pierce County Sheriff's office is investigating.

This information is provided by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in motorcycle accidents and the family of those killed.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

Two people on a motorcycle suffered fractures and broken bones when they were hit by an SUV in downtown Seattle early this morning.

According to King5.com, the motorcycle accident occurred at Seventh and Virginia around 3am.

The motorcycle riders were taken to the hospital.

None of the five in the SUV were injured.

A police officer who responded to the accident suffered smoke inhalation and was taken to the hospital for treatment.

This information is provided by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in motorcycle accidents and the family of those killed. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

A 40-year-old woman was critically injured when the motorcycle she was riding on collided with a deer on State Route 16 west of Burley Olalla Road reports the Port Orchard Independent.

According to a report in the Port Orchard Independent, the woman was riding behind a 50-year-old man who was driving when the motorcycle collided with a deer that jumped in front of them. The woman was thrown from the motorcycle.

The woman was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle where she is being treated for a head injury.

The man driving the motorcycle suffered only minor injuries in the accident.

Earlier this month, a Washington State Patrol motorcycle trooper was injured when his motorcycle collided with a deer.

Motorcyclists are at the most risk in collisions with deer. When cars hit deer, there is about a 2% fatality rate. However in motorcycle v. deer accidents, in 85% of the cases a human is killed.

This information is provided by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents and the family of those killed. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

Read the Defenders of Wildlife Tip Sheet on avoiding collisions with wildlife.

Read also, Auto-Deer Collision Risk at Highest October-December.

Jonny D. Hosner, 58, of Arlington was killed in a motorcycle accident on Highway 155 near Nespelem in Okanogan County.

According to a report by KOMO News of Seattle, Hosner lost control of his motorcycle, a 1998 Honda GL 1500, and was thrown from him motorcycle when he hit a guardrail. He died of his injuries at Coulee Community Hospital.

The Washington State Patrol says that Hosner was wearing an approved motorcycle helmet.

This information is provided by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in motorcycle accidents and the family of those killed. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

A 12-year-old boy from Washington state has died of injuries he sustained in a pedestrian accident on the Agassiz-Rosedale bridge in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia reports The Vancouver Sun. The boy was hit by a semi truck and was airlifted to a Vancouver-area hospital but he succumbed to his injuries.

The boy was vacationing with his family when the lid of their vehicle's roof-top carrier blew off and the family stopped to search for it. The boy was outside of the family's vehicle when he was hit by the truck.

This information is provided by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in pedestrian accidents and motor vehicle accidents and the family of those killed.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

A 20-year-old Silverdale man was seriously injured when his leg was amputated by a signpost today when he lost control of his motorcycle and crashed on Highway 112 outside of Port Angeles.

According to a report by Seattle's KOMO News.com, the man was speeding on his Yamaha YZF-R6 when he lost control around a curve. He was thrown from his motorcycle, and when he hit a signpost, his leg was severed.

The man was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. His condition is not currently available.

The motorcyclist faces reckless driving charges but most of the readers commenting on the KOMO blog think that with the loss of the man's leg, no charges are necessary.

This information is provided by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in motorcycle accidents and the family of those killed.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

A motorcyclist was critically injured on Saturday afternoon around 5:30pm in an accident on Interstate 5 in Seattle, just south of the Martin Luther King Jr. Way exit.

According to a report in The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, the motorcyclist, a 64-year-old man, was headed north on I-5 on his 2002 Triumph motorcycle when a Honda Civic driven by a 23-year-old man suddenly crossed from the right hand lane of traffic across all lanes of traffic and into the middle barrier. The motorcyclist was unable to avoid the collision and ran into the Honda.

The motorcyclist was taken to Harborview Medical Center and is in critical condition.

The driver of the Honda was also taken to Harborview and his injuries are described as serious.

The Washington State Patrol is asking anyone who may have witnessed events leading up to the accident to contact Detective Russell Haake at 425-401-7788.

This information is provided by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents and the family of those killed. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

Scot Weber, 51, of Silvana has died of injuries he sustained in a motorcycle accident in on Interstate 5, near Smokey Point, on May 19th.

According to a report in the HearldNet of Everett, Weber was riding his motorcycle northbound on Interstate 5 around 1:30pm when a construction truck pulled from the right-hand shoulder in front of him. Weber, was unable to avoid the accident and crashed his 1983 Yamaha motorcycle into the back of the pickup truck, suffering life-threatening injuries.

Weber was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle where he died later that evening.

The driver of the truck was uninjured. He may be cited because it is the duty of a driver entering a highway to yield the right-of-way to all vehicles lawfully approaching on the highway.

People who knew Weber said that if anyone could have avoided the motorcycle accident, Weber would have been able to. Weber was described as a "local legend" in the off-motorcycle riding community because he was so intense.

This information is provided by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in motorcycle accidents and the family of those killed. We represent families in their wrongful death cases when the death of their loved one was caused because of the negligence of another.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports that Richard J. Hohn, 26, of Tacoma, has been arrested and may be charged with DUI, Vehicular Homicide and illegal lane change in the motorcycle accident death of Ernest E. Geer, 33, of Shoreline on Saturday.

According to the report, Hohn was driving his Toyota 4Runner northbound on Highway 7 around 3:40pm when he attempted a passing maneuver on a curving stretch of the two-lane highway. He struck Geer who was thrown off his motorcycle and was then hit by another vehicle.

Police believe that Hohn may have been under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident. Washington state motor vehicle code, RCW 46.61.520 "Vehicular Homicide," says that a driver can be charged with Vehicular Homicide if a person is killed in an accident and the driver was driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, driving with reckless disregard to the safety of others or driving recklessly.

When a driver is charged with Vehicular Homicide, he or she is tried by the State of Washington. In addition, the family of a person killed as a result of Vehicular Homicide can bring a suit for wrongful death.  The Washington state wrongful death statute allows the family of a person who was wrongfully killed to recover damages in a civil action on behalf of their deceased loved one.

This information is provided by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer, a service of The Farber Law Group. We have more than 30 years experience in handling wrongful death cases.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

A motorcyclist was seriously injured today around 1:45pm when a construction truck pulled out in front of him on northbound Interstate 5 in Arlington.

According to a report on King 5 of Seattle, the motorcycle accident occurred around 1:30pm near the State Route 531 interchange.

The motorcyclist was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. All northbound lanes of Interstate 5 were blocked after the accident.

This information is provided by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in motorcycle accidents caused by the negligence of another. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

A 38-year-old Bothell man was critically injured in a car accident Saturday afternoon when the car he was driving crossed the center-line on U.S. Route 2 and hit an empty tanker truck. The unidentified man died of his injuries on route to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

According to a report in The Seattle Times, the motor vehicle accident occurred on around 12:15pm near Monroe.

The 50-year-old tanker truck driver from Anacortes was uninjured in the accident. One report said that two other vehicles were hit by flying debris.

There are many concerns about the safety of U.S. 2 between Monroe and the Cascades. This route is a vital link between eastern Washington and the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma and is considered the "gateway" to the Cascades ferrying outdoor enthusiasts and freight.

In 1997, the US 2 Safety Coalition was formed because of the number of fatal car accidents in eastern Snohomish County on this highway. In about a 10 year period, there have been more than 50 fatal motor vehicle accidents on the highway between Snohomish and Stevens pass and more than 20 of these have been "cross-over" accidents in which a driver crossed the center line. Many people, including the Safety Coalition, have lobbied the state legislature to allocate funds to improve the safety of the highway including putting in barriers or creating a divided highway. Many people believe that congestion relief on Highway 2 and safety concerns are ignored in favor of road improvements in more populous areas.

This information is provided by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in car accidents and the family of those killed. With our help, you may be able to receive compensation for your damages.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

See our U.S. Route 2 Resources.

Oprah Winfrey has launched a campaign to get drivers to declare their motor vehicles as "No Phone Zones" and give up texting and cell phone usage while driving.

Some safety advocates estimate that 6,000 motor vehicle fatalities and 500,000 traffic accidents are caused by distracted driving each year including using cell phones.
Oprah said:

"It's like Russian roulette every time you pick up your phone in the car." 

Oprah is trying to bring distracted driving to the forefront of people's minds and is asking people to sign a pledge not to talk on the phone or text while driving. Oprah's No Phone Zone web-site already has 233,074 signatures from people pledging to a)not text while driving; b)not text and only use handsfree calling while driving; c)no talking or texting while driving.

Click here for Oprah's No Phone Zone pledge.

If you have been seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident caused by distracted driving, you should contact a personal injury attorney who will fight for you to be compensated for your damages. At The Farber Law Group, we have more than 30 years representing car accident victims and their families.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

A motorcyclist was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with serious injuries after being involved in an accident on Sunday evening around 9:30pm in Arlington, Washington. Arlington is a city of around 12,000 people, approximately 48 miles north of Seattle via Interstate 5.

According to a report in the HeraldNet of Everett, the motorcycle accident occurred on Highway 530 at 794th Street NE.

No other details about the accident were provided.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in motorcycle accidents due to the negligence of another.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

The Governors Highway Safety Association released the preliminary finding of a study which reports that motorcycle accident deaths are at their lowest since 1997. The report found that after 11 years of increasing motorcycle accident fatalities, in 2009 motorcycle accident deaths declined by 10% or more.

The report cited some reasons for the the decline in fatalities including:

• less motorcycle leisure riding
  
• fewer beginning riders
  
• increased awareness of motorcycle safety programs
  
• and poor weather in some states which reduced riding hours.
  

Motorcycle sales dropped by 42 percent in 2009 because of the economy so there were fewer novice riders out there is one reason for the drop in deaths speculates the report.

The report recommends that more progress can be made if riders do the following:

• wear approved helmets
  
• don't drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs
  
• reduce speeding
  
• take approved motorcycle training courses

This information is provided by Seattle Car Accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in motorcycle accidents and the family of those killed.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

Source:
Governors Highway Safety Association
New Study: Motorcycle Deaths Down Dramatically in 2009
http://www.ghsa.org/html/publications/spotlight/pdf/spotlight_motorcycles.pdf