Miscellaneous

• Danger on Local Rivers

  Michael Myers | May 29, 2006 6:44 PM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  Two deaths on the Klickitat last week have focused attention on the risks associated with river rafting. Veteran river guide Jeff Driver died when his raft capsized. Another member of the group, Rollin Schimmel, 61, of Pendleton, Oregon, also drowned.When injury or death occurs while on a guided rafting trip, the injured person or the family of the person who died will have a claim for damages...

• Personal Injury Protection Insurance--You Have More Coverage Than You Think

  Michael Myers | May 29, 2006 6:20 PM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  Personal Injury Protecton (PIP) pays for medical expenses and wage loss regardless of who caused the accident. It also covers pedestrians and bicyclists.State law requires that PIP coverage be offered and that it meet certain minimum requirements: Medical Expenses: $10,000Funeral Expenses: $ 2,000Medical expenses: $10,000Essential Services: $ 5,000Many people think that they have...

• Man Bites Dog--Client Ordered to Pay $2.8 Million to Physician

  Michael Myers | May 29, 2006 1:52 PM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  Harish Bharti's client must pay $2.8 million to physician Dennis Momah after a Pierce County judge decided the woman -- with Bharti's help -- fabricated claims that either Momah or his twin brother, Charles, sexually assaulted her during an exam.Charles Momah was sent to prison last year for fondling and raping women who came into his South King County gynecology clinics. But his twin broth...

• The Insurance Industry's Nasty Little Ploy

  Michael Myers | May 29, 2006 1:27 PM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  The insurance industry is setting up a devious new website: www.settleyourlcaim.com. Several large insurance companies have joined together to purchase the URL and are developing the website. It is intended to put personal injury attorneys out of business. If there are no personal injury attorneys, injured persons will have no one to protect their rights. The plan goes something like this: ...

• Fishermen's Wages

  Michael Myers | May 29, 2006 12:32 PM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  When fishermen are hurt, they are entitled to maintenance and cure. Part of the maintenance and cure remedy includes the right to unearned wages. Unearned wages are what the fisherman would have earned for the rest of the season if he had not been injured. Employers have tried to limit the right to unearned wages. They have done so by having fishermen sign employment contracts for relatively...

• Occupational Exposure

  Michael Myers | May 27, 2006 3:39 PM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  Seamen are not limited to workers compensation (Labor and Industries) remedies like their on-shore counterparts. They may bring claims against their employers based on occupational injuries and illnesses caused by their work. But they need to act as soon as possible after they realize they have suffered injuries or disease as a result of their working conditions. Repetitive motion injuries often...

• Cruise Ship May be Liable for On-Board Doctor's Negligence

  Michael Myers | April 02, 2006 12:47 PM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  Traditionally, maritime rule provides that a cruise line should not be held liable for the negligence of its on board doctor. However, the Illinois Appellate Court disagreed with the rule. In a recent case, a passenger cut his foot and was treated by the ship's doctor. He then sued the cruise line for the doctor's negligence. The court reasoned that a passenger has no choice but to seek...

• Update on Magnetix Toys and the Danger Posed to Children

  Michael Myers | April 01, 2006 10:58 AM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  Last week on Good Morning America, the manufacturer of Magnetix toys insisted it had no knowledge of any danger until December when a 22-month-old boy from Redmond died from his injuries. A California family disagrees. Doctors found 3 tiny magnets from the Magnetix toys in their 4-year-old's intestines. On October 31, the family sent a letter to the maker of Magnetix toys regarding the...

• Patients Risk Infection During Hospital Stay

  Michael Myers | March 31, 2006 2:54 PM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  Each year, over 2 million people get an infection (unrelated to their medical treatment) during their hospital stays. Approximately 90,000 of those die from the infections. In February 2004, 88-year-old Mark Bennett entered a hospital with a bad cough. In just a few days, he had been exposed to at least 6 different bacterial infections. His leg swelled and became discolored. Then, within 4...

• Recall of Magnetix Toys After Death and Injuries to Children

  Michael Myers | March 31, 2006 10:45 AM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  On March 30, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a recall of the Magnetix toys. These building sets include magnets that come loose and can seriously injure and even kill children. A 22-month-old Redmond boy accidentally swallowed the magnets, which twisted his small intestine and created a blockage. He died in November. Several other children have suffered serious injuries,...