Miscellaneous

• Man Dies in Canoe Accident

  Michael Myers | August 27, 2006 6:28 PM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  High winds and five- to seven-foot swells capsized a Makah tribal canoe near the Dungeness Spit late Wednesday afternoon, killing a Canadian tribal chief and hospitalizing three canoeists. Jerry Jack, 55, of Gold River, British Columbia, was pronounced dead at the scene, Clallam County Undersheriff Rich Sill said. Wrongful death claims may be brought regardless whether the accident occurred...

• Two People Drown in Lake Washington

  Michael Myers | August 27, 2006 11:34 AM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  An outing on Lake Washington turned deadly Wednesday evening when two people apparently drowned after jumping into the water from a small boat to cool off. A 34-year-old man and a 37-year-old woman, both from Seattle, were on the boat along with the man's 18-year-old cousin when the three decided to take a quick swim before heading to shore. The man and the woman drowned. Accidents like this...

• First Wave Of Lawsuits Filed After Cruise Ship Accident

  Michael Myers | August 27, 2006 8:08 AM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  The first wave of lawsuits against Princess Cruise Lines have been filed and hundreds more are expected. Some attorneys involved indicate that some passengers may get millions of dollars.The Crown Princess suddenly tilted 15 degrees to the side for about 30 seconds as it left Port Canaveral on its way to New York. The incident two weeks ago sent objects and people flying across the...

• Plane Carrying 50 Crashes In Kentucky

  Michael Myers | August 27, 2006 8:02 AM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  A Comair flight carrying 50 people crashed a mile from Lexington's airport Sunday morning. The Federal Aviation Administration reported that 49 of the 50 on the plane were killed. Aviation injuries and deaths are frequently caused by human error. In this case, a plane was on the wrong runway. Sometimes human error can be attributed to the airlines. Other times it can be attributed to...

• Soft Drink Companies Agree to Benzene Settlement

  Michael Myers | August 25, 2006 3:28 PM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  Two soft drink companies have stopped using ingredients that can form cancer-causing benzene, according to a proposed lawsuit settlement. Parents sued Atlanta-based In Zone Brands Inc., maker of BellyWashers, and Preston, Washington-based TalkingRain Beverage Co., over drinks containing benzene, which is linked to leukemia. If you are aware of injuries or death resulting from unsafe food or...

• Emotional Distress Damages May Not Be Taxed

  Michael Myers | August 25, 2006 3:01 PM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  The U. S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has issued an opinion in Murphy v. IRS, holding that the tax code provisions imposing income tax on damages for emotional distress are unconstitutional because the damages do not constitute "income" within the meaning of the 16th Amendment.

• Victor David and the State's Failure to Take Responsibility

  Michael Myers | August 24, 2006 11:35 AM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  Out of prison, Victor David wants to reunite with the wife he abused. Victor David has long insisted he isn't the "monster" behind what some have called the most egregious case of spousal abuse in state history. He proclaimed his innocence nine years ago after medics pulled his emaciated, battered wife, Linda, from the cramped and dirty sailboat where authorities say she was kept as a...

• Teenager Brings $15,000,000 Lawsuit Against Former Officer

  Michael Myers | August 24, 2006 11:34 AM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  A teenager who told authorities that retired Tacoma police officer Lee Giles Jr. and his girlfriend raped him for years is filing a $15 million claim against the City of Tacoma, his lawyer said Wednesday. Russell Van Camp, a Spokane lawyer representing the teen, said he mailed the claim to the city Wednesday. It contends the Tacoma Police Department was responsible for years of abuse the teen...

• Rape At Seattle Nursing Home

  Michael Myers | August 24, 2006 11:33 AM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  A King County nursing assistant is on the run after being charged with second-degree rape. Lamin Darboe, a 39-year-old nursing assistant, was working at Kindred Hospital in Seattle. He is accused of taking advantage of a stroke victim who is paralyzed and cannot speak. Not only does the the stroke victim have claims against Mr. Darboe, it also has claims against his employer for, e.g., negligent...

• Mobile Phones as Dangerous as Whiskey?

  Michael Myers | August 21, 2006 10:01 PM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  In 2002, a Miami jury awarded a 78-year-old woman $21,000,000.00. The woman had been previously injured in an automobile accident. The key evidence: The at fault driver's cell phone records. The studies indicate that driving while speaking on a hand held cell phone is more dangerous than consuming enough alcohol to exceed many state's legal limits before getting in an automobile. The key to...