Miscellaneous

• Emotional Distress--Fear For Safety

  Michael Myers | August 13, 2006 6:51 PM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  Accidents treat people differently. Two people can be in the same car during a crash. One is severely injured. The other one isn't. But that doesn't mean only the injured person has a claim. The uninjured person has a claim of his or her own if (1) they were in fear of being injured themselves and/or (2) witnessed injury to a close family member. If you or a person close to you has a claim...

• Police Officer Killed in Accident

  Michael Myers | August 13, 2006 2:48 PM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  A Seattle police officer died after a speeding sport-utility vehicle struck his patrol car in the city's Central District early Sunday morning. The officer was driving northbound on 23rd Avenue South through a green light at about 4 a.m. when an eastbound GMC Yukon ran a red light and struck the middle of his patrol car, police spokesman Sean Whitcomb said. "The officer was killed instantly." ...

• Loss Of Parental Consortium

  Michael Myers | August 12, 2006 6:49 PM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  When parents are injured as the result of someone else's negligence they have personal injury claims. It is quite possible that their spouses (or in some cases their domestic partners) have loss of consortium claims (basically, for the loss of at least part of the relationship) with a loved one. The children of the injured parent are often overlooked. But children, and even stepchildren, may...

• Hospitals Are Reluctant to Disclose Malpractice Statistics

  Michael Myers | August 12, 2006 3:34 PM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  When the Institute of Medicine issued a landmark report in 1999 saying that up to 98,000 people die each year in hospitals because of medical errors, a national effort was launched to improve patient safety. And patient rights groups began pushing for disclosure of more information when problems or medical errors occur. But there are still significant problems. Not just with patients dying...

• City of Bellingham Puts $400,000 Aside in Train Crossing Injury Case

  Michael Myers | August 12, 2006 3:08 PM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  The Bellingham Herald reports that the City of Bellingham has set aside $400,000 to cover a potential settlement in a lawsuit after a train crashed into a woman's car in 2001. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of Alizon Veit, named both BNSF Railway Co. and the City as liable parties for the crash.As this case illustrates, train crashes can involve the fault of several parties (drivers, train...

• Automakers and Insurance Companies Reducing Property Damage at Human Expense

  Michael Myers | August 12, 2006 2:53 PM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  Over the past 10 years whiplash injuries have increased. There are approximately 3,000,000 whiplash injuries per year attributable to stiffened bumper systems designed to protect the cars and avoid property damage repairs by the insurance industry. Studies show that car bumpers can withstand 10 - 12 mph low speed (yet hard impact) crashes with little or no damage. But these crashes kill a...

• Deciding Whether To Settle--It May Be Counter-Intuitive, But Don't Focus On The "Bottom Line"

  Michael Myers | August 11, 2006 6:21 PM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  We've probably settled a 1000 cases. And without exception the clients--regardless of sophistication--are focused on how much they will net...on how much they will put in their pockets. It's difficult to have to tell them that their precise calculation of attorney fees, costs advance, insurance subrogation, etc. are IRRELEVANT to the decision whether to settle their cases. The only relevant...

• Homeowners Insurance Covers Bottle Rocket Eye Injury

  Michael Myers | August 10, 2006 6:12 PM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  Home Owner's Insurance provides a significant breadth of coverage and can be implicated when there otherwise doesn't appear to be a means of recovery. A good example came up a couple of years ago. One of our clients' sons was hit in the eye with a bottle rocket. The child who shot the bottle rocket didn't have any money. And neither did his parents. But his parents did own their home. We...

• Proving Your Case with Video--Evidence is Everywhere

  Michael Myers | August 09, 2006 6:03 PM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  Video surveillance is pervasive. Statistics show that the average person is videotaped without his or her knowledge 10 or 15 times a day.Video surveillance is also highly advantageous in proving both liability and damages in a personal injury case. Video cameras are installed almost everywhere. They are at many intersections and also in many places of business.In a recent case against...

• Salaries Workers Entitled to Lost Compensation Even Though Employer Still Pays Them

  Michael Myers | August 09, 2006 9:58 AM | 0 CommentsSeattle, WA

  You are entitled to recovery of lost wages after being involved in an accident. Sometimes insurance carriers take the position that you should not be entitled to recover any compensation for the time you were off work if you are salaried. This position is inconsistent with Washington law. The insurance company does not get the benefit of your agreement with your employer - you do. We have...