seattle personal injury attorney

A 47-year-old man, who caused a serious traffic accident near Monroe in September, has tested positive for seven drugs including methamphetamine, morphine, marijuana and powerful sleep and anti-anxiety medicines, according to a Herald news report. The man was apparently the driver of a Toyota 4Runner SUV the morning of September 21, 2009, when he swerved across the center line and struck another oncoming SUV. The man his passenger sustained injuries. The driver of the other SUV, a 53-year-old Snohomish man, suffered serious injuries in the crash and now lives with a disability that makes it difficult for him to walk and even go about his everyday work, the newspaper reports.

The Revised Code of Washington Section 46.61.502 states: “A person is guilty of driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug if the person drives a vehicle within this state:
(a) And the person has, within two hours after driving, an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher as shown by analysis of the person’s breath or blood made under RCW 46.61.506; or
(b) While the person is under the influence of or affected by intoxicating liquor or any drug; or
(c) While the person is under the combined influence of or affected by intoxicating liquor and any drug.

If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a negligent driver or a driver who was operating under the influence of drugs or alcohol or a combination of both, you could seek compensation to cover medical expenses, loss of pay, loss of future earnings, physical therapy and cost of other continued treatment and care.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, please contact the experienced Seattle personal injury attorneys of The Bernard Law Group at 1-800-418-8282 or info@bernardlawgroup.com for a FREE, comprehensive and confidential consultation. We can also send you our FREE brochure, which has useful and educational information that will help you better understand your legal rights and options. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his skilled legal team today.

Source:http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20091230/NEWS01/712309837/0/ENT04

A new proposed bill aims to make cell phone use a primary offense in Washington State. According to a KING 5 news report, currently, police officers and Washington State Patrol officers can only issue cell phone tickets after another offense such as running a red light or speeding. Under this bill proposed by State Senator Tracey Eide, cell phone use by a driver would become a primary offense. This means you can be pulled over, and receive a citation just for using a handheld cell phone while driving. The bill would also ban texting while driving. The bill will be introduced at the start of the legislative session.

Driver distractions are the leading cause of most vehicle crashes and near crashes, according to a recent study released by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI). The study states that 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near crashes involve some form of driver distraction. In a majority of these incidents, the distraction occurs within three seconds of the auto accident.

Distracted driving does amount to negligence. If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a distracted driver, you could seek compensation to cover your injuries, damages and losses. If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident in Washington, please contact the experienced Seattle personal injury attorneys with The Bernard Law Group at 1-800-418-8282 or info@bernardlawgroup.com for a FREE comprehensive and confidential consultation. We can also send you our FREE informational brochure, which has useful educational information about car accident cases to help you understand your legal rights and options. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his skilled legal team today.

Source:http://www.king5.com/news/Cell-Phone-Proposal-80484167.html

Seven people were injured in a car accident in Gig Harbor that involved 20 vehicles, the News Tribune reports. Dense fog and speed apparently caused this chain-reaction collision that involved 20 vehicles and about 40 people. No one suffered life-threatening injuries, according to Washington State Patrol officials. Drivers told officials that they couldn’t stop in time to avoid the collision because it was too foggy. Gig Harbor police as well as the Washington State Patrol officials are trying to determine what caused the chain reaction accident and who hit whom during the collision.

In any car accident that involves multiple vehicles or multiple victims, the accident investigation can get pretty complicated because there are several victims, witnesses and vehicles involved in the process. It could take weeks before the investigation is completed and authorities are able to determine who struck whom or what caused the accident and resulting injuries. In such cases, it is extremely important that you get an experienced car accident lawyer on your side right away. A skilled Seattle personal injury lawyer will help examine the evidence, stay on top of the official investigation and look out for your best interests. Before you talk to or settle for less with an insurance adjuster, please contact an experienced car accident attorney to find out more about your legal rights and options.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident in Seattle, please contact the experienced Washington personal injury attorneys with The Bernard Law Group at 1-800-418-8282 or info@bernardlawgroup.com for a FREE comprehensive and confidential consultation. We can also send you our FREE informational brochure, which has useful educational information about car accident cases to help you better understand your legal rights and options. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his skilled legal team today.

Source:http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/1007752.html

A 57-year-old man sustained fatal injuries in a car accident on Highway 195 as he attempted to drive across the highway from Mullen Hill. According to a news report in KHQ, the two-car collision took place when the motorist was hit by a pickup truck that was driving south on the highway. The truck driver only sustained minor injuries. According to the report, the speed limit on the highway is 55 mph. However, it can be quite risky to cross because of heavy traffic.

In cases where a dangerous roadway or poorly engineered roadway causes or contributes to an auto accident, the governmental agency responsible for maintaining that roadway could be held liable. Usually in such accidents, it is important to look into who had the right-of-way and assess the speed of the vehicles at the time of the collision. To obtain such physical evidence, it is critical that an accident reconstruction expert get to the scene as soon as possible, after the accident occurs and before the evidence is cleared away. Once the evidence is lost, it is impossible to make the determinations that could be critical to your personal injury or wrongful death claim.

The experienced Seattle personal injury lawyers at The Bernard Law Group have an auto reconstruction expert on staff who will get to an accident scene and expedite the investigative process. This is very important in the preservation of valuable evidence and so that you can obtain the best possible result in your case. Time is of the essence in every injury accident case and it is crucial that you get in touch with us as soon as possible.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured by a negligent driver, please contact the skilled Washington personal injury attorneys with The Bernard Law Group for a free and comprehensive consultation. Call us at 1-800-418-8282 or e-mail us at info@bernardlawgroup.com for a FREE consultation. We can also send you our FREE brochure about auto accidents with useful and educational information that will help you better understand your legal rights and options. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his experienced legal team today.

Source:http://www.examiner.com/x-7460-Spokane-Headlines-Examiner~y2009m12d21-Man-dies-crossing-Highway-195-in-Eastern-Washington-State

A 63-year-old man sustained fatal injuries in a car accident involving four vehicles near Highway 99 in Edmonds, Washington. According to a news report in the Seattle Times, the man was waiting at a stop light at 220th Avenue Southwest and 76th Avenue West when a pickup truck driven by a 68-year-old man rear-ended him. The impact from the collision set off a chain reaction crash involving two other cars. One other man suffered minor injuries and debris from the three cars flew into another vehicle causing some damage.

Rear-end car crashes can cause significant injuries, especially to the occupants of the vehicle that is rear-ended. The Bernard Law Group has successfully represented thousands of car accident victims, many of whom were victims of negligent drivers. Recently our Seattle personal injury lawyers obtained a policy limits settlement for a Bremerton woman who was rear-ended and sustained severe neck injuries that required fusion surgery. She was unable to return to work as a caregiver at a senior center.

If a negligent driver has seriously injured you or a loved one, please contact the skilled Washington auto accident attorneys with The Bernard Law Group for a comprehensive consultation. Call us at 1-800-418-8282 or e-mail us at info@bernardlawgroup.com to schedule your FREE consultation. We can also send you our FREE informational brochure about auto accidents with useful educational information that will help you understand your legal rights and options. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his experienced legal team today.

Source:http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/theblotter/2010516677_edmonds_man_fatally_injured_in.html?syndication=rss

Two men sustained injuries in a head-on collision on Highway 308 in Polusbo, Washington. According to a news report in the Kitsap Sun, a 25-year-old man driving a Ford Probe east on the highway near Scandia Road, crossed the center line and struck a 2005 Lexus driven by a 58-year-old man. Both men were taken to the hospital with injuries. Washington State Patrol troopers said the 25-year-old man was cited for crossing the center line and causing the crash. Both men were wearing seatbelts and authorities do not believe that alcohol or drugs were involved.

Washington vehicle accidents often occur because of someone’s negligence – because of inattention, recklessness, speeding, distractions (use of cell phone or texting), falling asleep at the wheel or driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. If you have been injured in a car accident as a result of someone else’s negligence, please get an experienced Washington car accident attorney on your case immediately.

In cases where negligence or wrongdoing is involved, Washington auto accident victims could seek compensation to cover medical expenses, loss of earnings, cost of hospitalization, rehabilitation, therapy and other related damages. But recovery of damages will be extremely challenging if you do not get an experienced, resourceful Seattle personal injury attorney on your case right away. Waiting for too long to contact an attorney can destroy valuable evidence and weaken your personal injury claim.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, please contact the experienced Seattle personal injury attorneys at The Bernard Law Firm. Call 1-800-418-8282 or send an email to info@bernardlawgroup.com to schedule a FREE comprehensive and confidential consultation that we will provide at no cost to you. We can also send you our FREE informational brochure that has useful and educational information that will help you in understanding your legal rights. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his skilled legal team today.

Source:http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/dec/02/two-injured-in-north-kitsap-crash/?partner=yahoo_feeds

If you have been injured or have lost a loved one in a Seattle car accident, you know the pain and devastation that accompanies such a terrible event. It’s a harrowing experience emotionally and a tremendous strain financially, not to mention the pain and suffering related to the injuries. What many car accident victims or victims’ families don’t realize is that they may be entitled to seek compensation for their injuries and damages, specifically if the accident and injuries were caused as a result of someone else’s negligence.

We see examples of negligent or reckless driving almost everyday in Seattle and Washington State. The Seattle Times recently reported a fatal car accident, which claimed the life of a 63-year-old Edmonds man. The man was apparently driving a van which was stopped at a red light. According to the news report, another man approaching the red light slammed into the back of the van pushing it into the rear of a pickup truck stopped in front. The van’s driver was transported to an area hospital where he reportedly died of injuries sustained in this auto accident.

In cases where negligence or wrongdoing is involved, car accident injury victims may be able to recover damages for physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, medical and rehabilitative expenses, past and future loss of income or permanent disability. In auto accident cases that result in the victim’s death, the victim’s family may file a wrongful death claim against the negligent party, which could cover funeral costs, loss of earning and other related damages.

Experienced Seattle personal injury attorneys who have an excellent track record representing injured car accident victims and their families will be able to analyze an incident from various angles and determine who or what caused the accident in question. A knowledgeable car accident lawyer like Kirk Bernard will look at all possible scenarios including the involvement of other vehicles, auto product defects and a dangerous or defective roadway. For a free consultation of your auto accident or personal injury case, please contact the Bernard Law Group. We will fight for your rights and make sure you receive fair compensation for your injuries, damages and loss.

Source:http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010291787_dige18m.html?syndication=rss

Car accidents involving drunk drivers can result in devastating injuries and fatalities. With the holidays around the corner, drunk driving car accidents are always on the rise. Very often, in a DUI car accident, the seriously injured party is not the drunk driver, but the victim who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Here is a typical example of how that happens. A man was seriously injured in Auburn, Washington after a wrong-way driver on Highway 18 collided with him head-on. This person apparently drove more than a mile in the wrong direction before striking the victim’s vehicle. Washington State troopers arrested the wrong-way driver on suspicion of vehicular assault because alcohol was believed to be a factor. The wrong-way driver escaped with minor injuries, but the victim in this case sustained serious injuries and had to be airlifted to a Seattle hospital.

Driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs is not only wrong and unethical on so many levels, but it is also a serious crime in Washington State. Under the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) Section 46.61.502, it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or higher. But the fact that it is illegal, unfortunately, hasn’t deterred some drivers who continue to get behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. According to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), there were a total of 7,459 alcohol-related drunk driving accidents in 2007 alone, out of which 195 were fatal collisions. Based on this data, 3,394 people were injured out which 443 were serious injuries.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a DUI car accident in Washington State, you need the services of one of the experienced Seattle personal injury attorneys at the Bernard Law Firm, who has a successful track record holding drunk and negligent drivers accountable. Our skilled car accident lawyers will help you obtain compensation to cover medical expenses, lost wages, cost of hospitalization and even the high costs related to long-term care. Call Kirk Bernard at the Bernard Law Firm today to find out how we can help.

Source:http://www.kirotv.com/news/21595191/detail.html