Seattle Injury Blog

The Bernard Law Group has launched a new website focusing on spinal cord injuries and the legal grounds involved when such tragedy strikes. Personal injury attorney, Kirk Bernard, is happy to announce the website, http://www.washingtonspinalcordinjuryattorneys.com/, as a resource for spinal injury news, information on causes of spinal injury, and advice for those with various kinds of spinal injuries.

As is the case for most serious injuries, spinal cord injury affects lives unexpectedly and in life-altering ways that require specific medical attention and long rehabilitation to reach a point of well being and good health. The Bernard Law Group believes that it is important for a spinal cord injury victim and their family to understand their legal options when holding those responsible whose negligent actions caused the injury.

As the main “pathway” for neurological impulses to transfer senses and unconscious functions back and forth between the brain and the rest of the body, the spinal cord is extremely important and sensitive. Spine damage can have a drastic influence on an individual’s life and what can be done to treat these injuries has a lot to do with what caused it. Depending on the degree in which the vertebrae-which helps protect the spinal cord- has been damaged, nerve signal transmission can be hindered, causing different types of paralysis.

For two decades, the Bernard Law Group has defended the rights of those who have suffered personal injury due to the negligence of someone else or a large entity. Our firm prides itself in defending the rights of victims and being successful in obtaining millions of dollars for our clients in a number of trial verdicts and settlements. If you or a loved one has experienced a spinal cord injury, no matter how serious or minor, contact the Washington spinal cord injury attorneys at the Bernard Law Group for a free consultation.

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Posted In: Kirk Bernard , Personal Injury , Spinal Cord Injury

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According to authorities, a father and his young son were killed in a single-engine aviation accident in Washington State. The man’s 5-year-old daughter was critically injured.

The Yakima County Coroner’s Office says that the 37-year-old man, from Yakima, Washington, and his 13-year-old son were killed in the crash that occurred Sunday afternoon.

The 5-year-old daughter suffered multiple fractures, as well as head injuries, and was first taken to Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital, before being airlifted to a Seattle’s Harborview Medical Center.

The rented plane, a single-engine Cessna, went down near the east end of Rimrock Lake, about 40 miles west of Yakima.

Allen Kenitzer, regional spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, says he isn’t sure of the plane’s destination or point of departure. The tragic crash is being investigated.

Continue reading "Small Plane Crash in Washington Leaves 2 Dead, 1 Injured" »

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Posted In: Aviation Accident , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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Tuesday night in Thurston County, a 5-year-old boy was badly hurt in a hit-and-run accident. The boy sustained serious facial injuries and was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

According to troopers, the boy was in a car that rolled across Yelm Highway. They believe that the car was either hit or cut off by another vehicle. The car ended up running through the fence of a golf course.

The suspect, who had two dogs in his car according to the police, kept driving after the Washington car accident. He was later found at a veterinarian's office, where he was taken into custody.

An adult and another child in the vehicle that rolled were taken to local hospitals.

Continue reading "Thurston County Hit and Run Accident Leaves Boy Seriously Injured" »

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Personal Injury

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Kirk Bernard of the Bernard Law Group is pleased to announce the launch of a new website focusing on the legal arena of auto product liability law. The website, http://www.washingtonautoproductliabilityattorneys.com focuses on detailing the latest in auto product recall news, offering consumers information and advice on automobiles and automotive parts that have been deemed dangerous.

The Bernard Law Group hopes to share its substantial experience litigating these types of cases with the public for the purpose of educating and warning drivers throughout the state of Washington about the dangers of the automobiles they commute in daily. The group also hopes to reach out to those individuals who may have been injured due to a defective auto product and offer them an opportunity to not only share their story, but also pursue just compensation under the law.

The public has the right to expect that auto manufacturers will produce a safe product built with the highest quality materials available. A manufacturer is expected to stand behind its product, and the public should demand accountability from the manufacturer for injuries caused by the product. When automakers fall short of that goal and put profits ahead of the safety of their consumers, injured individuals have a right to seek restitution for their losses through the legal system.

The Bernard Law Group is a limited liability company. For two decades, we have applied our collective experience and knowledge exclusively to personal injury. We have been successful in obtaining millions of dollars for our clients in a number of settlements and trial verdicts. If you or somebody you love has been injured due to a defective auto product, contact the Washington auto product liability attorneys at The Bernard Law Group today for a consultation of your case.

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Posted In: Auto Product Liability , Kirk Bernard , Personal Injury

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The website latimes.com reported in an article on April 14, 2009 that the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has recently published the results of a series of crash tests. The Institute crashed a Honda Fit into a Honda Accord, a Smart ForTwo into a Mercedes C-Class, and a Toyota Yaris into a Toyota Camry each at 40 miles per hour. Test results showed that small cars may be more efficient but your safety is definitely compromised. The vehicles were tested in “offset” crashes in which the cars do not crash head on; instead, the collisions are made to simulate the type of collision that would occur during an auto accident if a car had veered over the center line where the damage can easily break into the passenger compartment. The institute believes that the cars sustained enough damage that their occupants would also have suffered moderate to serious injuries.

Adrian Lund, president of the Arlington, Virginia based institute said, “Though much safer than they were a few years ago, minicars as a group do a comparatively poor job of protecting people in crashes, simply because they're smaller and lighter. In collisions with bigger vehicles, the forces acting on the smaller ones are higher, and there's less distance from the front of a small car to the occupant compartment to 'ride down' the impact. These and other factors increase injury likelihood."

Dave Schembri, president of Smart’s U.S. operations said the tests were an example of “rare and extreme” accidents. The Smart ForTwo meets or exceeds all U.S. government crash-test standards. The other manufactures released similar statements.

Everyday trusting consumers use a variety of products, such as automobiles, electronics and medications, and do not think of the harmful effects that those products may have on them. If companies produce dangerous or faulty products, they can cause serious bodily injury or even death to innocent victims. A product manufacturer assumes responsibility regarding the consumer. The public has the right to expect that a manufacturer will produce a safe product built with the highest quality materials available.

If you have been seriously injured in an car accident in Seattle, the Bernard Law Group can help you determine if the manufacture was at fault. They have been representing the victims of wrongdoing for years. Their team of devoted Washington defective product attorneys represents those persons who have suffered monetary loss, serious injury, personal loss and future damages due to negligence, including but not limited to, recalled products, auto product liability. Please call 1-800-418-8282 for a free consultation.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , News & Information , Personal Injury , Product liability

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The website philly.com reported in a storyon April 29, 2009 that Ray LaHood, U.S. Secretary of Transportation has plans to order a full departmental review of motor coach safety. This action comes a day after five people were killed when a tour bus carrying French tourists crashed in Soledad, California a small town located in Monterey County. The wrongful death accident prompted the California Highway Patrol to close highway 101 in both directions.

Spokesperson for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Rae Tyson, stated that the review was issued after an April 21 hearing into a crash in Utah that killed nine people in January 2008.

In 1999 the National Transportation Safety Board recommended that the highway administration develop bus construction standards to reduce injuries during collisions and rollover accidents.

Tyson stated he expected the agency to present new bus safety policies by the end of the year.

Whether you are a child or an adult, ride a school bus or metro bus, you may be at risk for serious bus accident related injuries. If you have been involved in a bus accident or a car accident in Seattle, you may experience a variety of injuries, such as cuts and bruises, bone fractures, head injuries, and other serious injuries. The bus company may be held liable for your injuries and may compensate you for your pain and suffering, medical expenses, and other accident-related costs.

If you or a loved one has been involved in bus accident in Seattle, you need an attorney that knows the law and will fight for your rights. The Bernard Law Group is an experienced and aggressive Seattle personal injury law firm devoted exclusively to representing injury and accident victims. We have been successful in obtaining millions of dollars for our clients in a number of settlements and trial verdicts. We attorneys have the financial resources to take on any defendant. All of our attorneys are highly experienced and our special approach to handling cases enables us to monitor, update and deal with each and every issue for the successful resolution of our clients’ claims. Please call 1-800-418-8282 for a free consultation.

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Posted In: Bus Accidents , News & Information , Personal Injury , Wrongful Death

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Tuesday morning during rush hour, a multiple vehicle crash occurred on southbound Interstate 5 at Northgate. Apparently, this crash led to a second, more serious crash in the northbound lanes when a motorcyclist struck an ambulance.

At Bernard Law Group, we handle personal injury lawsuits that are the results of auto accidents in Washington State every day. Call our attorneys at 1-800-418-8282. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

According to SeattleTimes.com, a motorcyclist, riding north on Interstate 5 near Northgate this morning apparently became distracted by the commotion on the other side of the freeway as emergency workers dealt with the aftermath of three, near-simultaneous collisions that blocked southbound lanes for nearly two hours.

Washington State Trooper Cliff Pratt said that the 29-year-old Seattle man on the motorcycle "was watching the accident scene the entire time" and was illegally listening to music with ear buds stuck in each ear. "He wasn't paying attention", Pratt also said, and he slammed into the back of an ambulance that had parked in the northbound carpool lane, narrowly missing an EMT who had gone to her rig for medical supplies to treat patients involved in the earlier crashes.

Pratt also said it's illegal for drivers to have headphones on or ear buds in both ears, though it's fine to drive with one ear bud so long as you can hear surrounding noises. The motorcyclist will likely be cited for inattention to driving, he said.

"He's not as bad as we first thought," Pratt said. "He's definitely messed up but it looks like he's going to make it."

By 8:30am, southbound lanes were completely reopened. Northbound lanes were cleared by approximately 9:30. But traffic was backed up for miles in both directions starting about 6:40 a.m., when seven southbound vehicles were involved in three separate car accidents in Seattle that caused one vehicle to roll onto its top and skid across into the carpool lane.

Though only minor injuries were sustained in that accident, southbound traffic was backed up during the morning's commute more than six miles, to Lynnwood.

If you are seriously injured in an accident, or someone you know is injured or possibly even killed, call the skilled Seattle personal injury attorneys at Bernard Law Group, 1-800-418-8282. We can help you immediately. All e-mail and form submissions will be responded to by a qualified and knowledgeable member of our firm within 24 hours. Call our toll-free number 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and we promise to respond immediately.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Personal Injury

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The website wsp.wa.gov reported in a story on April 28, 2009 that a Battle Ground School Bus was rear ended on SR-503, just north of N.E. 149th Street while stopped at a railroad crossing. According to the Washington State Police, the driver of the bus, Nina Millard, 39 of Battle Ground, had stopped at the railroad crossing to clear it when a 2008 VW Jetta, driven by Jace Delgado, 22, also from Battle Ground, struck her from behind blocking both northbound lanes. Both drivers were wearing their seatbelts and were not seriously injured.

Delgado claims to have been following an SUV that made a lane change to the left at which point Delgado noticed the bus with its stop paddle deployed when he attempted to swerve to avoid a collision. Unsuccessful in his attempt he hit the bus and Delgados’s Jetta ended up partially underneath the bus.

An investigation by the Washington State Patrol concluded that Delgado was traveling at an excessive speed and it's fortunate that no personal injury in Washington was suffered by anyone in this incident.

The United States employs approximately 450,000 school buses to transport children to school each day. There have been many cases of injuries and deaths related to school bus accident, including children being struck or run over by the bus, rollovers, and collisions.

The Bernard Law Group has been representing the victims of negligence for two decades. Our team of dedicated lawyers represents those who have suffered from serious injuries, financial loss, personal loss and future damages due to negligence. Negligence includes, but is not limited to, Washington automobile accidents, motorcycle accidents, and truck accidents.

If you have seriously injured in an automobile accident, you need experienced and skilled representation looking out for your rights. At Bernard Law Group, we have the financial resources to take on any defendant and can help you during these difficult times. Please call 1-800-418-8282 for a free consultation.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Bus Accidents , Personal Injury , Train Accidents

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The website komonews.com reported in a story on April 20, 2009 that Chrissy Gombos of Kirkland called the authorities to report a near death experience in Skagit County, Washington. Gombos claims that a piece of debris came off the back of a truck on Interstate 5 which thankfully struck her cars’ under carriage and not the windshield.

Gombos said, “All of the sudden, out of nowhere within a split second, I saw a large chunk of something that didn't really have a shape come off a generic delivery truck in front of us.”

It is still unclear what struck Gombos’ Ford Focus but it was rocked as if it had hit a bomb. The debris punctured the gas tank, and bent a front axle. She believes that the driver of the truck never knew what happened and kept driving.

Gombos said, “The noise was so loud, Wendy, my passenger who was knitting, thought we had hit a car.”

Truck driver’s are responsible for their loads and if they fail to secure them and a load causes injury or death they can potentially face jail time and a $5,000 fine. Additional charges can be filed if the unsecured debris causes property damage.

The most common causes of Seattle truck accidents are unsafe driving, driver fatigue, oversized loads and mechanical negligence.

Whether you were involved in an accident with an 18-wheeler, a truck hauling hazardous waste, a commercial truck, or a pickup truck, the Bernard Law Group can help. The Bernard Law Group has significant Washington State trucking law experience. We have experience in filing Seattle trucking lawsuits and have recovered significant damages from truck accidents. Our experienced Seattle personal injury attorneys handle almost every trucking accident case on a contingent basis, meaning that they only get paid if they win your case. Please call 1-800-418-8282 for a free consultation.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Personal Injury , Truck Accidents

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The website king5.com reported in an article on April 14, 2009 that the family of fifteen year old Haley Salvador wants to alert people, especially teens, not to cross Interstate 5. According to reports, Salvador had taken the shortcut countless times but the last time would prove to be a deadly one.

Niky Griffin and Daniel Leatherman accompanied their good friend Salvador the night of the dreadful pedestrian accident in Washington. They say that they went across the first time safely but on the way back Salvador took the wrong shortcut and actually cut across I-5 instead of going up the on ramp.

Griffin said, “You have to make sure cars aren't going too fast that they could hit you. She didn't go up the onramp. She went down it and across the freeway, which she wasn't supposed to do. I don't know why she went that way.”

Salvador is not the first to cross the I-5 at this juncture and will most likely not be the last. According to teens, the shortcut lessens their trip to Everett Mall by 20 minutes. With no pedestrian bridge, the shortcut entices teens to the point that they overlook their safety in order to avoid taking the long way.

Daniel Letherman said, “I live right across the freeway... and this is the fastest way unless you go all the way around. There's no other way to get to the mall.”

Brandon Lee, Washington State Patrol said, “Running across four to five lanes, on-off ramps, it's just not safe, especially at night, it's really deceiving how fast people are going”.

Automobile and truck accidents in Seattle also may involve other complex issues, including dangerous highway design, dangerous design of an automobile, an airbag failure or trucks. These cases may involve multiple defendants, including state and local governments, the Washington Department of Transportation and automobile manufacturers.

The lawyers at The Bernard Law Group can help you if you have been seriously hurt in Seattle or Washington State. They can prove if road conditions were unsafe, if there was inadequate safety and warning, or any other factors that may have been responsible for an accident. Much of this evidence is highly sensitive and may deteriorate over time. Sadly, many accident victims fail to act in defense of their rights until it is too late. Don't let your case slip away from you. Please call the skilled Seattle personal injury attorneys at 1-800-418-8282 for a free consultation.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Pedestrian Accidents , Personal Injury , Truck Accidents , Wrongful Death

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The website seattletimes.com reported in an article on April 28, 2009 that the family of Bryce Lewis, 19 who was killed when a dump truck struck the bike she was riding, has settled out of court. The family attorney stated that parents Marc and Laura Paolicelli of Colorado, agreed to an unrevealed sum of money from Nelson & Sons Construction of Woodinville.

According to Police Reports, Lewis and friend Caleb Hall were riding in a bike lane on Eastlake Avenue East near the University Bridge in 2007 when a dump truck owned by Nelson & Sons and driven by David McClane made a right turn without warning the riders. Apparently unaware he had hit anything, McClane kept driving for a short period before stopping.

Months after the tragic bike accident in Washington, a large group of bicyclists carried out a wheeled demonstration along the streets of Seattle in memory of Lewis and to call on city officials to take more actions to ensure bike safety, particularly in the Eastlake neighborhood.

Christensen said, “Nelson & Sons stepped forward and did the right thing and the family was satisfied by their gestures.”

Accidents involving trucks account for over 130,000 injuries in the United States. There are 5,000 deaths each year and close to 35% of the injuries are catastrophic. Trucks over 10,000 pounds (semis and tractor-trailer) represent only 3% of all registered vehicles but are responsible for over 25% of vehicle related deaths.

Death and injuries from trucking accidents in Washington is on the rise. The laws surrounding trucking accidents are different than laws covering other accidents, which is why it is so important to contact a law firm with specific Washington truck accident lawsuit experience.

The Bernard Law Group has experience in filing Seattle trucking lawsuits and recovering significant damages from truck accidents. Our firm handles almost every trucking accident case on a contingent basis, meaning that we only get paid if we win your case. Please call the skilled Seattle wrongful death lawyers of Bernard Law Group at 1-800-418-8282 for a free consultation.

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Posted In: Bicycle Accident , Personal Injury , Truck Accidents , Wrongful Death

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Just after 4 p.m. Monday, an SUV rolled after hitting the cement median barrier on I-5. The accident happened in the northbound lane in Chehalis.

At Bernard Law Group, we handle personal injury lawsuits that are the results of auto accidents in Washington State every day. Call our attorneys at 1-800-418-8282. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

One of the two occupants in the vehicle, a male passenger, was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with serious injuries. The man's arm appeared to be severely fractured, said State Trooper Neil Weaver.

The woman who was driving the car sustained minor injuries and was taken to Providence Centralia Hospital after complaining of neck pain.

According to witnesses, the SUV was driving in the left lane just south of Exit 76 when a four-door passenger car attempted to merge into its lane. The SUV swerved to avoid a collision with the car, but ran into the cement guardrail.

One witness said, “She went really high.” She also said the vehicle went about six feet in the air “and then tumbled at least two times.”

The investigation is ongoing.

If you are seriously injured in an accident, or someone you know is injured or possibly even killed, call the skilled Seattle personal injury attorneys at Bernard Law Group, 1-800-418-8282. We can help you immediately. All e-mail and form submissions will be responded to by a qualified and knowledgeable member of our firm within 24 hours. Call our toll-free number 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and we promise to respond immediately.

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Posted In: Automobile Accidents , Personal Injury

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