Articles Posted in Automobile Accidents

An off-duty police officer from Auburn was behind the wheel of a vehicle that struck and killed a pedestrian in Seattle, news outlets reported. The driver is now facing charges for reckless driving, vehicular homicide, and a misdemeanor hit and run.

The accident happened after the off-duty officer struck the right rear corner of a taxi while driving his Mercedes-Benz vehicle in downtown Seattle on Saturday. While the accident caused minor damage to the taxi and no injuries, the driver sped off northbound on Alaskan Way without leaving his contact information. As he sped on 15th Avenue Northwest, traveling at an estimated 85 miles per hour on a road with a 30 mph speed limit, he drove onto the sidewalk while trying to turn right onto Gilman Drive West, hitting a pedestrian. The victim suffered fatal injuries and was killed almost immediately, official documents stated.

According to news outlets, the victim was a retired marine.

As Washington traffic approaches pre-pandemic levels, law enforcement grapples with an increase in deadly traffic accidents. While officials saw worrying numbers of drivers speeding and driving recklessly in 2020, accident data shows that drivers continued to speed well into 2021. As we approach spring 2022, the trend continues.

In Seattle, traffic accidents are especially concerning to pedestrians.

In 2021, city officials saw a considerable uptick in deadly crashes, with pedestrians in the Emerald city suffering greatly as a result. But in 2022, safety advocates argue, self-driving companies like Amazon’s Zoox could be putting more Seattle pedestrians in danger.

A horrific auto accident involving a drunk driver is horrifying Washington state.

According to the Washington State Patrol, two people were injured when a drunk driver hit them on Interstate 5.

The two victims were pushing their vehicle, which had run out of gas on the northbound lanes, when the drunk driver crashed into them before 2:30 a.m. on Sunday. One of the victims, a woman, was sent to the hospital with life-threatening injuries while the second victim was treated at the scene.

Three people were injured in a Washington auto accident after their van went off the roadway and slid down an embankment. According to King5 News, the single car accident occurred in the 17000 block of State Route 900 in Renton. Washington State Patrol officials said the 2003 Ford Econoline van veered off the roadway and went into a ditch and then struck an embankment. The driver and two passengers were all ejected from the van. The driver was ejected in spite of wearing a seatbelt, officials said. However he sustained the least of the injuries. Two others, who were not wearing their seatbelts, are in serious condition. Troopers believe alcohol was involved in the crash. The driver was arrested on suspicion of DUI.

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a serious crime in Washington State. According to the Revised Code of Washington Section 46.61.502, driving under the influence is when “a person is guilty of driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug if the person drives a vehicle within the state.” It is also illegal to drive with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or higher.

In such cases, victims can file a claim with the help of an experienced car accident Seattle lawyer against the at-fault party to cover their medical expenses, loss of earnings, cost of hospitalization, therapy and other related damages. This incident is also an important reminder for all of us to wear seatbelts. There is no question that seatbelts save lives.
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A Seattle father and son, who both sustained major injuries in a DUI car accident, received tremendous support from their community. According to a Fox News report, the driver who struck the father and son was sentenced to two and a half years in prison. The convicted motorist was under the influence of alcohol and drugs when he hit the father and son as they stood on the driveway of their home, causing debilitating injury to both. The son lost his leg in the crash and the father suffered devastating neck and ankle injuries. The family owns a Chinese restaurant in West Seattle, which had to be shut down because of their injuries and inability to work. So far, the family is unsure if and when the restaurant can be reopened.

As we all know, drunk driving is against the law and is a serious crime. What we very often do not hear about is how these accidents affect the families of injured individuals. In this particular case, not only did the father and son suffer catastrophic injuries, but it seems like they have lost the business they worked hard to establish and they’ve lost their livelihood. One man’s decision to get behind the wheel under the influence of alcohol and drugs greatly impacted this family’s life. The driver can apologize all he wants. But the young man will never get his leg back. And the family may never get its business back.

When a drunk driver causes an injury accident, he or she can be held not only criminally responsible, but also financially responsible for medical expenses and other costs incurred by the victims or their families. In such cases, injured victims can seek compensation with the help of skilled Seattle car accident lawyers to help cover medical expenses, loss of wages, cost of hospitalization, as well as costs for any physical therapy or rehabilitation that is needed for treatment of accident-related injuries.
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The Washington State Liquor Control Board has issued citations to two Spokane bars in connection with a DUI car crash in December, which resulted in three deaths. According to an Associated Press news report, the driver who caused the head-on collision was “over-served” at the downtown Spokane bars – The Lion’s Lair and the BLVD. Officials say they want the BLVD’s license suspended for a month and are asking for a five-day suspension or a fine against the Lion’s Lair. The drunk driver apparently drove west in the eastbound lanes of the Interstate 90 in Spokane. The drunk driver, as well as two people in the other car, were killed in the collision.

This news, interestingly enough, comes around the same time as when Men’s Health and USA Today released a study listing Spokane 51st among the “Drunkest Cities” in the United States. In fact, Spokane ranked higher than Seattle on this list. By assisting drunk driving accident victims, Seattle auto accident lawyers are working to help lower the city’s ranking as the 64th drunkest city in the United States.
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A pedestrian was critically injured in a Spokane car accident in the South Hill area, according to a KXLY news report. The injury collision occurred at the intersection of 10th and Oak where the victim was hit by a car. The driver of the car fled the scene of the crash. The victim was taken to a local hospital. The pedestrian is believed to have sustained life-threatening injuries. The suspect’s vehicle has been described as a light brown or blue sedan with a loud muffler.

As a Seattle car accident attorney, Kirk Bernard understands the serious consequences of hit-and-run accidents. Leaving the scene of an auto collision is a serious crime in Washington State and is punishable by jail time. According to the Revised Code of Washington Section 46.52.020: “A driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting in the injury to or death of any person or involving striking the body of a deceased person shall immediately stop such vehicle at the scene of such accident or as close thereto as possible but shall then forthwith return to, and in every event remain at, the scene of such accident until he or she has fulfilled the requirements of subsection (3) of this section; every such stop shall be made without obstructing traffic more than is necessary.”
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Four people were hospitalized with injuries from a Washington car accident on a collision on Highway 99, The Seattle Times reports. A collision between two cars sent one car off the roadway and into adjacent railroad tracks. Another car rolled over and landed on its roof. The four victims were transported to a Seattle hospital for treatment of their injuries. The extent of their injuries is not known. Drugs or alcohol were not involved in the accident. Seattle police are still investigating the cause of the accident.

In auto accident cases where two or more vehicles are involved, one of the most important questions to ask is, “Who was at fault for the accident?” If the collision occurred at an intersection, it is possible that one of the drivers failed to yield right-of-way at the intersection or ran a red light or stop sign. Seattle car accident lawyers often see first-hand how speed, driving recklessly or distracted driving may be common reasons for collisions taking place.
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A 50-year-old driver was injured in a Washington car accident after his 2005 Toyota pickup truck was rear-ended by a 1997 Nissan Maxima. The driver of the Toyota was making a left turn into the Sundown M. Ranch from the northbound State Route 821 in Selah, Washington, the Yakima Herald-Republic reports. Both drivers were transported to a local hospital. The extent of their injuries is not known. Officials believe that the woman driving the Maxima may have been inattentive just before the collision occurred. It is not clear what she was doing at the time.

Distractions and inattention amount to negligence when it comes to vehicular accidents. Distractions could include anything from talking on a hand-held cell phone, texting, eating, applying makeup or looking out the window at something that caught your eye. This is how most rear-end accidents are caused and several of these incidents often result in serious injuries. It could cause head injuries, spinal cord injuries or other types of neck and back injuries. Whiplash is one of the most common consequences of a rear-end collision. If you have been injured in a car accident as a result of a rear-end collision caused by a negligent driver, you can file a claim with the help of a Seattle car accident attorney seeking compensation for the medical expenses incurred as well as loss of wages.
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A 25-year-old man died in a Washington auto accident after he drove the wrong way on Interstate 90 and crashed into a truck. According to a news report in the Snoqualmie Valley Record Reporter, the Bremerton man was driving a 2000 Jeep Cherokee east in the westbound lanes near milepost 28. The Jeep narrowly missed a Washington State Patrol trooper’s vehicle and crashed into a bakery truck. The Jeep driver died. His 25-year-old female passenger sustained serious injuries as did the driver of the truck. Both injured victims were transported to a Seattle hospital. Police believe that alcohol was a factor in this fatal car accident.

It is against the law in Washington State to drive under the influence of intoxicants such as alcohol or drugs. It is also illegal to drive with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or higher. According to the Washington State Department of Transportation, there were a total of 521 traffic accident fatalities in 2008. Out of those, 225 or 43 percent were alcohol-related collisions. Also, 182 of these DUI collisions (about 35 percent), involved a driver with a blood alcohol level of more than 0.08 percent.

In cases where someone has been struck by a drunk driver, the victim can file a claim against the driver’s insurance seeking compensation. Victims in such cases, can seek compensation to cover medical expenses, lost wages, cost of hospitalization and other related damages. If the drunk driver who caused the accident dies in the crash, then a claim for compensation can be filed against the driver’s estate or his liability insurance. These can be complicated claims and are best handled by an experienced Seattle personal injury lawyer who has successfully represented injured car accident victims.
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