Washington and Seattle Injury Lawyers Phillips Webster » auto accident attorneys

Seattle Car Accident Attorneys: Head-On Collision Causes Serious Personal Injuries

Law Blogger — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 22:48:43 +0000

There isn’t a lot of information surrounding this accident since its so fresh, but reports are that Bucklin Hill Road in Silverdale has been closed near its intersection with Blaine Avenue because of a head-on collision. The accident happened just after 1 pm this afternoon.

Two people are reported to have critical personal injuries in the car accident. Two helicopters are on their way to the Kitsap Mall to fly the people to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

There no current reports as to why the collision happened, but the road has a wide middle turn land and many times head-on collisions can happen when two car suddenly approach to turn at the same time. Sometimes these lanes are also used by impatient drivers who use it to pass, which is always dangerous.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a car accident anywhere in Washington state, you need a skilled lawyer to deal with the insurance companies to assure you the best settlement. Call the Seattle car accident attorneys at Phillips Webster for a free consultation.

Learn More About:

“Slow Down or Pay Up” Speeding Crackdown Starts Friday

Law Blogger — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 17:02:20 +0000

The Washington State Traffic Commission is about to announce another round of a statewide campaign against speeders called “Slow Down or Pay Up.” This is a campaign that was inspired by “Click it or Ticket” and was first done in various counties around Washington in 2008.

Municipal Police from participating areas and Washington State Patrol officials are attending a news conference Thursday in Seattle to announce the details of the campaign, but essentially, taking a wild guess, if you’re speeding or driving recklessly you’re going to get stopped and ticketed.

The crackdown will start Friday. This probably also means that there are going to be lots-o-police on the road this weekend, so slow down and drive carefully.

Speeding is extremely harmful to everyone around. The few minutes a person shaves off of their time by speeding is a risk not worth taking. The reason for this is that people generally drive with an expectation that the other cars around them are generally moving at the same rate they are. If a person is speeding then it makes it hard to gauge how fast the car is approaching and may then cause an accident.

If you or someone you know has been injured in an car accident due to the negligence of another driver due to speeding, some of the best advice you can give is to find an attorney that is experienced in personal injury litigation. Call Phillips Webster for a free consultation on your legal rights.

Learn More About:

Fender Bender Leads to I-90 Seven Car Argument This Morning; Insurance Info Round-up

Law Blogger — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:47:36 +0000

Seattle – No one was hurt, but someone could have been when a slight fender bender was held up for much longer than it had to be as people parked on the side of the busy commuter highway of the road arguing about fault.

A police cruiser showed up first and calmed the situation. A single tow truck was seen taking one car away. The scene was cleared before 8 am, but not before creating a slow down that began at the time of the road side circus and didn’t end until long after the last car had left.

This is not needed. The frustration over wrecked property can be a little over whelming. If you get into a fender bender of a wreck on the freeway or highway it is best to pull over to the shoulder, stay in your car, and wait for a State Trooper to mediate. Do not get out of your car. There is speeding traffic and you don’t know the emotional state of the person in the next car.

If you find yourself in a wreck and you are wrangling with your insurance company call Phillips Webster to review your legal options today.

Driver in Addy Crash Charged with DUI

Law Blogger — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:57:14 +0000

Spokane – On the morning of February, 2^nd, Carla M. Mckinney was driving her 1992 Pontiac northbound on hwy 395 in Eastern Washington when she stopped on the highway at McLean Road. She was then struck in the rear by a 1994 Freightliner tractor trailer, a large diesel cargo freight truck. The truck was driven by Jansen Jay Blenz, of Post Falls, Washington State Patrol reported.

The accident happened around 7:40 am. It blocked traffic in both directions on Highway 395, 3 miles north of Addy, all morning.

Mckinney was taken to Providence Mt. Carmel Hospital in Colville where she was set into stable condition.

McKinney has been charged with driving under the influence (DUI) by the Washington State Patrol who said that the accident was due to impaired driving.

Running Red Lights – It’s Never Not Dangerous

Washington Law Blogger — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:43:40 +0000

Most of us know someone, if we are not that person ourselves, who will simply continue on through a red light if it ’seems safe.’ This typically happens on roads where there isn’t much traffic, but there are others who will accelerate through a yellow light, mistime the distance and speed and wind up flying through an intersection well after the signal has turned red. While some instances of ignoring the traffic signal may seem like no big deal, this decision is one of the leading causes of auto accidents in the United States every year.

The statistics are nothing short of startling. Estimates indicate that, on a national level, people running through red lights lead to almost 150,000 injuries and almost 1,000 fatalities every year in the United States. Clearly, no one could ever accurately estimate how many people actually run through these signals, the enforcement of this law is becoming more of a priority.

Seattle has installed more than two dozen traffic light cameras around the city, and while they have helped to curb this practice, they will never put an end to it. In order for that to happen, the individual needs to decide that he or she should no longer invite danger to him or herself and others by obeying traffic signals as they encounter them. Most estimates indicate that running a red light will save a driver between one and two minutes, and when viewing it from that perspective it isn’t difficult to surmise that risking lives isn’t worth it.

If you or someone you love has been injured because of another driver running a red light, you likely have a valid legal cause of action. Contact the auto accident attorneys at Phillips & Webster as soon as possible to schedule a free initial consultation.

Runaway Truck Damages Cars, Property

Washington Law Blogger — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 23:10:56 +0000

Certain accidents seem so surreal that they could only appear in movies, and even then they’d only be somewhat believable. One of those scenarios is the classic runaway truck situation where the driver’s brakes fail and he or she is forced to perform some sort of stunt driving in order to prevent a high number of injuries and fatalities. That’s exactly what happened in Seattle this morning, and thankfully, no one was seriously hurt. However, there was extensive property damage.

According to the Seattle Times:

“On his first day back on the job, Chad Cook faced a truck driver’s worst nightmare: a runaway truck filled with broken concrete barreling down a city street.

Cook had just moments to react after his dump truck lost its brakes, plowing into a strip mall rather than continuing down Madison Street and possibly killing people.

Cook said he lost his brakes at the top of a hill on Madison and was gaining speed, hitting three cars until it ran into a strip mall at the intersection of Madison and Martin Luther King Jr. Way. One driver was taken away by medics after being hit by Cook’s truck.”

The driver said that he intentionally ran the truck into the building in order to get it to come to a stop, which it did. Police are still investigating the cause of the accident, but those who had their vehicles and/or property damaged could have a need for an auto accident attorney. If you have suffered any sort of loss because of an auto accident, you need to contact the attorneys at Phillips & Webster immediately to schedule a free initial consultation.

Passing on a Two-Lane Highway Can Be Deadly

Washington Law Blogger — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 20:53:21 +0000

We’ve all been stuck behind slow-moving vehicles on two-lane highways, and it can be extremely frustrating. The immediate reaction that registers with most drivers is to attempt to pass on the left, but the necessary and innate calculations that need to be done have to be accurate. Any misjudgment in regards to the oncoming traffic can lead to tragic consequences, and this is apparently what happened recently on Highway 12 near Naches.

According to the Yakima Herald:

“The Abundiz brothers — Roman, 24, Raul, 15, and Fernando, 11 — died after their Jeep Wrangler crossed into oncoming traffic and collided with a Ford Expedition towing a boat about 12:15 p.m. Sunday, officials said.

The accident on U.S. Highway 12 occurred near milepost 176, between the “Y” and Rimrock Lake, according to the Washington State Patrol.

The youngest brother, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the Jeep and landed into the nearby shallow and marshy Tieton River, officials said.

Four of the Expedition’s six occupants — all from Kennewick — were injured and taken to area hospitals, officials said.

“It was a bad judgment call,” said Yakima County Coroner Jack Hawkins, referring to driver Roman Abundiz’s decision to cross into oncoming traffic. “There were cars and people all over the place … This time of year on a Sunday afternoon, as hot as it’s been, there were a lot of campers, trailers and boats on the road.”

All that can be said in the face of this tragedy is that if you are going to pass in this situation, you need to be absolutely sure that you’re able to do so with as little risk as possible. If you or someone you love has been injured in an auto accident, you need to contact the attorneys at Phillips & Webster as soon as possible to schedule a free initial consultation.

Reviewing Some Telling Statistics…

Washington Law Blogger — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 01:02:20 +0000

We’ve been posting about news stories regarding vehicle accidents as well as several items that detail different types of common mistakes that drivers make on the roads both in Seattle and everywhere else that lead to injuries and fatalities. While it’s easy to become consumed by individual stories, perhaps a look at the relevant traffic accident statistics from Seattle would serve everyone well as we all look to maintain safety on the roads around town.

The Washington Traffic Safety Commission keeps track of these statistics, and the last available set of them for a complete year are from 2007. Consider the following statistics that were recorded just in Seattle and not the surrounding areas:

Total collisions: 17,430
Fatalities: 18
Injuries: 7,163
Vehicles involved: 34,830
Collisions involving alcohol: 855

While these numbers may not look daunting, consider the fact that based on these numbers, there are more than 47 collisions every day in Seattle involving more than 90 vehicles. In addition, nearly 20 people are injured on a daily basis and 2.3 alcohol-related crashes occur within each 24-hour time frame.

As can plainly be seen, driving in Seattle is a dangerous proposition for everyone. Therefore, some basic precautions need to be taken by everyone, and they should be obvious:

Do not drink and drive
Drive at a reasonable speed
Follow the vehicle in front of you at a safe distance
Look before changing lanes or turning
Use your turn signals
Always keep a defensive mental approach to driving

While taking these steps will certainly help, they may not allow you to avoid the mistakes of others. If you or someone you love has been harmed in an auto accident, contact the attorneys at Phillips & Webster today to schedule a free initial consultation.

Man Suspected of Causing Accident Flees Hospital

Washington Law Blogger — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 20:46:19 +0000

When an accident occurs that leads to multiple injuries, the person who is at fault usually winds up facing scrutiny from several fronts, including personal injury attorneys and perhaps the prosecutor’s office. While it’s too soon to know what will happen to one man who’s suspected of causing a multiple-injury crash, he apparently did not want to stay in one place long enough to find out, as he attempted to flee from the hospital.

According to the Seattle Times:

“A man suspected of causing an accident that injured seven people in Bothell Wednesday night tried to flee from police by running from a hospital where he was being treated for minor injuries, the State Patrol says. But he left behind his clothes.

Just after 6 p.m., the State Patrol began receiving 911 calls from witnesses who reported a white 1998 Dodge Dakota pickup being driven at more than 100 mph on the southbound lanes of Interstate 405 in Bothell. The pickup struck a Mazda minivan carrying two women and four children. The State Patrol reports the impact forced the minivan across four lanes of traffic and onto a dirt median, where it overturned.”

The man was quickly apprehended by police. Clearly, driving over 100 mph could be construed as negligent at least, and perhaps even reckless. Luckily, no one was killed or permanently injured in the crash, but the fact remains that the driver could face liability on both the civil and criminal fronts based on the results of the investigation of the accident.

If you or someone you love has been injured as a result of an auto accident, you need to contact the attorneys at Phillips & Webster as soon as possible to schedule a free initial consultation.

Rear-End Collisions Not Always Fault of Trailing Driver

Washington Law Blogger — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 20:05:30 +0000

As we continue to cover common mistakes that are made on the roads in Washington that tend to lead to accidents, today we’ll cover something that occurs with too much frequency – turning or changing lanes without giving a signal to other drivers. The only plausible explanations that can be given for not using a turn signal are laziness and/or inattentiveness. If a turn signal is not working, that’s considered a violation and must be repaired.

Many also assume that when a rear-end collision occurs, the person who’s in the trailing position is always at fault. While that’s true in most instances, it’s not always the case. If the person who’s in front does not use his or her turn signal and is hit from behind, that driver will likely be held at least partially liable. Washington law states:

§ 46.61.305. When signals required — Improper use prohibited

(1) No person shall turn a vehicle or move right or left upon a roadway unless and until such movement can be made with reasonable safety nor without giving an appropriate signal in the manner hereinafter provided.

(2) A signal of intention to turn or move right or left when required shall be given continuously during not less than the last one hundred feet traveled by the vehicle before turning.

(3) No person shall stop or suddenly decrease the speed of a vehicle without first giving an appropriate signal in the manner provided herein to the driver of any vehicle immediately to the rear when there is opportunity to give such signal.

Therefore, if you find yourself in the habit of not using your signal, you need to change that behavior to make things safer for yourself and other drivers. If you or someone you love has been injured in an auto accident because of this situation, you need to contact the attorneys at Phillips & Webster immediately to schedule a free initial consultation.