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Car Accidents
3 Reasons to Hire Phillips Webster

Our attorneys have decades of experience negotiating with insurance companies regarding all types of vehicle accidents. If you have been injured in a wreck, contact us today.

  1. We represent EVERYONE in need anywhere in Washington - Minor and Major Injuries
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Posts Tagged ‘liability’

Rear-End Collisions Not Always Fault of Trailing Driver

auto accident attorneys, Auto Accidents, liability, rear end collisions, turn signals, Washington statutes

August 12th, 2009: Washington Law Blogger

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:

ยง 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.

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Posted in Auto Accidents

Washington Supreme Court Restores $14M DUI Accident Verdict

damages, DUI, DUI accident, DUI accident attorneys, injuries, liability, negligence

July 17th, 2009: Washington Law Blogger

When someone gets behind the wheel after drinking and causes injuries or worse, the parties who could be liable extend beyond the driver who caused the crash. While many states have a law in existence that’s known as the Dram Shop Act, Washington’s liability standards are not as clear. This is partially what led to the overturning of a trial court award by the Appellate Court for a disabled child. Yesterday, the award was restored by the Supreme Court.

According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

“The Supreme Court in Washington state on Thursday unanimously reinstated a $14 million award to a family who sued a tavern and a bartender after one of the bar’s customers drove away from the establishment and collided with their car, leaving a 7-year-old-boy a paraplegic.

Under state law, bartenders who serve visibly intoxicated customers are liable for damages to potential victims. At question was the type of evidence needed to prove “negligent overservice.”

Washington state’s justices noted that a forensic consultant found that the bar patron – Hawkeye Kinkaid – likely drank the equivalent of either 21 12-ounce beers or 30 ounces of 80-proof alcohol, and probably had a blood alcohol content of 0.32 at the time of the collision. The legal threshold in Washington state is 0.08.”

While this situation remains a senseless tragedy for many involved, including the driver who was killed in the accident, the boy who faces a lifetime of struggle will now be able to rest assured that his care will be paid for adequately. If you or someone you love has been harmed in a DUI accident, contact the attorneys at Phillips & Webster today to schedule a free initial consultation.

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Posted in Auto Accidents

One Dead, Deputy Injured in Head-On Crash

auto accident, auto accident lawyers, fatalities, head on crash, injuries, liability, police

July 9th, 2009: Washington Law Blogger

When people get behind the wheel of their vehicles, most do not consider the possibility that something horrific could happen. While there’s no reason to anticipate a terrible accident every time someone drives, the fact is that they do happen, even if you’re a police officer conducting official business in your public vehicle. One deputy found this out firsthand early this morning when his cruiser was hit head-on at 4 a.m.

According to King 5 in Seattle:

“The accident occurred at around 4 a.m. on Highway 2 near Roosevelt Road. According to the Washington State Patrol, the deputy was transporting a prisoner, a suspect in a domestic violence case, to Everett when a pick-up truck apparently crossed the center line on the two lane highway and slammed into the deputy’s car.

The patrol car went into a ditch. The pickup truck burst into flames.

The driver of the pick-up truck died at the scene.

Rescue crews had to remove the top of the patrol car in order to pull out the deputy and his prisoner.”

Given the time of the accident – 4 a.m. – many would consider the possibility that alcohol was involved in the incident. However, no statement was given regarding the possibility of investigating the presence of such a factor. While one life has been lost, the officer is expected to recover from the injuries suffered.

If you or someone you love has been injured in an auto accident, you need to take basic steps to make sure that your legal rights are protected. Contact the auto accident lawyers at Phillips & Webster today to schedule a free initial consultation.

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Posted in Auto Accidents

Why Insurance Companies Operate as They Do

attorneys, injuries, insurance companies, liability, policy holders, profit, Seattle auto accidents

June 22nd, 2009: Washington Law Blogger

Many of us have been conditioned to believe, at least to an extent, that insurance companies will do the right thing when necessary. For instance, if you or someone you love has been injured in an auto accident that was the other driver’s fault, many would assume that the driver’s insurance company would move forward with coverage of the damages for medical expenses and property damage up to the policy limit if necessary.

What many people have found out is that this is not the case. Clients have expressed not only frustration and outrage at some of the positions taken by these insurance companies, but also surprise. Given the expectation of fairness, clients in the past have willingly given statements to the representatives of these companies when they’ve been in touch following an accident, which is not something anyone should do.

The reason is that when it comes down to it, insurance companies are for-profit corporations. They are governed largely by their stock value, and their employees and in-house defense attorneys are given one mission – to minimize the liability that their companies will face when one of their policy holders puts them in a position to protect themselves.

Therefore, you need to keep in mind that another driver’s insurance company is not working in your best interests, but rather that of its own and its policy holder as a result. If you have been in an auto accident in Washington and you get a phone call or a letter from that insurance company, you need to politely decline to give any statement or offer of evidence until you speak with your own attorney. It’s simply the best way to protect your interests.

If you need help with this sort of situation, you need to contact the Seattle auto accident lawyers at Phillips & Webster today to schedule a free initial consultation.

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Posted in Auto Accidents

Being Harmed by a Company-Owned Vehicle – What Could Happen

attorney, Auto Accidents, company car, contractor, employee, individual, injuries, liability, media, seattle

June 8th, 2009: Washington Law Blogger

News stories are constantly hitting the air waves regarding traffic accidents of all types in Seattle. When these stories are reported, many readers will simply look at any names of the victims and/or the location of the crash, as most read news such as this based on how it could relate to them on an individual basis. While that’s certainly normal behavior, we posted Washington crash statistics recently and explained that they are extremely high in number.

While this means that there could come a time when all that needs to be remembered and handled in response to an auto accident will be put into action, what many do not think about is how the type of vehicle involved in an auto accident could affect your legal rights. Today, we’re going to cover a corporate, company-owned vehicle, and in the days that follow we’ll discuss a government vehicle and a private vehicle.

If you have been injured by a vehicle that seems to be owned by the driver’s place of employment, there are positives and negatives involved with this situation as they relate to your legal rights. Generally, it could be a positive because the vehicle is owned by a company and not an individual, which means that the financial viability and ability to pay damages is greater with this structure than with most individual drivers. Additionally, a company may be willing to settle a liability claim quickly in order to keep the story out of the news.

However, there are negatives involved as well. For instance, not all drivers of company vehicles are employees. Some are independent contractors, which means that the driver as an individual could be solely responsible for any accidents that occur. The situation could also prove problematic if the company follows a policy of fighting any claims like these, as they will have the wherewithal to hire an entire team of defense attorneys to deal with the problem.

Regardless, the first place you need to start is by leveling the playing field and getting into some particularized discovery of structure between the driver and company, the liability limits for each and how to deal with the defense attorneys that could be involved. In short, you’ll need the help of the Seattle auto accident attorneys at Phillips & Webster to make sure that your rights are enforced and protected. Contact the firm today to schedule a free initial consultation.

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Posted in Auto Accidents

Violent Incidents on City Buses Rise Sharply

bus assaults, liability, personal injury, personal injury lawyers, seattle, violent incidents

May 12th, 2009: Washington Law Blogger

There are many in city government who encourage people to use public transportation. While there are many valid reasons for this encouragement – saving fuel, cutting down on traffic congestion, minimizing the potential for rush hour accidents – there are trends playing out on Seattle’s buses that are unfortunately providing the ultimate discouragement to anyone who thinks of using them – a sharp rise in violence.

According to a report filed by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

“Reports show that incidents of violence or disturbances aboard Metro Transit buses are increasingly common, far outpacing increases in ridership, a seattlepi.com review has found.

Since 1998, the rate of assaults reported by Metro drivers has more than doubled, as has the total number of incidents reported annually. At the same time, Metro ridership numbers increased by 22 percent.

Assaults were reported on nearly every route, but 10 routes account for nearly half of all incidents reported in 2008. Leading the group were the No. 174, which connects downtown Seattle and Federal Way, and the No. 7, which serves the Rainier Valley. The two routes accounted for 102 incidents in 2008, nearly one-fifth of all reported.”

Officials note that in terms of statistical analysis, violent incidents remain exceedingly rare, and while that may be true, if people think it’s more likely than not that they could face a stressful situation on a city bus, it’s far less likely that people will use them regularly.

When incidents like these occur, the question of liability can be complicated. If you are assaulted on a bus, it could be the city that’s at fault and/or the perpetrator of the assault, depending on the factual circumstances. Regardless, if you or someone you love has been harmed on a city bus, contact the personal injury lawyers at Phillips & Webster today to schedule a free initial consultation.

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Posted in Uncategorized