If you are asking yourself, “Can I Get Compensation If My Husband Has Died in a Car Accident?” then you have probably gone through many facets of the grieving process and are now seeking answers. There are may questions that you must first ask yourself to help you determine whether compensation is available to you. (see below)

Once these questions have been established, then you may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit by going over the details with your lawyer and, with their help, investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of your loved one in order to determine the amount of compensation.

When you file your wrongful death lawsuit, it is a civil trial where you are the “plaintiff” and those you seek compensation from are the “defendants.” It is up to the plaintiff to determine fault or negligence by the defendant, which lead directly of indirectly to the death of your loved one. This is difficult, but with the proper council, many have received the justice they deserve.

Compensation Questions to Determine Wrongful Death

1) Police Report – As the spouse you may obtain the police report and speak to the officers that investigated the car accident scene in order to learn details that may have been omitted from the report. Omissions and sloppy reports often suspend justice.

2) Citations – If other drivers were cited for infractions related to the accident then the accident may have been caused by another driver’s negligence. These minor infractions may establish negligence regardless of what it was for.

3) Arrests – Driving under the influence (DUI) is easily one of the largest and most senseless causes of vehicular death. If the other driver involved in the accident was arrested for DUI at the scene, regardless of who the police report cites as fault, you may be entitled to compensation.

4) Response – Many wrongful death cases have found that the accident victim’s death could have been prevented if the proper procedures had been followed by the police and medical response team. If you find these procedures or the care questionable then it is best to find a legal review of those procedures.

5) Medical Care – The trauma care in the Puget Sound area is some of the best in the country, but sometimes victims fall through the cracks. If your loved one died in the care of the emergency ward staff, you may want to review the circumstances with the help of legal council.

6) Signals – Many accidents could have been avoided if the intersection or road had proper signs, signals, and maintenance. The crash history of the section of road or intersection could also be important in a wrongful death lawsuit caused by a car accident.

7) Circumstances – If there was road construction, another traffic stop, another accident obstructing traffic, or any other alternate circumstances surrounding the accident, then there may be negligence on the side of outside sources. It is important to review all statements and details of the scene of the accident.

Sources of Compensation

To seek compensation there must be a source from where the compensation comes. When determining who is named, as stated above, there has to be a determination of negligence or fault. Once that has been established many times these individuals are backed by insurance companies for these very reasons.

Insurance Companies – They insure motorists by a risk-to-profitability scale and will do anything to avoid paying out on claims. If this is their business model then victim’s families can be rest assured the company is going to do whatever they can to avoid paying out on a wrongful death lawsuit. You may have already gotten contacted by an insurance agent. Make sure you log that call and jot down whatever was said. Most of all, do not sign anything an insurance company asks you to sign without first having your legal representative review it.

City, County, State – Their police and response infrastructures have procedures and a code of conduct they must abide by. Conversely, towns and cities are held to the standard that they provide a reasonable amount of safety to their citizens and visitors. If they have not taken measures to recognized hazardous roadways and intersections, particularly after a clear history of complaints and crash data, then they should be held accountable for injuries and deaths that are caused by these hazards.

Individuals – Individuals such as the other driver, the negligent police officer, the negligent doctor, etc, may be named in the lawsuit over the death of your husband if fault has been determined. They are either covered by an insurance company or must take the compensation out of their own funds if a verdict turns out positively for the plaintiff (you).

Seattle Car Accident Attorneys

The dedicated staff of skilled lawyers at Phillips Webster have represented hundreds of widows and families who are seeking answers, justice, and compensation for the deaths of their husbands, fathers, and loved ones. These lawsuits are not easy. They often require hours of investigation and litigation. They also can be emotionally draining, but many have found the process rewarding when the lawsuits are finally are settled either inside or outside of court.

Families who have experienced the wrongful death of a loved one due to the negligence of another should seek an experienced car accident wrongful death attorney to represent their best interests and get the compensation they deserve. Call Phillips Webster for a free consultation.

Learn More About:

• Elements of a Wrongful Death Case
• Time Limitations and Restrictions in Wrongful Death Cases
• Financial Entitlements in Wrongful Death Cases

But that doesn’t mean that people didn’t die by the hundreds as the virus stretched its snout all the way up to the Northwest. To those it effected, they may never be that sick in their lives again. To others who lost loved ones the helpless feeling and the grieving still enters their lives even today as is the case Kenneth Flyte, of Puyallup, who lost his wife and infant daughter to the terrible disease.

Allegations of Medical Malpractice

The whole thing started in June 2009 when Kathryn Flyte began to feel under the weather. She quickly developed severe flu-like symptoms. This scared both her and her husband Kenneth since she was six months pregnant with the couple’s daughter, so they went to the hospital. She was examined and sent home with what hospital workers thought was a normal bought of flu, but it wasn’t just the run of the mill strain.

Her health deteriorated so quickly that they rushed back to Summit View Clinic to save both her and the baby. They did a saline test and diagnosed her with swine flu. Her organs began to strain and shut down. She slipped into a coma. The baby was in danger, but doctors were able to successfully delivered her daughter, Abbey, prematurely while Kathryn was still in a drug induced coma. Kathryn died on Aug. 11, 2009 after a 44 day fight. She was 27 years-old.

Abbey stayed in the hospital under the eye of the clinic staff and her grieving father. Abbey held on for 7 months, but died in February of 2010. Doctors believe she “suffered oxygen deprivation in the womb,” according to the lawsuit.

The grief and shock take a while to pass when someone has lost their whole family. During that time it seems that Kenneth Flyte was able to reflect upon how the death of his wife and infant daughter transpired. He came to the conclusion that perhaps the H1N1 virus wasn’t totally at fault and that perhaps both his wife and daughter may have been saved if not due to some critical errors by Summit View Clinic Staff.

Wrongful Death Lawsuit

Kenneth Flyte, with help from his attorneys, filed a wrongful death lawsuit Tuesday against his wife’s primary health-care provider contending that doctors at failed to adequately treat Kathryn and Abbey.

The lawsuit suggests that Summit View doctors should have been more vigilant with the swine-flu pandemic under way.

He claims doctors did not “provide prompt and adequate medical attention” to Kathryn Flyte, especially when they failed to prescribe Tamiflu, a drug used to treat flu-like symptoms.

The lawsuit states that in a press briefing released in May 2009, officials with the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advised doctors around the country to treat pregnant swine flu patients with antiviral drugs such as Tamiflu. The lawsuit further states that not only did doctors not prescribe the drug, but didn’t even suggest it as an option.

“The Summit View Clinic failed to comply with the CDC warnings, and the resulting damages to the Flyte family are tremendous,” the lawsuit states.

“Sometimes, physicians are reluctant to treat pregnant women with medicines, and sometimes pregnant women are reluctant to take medicines because, of course, they are sometimes risky during pregnancy,” according to an excerpt of the briefing printed in the lawsuit. “The experts who have looked into this situation really strongly say that the benefits of using antiviral drugs to treat influenza in pregnant women outweigh theoretical concerns about the drugs.”

Lawyers representing Flyte said he didn’t think Kathryn received a flu shot before getting sick with H1N1 and went on to say that his client hopes to educate the public about “the often treatable harms and complications posed by the H1N1 virus.”

Wrongful Death Lawyer Represents Victim’s Families

This is a very sad case that must have been horribly painful and drawn out for not only the father, but the whole extended family and close friends. These types of situations have a ripple effect that can leave a bitter taste in the mouths of a community and split people based on opinion.

Of course the clinic has no comment on the situation, which is standard procedure in most wrongful death lawsuits involving medical malpractice. Though there have been studies that show that monetary settlement amounts are lower and often avoided when the institution named in the lawsuit is open and forthcoming, it seems Summit View Clinic has chosen a more traditional route.

Phillips Webster has no monetary or legal interest or involvement in this case.

The law firm of Phillips Webster represents families of victims who have been wrongfully killed in Washington State. They are skilled attorneys in wrongful death lawsuits and personal injury lawsuits with years of experience that they will use to  assure the you get the compensation you deserve.

Call Phillips Webster today for a free consultation.

Learn More About:

• Filing a Wrongful Death Lawsuit
• Wrongful Death Settlements
• Financial Entitlements in Wrongful Death Cases

Then there’s the subpar safety on the tracks and crossings of most of rural Washington. Monitoring and addressing these safety issues is the job of Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF), the railroad giant that holds the contract on all of Washington railways. But sometimes there isn’t a fence or barrier around that will stop a person that wants to deliberately jump in front of the train as apparently was the case with the first train death of the year.

The crash occurred around 12:15 a.m. on a straightaway that parallels the 1300 block of State Ave., police Lt. Jeff Goldman said. Witnesses, including the train’s engineer, told crash investigators that the man had been sitting on the tracks, got up as the train neared and stayed in the center of the tracks. The area involved is not a railroad crossing.

“It appears to be a deliberate act,” Goldman said.

According to BNSF spokesman Gus Melonas, that train was traveling about 40 mph, the speed limit for freight trains through areas that have a population of 100,000 people or more.

A half-hour later at 12:40 am, a man was walking on tracks near the Sumner Meadows Golf Course when he was struck by a train moving about 35 mph, Melonas said.

“In both they were trespassing at non-crossings,” he said. “It’s certainly unfortunate.”

In 2010 there were 19 train-pedestrian fatalities in the state, the majority happening on the line between Tacoma and Bellingham, the largest populated area in Washington. Many of them happened near Puyallup and almost half of them were under 25.

“We can’t caution the public enough. These trains can’t stop immediately,” he said.

Police and railroad officials are investigating both incidents. No other details were available.

The speed limit for trains in Washington State can be as high as 90 mph and with new technology are as quiet at ever, which means that many pedestrians using the tracks to navigate may not even have time to react when a train comes upon them suddenly. Please heed warnings and do not walk on the tracks.

If you or a loved one are injured or killed in a train accident you will need competent and proven legal council to mediate between you and the railroad companies’ legal team. Call the Seattle wrongful death lawyers at Phillips Webster for a consultation into your legal options.

Learn More About:

• Railroad Intersection Safety and Incident Avoidance
• Railroad Safety and Accident Resources
• Railroad Accidents FAQs

It all began when Roznowski, 66, after a 16 year relationship with Chan Ok “Paul” Kim, began to become overly possessive and verbally abusive toward her. The threats made her fear for her life so she obtained an anti-harassment order against Kim, who was still living with her, and police served Kim with the order on the morning of May 3, 2008.

The order barred Kim within 500 feet of the house. The officer left even though he saw Roznowski and Kim in the same house. Two hours later she was dead. Stabbed to death by an irrational Kim, 71, who is now serving 20 years in prison for her murder.

The lawyer for Roznowski’s daughters (the plaintiffs in the wrongful death lawsuit) says the officer shouldn’t have left them together. The lawsuit claimed that police failed to make Kim leave the home, nor did they use an interpreter, as required by the anti-harassment order.

The Defense

The defense for the city of Federal Way was unable to convince a judge that there was a reasonable cause for the officer to leave.

“(Kim) was completely compliant and prepared himself to leave the residence, and there were no concerns at that time,” Federal Way police spokeswoman Cathy Schrock said at the time.

Yet just two hours the officer left the police were called back to the home.  When police arrived they say Kim was trying to cut himself with a knife. Roznowski’s body was found in another room stabbed multiple times.

That is why King County Superior Court jury found the city of Federal Way negligent and ordered them to pay the rather large sum, but not even close to the $8 to $12 million the lawsuit requested. Yes, $1.1 million is sizable, but one of that will bring back a mother to her daughters or make up for such a terrifying, painful, and completely avoidable demise.

Seattle Wrongful Death Lawyer Represents Families

It is important that police follow proper procedure before making judgments on a situation. That is what the procedures are there for. It is reasonable to say that police officers need to make snap decisions all the time, but it is important also that they keep close attention to details, particularly in non-danger situations.

As the plaintiff’s lawyer said in trial, “Protection orders are not pizza delivery, protection orders involve police work.”

Phillips Webster has no involvement in any part of this case.

Phillips Webster represents families of victims who have been wrongfully killed in Washington State. They are skilled attorneys in wrongful death lawsuits and personal injury lawsuits with years of experience that they will use to  assure the you get the compensation you deserve.

Call Phillips Webster today for a free consultation.

Learn More About:

• Filing a Wrongful Death Lawsuit
• Wrongful Death Settlements
• Financial Entitlements in Wrongful Death Cases

Police say the SUV accident happened around 12:30 am this morning at the intersection of Ruddel Road SE, a road by any standards is wide enough to be a highway, and 45th Avenue SE, a residential road, in the small town of Lacey, just outside of Olympia.

A man was speeding on 45th Ave and did not stop at the intersection, crossing the wide four-lane Ruddel Road, lost control of the vehicle, busted through a tall wooden fence and crashed into the mobile home. The SUV punched through the bedroom wall of 16 year-old Austin C. Blankenship, killing him instantly.

Police say the driver and his passenger then jumped out of the SUV still lodged into the home and ran for it. Police dogs couldn’t find the suspect, but police say they know who the suspect is. The passenger was taken into custody in eastern Thurston County and was currently being questioned about his involvement and the suspect still at large.

Dangerous Intersection

Last night was quite a night of inclement weather for most of Western Washington, high winds and pounding rain caused floods and downed powerlines. In fact there were reports of a few deaths due to falling trees last night. Not the best night to go speeding around in a crappy old SUV.

A neighbor next to the scene of the accident said that power was out at the time of the crash and speculated that the driver may not have seen the street come to an end at the mobile home park. Neighbors say the streets in front of the mobile home at 45th Avenue Southeast and Ruddel Road have been plagued with problems.

This is not the first time this type of accident has happened. Another neighbor confirmed that the house next door to the home that was hit has been involved in at least three separate accidents. And according to witnesses it doesn’t stop there, there is at least one other house on that corner that has been hit.

“We’ve had numerous accidents on this corner,” Don Shoemaker told KING 5 News.

The manager of the mobile home park says he has complained to the city, but there has been no response.

“I don’t know what we can do at this point.” said Shoemaker. “Maybe this will wake somebody up,”

The big question is, did a young man have to die before city officials took action?

Wrongful Death Attorneys Represent Families

The good news in all of this is that authorities say they are familiar with the suspect and that they are hot on his trail. That still doesn’t change the fact that a young man is dead and, if it is true that they have received multiple reports of accident and complaints about this notorious intersection, then the city may be liable partly for this tragic situation.

Phillips Webster represents families of victims who have been wrongfully killed in Washington State. They are skilled attorneys in wrongful death lawsuits and personal injury lawsuits with years of experience that they will use to  assure the you get the compensation you deserve.

Call Phillips Webster today for a free consultation.

Learn More About:

• Filing a Wrongful Death Lawsuit
• Wrongful Death Settlements
• Seattle Car Accident Attorneys

William H. Adsit, 57-year-old, of Spangle was headed south on U.S. Highway 195 south of Hatch Road in a 1994 Ford Ranger pickup truck when he collided with a snowplow truck that was stopped on the shoulder of the outside lane around 9 pm.

The truck burst into flame after impact killing Adsit at the scene, Washington State Patrol troopers said.

Apparently, the driver of the large Department of Transportation plow truck had gotten out of the vehicle to remove a deer carcass from the roadway, troopers said.

Our condolences go out to the friends and family of the deceased.

This is near a Washington State DOT deer carcass “hot spot.” That means that this Eastern Washington corridor south and north of Spokane requires a lot of carcass removal. There are procedures in place to take care of these duties. Perhaps those procedures also need to be reviewed.

Families who have experienced the wrongful death of a loved one due to the negligence of another should seek an experienced wrongful death attorney to represent their best interests and get the compensation they deserve. Call Phillips Webster for a free consultation.

Learn More About:

• Elements of a Wrongful Death Case
• Time Limitations and Restrictions in Wrongful Death Cases
• Financial Entitlements in Wrongful Death Cases

The Washington State Supreme Court rendered a split opinion, which reversed a Court of Appeals opinion, and that likely means another trial in a lawsuit over the 1995 death of Edward Gregoire, a 23-year-old man who hanged himself in the Oak Harbor Jail after being arrested on a misdemeanor traffic warrant.

The lawsuit names Oak Harbor Police Chief Rick Wallace and several current and former members of the department, as well as the city, as defendants, whom displayed shock and dismay that the process is to be extended rather than done with as was the wish of the Court of Appeals.

But the Seattle attorney representing Gregoire’s wife and daughter in the wrongful death lawsuit, said the opinion was based on long-established law and state administrative code that requires jailers to take certain commonsense precautions to prevent suicides, which she said the defendants failed to do in this case.

A case that not only alleges negligence, but also eludes to racism and perhaps foul play.

The Incident

In December of 1995, a state trooper arrested Gregoire, a long time Oak Harbor resident and graduate of the local high school, on outstanding misdemeanor warrants. While riding in the patrol car to the station reports say that Gregoire alternated between violent outbursts and despondency.

Reports further say that when he and troopers arrived at the Oak Harbor jail, he suddenly broke free and made a break for it, but when they ran him down and held him he pleaded with them to shoot him. This would give the impression that he was clearly a danger to himself at that point.

Troopers, jailers and police officers alike all worked to get Gregoire into the jail. According to reports, at that point they didn’t administer any kind of mental health screening before leaving him alone in a cell. Gregoire was seen weeping in his cell, clearly suffering from mental anguish. That was only 10 minutes before an officer found him hanging from a bed sheet strung from the cell’s ventilation grate.

The officer soudned the alarm and several other law enforcement officers responded. According to the Supreme Court opinion, no one even attempted to administer CPR “even though it had been 5 or 10 minutes since Gregoire was last seen alive in the cell.”

Wallace, who was present at the jail at the time of the incident, said the officers felt that it was too late. But yet when paramedics arrived they detected warmth in his body and started CPR. After 15 to 20 minutes of vigorous CPR, the paramedics were able to detect a faint pulse, but Gregoire was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

The Island County Coroner Robert Bishop conducted a public inquest and, after a year of investigation, cleared the police of any wrongdoing, even though they made no attempt to save him.

A Long Road

Two years after the Coroner’s decision, Gregoire’s family filed a civil rights lawsuit in federal court. The complaint alleged that the department did not have a program for mental health screening for potential suicides. This caused them to fail to screen Gregoire or put him on suicide watch. The lawsuit also alleged police not only neglected, but denied Gregoire emergency medical care after he was found hanged.

The lawsuit went on to allege that Gregoire, in fact, may not have killed himself at all, but that the police negligently or intentionally caused his death and then proceeded to cover it up. It alleged racism played a part in Gregoire’s death.

A federal judge dismissed the case in 2001, but the wrongful death case in Superior Court continued

Proceed forward to 5 years ago, and a jury in Island County Superior Court found that Oak Harbor police officers were indeed negligent in the case, but that their actions were not the direct cause of Gregoire’s death. This exonerated the city from the $7.24 million in damages the lawyer had asked to jury to award.

But, as stated in the Supreme Court’s opinion yesterday, Island County Superior Court Judge Alan Hancock erred in reading jury instructions, This error may have inappropriately prompted the jurors to conclude that Gregoire was culpable for his own death. The justices found that jailers have a special relationship with inmates and a special duty to care for inmates that makes jury instructions regarding “assumption of risk” and “contributory negligence” improper.

With new legs this trial proceeds. It began when Gregoire’s daughter was a mere toddler. She has grown up being constantly reminded of her father’s death with every new trial and new decision. The lawyer in this case just hopes that it will finally be settled out of court and the family will be able to move on from the issue and begin their lives anew.

Seattle Wrongful Death Lawyer Helps Victim’s Families

This lawsuit shows that a death is not a matter of convenience. The issue is deep within the hearts of the family and it lingers through generations. Though the defendants may get fatigued and with the issue would go away, the fact remains that death is permanent and that, with persistence, justice will prevail.

Phillips Webster has no involvement in any part of this case.

Phillips Webster represents families of victims who have been wrongfully killed in Washington State. They are skilled attorneys in wrongful death lawsuits and personal injury lawsuits with years of experience that they will use to  assure the you get the compensation you deserve.

Call Phillips Webster today for a free consultation.

Learn More About:

• Filing a Wrongful Death Lawsuit
• Wrongful Death Settlements
• Financial Entitlements in Wrongful Death Cases

The agency says that nearly 300 people are killed and 18,000 injured each year because they’ve been backed over, according to their data. Most of these happen in driveways and parking lots. Nearly half the deaths involve children under age 5, but back-over accidents also affect the elderly. That means that more than 50 people every day suffer serious personal injuries because drivers back over them.

To address this serious issue, the NHTSA has harkened back to a bill that was passed by congress relatively recently called The Cameron Gulbransen Kids Transportation Safety Act of 2007, passed by Congress and signed into law by President Bush. Two-year old Cameron Gulbransen was killed when his father accidentally struck him while backing his SUV in the family’s driveway.

New Standards

Congress in 2008 set in motion the safety upgrades in response to dozens of accidents in which children were backed over. At issue in particular were large blind zones in large sport utility vehicles and pickups.

The Cameron Gulbransen Kids Transportation Safety Act of 2007 requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to research auto safety issues to which children are especially vulnerable. Under the Act the DOT is specifically directed on these safety issues:

• Auto-reverse for power windows:Initiate rulemaking to consider issuing or amending Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards to require that power window mechanisms be equipped with an automatic reverse feature activated if the window’s path is obstructed
• Blind zones:Initiate rulemaking to consider issuing or amending Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards to reduce a vehicle’s “blind zone,” by establishing requirements for different types of motor vehicles that could be met through the integration of additional mirrors, back-up cameras, sensors or other technologies
• Brake transmission shift interlock:Require that all vehicles all vehicles manufactured after September 1, 2010 and equipped with an automatic transmission system using a ‘park’ position also be equipped with a system that prevents the vehicle from being shifted out of ‘park’ unless the brake pedal is depressed

In addition, the Act requires that NHTSA for the first time establish a database that stores information about injuries and fatalities that occur in non-traffic and non-crash related situations. Specifically, the Act directs NHTSA to gather information about:

• The make and model and year of the vehicle involved
• The number and type of injuries or fatalities
• Potential causes of the injuries or fatalities

The new requirements from the Transportation Department are intended to improve rear visibility in cars by the 2014 model year. Most carmakers would comply by installing rear-mounted video cameras and in-vehicle displays. The government estimated that video systems would add about $200 to the cost of each new vehicle.

The agency estimated that the requirements annually could save 95 to 112 lives and prevent more than 7,000 injuries. In about 70% of the cases, a family member is responsible for the death, said Janette Fennell, president of Kids and Cars, a Kansas-based safety group.

“There is no more tragic accident than for a parent or caregiver to back out of a garage or driveway and kill or injure an undetected child playing behind the vehicle,” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said. He said the changes would “help drivers see into those blind zones directly behind vehicles to make sure it is safe to back up.”

Does the Auto Industry Support This?

After a public comment period, the NHTSA expects the proposal to be completed next year. Under the plan, 10% of the total fleet of vehicles sold in the United States will need to meet the standards by the 2012 model year, followed by 40% in 2013 and all new vehicles by 2014.

The rules will apply to all passenger cars, SUVs, pickup trucks, minivans and other vehicles weighing up to 10,000 pounds. Under the plan, test objects would need to be visible in an area 20 feet behind the vehicle and about 5 feet to either side of the vehicle’s center.

The government estimated the price tag on the new requirements would be around about $1.9 billion to $2.7 billion. Cha-ching!

So what do automakers think of this?

Industry spokespeople have said they were reviewing the proposal but were supportive of efforts to keep children safe. It is unknown the amount of money they spent to lobby against the bill, but since it passed, probably not much.

The reason for the lack of resistance is that the expense is easily passed to the consumer, regardless of the fact that all cars, SUVs, and trucks are going to have on board computers telling people things such as the weather and where to go. Most likely that is part of the delay. Technology needed to become standardized. But don’t worry, this is a good thing.

“Many people have told me that once they get a camera in their car, they’ll never drive a car without it,” said Bill Nelson of Dix Hills, N.Y., whose 16-month-old son, Alec, was killed in 2004 in a backover accident. “Years from now, everybody will be used to it, and it will be a great safety device for people to avoid collisions with anything.”

Seattle Car Accident Lawyer Protects Victims Rights

We applaud the move by the NHTSA and glad that the car industry isn’t putting up as much of a stink as they have in the past regarding other life-saving safety standards. We have covered too many tragic stories of both children and elderly people suffering personally injuries and wrongful death due to back-over accidents.

Phillips Webster represents families of victims who have been wrongfully killed in Washington State. They are skilled attorneys in wrongful death lawsuits and personal injury lawsuits with years of experience that they will use to  assure the you get the compensation you deserve.

Call Phillips Webster today for a free consultation.

Learn More About:

• Filing a Wrongful Death Lawsuit
• Wrongful Death Settlements
• Seattle Car Accident Attorneys

The Washington State Patrol and 911 received reports of a pickup driving the wrong way on I-82 near Dallas Road in what was reported as dense fog at about 8:30 pm last night. According to WSP, Marco A. Delamora, 26, of Pasco, was driving his 1997 Ford pickup the wrong way headed east in the westbound lanes.

One car saw him appear through the fog and quickly swerved out of the way exposing several other unsuspecting vehicles to get involved in the multicar accident. Though there were five vehicles total involved in the accident, a 2004 Mazda driven by Heather M. Davidson, 27, of Richland, took the brunt of the damage being hit head-on.

Davidson was killed, along with her passenger Stephen L. Metzger, 30, of Kennewick. Davidson’s son, Brennan, 3, was in a child seat in the back seat and was rushed to Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane with serious personal injuries where his condition is listed as satisfactory today.

The three other vehicles involved suffered varying amounts of damage, but luckily everyone was wearing a seatbelt and suffered at the most just minor personal injuries.

WSP said that the impact caused the pickup to land upside down, and became fully engulfed in fire. Delamora died in the flames before authorities arrived. Firefighters from Benton Fire District No. 1 inspected the scorched pickup using flashlights Sunday night. They said the fog hampered their ability to see the wreckage it was so thick.

Our condolences go out to the friends and family of the deceased.

The weather conditions are a major contributing factor to accidents causing slick roads and limited visibility, but fog can be some of the worst conditions to drive in. If it is as thick as a sauna then the driver may not be able to even see the road in front of them let alone road signs.

In the winter the fog is often freezing fog, causing everything within to turn to ice. Thus, if a driver does come upon an obstacle they may not be able to maneuver properly to avoid it. No matter what the situation, it is best never to drive in dense fog and if you must, drive in the far right lane so that you have a clear view of the white line, you can feel safety bumps if you drift, and you may be able to see road signs.

Phillips Webster represents families of victims who have been wrongfully killed in Washington State. They are skilled attorneys in wrongful death lawsuits and personal injury lawsuits with years of experience that they will use to  assure the you get the compensation you deserve.

Call Phillips Webster today for a free consultation.

Learn More About:

• Filing a Wrongful Death Lawsuit
• Wrongful Death Settlements
• Seattle Car Accident Attorneys

town of Suquamish in Kitsap county.

The SUV accident happened early Saturday evening between NE Totten Road and NE Whale Dancer Court in Suquamish. A man driving one of those giant Ford pickups you see on commercials hauling cranes was hauling what you’d expect, a rather large fishing boat. He was going south on Suquamish Way when the trailer he was towing suddenly came unhitched.

It immediately veered across the center line and into oncoming traffic where it slammed into an SUV head-on, which probably would not have been fatal to the driver had the boat not dislodged from the trailer and also go through the front of the SUV.

Our condolences go out to the friends and family of the deceased.

When equipment is no properly secured, as you can see, it can be extremely detrimental to all of the drivers on the road. It seems as if in this case neither the trailer nor the boat were properly secured. On winding and sometimes bumpy rural roads it is important that trailers are well secured.

Families who have experienced the wrongful death of a loved one due to the negligence of another should seek an experienced wrongful death attorney to represent their best interests and get the compensation they deserve. Call Phillips Webster for a free consultation.

Learn More About:

• Elements of a Wrongful Death Case
• Time Limitations and Restrictions in Wrongful Death Cases
• Financial Entitlements in Wrongful Death Cases