Archive for the ‘ Personal Injury Lawyer ’ Category

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25
Apr

DOC Reaches Settlement Of $350,000 With Injured Workers

April 25, 2012

All employers in the United States have a responsibility to provide employees with a healthy and safe work environment. Failure to do so is sometimes considered negligence, and a company can be held responsible for paying damages to those who were injured.

This was the case earlier this week when it was reported by KNDU News that the Washington Department of Corrections announced that it had reached a settlement of $350,000 with four employees who became ill after exposure to construction dust and debris during a bathroom remodeling project in their office building at the Coyote Ridge Correctional Facility.

The employees at the facility, who were contracted drug and alcohol abuse counselors, had to breath in dust from an ongoing remodeling project for more than three months with no protection.

“It was an egregious situation from the standpoint that several notices were given to DOC and they could care less about the problems,” said Blaine Tamaki, an attorney for the workers.

The lawsuit alleged that the workers suffered serious respiratory and lung problems. Several inmates who were also exposed to the dust and suffered health issues filed claims as well, but were denied and unable to continue proceedings due to lack of counsel.

The Washington Personal Injury Lawyers with the Defoe Pickett Law Office say that it’s vital to make employers aware if you notice something unsafe at the workplace. Documenting your report is also very important.

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14
Mar

Reform Of DUI Penalties Occurring in Washington

March 14, 2012

In an effort to better protect the citizens of the state of Washington from the dangers of drunk drivers, the state legislature has implemented several changes to the penalties for being caught under the influence while behind the wheel. According to reports from KNDU 25 News, lawmakers hope that the changes will lower the number of fatal accidents caused by alcohol on the state’s highways.

Current estimates show that drunk drivers kill more people in the state of Washington each year than all other crimes combined. To combat this, new measures would allow officers to administer breathalyzer tests to suspected drunk drivers without their consent. Once convicted, they would be forced to install a camera and an ignition interlock system on their vehicle—which won’t allow the vehicle to start if alcohol is detected on the driver’s breath.

Kennewick Police Officer Craig Hanson says that drunk drivers who are required to have the devices installed on their vehicles will often have someone else blow into the device to get the car started if they have been drinking. The camera will be installed in order to prevent this.

Felony DUI sentences will also now be kept as public record.

The Washington Auto Accident Attorneys with the Defoe Pickett Law Firm ask that all motorists in Washington do their part to keep our highways safe by not drinking and driving. Instead, call a cab or a sober friend to take you home.

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7
Mar

Renton Four-Vehicle Head-On Collision Injures Three People

March 7, 2012

Drugs and alcohol are to blame for the actions of a driver who caused multiple vehicles to have head-on collisions in Renton, Washington, Tuesday night. According to reports from the Tukwila Reporter, the accident happened around 10:30 p.m. along Martin Luther King Jr. Way near the intersection with 57thAvenue South.

Reports from troopers with the Washington State Patrol who responded to the scene say that a 34-year-old Renton man was heading east in a westbound lane when his 1993 Toyota Camry struck a 27-year-old Seattle man’s 2002 Honda Civic head-on. After the accident, the driver of the Camry sped away before hitting a 1999 Toyota 4Runner. The impact of the collision also caused the 4Runner to hit another vehicle in the opposite lane head-on.

While the driver of the Civic and Camry both suffered injuries in the initial accident, no one was hurt as a result of the secondary crash. Two male passengers and a female passenger in the Civic were taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle to receive treatment for their injuries.

Police say that the driver of the Camry will face charges pending the outcome of a full investigation into the incident.

The Washington Car Crash Lawyers with the Defoe Pickett Law Firm ask that all Washingtonians do their part to keep our streets safe by utilizing designated drivers when you are going to be drinking and to encourage others to do the same.

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29
Feb

Alcohol And No Seat Belts At Fault For Washington Crash That Injures Three

February 29, 2012

Alcohol and failure to wear seat belts were to blame for an Olympia, Washington, single-vehicle crash that left the driver seriously injured and two passengers rattled. According to reports from The News Tribune, the accident happened just after 3:00 a.m. at the on-ramp for Interstate-5 located on Plum Street.

Reports of the incident from the Washington State Patrol indicate that the 22-year-old driver of a 1999 Volkswagen Passat was attempting to get onto the highway when he veered off the shoulder of the road and struck a guardrail.

The driver was seriously injured in the crash and was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center. A male and female passenger in the vehicle, both 21-years-old, also suffered minor injuries and were treated and released at the scene by paramedics.

Although the driver has not been charged with any crimes yet, troopers believe that alcohol or drugs contributed to the crash. Charges against the driver are pending the outcome of a full investigation into the crash.

The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration estimate that alcohol plays a role in roughly 39 percent of all fatal crashes in the United States.

This is why the Washington Auto Accident Attorneys with the Defoe Pickett Law Firm support measures that stiffen penalties against intoxicated drivers and make the roads safer for everyone. You can do your part to keep yourself, and other motorists, safe by not drinking and driving.

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22
Feb

Washington Man Killed After Falling Into Vat Of Corrosive Liquid

February 22, 2012

A 57-year-old Washington man died Sunday after falling into a tank of corrosive liquid on a barge where he worked. According to reports from NWCN News, crews were called to the barge, which was docked at the Swan Island Basin, around 10:00 a.m.

A co-worker of the victim told investigators that the two men were walking on the deck of the barge next to a vat of Lignin, a corrosive and combustible byproduct of manufacturing lumber, when he looked back and noticed his co-worker was gone. Upon further investigation, he noticed that the man’s emergency safety line led to the bottom of the tank. About two hours later, rescue crews found and recovered the body of the victim.

Investigators say he was probably unconscious within seconds of falling, as oxygen level readings at the top of the tank were at less than 1%.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, on the job falls were responsible for killing 635 employees in the United States in 2010. Of those fall victims, 226 were employed in the natural resources extraction industry, a number that has grown in recent years. Another 58 employees were killed after being exposed to harmful substances or environments, making jobs in the natural resources industry among the deadliest in the nation.

The Washington Slip and Fall Accident Attorneys with the Defoe Pickett Law Firm hope that the family of the victim can find closure after this tragic accident.

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