MBC attorney speaks at Nation Business Institute seminar

MBC attorney, John R. Christensten, participated as a speaker at NBI's, Plaintiff's Personal Injury From Start to Finish, seminar.  He spoke on the topic, Statutes Which Affect Liability Evaluation, which covered the statute of limitations, auto accident statutes, and recreational and sovereign immunity.

He also participated in the presentation, Understanding the Law of Damages, in which he focused on such issues as: non-economic damages, pain, suffering, and inconvenience, disability, disfigurement, and loss of of enjoyment of life, and wrongful death claims and statutes, among others.

At the conclusion, John received an rating of 'excellent' from the seminar attendees.

Here's what they had to say:

"Knowledgeable speaker"

"Very solid; quite excellent; quality presentation"

"I have seen John speak before and he is a great presenter."

"I am a 25 year practitioner and I learned."

"Speaker's extensive experience allowed informative case examples for principles of law being discussed."

"Stated information clearly and easy to understand.  Made great connections between rules and actual cases."

Congratulations to John on a job well done.  Visit our Facebook fan page to find out about upcoming speaking engagements  by the attorneys at MBC.

Give Emergency Vehicles Some Room

Did you know that you could be fined for not giving an emergency vehicle enough space when they’re stopped on the side of the road?  Well, you can.  In 2007, the Move Over Law was passed in the state of Washington in order to protect police, emergency technicians, tow operators, and Department of Transportation workers being killed or struck during routine traffic stops, accident response, impounding or towing of vehicles, and highway construction.  

Since 2007, the number of collisions involving emergency vehicles actually increased instead of decreasing.  The aftermath made it necessary to make the law stricter, so Move Over is getting a little help from the new Emergency Zone Law, which went into action on January 1, 2011.  

The new law will level hefty penalties on drivers who speed past emergency vehicles stopped on state highways, or fail to give first responders more room in the Emergency Zone.  The Emergency Zone is defined as the adjacent lanes of roadway 200 feet (or 10 car lengths) before and after a stationary emergency vehicle with flashing lights, a tow truck using red lights, an emergency assistance vehicle using warning lights, or any police vehicle using emergency lights.  

Drivers traveling on a roadway with at least two lanes in their direction of travel must move over a lane from the shoulder when approaching a stationary emergency vehicle with its lights activated. They're also required to slow down and proceed with caution.

On roadways with only one lane in their direction of travel, motorists must pass to the left of an emergency vehicle if they're able to safely do so, while yielding the right of way to all vehicles traveling in the opposite direction.

The penalties for not following the Move Over and Emergency Zone Laws are as follows:

• Failure to move over or slow down in an Emergency Zone come with a $248 fine, which has doubled with the new law. 

• Fines double for exceeding the posted speed limit in Emergency Zones.

• If a motorist drives in a manner as to endanger any emergency worker, he or she could be charged with Reckless Endangerment.

• If convicted of Reckless Endangerment, a driver’s license could be suspended for up to 90 days.

Here at MBC, we had a case in which a U.S. Marshall’s vehicle was struck when he had pulled to the shoulder in order to help a collision victim.  He was left with multiple injuries including a concussion and lower back injury.  He still suffers from limitations and pain as a result of the collision.

So take care when approaching a stationary emergency vehicle.  These people are just doing their jobs, helping the stranded, assisting with collisions, saving lives.  They may be saving yours one day.

Sources:

Washington State Patrol

Seattle Times

Don't get taken this holiday season

According to the National Retail Federation, 39 million consumers will do their holiday shopping online this year.  If you are one of these 39 million, make sure you do it safely.  Credit card numbers are stolen every day by untrustworthy online retailers, and before you know it, thousands of dollars worth of merchandise has been purchased on your dime.   

Online merchants expect to lose $3.6 billion this year to fraud by spammers, scammers and dishonest retailers.  But shopping online is convenient.  You don’t have to deal with crowded shopping malls, finding a parking space, or rude shoppers and sales clerks.  It’s not impossible to shop safely online as long as you follow a few basic guidelines.  

Shop Securely.

Try to avoid shopping on the PC that your children use to chat with their buddies and play games online. Those computers are often already infested with spyware. An infected system will undermine all of the other precautions you might take to avoid online fraud. You should also update your anti-virus software before shopping online and use a firewall to block potential intruders. 

Stay Clear of Shady Looking Sites. 

While it isn’t always possible to tell at first glance whether a site is legitimate or not, some red flags might present themselves to warn you off.  These include, poor design, a strange web address, and multiple pop-up windows that you can’t close. If you notice any of these suspicious signs, stop shopping and close your browser windows.

Trust your Merchant.

Search engine shopping can lead to random merchants no one has ever heard of.  Better to go to a major, trusted site, such as, amazon.com, to search for that sought after Christmas gift.  If you do find the merchant through a shopping search engine like Google Shopping, look for seller ratings. Google doesn't guarantee  the integrity of the sites that come up in its searches, but it’s a good sign if you find mostly positive ratings.

Use Your Head. 

Be sure to read and understand a merchant’s shipping and return policies before making any purchases.  You don’t want to place an order to later find out later it won’t be received until January 5^th, or that it can’t be returned.

Looking for deals and afraid you can’t find them online?  Check well-established online coupon sites such as couponcabin.com and currentcodes.com.  They list promotional codes for discounts that you can enter at participating web vendors during checkout.

Be sure to print a copy of each receipt or confirmation e-mail you receive. Keep all of your receipts in a folder, filed away in a safe place.

If you’re unfamiliar with an online retailer, do your research.  The Better Business Bureau and RipoffReport may offer some insight.  Or you can look at user reviews on such sites as Eopinions.com. 

Always make sure you are on a “secure” site when using your credit card online. The URL should have an https at the beginning (s for "security").

Click With Care. Never buy anything advertised via unsolicited e-mail. Such offers are almost always a phishing scam to get your personal and banking information or a rogue site wanting to put malicious software on your computer. The Better Business Bureau warns that legitimate businesses don’t send E-mails asking for follow up financial information. Your best protection is to not click on any links--even if the message looks legitimate--but to type in the merchant's URL manually to double check its validity.  

Shopping Only Email Address.  If you worry that giving away your e-mail address at multiple online merchants might wind up cluttering your inbox with more junk mail, consider creating a new, free email address specifically for online shopping purposes. This allows you take action if a merchant you're doing business with sells or rents your e-mail address to marketers. 

Social Security Number is Off Limits.

  If a site asks for it during the checkout process, it’s probably a scam site.

Use Protection. 

Take advantage of the automatic identity theft protection that comes with many credit cards.  Because this protection is available, it’s best to use your credit card instead of debit cards or cash for your holiday shopping. If erroneous charges end up on your statement, you can call the credit card company, which should investigate on your behalf. While debit card issuers have largely adopted that same approach, your bank account could be overdrawn while you dispute charges, especially if the fraud goes undetected for awhile. Credit card companies are required to allow shoppers to dispute charges and many companies cover charges made on stolen cards, which is why they expect to lose so much money during the holiday season. Check your credit card statements frequently because many card companies have time limits on when customers can dispute charges.

Alternatives.  

 If you like the idea of the convenience of online shopping, but are truly wary of using your credit card online, there are still plenty of alternatives to entering your account number with online retailers. Many financial institutions and card issuers, including Bank of America, Citibank, Discover, and PayPal, offer customers the ability to generate unique, "virtual" or "one-time use" account numbers that are good for a single transaction or a handful of specified transactions only and cannot be reused.  For many, they’re more trouble then they’re worth, but will give that super cautious shopper peace of mind.

Online Shopping Exclusive Password.

Make up a new password to do your shopping.  Make sure it’s different than the password you use for any of your banking and other important online services.  It should be easy for you to remember, but not easy enough for dishonest retailers to figure out.  A combination of numbers, letters, and symbols is best for security.

Sheath the Cell Phone. Shopping with mobile devices can come with its own set of security challenges, since shortened URLs can more easily trick shoppers into visiting harmful sites. Also, it’s not wise to shop on public Wi-Fi networks.  It can leave your personal information accessible to hackers.  

Don’t be taken for a ride this season.  And remember, you’re at risk whenever you use your credit card, not just at online retailers.  So, create a strategy and play it safe when shopping online and the risks for fraud will go down tremendously.  Have a safe, secure holiday.

Highway Design Defects

By John L. Messina 

Every year over 45,000 Americans are killed on the nation’s streets and highways and countless thousands are seriously injured.  Often these tragedies are due to bad driving.  However, the design of the roadway may sometimes be a contributing factor.  

The law requires all public entities, cities, counties, and the state, to keep our roadways safe. If a government entity’s failure to design and build a safe road contributed to the collision, victims may seek damages.  Careful research and thorough discovery, often involving highway safety experts, is essential to establish the public entity’s responsibility for a dangerous condition.

We at MBC are proud of our record in this area of the law.  We have successfully handled cases involving dangerous rail crossings, negligent signing or striping, failing to install necessary guardrails, negligent placement of poles, signs or other hazards too close to the roadway and many others.  Our first case, a trial in 1978 involving a power pole too close to the roadway, resulted in a record-setting verdict. 

The statute of limitations on government claims is three years from the date of the injury, However, unlike private cases, you can bring a suit against a branch of government only if you file an administrative claim against it first.  Then, you must wait 60 days before you can file suit.

The moral to this story is not to be discouraged if a serious injury seems to be due solely to bad driving or there is not enough insurance to cover the claim.  When the injuries are great, contact a law firm that handles highway design cases to find out if  the roadway may have  contributed to the collision.  Such consultations are free and are a stone worth turning over.  We at MBC stand ready to help and advise.

Dog Bites

In September, a Monroe man, after receiving a complaint of a dog bite from a customer at the storage facility in which he worked, approached the vehicle of the dog’s owner.  Though accounts of the incident differ, there is no question that the man was bitten by the dog.  He cleaned and wrapped the wound, and visited his doctor the next day, but by the time of his appointment, his left leg was already numb due to a blood clot.  He died seven days later from a bacterial infection that he received from the dog bite. 

Each day, over 1,000 U.S. citizens require emergency treatment for dog bite injury. One out of every six victims is so seriously injured, they require medical attention. 

The combination of pit bulls, rottweilers, presa canarios, and their mixes are responsible for :

80% of attacks that induce bodily harm

70% of attacks to children

83% of attack to adults

69% of attacks that result in fatalities

75% that result in maiming 

These dog breeds pose such a threat many cities throughout Washington as well as the rest of the country have banned them.

Unfortunately, children are the victims of the majority of dog attacks; many of those occurring when a child is visiting the home of a relative, or when a dog is new to the child’s home.    

So, how do you prevent your child from getting bit? 

First of all, recognize these potentially dangerous situations:

• Leaving an infant or toddler alone with any dog breed
• "New" situations involving children and aggressive dog breeds
• Approaching a chained dog, especially if it is male and unaltered
• Encountering a group of loose dogs. Like the human "mob" mentality, normally obedient dogs often become violent when part of a pack
• Inserting yourself into a dogfight, especially when pit bulls are involved
• Approaching a vehicle with a dog inside (or in the bed of a truck)
• And don’t think your child is safe around the family pet.  Half of all dog bite injuries to children come from the family dog.

Here are some safety tips to avoid a dog attack:

• Let a dog see you before petting him
• Do not lean your face close to a dog
• Do not tease a dog, especially if it is chained
• Don’t startle a sleeping dog
• Leave a dog in peace while eating. Don’t bother him.
• Do not disturb a dog that is caring for puppies
• Always ask permission to pet a person's dog.

If a dog looks as if it will attack or does attack:

• Never scream and run, keep still. Running may trigger the instinct to chase you
• Remain motionless, hands at your sides, and avoid eye contact with the dog, drop your eyes even and turn slightly to the side. 
• Once the dog loses interest in you, slowly back away until he is out of sight. Never turn your back on an aggressive dog.
• If the dog does attack, "feed" him your jacket, purse, bicycle, or anything you can find to put between  yourself and the dog
• Talk firmly to the dog. Try giving it a command and loudly. If the owner's nearby, they may hear you
• If you fall or are knocked to the ground, Tuck and cover. Roll up into a ball protecting your abdominal area and remain motionless. Try not to scream or roll around Place your hands behind your neck and use your elbows to protect your face.

If you’re a dog owner, here are some good rules to follow to ensure your dog doesn’t injure or kill someone:

1. Spay or neuter your dog.  According to the CDC, 70% of all dog bite cases involve unsterilized male dogs and 97% of fatal dog attacks (in 2006) were carried out by dogs that weren't sterilized. So to avoid your dog attacking, Spay/Neuter them, the younger they are when this is done, the better.
2. Socialize your dog.  At an early age, introduce your dog to community parks, family and friends, and other animals, and take it for walks. The more socialized your dog is, the less chance it will feel threatened in new experiences.  
3. Exercise your dog.  All dogs require exercise, powerful breeds require more, both physical and mental. If they don’t get exercise, they may become restless and, destructive or dangerous behavior may result.
4. Train your dog.  Obedience training is good for the owner as well as the dog. Lack of obedience training ensures a frustrating experience for the dog owner and a dangerous one for the community.
5. Constrain your dog.  Don’t mistake chaining for constraining. A Denver study revealed that chained dogs were 3 times more likely to bite than unchained dogs, and dogs with a history of long-term chaining made up 20% of attacks that resulted in fatalities.
6. When walking your dog.  Do not walk a dog that is more powerful than you and do not allow children or teenagers to walk them either. Also, never, ever use a retractable leash when walking a powerful dog.

Here at MBC we see dog bite injuries more often than we’d like.  Don’t make the mistake of assuming a dog is trained or gentle.  Any dog has the possibility of becoming a dangerous dog under certain circumstances.

Sources:

My Northwest.com

Q13 Fox News

Dogsbite

LA Times

Local Animal Control Agencies:

Tacoma

Lakewood

University Place

Driving drowsy = driving deadly

 by John R. Christensen

With the holidays fast approaching, many of you will undoubtedly be taking to the air and road as part of your plans.  If you’re driving to your holiday destination, make sure you’re traveling as safely as possible.  Before leaving, make sure your car is in good working order, be sure everyone wears their seat belt, and don’t drink and drive.  There is one more hazard on the road that you need to be aware of, one whose dangers have more than quadrupled in the last couple of years.  Drowsy driving. 

After a comprehensive sampling of 50,000 auto collisions, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration concluded that 16.5 percent of fatal car crashes involved a drowsy driver.  That’s a startling increase from 2.4 percent just two years prior.  

In a recent study, AAA found that 41 percent of participants said they had fallen asleep behind the wheel.  11 percent of those said it had happened in the last year, and of those 11 percent more than half reported that they fell asleep while driving on the highway.  

This is a scary revelation considering how fast a car can veer off the road or into oncoming lanes at sixty miles per hour. 

More than a 25 percent of those surveyed stated that in the last month they has been so tired they had trouble keeping their eyes open while driving.   Driving drowsy has obviously become more of a problem than it has been in the past, so it’s time to take precautionary steps to make sure we don’t become another car collision statistic. 

You can’t help what others do behind the wheel of their own vehicles, but you can ensure that you don’t fall asleep.  People don’t always recognize when they’re tired.  Here are some signs from AAA that you may be more tired than you think.

• You have trouble keeping your eyes open and focused
• You can’t keep your head up
• You daydream or have wandering, disconnected thoughts
• You yawn frequently or rub your eyes repeatedly
• You find yourself drifting from your lane or tailgating
• You miss signs or drive past your exit
• You feel irritable and restless
• You drift off the road and hit the rumble strips
• You are unable to remember how far you have traveled or what you have recently passed by

Here are some tips on how to stay awake while driving:

• Before beginning a long drive, get enough sleep and eat something before you go.
• If you get tired on the road, put on some music, and keep your window cracked open.
• Caffeine is not necessarily the answer.  It takes about 30 minutes to enter your bloodstream and will keep you alert for awhile, but the effects won’t last. Also,it won’t necessarily keep you from falling asleep.  You can use it as part of your strategy but it’s not enough by itself.
• Pull off the road and take a break when you get tired, plain and simple.  You should take breaks every couple hours whether you’re tired or not.  Get out, stretch your legs, and grab a snack.  If you just want to take a quick nap you should pull all the way off the road into a parking lot, especially at night.  If you pull off to the shoulder, you risk getting rear-ended.
• If you’re tired, it’s best not to use cruise control.  Concentrating on your speed can help you stay awake.
•  And this should be obvious, but don’t drink alcohol before a trip.  You may not get drunk off of one beer, but it may make you tired.
• If someone is riding with you, take turns behind the wheel.
• Avoid driving under pressure.  Plan your trip early enough to drive safe.  If you’re late, don’t try and make up time by driving for longer periods without sleep.  You won’t be saving time if you get into a collision.  Trying to make up time could be a deadly mistake.

Be safe on the road this holiday season.

Staying safe as winter storms approach

With winter storms approaching, it’s time to think about how to keep our families safe during inclement weather.  Storms can cause extensive damage.  By being prepared you can save lives and reduce the amount of damage caused by inclement weather. 
Following are some tips for what to do before, during, and after thunder, wind, or snow storms and power outages. 

Always make sure you dress for the weather. 

Wear weather appropriate clothing.  Wear a rain coat for wet days, a heavy coat for winter cold and snow.   Even if you’re just going out for a few minutes, be prepared.  You could get delayed and put yourself at risk if you’re not dressed for the weather.  Wear several layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing rather than one layer of heavy clothing. Wear mittens rather than gloves. Wear a warm, woolen cap. 

Vehicle upkeep

 Make sure your vehicle is in good working order.  You don’t want to break down in the middle of a snowstorm.  Check your windshield wipers to ensure they're in good condition, if they’re not, replace them. Fill your gas tank before the snow starts falling, confirm that your headlights work and that your tires are fully inflated.  

Driving in inclement weather

• Do not drive unnecessarily. Best thing to do would be to stay home.  If you have to drive make sure someone knows where you are going and stay on the main roads.
• When it’s raining, always drive with your headlights onto be better seen.  Drive at a safe speed, leaving enough room between you and the car in front of you.  If the rain is so heavy you can’t see the road in front of you, pull over and wait for it to let up.
• If you are driving in a lighting storm, try to safely exit the roadway and park. Stay in the vehicle and turn on the emergency flashers until the heavy rain ends. Avoid touching metal or other surfaces that conduct electricity in and outside the vehicle.
• In a wind storm, pull off the road and stop away from trees. If possible, walk into a safe building. Avoid overpasses, power lines and other hazards.
• If your car breaks down or you get stuck somewhere, try to remain inside the vehicle. Use a bright distress flag or your hazard lights to draw attention to your vehicle. During night hours, keep the dome light on in the car so rescue crews can see your vehicle.
• If trapped in a blizzard, clear your tail pipe and run your engine and heater for 10 minutes every hour. Open your window slightly.

Before any kind of storm

• Listen to your radio or television for winter storm forecasts and other information.
• Consider buying a generator. When installing a generator, follow the instructions carefully. Keep your generator outside and run a cord inside. Don't connect your generator to main service panels—it's dangerous! Improper use of a generator can cause carbon monoxide poisoning so make sure to place a carbon monoxide detector indoors.
• Make sure your disaster preparedness kit contains light sticks, flashlights, a battery-powered radio with extra batteries and a wind-up clock.
• Know what emergency plans are in place at your workplace, school and daycare center.
• If you own an electric garage door opener, locate the manual override and know how to open the door in case of a power outage.

A couple more things while preparing for a power outage

• Register life-sustaining and medical equipment with your utility company.
• Have a corded telephone available — cordless phones will not work when the power is out. Or make sure your cell phone is charged.
• Have a safe alternative heat source and supply of fuel. 

What to do before a windstorm

• If you live on a coastal or inland shoreline, be familiar with evacuation routes.
• Conduct a home safety evaluation to find out which nearby trees could fall in windstorm.

Preparing for winter storms

• Prepare your home for cold weather. Install storm windows. Insulate outside walls, attics and crawl spaces. Wrap pipes, especially those near cold outer walls or in attics or crawl spaces. Repair leaks in the roof, around the doors and in the windows.
• If you have a kerosene heater, refuel your heater outside and remember to keep it at least three feet from flammable objects.
• Make sure your fireplace functions properly.
• Have rock salt and sand on hand for traction on ice.

What to do during storms and power outages

• Be sure to eat regularly. Food provides calories that maintain body heat.
• Reduce the temperature in your home to conserve fuel.
• Heat only the areas of your home you are using. Close doors and curtains or cover windows and doors with blankets.
• Turn off lights and electrical appliances except for the refrigerator and freezer. Even if it is dark, turn light switches and buttons on lamps or appliances to the “off” position.
• Unplug computers and other sensitive equipment to protect them from possible surges when the power is restored.
• Leave one lamp on so you will know when power is restored. Wait at least 15 minutes after power is restored before turning on other appliances.
• Conserve water, especially if you use well water.
• Never use gas ovens, gas ranges, barbecues or portable or propane heaters for indoor heating—they use oxygen and create carbon monoxide that can cause suffocation.
• Candles can cause a fire. It's far better to use battery-operated flashlights or glow sticks for lighting.
• Using a kerosene heater, gas lantern or stove inside the house can be dangerous. Maintain proper ventilation at all times to avoid a buildup of toxic fumes.
• Stay away from downed power lines and sagging trees with broken limbs.
• If you are indoors, move away from windows or objects that could fall. Go to lower floors in multi-story homes.
• Be careful when shoveling snow. Do not overexert yourself.
• Watch for signs of frostbite and hypothermia — slurred speech, disorientation, uncontrollable shivering, stumbling, drowsiness and body temperature of 95 degrees Fahrenheit or less.
• Bring dogs and cats inside during cold weather.
• If you become trapped outside, get out of the wind and stay dry. Build a lean-to or snow cave if nothing else is available. Do not eat snow; it will make you too cold.

Specifically for Thunder storms:

• Watch for signs of a storm, like darkening skies, lightning flashes or increasing wind.
• Avoid electrical equipment and telephones. Use battery-­powered TVs and radios instead.
• Shutter windows and close outside doors securely. Keep away from windows.
• Do not take a bath, shower or use plumbing.
• If you are outside and cannot reach a safe building, avoid high ground, water, tall, isolated trees, and metal objects such as fences or bleachers. Picnic shelters, dugouts and sheds are not safe.

Keep food safe

• Use and store food carefully to prevent food borne illness when power outages make refrigeration unavailable.
• Use foods first that can spoil most rapidly.
• Keep doors to refrigerators and freezers closed. Your refrigerator's freezer will keep food frozen for up to a day. A separate fully-loaded freezer will keep food frozen for two days.
• Use an ice chest packed with ice or snow to keep food cold. Buy dry ice to save frozen food. Do not handle dry ice with your bare hands. Use blocks or bags of ice to save refrigerator foods.
• Use caution if storing food outside during winter to keep it cold. The outside temperature varies, especially in the sun. Frozen food may thaw and refrigerator food may become warm enough to grow bacteria. Food stored outside must be secured from contamination by animals.
• If in doubt, throw it out. Throw out meat, seafood, dairy products and cooked food that does not feel cold.
• Never taste suspect food. Even if food looks and smells fine, illness-causing bacteria may be present.

What to do after a storm

• Check yourself and those around you for injuries.
• Evacuate damaged buildings. Do not re-enter until declared safe by authorities.
• Call 9-1-1 only to report a life threatening emergency.
• If you smell gas or hear a hissing sound indoors — open windows and leave the building. Turn off the gas source and call your gas company. Do not use matches, candles, open flames or electric switches indoors.
• If the power goes out, keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed to keep food frozen for up to two days.
• Provide assistance to your neighbors, especially the elderly or disabled.
• Try to make contact with your out-of-area phone contact, but avoid making local telephone calls.
• Monitor your portable or weather radio for instructions or an official "all clear" notice. Radio stations will broadcast what to do, the location of emergency shelters, medical aid stations, and the extent of damage.

Lastly, your home, work, and car should all be stocked with emergency kits.

For your car, you should include a three-day supply of water and non-perishable food that can be eaten without being cooked. Include a blanket or sleeping bag for each passenger, a flashlight, cell phone, shovel, sack of sand or kitty litter, booster cables, flare, coffee can with lid, and toilet paper. 

For work keep everything in one container so you can grab and go in case of an evacuation.  Keep food and water in the container. Also, be sure to have com­fortable walking shoes at your workplace in case an evacuation requires walking long distances.

For your home disaster kit, you should have:

• A three-day supply of water (one gallon per person per day) and food that won’t spoil.
• One change of clothing and footwear per person, including:
• Jacket or coat.
• Long pants.
• Long sleeve shirt.
• Sturdy shoes.
• Hat, mittens, and scarf.
• Sleeping bag or warm blanket (per person).
• A first aid kit that includes your family’s prescription medications.
• Emergency tools including a battery-powered radio, flashlight, and plenty of extra batteries.
• An extra set of car keys.
• Photocopies of credit and identification cards.
• Cash
• Sanitation and hygiene supplies. (moist towelettes and toilet paper).
• Special items for infant, elderly, or disabled family members.
• Matches and waterproof container.
• Whistle.
• Kitchen accessories and cooking utensils, including a can opener.
• Special needs items such as an extra pair of glasses, contact solution, hearing aid, etc
• Keep important family documents in a waterproof container.

Make sure you’re prepared this winter so you can keep your family safe from injury and illness and your home safe from damage.  Be ready to weather the storm.

For more information on staying safe during storms and visit:

Ready

FEMA 

Red Cross 

Sources: 

Along with the three links above, our sources for this blog include

The city of Tacoma

Tacoma Power

The Washington State Department of Health

Pedestrian safety

An investigation is under way after a pedestrian was struck and killed by a truck in downtown Seattle Wednesday morning, police said.  

 Walking is the form of transportation that most people use every day and most of us probably take for granted that it’s one of the safest.  Yet, every year thousands of pedestrians go to the ER seeking medical attention because of injuries.  Two years ago 69,000 pedestrians were injured in traffic crashes and over 4,000 were killed. That means a pedestrian is injured every eight minutes and one is killed every two hours.  Those are staggering statistics.

 Now that the weather is gloomier and it’s getting dark earlier, pedestrians and drivers alike need to take extra precautions to keep from causing or being the victim of a pedestrian/vehicle incident.

 

Alcohol is involved in nearly half of fatal pedestrian/vehicle crashes.  In one third of these, the pedestrian is the one intoxicated.  In 6% of these accidents both the pedestrian and the driver were intoxicated.

Children and the elderly are more susceptible to pedestrian injuries.

More pedestrians die on New Year’s Day than on any other day of the year, and Halloween seems to be the most dangerous day of the year for children as far as pedestrian injuries and death are concerned.

Pedestrian injuries resulting from walking while texting or talking on a cell phone tripled between 2006 and 2008.

So how do you keep yourself safe from injury if you choose to walk?  

• Walk on sidewalks whenever possible.   If sidewalks aren’t available, walk on the side of the road or the left shoulder facing traffic.
• Only cross at intersections and crosswalks. Pedestrians are hit more often when they cross the street at places other than intersections.
• Obey traffic signals.
•  As stated above, drinking and walking can be deadly.  Don’t take risks, take the bus, a cab, or get a ride from a friend.  Medication and drugs can also impair your judgment and motor skills.   
• Remember what you were taught in school about crossing the street.  Look left, right and left again for traffic before stepping off the curb.
• Do not be distracted by cell phones, PDAs or headsets.
• Be aware of the vehicles around you.
• Remember that even though as a pedestrian you have the right of way, you still need to use care.   
• Closely watch children and teach them safety rules. 
• Be seen. 

1.     Keep out of a driver’s blind spot
2.     Make eye contact with drivers when crossing the street
3.     Wear bright colors or reflective clothing if walking at night.
4.     Use a flashlight when walking in the dark.
5.     Don’t let your children play near the street or cross the street by themselves.

 Don't become another statistic.  Stay alert, aware, keep distractions to a minimum, and obey traffic laws while walking.  Your life could depend on it.

Sources, related articles and products:

 American college of emergency physicians

 Washington State Department of Transportation

Seattle Pedestrian Program

Keeping pedestrians safe by vehicle design:

Auto Tips and Advice

World Lingo

Edmunds.com

Pedestrian and Safety Products

Reflectors

Settlement Reached for U.S. Marshal Injured While Trying to Help an Injured Highway Passenger

By Jeremy Johnston

On his way to a meeting, U.S. Marshal Raymond Fleck witnessed the aftermath of a serious auto collision.  He saw a passenger in need of help, activated his emergency lights, and began to slow and pull off the road. When his SUV reached the shoulder, a van struck him from behind. The impact lifted Raymond’s vehicle off the ground and blew his gear out of the back window. The van spun 180 degrees, came to rest, and caught fire. Raymond was left with multiple injuries including a concussion and lower back injury. He continues to suffer from limitations and pain as a result of the incident.

Raymond’s case settled for 150K. 

One of the important things when settling an insurance claim is not to accept it too hastily.  When you settle, you relieve the insurance company of all future expenses.  In many cases, injuries don’t present themselves right away, so if you settle too soon, you will be responsible for your injuries that might emerge after the settlement. 

After seeing a doctor, you should contact an attorney to find out about your rights as an accident victim.

Raymond Fleck is just one of many people MBC has represented in automobile collision claims.  We have won numerous settlements and verdicts.  Our team is highly experienced at analyzing the details of a crash and determining where ultimate blame rests.   We rely on a large network of private investigators and national automotive and mechanical experts to analyze every aspect of a serious injury collision. We look at all possible causes, from the condition of the road to vehicle defects to the individuals involved. Our resources and experience give us the confidence needed to confront insurance companies and the passion to win fair compensation for your injuries.

If you’ve been injured in a wreck, don’t hesitate to call us for a free consultation.

(253) 472-6000 or toll free (800) 992-9529