Car Accidents

When helmets come off, motorcycle accident medical claims rise

June 25, 2013 | Kraft Davies Olsson PLLC

Summer is finally here. As a result, many bikers will be traveling throughout the Northwest and across the country on their motorcycles simply for the joy of riding. However, bikers should be advised that new research has confirmed what many bikers have had to learn the hard way. The Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) has determined that when bikers fail to wear helmets, they sustain greater injuries and subsequent medical bill balances when they are involved in motorcycle accidents as compared to bikers who wear helmets and are involved in collisions.

The recent insurance industry study focused on the ways in which medical claims were affected in Michigan during the year following repeal of the state’s mandatory helmet law. Medical claims tied to motorcycle accident injuries rose by between 22 and 34 percent during this period, depending on whether certain variables were adjusted for or not. Bikers were injured more substantially and required more medical care generally following the helmet requirement repeal.

The HLDI’s chief research officer emphasized that “The cost per injury claim is significantly higher after the law changed than before, which is consistent with other research that shows riding without a helmet leads to more head injuries.” This landmark study is the first to explore the link between helmet law repeal and injury severity as opposed to straight fatality statistics.

SUV crashes result in higher fatalities for affected motorists

May 30, 2013 | Kraft Davies Olsson PLLC

Most individuals who can afford to shop for vehicles beyond a certain price point spend a significant amount of time researching the pros and cons of various models before settling on one. Among the most important factors in most individuals’ decision-making is the safety rating associated with any given model. Unfortunately, most consumers are not aware that the type of vehicle they end up purchasing is a much greater indicator of overall safety than its individual rating is.

According to a newly released study conducted by experts at the University of Buffalo, the model of passenger car an individual is driving at the time it collides with a sport utility vehicle (SUV) matters far less than the fact that the driver is not similarly driving an SUV. In these types of head-on car accidents involving SUVs and passenger cars, drivers of the passenger vehicles are substantially more likely to suffer fatal injury regardless of what model they are driving at the time of impact.

The mildly positive news is that if a passenger car has a superior safety rating than the SUV it crashes into, the driver is only four times more likely to die than the occupants of the SUV. If the SUV has a superior safety rating, drivers of the passenger car are ten times more likely to die.

Sound Transit Bus Runs Red Light, Crashes Into SUV

May 7, 2013 | Kraft Davies Olsson PLLC

On Monday, May 6, at about 9:33 p.m., a Sound Transit bus ran a red light while exiting Interstate 405 near the Totem Lake Transit Center in Kirkland, Washington and crashed into an SUV traveling on eastbound on Northwest 128th Street. The impact killed passengers Robert H. Rotta, 76, and his wife, Elizabeth E. Rotta, 75. The SUV driver, Kendall L. Rotta, was taken to Harborview Medical Center for evaluation and emergency treatment.

At the time of the incident, there were approximately 35 passengers on board the bus. A Sound Transit spokesperson indicated that he could not confirm or deny whether the brakes had failed on the bus, but that possibility was under investigation. The bus was operated by Community Transit, which contracts with First Transit for maintenance of its buses.

In Washington, the owner and operator of a bus has a duty to exercise reasonable care to properly maintain its buses. If the brakes on the bus failed, it is important to establish why the brakes failed and whether the company had notice of the problem before the failure or whether lax maintenance led to the failure. The Washington State Patrol will conduct an investigation into the incident and issue findings concerning the cause of the crash. The estate of a person killed in this type of incident could assert a wrongful death claim. In a wrongful death claim, the estate could assert damages for financial losses, medical expenses, pre-death pain and suffering, and the loss of the parent-child relationship caused by the death. The bus company will usually assign an adjuster and possibility an attorney to begin working on its behalf early in the investigation. It is important that the family and any injured persons have legal representation to gather important information early in the investigation. Critical evidence collected early in the investigation can make the difference in the outcome of a case.

Traffic Accidents Down Substantially in 2011

September 26, 2012 | Kraft Davies Olsson PLLC

According to reports from the Washington State Patrol, there were fewer accidents statewide in 2011 than at anytime in the past 11 years. In 2011, the WSP reported about 99,000 collisions, which continued a downward trend from a recent peak in 2005 of 123,000 traffic collisions.

The WSP credited drivers’ use of seat belts and air bags in the reduction in fatalities, but the reduction in collisions also meant that improved driver behavior had lead to less crashes. Injuries were down about 20 percent from the peak year in 2005. DUI-related collisions were also down about 21 percent. Fatality collisions were down about 30 percent from 2005.

In a statement, WSP Chief John R. Batiste said the three most important factors are slowing down, paying attention to the road and driving sober. “We don’t have to accept collisions as an inevitable fact of life,” he said.

Seattle drivers are accident prone, new study says

August 30, 2012 | Kraft Davies Olsson PLLC

Seattle drivers are far from the nation’s safest behind the wheel, according to an annual report from Allstate Insurance Company. And they’re getting worse. Among the nation’s 200 largest cities, Seattle drivers ranked 154th in terms of their risk for a collision. Seattle drivers average one crash every 7.9 years, which is 27 percent more likely than the national average.

Seattle also slid seven spots from its 147th-safest driving city rank in the 2011 report, when Emerald City drivers had one crash every eight years. In 2009, they had one crash every 8.3 years.

The report is based on two years of Allstate claims data and ranks cities in terms of the frequency of crashes.

The impact of state budget cuts on road safety

July 25, 2012 | Kraft Davies Olsson PLLC

When a chunk of I-5 pavement flew up and smashed through the windshield of a car carrying a family of four, the dangers of Washington’s crumbling roadways became all too real. The family was headed down I-5 near Northgate on Saturday when a brick-sized concrete panel came off the road, crashed through the car’s windshield and hit the father who was in the passenger seat. His wife was driving the vehicle and their son and daughter were in the back seat.

“The rock hit me so hard in the chest, it literally took my breath away,” the man said. He had to have stitches on his chin and inside his mouth. His chin and chest were also severely bruised by the piece of pavement.

Secretary of Transportation Paula Hammond said road crews built much of the interstate in the 1960s, and more than 50 years of heavy use has taken its toll. Hammond said the agency doesn’t have the staff or cash to fix everything that’s falling apart, and the statewide to-do list just keeps getting bigger. “As our transportation system has more wear and tear on it, and as we go longer without revenue dollars to just take care of the system that we have, we’re unfortunately going to see more of this kind of thing,” she said.

Drunk Driving Suspected in I-5 Crash

June 28, 2012 | Kraft Davies Olsson PLLC

Five people were injured late Monday, June 18, 2012, in a crash on Interstate 5 in South Seattle that closed most of the freeway for nearly five hours.

Four vehicles were involved, including a Mitsubishi Eclipse that ended up crushed beneath a semi-truck.

One person was subsequently arrested for investigation of DUI following the crash.

SUV Crashed Into Kirkland Home

March 22, 2012 | Kraft Davies Olsson PLLC

Early this morning an SUV crashed through the wall of the bedroom of a Kirkland home where the homeowner slept and then burst into flames. Prior to the crash, the driver lost control of the vehicle, plowed across the lawns of two homes and crashed through a car-port, fence and tree before slamming into the house. The homeowner helped the driver and passenger of the SUV, a woman and man in their 20s, out of the vehicle as it burned. The two occupants were rushed to Evergreen Medical Center for treatment of their injuries. The homeowner did not have physical injuries, but her home is “red flagged” until inspectors determine it is safe to occupy.

Passengers in car crashes often have claims against the driver of the vehicle they are in, which are usually covered by the driver’s auto insurance. An individual who is not physically injured but suffers emotional injuries due to being subjected to a near miss may also have a claim.

Multiple Injuries in Wrong-Way Collision on I-5 in Seattle

March 21, 2012 | Kraft Davies Olsson PLLC

At around 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 20 there was a head on collision on an I-5 ramp at the I-90 interchange involving a vehicle traveling the wrong way. One person was killed in the crash and multiple others were injured.

Those injured in car accidents and the surviving families of people killed in accidents often have claims against the driver at fault. You may contact our firm for more information and a free, no obligation consultation at 866-377-0191.

Traffic Collisions in Seattle Snow and Ice Storm of 2012.

January 20, 2012 | Kraft Davies Olsson PLLC

Over the last week, Seattle has been hit with a major snow and ice storm that has resulted in hundreds of motor vehicle collisions. There are several steps you can take as a motorist to prevent a collision in snow and ice. First, when following behind other vehicles, you need to provide ample distance between the front of your car and the vehicle ahead. In icy or snowy weather conditions, you should allow at least six seconds between your vehicle and any forward vehicle. This means if you are traveling at 55 miles per hour you should allow 486 feet of stopping distance. Many motorists fail to allow sufficient stopping distance and are unable to stop in icy or snowing conditions on the interstate.

Second, when driving in snow and ice, you should avoid sudden application of your brakes to stop. If possible, you should down-shift your vehicle or gradually apply your brakes. A quick brake application in snow and ice can cause your vehicle to skid and you may lose control of your vehicle.

Third, you should make sure that the tires on your vehicle are adequate for snow and ice. If you are using summer tires or your tires are bald, you will not have adequate traction in the snow. If you frequently travel in snow and ice, you should consider the purchase of studded snow tires.