Seattle Injury Lawyer Blog

Fire on Tug in Lake Ontario Injures Crewmembers

March 28, 2012 | Kraft Davies Olsson PLLC

On March 27, 2012 at around 2:00 a.m. a U.S Flagged tug Patrice McAllister caught fire with six people aboard in Canadian waters of Lake Ontario. U.S. Coast Guard and Canadian Coast Guard rescue crews responded to the vessel located seven miles south of Prince Edward Point, Ontario. One injured crewmember was medically evacuated by Canadian helicopter crew and taken to a hospital in Belleville, Ontario, and was later transferred to Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto. The other five crewmembers were taken aboard a Canadian Coast Guard vessel and taken to Kingston, Ontario. Their current conditions are unknown. Yesterday, a commercial salvage vessel towed the Patrice McAllister to a freight dock in Clayton, New York where it will be inspected by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Crewmembers injured aboard the Patrice McAllister may have claims against the vessel owner under the Jones Act and/or the doctrine of seaworthiness. For more information and a free, no obligation consultation regarding claims under the Jones Act or the doctrine of unseaworthiness please call our office at 866-377-0191.

For more about this story see http://www.d9.uscgnews.com/go/doc/443/1350723/.

Sysco beef recalled due to E. coli risk

March 26, 2012 | Kraft Davies Olsson PLLC

Sysco Seattle Inc. is recalling 16,800 pounds of ground beef patties due to risk of contamination by E. coli bacteria. The meat originated in Canada, a product of New Food Classics of Burlington, Ontario, and may have been tainted by the potentially deadly bacteria E. coli 0157:H7. The patties were intended for distribution to restaurants in Washington, Arizona, Colorado and Texas. At least one illness has been reported in Canada from the tainted beef. Children, seniors and those with weakened immune systems are most vulnerable.

Victims of E. coli infection resulting from tainted food may have claims against the food’s producers, distributers, and other entities involved.

For more information about this story see http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Beef-patties-recalled-due-to-possible-E-coli-3434061.php#ixzz1qFZ4m1s6

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.

WSU fined for Safety Violations for Improper Reporting

March 21, 2012 | Kraft Davies Olsson PLLC

Washington State University was recently fined $82,500 by the U.S. Department of Education for campus safety violations, which was reduced to $15,000 by a federal administrative judge. The fine is for violations in 2007 of a campus crime reporting law which requires notifications of potential threats to students and employees. Both violations involved the improper reporting of sexual assaults. In one case a possible forcible rape was classified as a “domestic dispute” and another improperly labeled “unfounded”. WSU was one of several universities, including Virginia Tech, that were found in violation of the law.

Victims of crimes resulting from improper security on university campuses may have claims against the university. You may contact our firm for more information and a free, no obligation consultation at 866-377-0191.

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.

Sunken dry dock and capsized tug at Vigor Marine Shipyard on March 18, 2012

March 20, 2012 | Kraft Davies Olsson PLLC

On Sunday, March 18, 2012 a 200-foot section of dry dock containing the 140-foot tug Invader sunk causing the tug to capsize at the Vigor Marine Shipyard in Everett, Washington. The dry dock began sinking on Saturday evening and stopped at approximately 12 p.m., Sunday, after making contact with the sea floor. Both the dry dock and the Invader are partially submerged, with the Invader capsized, listing 90 degrees on its starboard side. The cause of the sinking has not been determined.

Due to the presence of fuel on the tug, the Coast Guard and Washington Dept. of Ecology are treating the sinking as a potential environmental hazard. The owner of the Invader has confirmed that an estimated 50,000-60,000 gallons of diesel is contained in the vessel’s fuel tanks. Crews sealed the tanks over the weekend to prevent a release of the oil into the water and workers have surrounded the area with three rows of oil spill containment boom in case of a leak or spill.

Salvage crews are on scene, and have set the dock level so that it rests on the bottom at its mooring, and have stabilized the tug. Salvage experts are currently developing a plan to right the tug.

Quincy School District Bus Injuries on March 12, 2012

March 19, 2012 | Kraft Davies Olsson PLLC

A school bus overturned on the morning of March 12, 2012 on a central Washington highway outside of Quincy, Washington, injuring dozens of children, including three seriously, before coming to rest at the edge of a field, authorities said.

According to news reports, the bus veered off the road, overcorrected and rolled on Highway 281 just south of Quincy, Washington.

The bus came to rest on its passenger side, and all 39 students on board suffered injuries of some kind, though most were minor scrapes, bruises and bloody noses, Martin said. Three children were in serious condition, but none of the injuries was believed to be life-threatening.

Propane Explosion at Picnic Point Wastewater Treatment Plan in Edmonds, Washington

February 24, 2012 | Kraft Davies Olsson PLLC

On Thursday, February 23, 2012, a propane tank exploded at the Picnic Point Waste Water Treatment Plant in Edmonds, Washington. The blast injured five workers at the plant and they were taken to Harborview Medical Center for burns related to the blast. Two of the workers have life-threatening injuries.

According to news accounts, the explosion occurred around 11:00 a.m. as a 1,000 gallon propane tank was being loaded onto a truck. About 300 gallons of propane remained in the tank, when it shifted and a valve was severed, causing the truck and tank to explode.

When a propane explosion occurs and workers are seriously injured, the workers and their families need to make certain that a careful investigation is undertaken by experienced lawyers to determine the cause of the blast and whether any claims may exist against third-parties for their injuries. In order to provide answers for the victims and their families, our law firm investigates these incidents on a contingent fee basis. This means that we do not charge a fee for our work unless a financial recovery is made. This allows the families to determine if a valid claim exists without incurring the expense associated with paying lawyers by the hour. If you or a family member is injured in a propane or plant explosion, we are here to help. Contact our firm for a free, no obligation consultation.

Awareness of Brain Injury in the Young Leading to More Treatment

February 7, 2012 | Kraft Davies Olsson PLLC

Throughout 2011, the media reported widely on the prevalence of concussions and other traumatic brain injury sustained by children and young athletes. A recently released study indicates that as the public’s awareness of this issue increases, the number of young athletes being treated for recreationally-sustained head injurieshas also increased.

The study was commissioned by the Centers for Disease Control and focused on data related to emergency care for children and young athletes during the period of 2001-2009. In 2001, just over 150,000 recreationally-related brain injury visits were reported for this age group. The number of visits jumped to nearly 250,000 in 2009.

Many professionals view these numbers as heartening. The way in which the data was analyzed strongly supports the idea that awareness, not an increase in actual injury occurrence, accounts for the spike in visits. One of the study’s authors noted that “We would like to see the numbers go down because we hope we have gotten better at preventing (head injuries), but we knew the numbers would have to go up before they start to come down because awareness has to go up first.”

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.