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Plain-English guidance on personal injury claims from our trial attorneys, serving injured people across Washington and Oregon.

Can Environmental Factors Cause Car Accidents?

Even the most careful driver could fall victim to an unsafe roadway or dangerous weather condition. Environmental factors can have a major impact on traffic safety, resulting in serious and even fatal car accidents. If you were recently injured in an environment-related car accident in Vancouver, fi

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How to Know if You Have a Case for Premises Liability

If you get injured on someone else’s property in Vancouver, you may be entitled to financial compensation from the property owner for your related medical bills, lost wages and other losses. However, not every accident on another person’s property will give you grounds to file a premises liability c

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Common Questions About Trucking Accidents

Trucking accidents cause serious injuries, deaths and costly property damage every year. They are devastating collisions that can leave victims with many questions about their rights and legal options. At NW Injury Law Center, our goal is to help truck accident victims get through the aftermath of a

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5 Most Common Motorcycle Accidents

Motorcyclists face many risks and hazards each time they ride. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that 5,579 motorcyclists lost their lives in 2020 – the highest number of motorcyclist deaths since data collection began in 1975. Identifying the most common types of motorcycle

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Analyzing the Statute of Limitations for Wrongful Death in Oregon

Losing a loved one is one of the most devastating events that can happen in a person’s life. If you recently found out that your family member passed away in an unexpected accident, such as a fatal car crash or workplace disaster, you are most likely feeling overwhelmed and unsure of how to proceed.

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Delayed Pain After a Car Accident

Delayed pain refers to a symptom of injury experienced 24 to 48 hours (or longer) after a car accident takes place. When a victim experiences delayed pain, he or she may not recognize a severe injury right away. This can lead to a dangerous delay in receiving medical care, as well as difficulty obta

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Commercial Vehicle Guidelines in Washington State

Commercial motor vehicles have special regulations under both federal and state laws. In Washington, all vehicles that classify as commercial must abide by laws and regulations related to their operation and maintenance. If any of these guidelines are not followed, this can increase the risk of a co

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The “Fatal Four” Construction Hazards

Construction sites are inherently hazardous and construction workers face a high risk of sustaining on-the-job injuries. However, there are four types of hazards that contribute to the majority of fatalities in the construction industry. These four hazards are often referred to as the construction “

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Who Can File a Wrongful Death Lawsuit in Washington?

When a person is injured as a result of another person’s negligence or wrongdoing, they may be entitled to compensation for the damages they suffer. If their injuries are fatal, they still have a legal right to damages, which may be claimed on their behalf by another person. This post will cover who

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Clark County Courts

Jesse Jacobs is proud to support the Clark County Courts and staff in their efforts to keep the court’s doors open this year. The courts play a critical role in our community. The NW Injury Law Center believes the courts’ continued administration of justice is a top priority and supports their effor

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Why Collision Photos Are So Important

The old adage “a picture is worth a thousand words” especially applies in auto accidents. Although doctors and lawyers know the damage to a car doesn’t necessarily have much to do with the injury suffered by the occupants, the average citizen does not. They seem convinced that little visible damage

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The Cost of Medical Records

Not a lot of folks realize it, but nearly all medical providers charge you a fee for a copy of your medical records. These fees can be in the thousands of…

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How Insurance Companies Can Legally Shrink Settlements

Subrogation is an area of personal injury law that most folks aren’t aware of. It seems unfair, but your health insurance company or Personal Injury Protection (PIP) carrier may be able to get paid back for any medical bills it paid related to your personal injury claim. Just don’t expect them

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Oregon Improves their Auto Insurance Rules

Good news from Oregon. All that time those persistent Oregon trial lawyers, including our attorney Don Jacobs, spent testifying in the Oregon State Capitol finally paid off. Governor Kate Brown recently signed a law that, effective January 01, 2016, will require Under-Insured/Uninsured Motorists (UI

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Clark County Judge Johnson Returns to Her Dahlias

Nothing lasts forever. Unless you expire on the bench, everybody returns to civilian life at some point. Tuesday, March 31st will be Judge Barbara Johnson’s final day. She didn’t get to the mandatory retirement age of 75. But other than our somewhat recently retired Judge Bob Harris, I can’t remembe

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Don Jacobs Named Trial Lawyer of The Year

While serving personal injury clients for over 36 years is its own reward, I am always honored and humbled to receive recognition from my peers. At this year’s Barrister’s Ball I was presented with the award of Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Clark County Bar Association (CCBA). The award is present

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Is Eating While Driving Illegal?

When you think of distracted driving, particularly when it comes to the legal side of things, it’s usually about using cell phones. But there are plenty of other ways we distract ourselves behind the wheel, including eating on the go. While studies show the dangers of distracted driving, including e

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When Home Team Loses Traffic Accidents Rise

If you’re a passionate sports fan, you can understand the emotions of a tough loss for your team. Think of what Green Bay Packers fans must have felt when they surrendered a big lead and what seemed like a sure win against the Seattle Seahawks. There’s nothing wrong with a healthy level of sports...

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New Radar Gun Reveals Texting Drivers

Police already have the ability to crack down on speeders simply by pointing a radar gun at traffic. Now, you have another reason to be concerned if you see an officer parked on the side of the road. A Virginia company is working on technology that can monitor texting and driving from afar. ComSonic

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Trucking Restart Rule Reversed

A recent bill that was signed into law by President Obama will replace the controversial 2013 change that made truckers wait much longer to get back to work. Five pages within the 1,603-page document includes language that forbids the use of federal dollars to enforce the 34-hour restart rule that w

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Bicycle Accident Deaths on the Rise

According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, bicycle accident deaths on our country’s roadways increased by 16 percent between 2010 and 2012, particularly adult males. At the same time, motor vehicle accident fatalities have decreased. From 2010 to 2012, bicycle fatalities in motor vehicle

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Risk for Seizures After a Traumatic Brain Injury

November is National Epilepsy Awareness Month. About 2 million people in the United States are affected by epilepsy. While the general public may often consider epilepsy a genetic condition, in some cases it can be acquired through trauma. About 5 percent of epileptic seizures are caused by a trauma

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Car Accidents and Workers Compensation

Many of us use our personal car while on the job. If an accident happens, and we become injured, the workers’ compensation benefits package provided through our employer kicks in. Under state law, the doctors who treat us must bill the workers compensation carrier directly for their services. The la

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Is Texting More Dangerous Than DUI?

If you asked most people what was the most dangerous thing someone could do behind the wheel, they’d most likely say driving drunk. While drunk driving has been responsible for widespread emotional and physical carnage, it’s not even close to the most dangerous thing you can do while driving. Studie

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How Truck Accidents Differ From Car Accidents

Whether it’s from a legal perspective or simply the physical aspects of the accident, there are many differences between normal vehicle accidents, and collisions involving commercial trucks. A More Violent Collision According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 3,921 pe

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Keys to Proving Negligence in an Injury Case

If you are pursuing legal action with a personal injury claim and negligence is the main basis for the suit, the burden is on you and your attorney to prove it. There are four major elements of a negligence claim: causation, breach of duty, duty of care, and damages. Duty of Care Duty of...

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Operation Safe Driver Targets Truckers and Bus Drivers

Distracted and other unsafe driving practices are dangerous enough when done by people in ordinary vehicles. When people do it behind the wheel of an 18 wheeler or other large commercial vehicles, the stakes are even higher. That’s why this week, law enforcement across the U.S., Canada and Mexico ar

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When Victims Bear Responsibility in Injury Cases

If you haven’t been involved in a personal injury lawsuit, it may come as a surprise that even if someone else is at fault for your injuries, you may not be awarded the full value of your compensation. That’s because some states (including Washington and Oregon) are comparative negligence states. Wh

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Truck Company Faces Million Dollar Suit in Amtrak Crash

A trucking company in Nevada was found liable by a jury for an amount exceeding $4.5 million when one of its drivers crashed into an Amtrak train that resulted in the death of six people and injuries to many others at the scene of a rural crossing 70 miles east of Reno. A judge...

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Why Driving and Cell Phones are a Deadly Combination

Many of us take the dangers of using cell phones while driving for granted. The good news is that public service campaigns and tragic news related to these accidents are being aired enough that it’s beginning to sink in how serious the issue is. Sometimes simple visuals can be a very effective way t

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Social Media is a Threat to Your Injury Claim

Social media is one of the most popular tools people use to express emotions and communicate with friends. It’s a technology that has changed the world, allowing us to stay connected with people we wouldn’t normally stay connected with. Sadly, when you aren’t careful with this tool, it c

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One in 25 Drivers Fall Asleep at the Wheel

There are many people digitally distracted while driving, but simply not being well rested can be just as dangerous. Falling asleep behind the wheel is more common than you think. According to a new survey from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in 25 drivers in the U.S.

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DOT Targets Distracting Navigation Apps

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), 3,328 people died on the road due to an act of distracted driving. While we most closely associate texting and talking on the phone as the way drivers are distracted, the DOT has a new target in the war on distracted driving: navigation apps.

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Commercial Truck Insurance Minimums Too Low

According to officials from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the number of fatal large-truck crashes has been on the rise the last few years, with 3,921 deaths in 2012. The emotional toll that these tragedies take on the friends and families of the victims is incalculable. But a glar

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How to Handle an Independent Medical Exam

If you’ve filed a personal injury claim, or plan on doing so, there’s a good chance that you will have to see a doctor who will perform a so-called independent medical exam. In actuality, many IMEs put the insurance company’s interest above being truly fair and impartial. That’s why it is so importa

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How Does Portland Traffic Congestion Rank?

Dutch GPS manufacturer TomTom has released their 2014 index of the most congested traffic in the world. The index compares travel times during non-congested hours with travel times in peak hours. Portland ranked ninth most congested in the U.S. Seattle was third, topped only by Los Angeles and San F

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CVSA Safety Inspections Target Trucks from Canada to Mexico

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual International Roadcheck was implemented the first week of June. For nearly 30 years, the world’s largest targeted enforcement program on commercial motor vehicles has included the most comprehensive roadside inspection (North American Standard Level I

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DOT Proposes Speed Limiters on Commercial Trucks

Speed kills. So when speed limits aren’t enough, some in positions of authority think that you have to take it one step further and mechanically force vehicles to obey the speed limit, or at least the limit programmed in the device. So, the Department of Transportation (DOT) is set to mandate speed

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How Much Is My Personal Injury Case Worth?

A serious injury can create a huge financial burden. From time lost at work to mounting medical bills, the injured party can find themselves in an increasingly dire financial situation as the result of an accident. That’s why injury compensation is so important. Without such compensation, the many b

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Your Passengers Are a Distracted Driving Risk

Many teens are afflicted with the dangerous notion that they are invincible. In other words, they just don’t think (insert dangerous behavior here) will result in something bad happening to them. Pair that up with being in the technological age where we are constantly buried in our wireless technolo

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Why You’re Less Likely To Die In a Car Accident These Days

While we live in an era of intense concern over the dangers of distracted driving, the overall picture of traffic safety is looking bright. Traffic fatalities in the United States have been on a long and steady decline since the early ‘70s. At its peak in 1969, deaths on the road reached 55,043. Fas

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What is Bad Faith in Insurance?

When you are involved in a personal injury case, the insurance company has an obligation to settle your case in a prompt and fair manner. If they fail to do so, it can be referred to as acting in “bad faith,” and could have legal implications for punitive damages. Suing Insurance Companies for Bad..

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What Is Covered by My Car Insurance?

An automobile accident can be a traumatic and devastating event, even if all the expenses are covered. While mandatory auto insurance laws vary, the state of Washington requires a minimum liability coverage, which protects you in case there are injuries and damages caused by your car. It’s much safe

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Top 10 States for Deadly Truck Accidents

Last summer, the American Association for Justice issued a report that asserted there are unsound practices in the trucking industry that are making trucking accidents more likely. It states that “Truck drivers – compensated by miles driven, not hours worked – are pushed to ignore safety measu

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Roadside Inmate Crew Hit By Commercial Truck

There are plenty of ways an inmate can get their sentence shortened, getting hit by a semi truck is not one of the more favorable ones. On February 11, three female inmates working on the side of Interstate 5 in Wilsonville, Oregon were struck and injured when a commercial truck crashed into a ditch

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Hands-Free Phone Use In The Crosshairs

In Washington and Oregon, it is currently lawful to drive while using a hands-free device for your phone. That could change, if one Washington state lawmaker has their way. In 2010, Washington state lawmakers made holding your phone or texting while driving a primary offense, which means a police of

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Overview of Personal Injury Depositions

When a personal injury lawsuit is filed, both sides have the right to a deposition, or the ability to have their attorney question the other attorney’s client under oath. The purpose is to allow both sides to be fully prepared with all the known information before a trial commences. There’s no need

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Common Questions About Trucking Accidents

Trucking accidents differ from other auto collisions in several ways. There are unique laws and rules which can apply to a trucking collision, as well as a few common questions that will likely come up. Knowing the basics about trucking accidents can help prepare you for worst-case scenarios. What’s

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Understanding Distracted Driving

Think you know what distracted driving is? Think again. The statistics are starker than many people realize, and the definition of distracted driving encompasses everything from eating behind the wheel to having a fussy baby in the backseat. You know that it’s not safe to text and drive, and that ev

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How Safe Would Your Child Be in a Car Accident?

Nothing is more important than the safety of our children. Yet, according to the National SAFE KIDS Campaign four out of five car seats are not used properly. Here are some staggering statistics about the lack of proper child passenger safety measures: Since 2001, there have been approximately 227,0

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Car Accident Head Injuries Not Always Easy To Detect

If you or someone you know has experienced head trauma in a car accident, some health effects may be lurking undetected, under the surface. While you may have been in what seems like just a minor fender bender, even that can lead to an excessive force on your brain that may bring on serious...

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Maximum First-Offense Penalties for Texting and Driving

Most states have laws against texting and driving, but the laws are certainly wide-ranging when you look at how people are punished from one state to another. Alaska is known as the Last Frontier, home to independent spirits who prefer to be left alone from an over-meddling government. However, the

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Expert Witnesses in Personal Injury Cases

You’ve probably heard the term “expert witness” on TV dramas, but these experts actually play a very real and important role in personal injury cases. Also known as a judicial expert or professional witness, this figure doesn’t actually “witness” a crime. Instead, they’re considered to h

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Washington State Drivers Are Distracted

New research on Washington state drivers has found that too many of us are not making good decisions with smart phone use while behind the wheel. Researchers from the University of Washington examined the driving habits of citizens in six of the state’s counties: King, Pierce, Snohomish, Spokane, Wh

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Where Are The Worst Drivers in the Country?

No matter where you go, locals in that community will likely complain that their area has the worst drivers. Let’s let the facts from a recent report on the matter shed some light on the matter. Allstate recently released their annual report on the most (and least) car accident prone cities in the U

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Common Myths About Personal Injury Cases

Personal injury law is often complex and maybe a little confusing to anyone other than practicing attorneys and other legal professionals. With that complexity comes plenty of misconceptions about the legal process in those cases. Here are some of the more common myths: Myth: You have to go to court

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Devices Tested To Combat Truck Driver Sleep Disorders

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as many as 70 million Americans suffer from a sleep disorder. There are a number of potential negative health consequences, one of them being a significant reduction in driving safety, due to the lack of quality sleep related to disorders

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NTSB Study Finds Truck Safety, Invalid License Concerns

Last month, The NAFA Fleet Management Association expressed concerns over the National Transportation Safety Board’s new safety recommendations earlier this summer. After examining the results of a five year study, the NTSB found that single-unit trucks have been in a disproportionately high number

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Why Hands-Free Phone Use While Driving is Dangerous

  It’s alarming to hear people insist that hands-free phone use in vehicles is not dangerous. That’s because the evidence does not back up that assertion. We already know that studies show cell phone use causes distracted driving and accidents, resulting in bodily injury and propert

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An Overview of Personal Injury Protection

Personal injury protection (PIP) insurance is coverage available to you as an extra level of financial protection should you get into a car accident. Some states require the coverage, such as Oregon. If you are a resident of Washington, it’s up to you. In Washington, the coverage window for PIP is t

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Common Legal Questions After a Truck Accident

Commercial trucks, which can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, pass motorists every day on the roads and highways without incident. Still, sometimes a commercial truck can run awry, careen out of control, spill its freight or even lead to fatal accidents as cars, themselves are usually 36 times smaller. St

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Most Common Causes of Trucking Accidents

We want to minimize all traffic accidents, particularly those involving commercial truck accidents in Vancouver given their inherent ability to inflict so much more damage. One way to do so is to have a firm grasp of what most commonly causes them in the first place. Driver Error In 2009, Oregon com

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New Commercial Truck Safety Regulations

There is a tug of war that goes on between the commercial trucking industry and lawmakers. On the in lawmakers/regulators side, they are trying to find ways to improve highway safety and reduce injuries or fatalities related to trucking accidents. Unfortunately, that often happens to reduce producti

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Small Business Owners and Uninsured Motorist Coverage

Uninsured motorist coverage is a must these days. Up to 25 percent of the vehicles on the road may not have liability insurance. The ones that do often only have a “full coverage” policy, which means they bought the least amount of coverage they needed in order to comply with the Oregon or Washingto

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How To Document the Scene of Your Car Accident

If you’ve been in a car accident and want to ensure you have the best chance at being awarded the settlement you deserve, it’s important to document the scene. While police will do their best in filing their report, you are always your best advocate. The easiest way to record auto accide

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Oregon Drivers Can Now Prove Car Insurance By Phone

Have you ever found yourself scrambling for your insurance information after being pulled over by police? If you’re a resident of Oregon and Washington, you can show them your car insurance on your cell phone. Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber signed a bill into law May 14, taking effect immediately, t

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Litigation Experience Critical When Hiring an Attorney

If you are ever injured in an accident and decide to make a claim to recover damages, chances are the case will be settled out of court. Most lawyers who handle injury claims put effort into resolving a case without having to file a lawsuit. On cases where a lawsuit is necessary, attorneys make...

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I-5 Bridge Collapse Comes With Important Insurance Lesson

There’s a careful investigation going on north of Seattle, where evidence is being removed from the Skagit River where last week’s horrific I-5 bridge collapsed. The Riverside Bridge collapsed after a truck hit an overhead beam. The accident sent two vehicles and three people into the frigid waters.

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Who Can Be Sued in a Truck Accident Case?

Who Can Be Sued in a Truck Accident Case? People who find themselves injured in a truck accident have a number of options when it comes to filing a lawsuit. In Washington and Oregon, one of the legal strategies is to file a lawsuit against any party that might have been responsible, just to...

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Who is Liable for Boating Accident Injuries?

Boating accidents, like many other personal injury situations, implicate many liability injuries. When someone is hurt in a boating accident, just who is responsible? This will depend upon a number of factors. In Oregon and Washington, the common law of negligence typically governs these boating acc

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Uninsured Motorist Coverage

You may be covered, even if you didn’t pay for it. Uninsured motorist coverage can come in very handy. The coverage is used in situations where the driver who caused an accident is operating a vehicle without insurance. Despite mandatory insurance laws in both Oregon and Washington, the state regula

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New Boating Laws Serve as Safety Reminder

New Boating Laws Serve as Safety Reminder Last year, two brothers in Georgia tragically lost their lives when their boat was hit by another piloted by a suspected drunk boater. That tragedy has led to new state legislation, where Georgia boaters can be arrested for boating under the influence of alc

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Challenges of Trucking Accidents and Insurance

The economy seems to be growing again. People are starting to purchase more. Discretionary spending is up. That’s a good thing, right? Well yes, but a better economy does mean more commerce. And more commerce means more goods being delivered to retail outlets for waiting consumers. More deliveries m

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Will New Oregon Law Lead to More ATV Injuries for Kids?

Will New Oregon Law Lead to More ATV Injuries for Kids? Last month, the Oregon Senate passed legislation that allows children of any age to ride off-road motorcycles on public land. On March 12, Senate Bill 238 passed 22-7, with bipartisan support (12 Republicans and 10 Democrats). The main requirem

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Americans Drive More Distracted Than Europeans

Americans Drive More Distracted Than Europeans New research is suggesting that Americans are driving more distracted than our European counterparts (at least the seven countries included in the survey). The findings were just published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity an

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Bike Helmet Has 360 Degree Video to Record Accidents

Bike Helmet Has 360 Degree Video to Record Accidents Cyclist Jason Poindexter was riding his bike through traffic close to work in Austin, Texas when a motorist hit him and kept driving. He was left a bloody mess. While a select few who have been physically harmed take the vigilante approach to just

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Washington and Oregon Teen Drivers Among Safest in the U.S.

Teen Washington and Oregon Drivers Among Safest in the Country Parents in the Northwest, pat yourself on the back. According to a new report by the Governors Highway Safety Association, teen drivers in Washington and Oregon are among the safest in the country. This is especially poignant, given that

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Farmers Insurance No Longer Covers Certain Dog Breeds

Farmers Insurance No Longer Covers Certain Dog Breeds While impassioned dog advocates will often say things like “punish the deed, not the breed” and certain breeds are not inherently dangerous, that isn’t enough to sway Farmers Insurance, who has discontinued coverage for dogs it deems too high a r

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Toyota to Pay $29M to 29 States Over Safety Issues

Toyota is still making the kind of news they’d prefer to be done with. The company has agreed to pay $29 million to 29 states and American Samoa to settle allegations by those state’s attorney generals that Toyota did not reveal prior knowledge of safety defects in accelerator pedals in a timely man

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Another Sad Sexual Assault Story Ignored by Authorities

It seems like we’ve almost become numb to these stories. We hear about hundreds of children sexually molested by Catholic priests. Yet instead of notifying the police, Church elders cover it up and transfer predators to other parishes where even more kids are raped and molested. And it isn’t just th

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3 Distracted Driving Apps Worth Considering

5 Distracted Driving Apps Worth Considering With the advent of wireless leaders such as AT&T launching major public awareness campaigns regarding distracted driving, the issue has become much more pervasive in the public consciousness. It’s certainly paved the way for software developers to satisfy

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Court Restores $8.5 Million Cement Truck Verdict

Court Restores $8.5 Million Cement Truck Verdict Social media brings an entirely new dynamic to the world of litigation. For instance, photos on a Virginia man’s Facebook account were brought up during his wrongful death lawsuit against a cement truck driver and his employer… and it almost became a

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Black Ice: Winter Driving’s Invisible Threat

Black Ice: Winter Driving’s Invisible Threat Those of us in the Portland/Vancouver area have experienced a pretty big drop in temperatures of late. With that in mind, Portland’s Bureau of Transportation warned residents to drive cautiously over the New Year’s holiday, due to the risk of black ice an

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Washington DUI Law for Marijuana Sparks Debate

Washington voters approved Initiative 502, the landmark, albeit controversial, decision to legalize marijuana in the state. While there are still some logistical hoops to go through, it became official December 6, 2012. Over the course of 2013, Washington will be creating a tightly regulated and tax

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Dangers of Oregon Truck Driver Law Exemptions

Dangers of Oregon Truck Driver Law Exemptions Commercial truck drivers work long hours under physically and mentally difficult circumstances. While state and federal law is in place to regulate the industry and optimize driver safety and the safety of everyone they share the roads with, there are so

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Commercial Truck Accident: Driver Asleep at the Wheel

Much is made about the issue of truck drivers and the amount of work they put in behind the wheel. Are they pushed too hard to meet deadlines and earn their pay, which is tied to their performance? Do commercial trucking laws do enough, and if so, are the drivers even following them? There’s...

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Girl Develops Distracted Driving App, Wins $20,000

We love ingenuity. It’s the American way. But when someone who isn’t even a teenager yet invents an app that discourages distracted driving, it deserves a little extra attention. As a promotional tool for AT&T’s “It Can Wait” campaign against texting and driving, the company held a contest for progr

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Seattle Construction Site Accident Injures Two Workers

For most people, going to work is not inherently hazardous to their health. However, if you work in construction, construction site accidents are an issue that must be dealt with caution and proper training. A few weeks ago, two workers were injured in a Seattle, Washington construction site acciden

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Teenagers Texting & Driving

A new survey performed by Harris Interactive found that 57 percent of teens admit to texting while driving. The nationwide survey polled 652 teenagers ranging from 14 to 17 years old. 362 of the teens had not yet earned their driver’s license, while 290 already held a permit or license. Despite exte

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14 Killed By Contaminated Cantaloupes

The Center for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) recently confirmed the number of deaths caused by a contaminated batch of cantaloupes has reached fourteen.  75 cases of people falling ill after consuming the listeria-infected cantaloupe were also reported.  Officials at the CDC are worried more

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Distracted Driving Accidents On The Rise

What’s more dangerous than a driver who’s had a few too many drinks?  According to a new study, the answer is a driver sending one too many texts. Statistics reveal that distracted drivers are 23 times more likely to cause accidents than drunk drivers.  The startling numbers show that in 2009, 16% o

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Tennessee Tort Law Bad for Citizens

The following is a guest blog post by Tennessee Tractor Trailer Accident Attorney Morgan Adams. Yes, that’s right, GOVERNOR HASLAM AND THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HELP TORT LAWYERS STAY IN BUSINESS! I was too hasty with my earlier post and didn’t think things through. It is the law of unintended consequ

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Social Networking Advice For Personal Injury Clients

If you belong to a public social network such as Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Twitter, Google Buzz, message boards, etc., it would be extremely prudent to close or suspend such accounts until your personal injury case has wrapped up. If you are unable or unwilling to do so, be advised that you should

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Tough Economic Times? Not For Some Insurers.

It was recently reported that in 2010 the top health insurance companies in the US made almost $12 billion in profits.  The insurers (Aetna, WellPoint, Cigna, Humana and United Health) turned more of a profit than the top five firms in the aviation, construction, auto, energy and parts manufacturing

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California’s MICRA law kills medical malpractice claims

In any medical malpractice case, lawyers for the victim understand they’ll face a very well funded team of attorneys on the other side. Malpractice cases are vigorously defended by insurance companies for doctors and hospitals. And the lawyers hired seem to have an unlimited budget to bring in exper

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Insurers Using Social Media To Monitor Fraud

Colleges, potential employers, and law enforcement agencies have been using social media like Facebook and Twitter to screen for undesirables since the services became widespread.  Now we can add insurance companies to the list of entities that monitor or “stalk” us via our online presence.&nbs

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Dismal Results in Hospital Safety Study

The quest to make hospitals a safer place for their patients isn’t going as well as hoped, a new study analyzing harm from medical care reports. The 2002-2007 study took place in 10 North Carolina hospitals and found that injury to patients was commonplace and instances did not decline over time.  T

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‘Getting Hip’ to Hip Replacement Recall

As our bodies go through the natural wear and tear of time, some people will encounter the need for a hip replacement as the deterioration of the natural joint leads to debilitating pain and loss of mobility.  Two of the most prominent hip replacements on the market are manufactured by Johnson & Joh

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Colossus

Some years ago, Allstate Insurance, in its never ending quest to maximize profits, came up with a software program called “Colossus”. The program took the details of a personal injury case (such as bills, injuries, treatment, etc.) and used algorithms to determine how much money, if any, was to be p

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Life Insurance Companies Profiting on Death

Life insurance companies are duping millions of Americans by holding onto death benefits that should be dispersed to families.  An investigation by Bloomberg Markets magazine found that MetLife and Prudential have led the way in secretly making enormous amounts of profits on money owed to the relati

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Doctors Reporting Doctors

In an environment like a hospital or clinic you’d hope that a doctor or caregiver haphazardly prescribing medications, drinking on the job, or acting totally incompetent would be reported by their peers. A recent Journal of American Medical Association survey of almost 2,000 doctors may surprise you

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Claim Denied

Imagine yourself in this scenario: You’re going about your business as usual, running a quick errand on a relatively quiet day when, suddenly, an oncoming truck crosses into your lane and collides with your car. You are left comatose and seriously injured, with broken bones and collapsed lungs. You

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Actor Dennis Quaid Fights For Patient Safety

Three years ago, at Los Angeles’ Cedar-Sinai Medical Center actor Dennis Quaid’s newborn twins fought for their lives for two days after receiving an accidental overdose of the blood-thinning drug heparin. Though Quaid’s children have since recovered and are reportedly healthy, the actor has taken t

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Uninsured motorist claims and Oregon workers compensation

Many people drive for a living. People injured on driving jobs in Oregon have a right to file a workers compensation claim. The claim, in theory, will pay for all medical care and a portion of their lost wages. Retraining and a disability award can also happen depending on the case facts. What is...

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Evaluating an injury case

When someone harms another human in our country they become legally responsible for the injury they cause. This is true whether the injury was the result of an intentional act, like an assault, or if it happened because they were just being careless, as in most auto accidents. This personal accounta

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Insurance medical exams

Someone isn’t paying attention while driving. Maybe they’re on the cell phone, texting or looking at emails. Maybe they’re late and can’t find an address, frantically looking around for a street sign. For whatever reason they don’t keep their eyes on the road ahead. Not paying attention while drivin

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Food Poisoning Affects Us All

An interesting article in the January Oregonian talked about a 3?year?old boy who was poisoned by eating tainted peanut butter crackers. Peter Hurly, the father of the boy, is a Portland policeman. His son fell severely ill for 11 days after eating salmonella-tainted peanut butter crackers. The pean

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Why you should care about recorded statements

Time and time again people get involved in accidents and look to the other driver’s carrier to repair their damage and provide a rental car. Often the insurance company won’t agree with the body shop on the cost of repairs. Pressure is put upon the repair shop to do them for less. Used or...

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Oregon seatbelt law

Everyone knows the importance of wearing a seatbelt. The device can help prevent ejection from a vehicle in a roll over. It can also prevent an occupant from being thrown into the dashboard. So what if a person is not exercising good judgment and fails to buckle up? Well, for one thing it can...

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Rising health care costs

A September 10th article from CNN Money.com reported the Congressional Budget Office, the federal agency charged with calculating how much money health care reform will cost or save, just estimated that medical malpractice costs – including defensive medicine – amount to less than 2% of overall heal

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Low settlements top insurance complaints in 2008

The office of the State Insurance Commissioner is charged with overseeing the business of insurance in Washington. The agency plays an important consumer watchdog role in making sure Washington citizens don’t get fleeced or treated unfairly by an insurance company. Complaints to the agency are inves

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Trucking accidents on the rise

A news release from US Newswire recently disclosed that thousands of trucking companies regularly violate federal safety regulations. Data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) was analyzed. Examples of the violations included inadequate insurance, bald tires, defective brakes

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Auto accident claims and repaying your medical insurance

Lately, there has been a trend by private medical insurance companies to request reimbursement out of any recovery an injured consumer receives as part of a settlement from a motor vehicle accident. Referred to as “subrogation”, more and more insurance companies are placing these provisions in their

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Sue to Collect Uninsured Motorist Coverage

Can you sue your own car insurance company for an uninsured motorist who cause you accident? It’s a question that gets asked more often than you may realize. Many people carry uninsured motorist coverage on their auto policy. This way when an uninsured driver hits your car and causes an injury, you

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PIP medical exams

Both Oregon and Washington require drivers carry liability insurance to operate a vehicle on public roads. The liability coverage has to be at least $25,000 in amount. Often referred to as “full coverage” policies, this type of insurance is available to pay damages to anyone injured in a collision a

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The abuse of vulnerable adults

It seems that all too often we hear about a family member who has physically or financially abused an elderly parent or relative. It may start out innocent enough, with the family member taking on the task of caring for the aging person with declining health. Dealing with an aging adult in failing h

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Oregon to increase insurance benefits

Every consumer in Oregon who wants to pilot a vehicle on the state’s highways is required to buy insurance. Every policy sold in Oregon is required by law to have certain minimum benefits. One of the benefits is Personal Injury Protection, or PIP, as it is referred to in the industry. This benefit p

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Whose uninsured motorist insurance to use?

If you are in an injury accident, you may find the guilty driver didn’t carry enough insurance to cover your claim. With the high price of medical care a simple three day hospitalization can end up costing you as much as $30,000 to $40,000, depending on the number of tests run and experts seen....

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