Medical Malpractice Lawsuits for Misdiagnosis of Stroke

In honor of American Heart Month, let’s talk about misdiagnosis of stroke; one of the most common medical conditions caused by coronary artery disease and other common heart disorders. A patient who may be experiencing a stroke should be seen by a medical professional for a diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible (it is appropriate to visit the Emergency Room).

According to cdc.gov:

• In 2018, one out of every six deaths from cardiovascular disease were due to stroke.
• Someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds.
• Every four minutes, someone dies of stroke.
• Every year, more than 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke.
• Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability.
• Stroke reduces mobility in more than half of stroke survivors age 65 and over.

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Risky Driving Behaviors Persist Leading to Increase in US Road Deaths

U.S. road deaths have increased at a record pace during the pandemic, apparently as a result of a rise in risking driving behaviors. According to data collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in the first nine months of 2021, U.S. traffic deaths rose to 31,720; matching the pace of more risky driving behaviors that began during the initial shutdowns. This figure represents a 12 percent increase over the same period in 2020 and a 33 percent increase over the last decade. It is the highest percentage increase over a nine-month period since the Transportation Department began recording fatal crash data in 1975 and the highest nine-month figure recorded since 2006.

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Factors Involved in Distracted Driving

As drivers, we have a duty to pay attention to what’s on the road. Distracted driving is when drivers engage in another activity that takes their attention away from driving; it is a known risk factor for increasing the chances of car accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving was responsible for the loss of 3,142 lives in 2019.

There are four main types of driving distractions:

1. visual (taking eyes off the road)
2. Manual (taking hands off the steering wheel)
3. Auditory (oral distraction)
4. Cognitive (mental distraction)

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Fatal Bellingham Head-On Collision Leads to Suspected DUI

While we have made great strides on education around the consequences of drinking and driving, there are still far too many accidents involving alcohol. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), each day about 28 Americans die in DUI crashes. In the 10-year period from 2010 to 2019, more than 10,000 people died every year in drunk driving car accidents.

We Fight for Victims of DUI Crashes

Tario & Associates, P.S. has over 40 years’ experience representing victims of drunk driving car accidents. When you have been seriously injured through no fault of your own you may need a legal advocate who will fight for the settlement you deserve. Free consultations and no up-front fees make hiring a car accident lawyer the right choice for many accident victims. Contact us today!

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Washington Ranks as One of the Worst States to Drive in WalletHub’s 2022 Report

Anyone who has driven through Seattle traffic knows how crowded and frustrating driving in Washington State’s largest city can be. But there are other factors that go into whether a state is good to drive in, including the cost of car insurance, weather, condition of the roads, population density, property crime, and rural versus urban makeup. These factors affect road safety and traffic accident rates, commute times, and affordability.

It probably doesn’t come as a big shock to Washingtonians that Washington has, once again, come in as one of the worst states to drive in the nation, according to 31 key indicators analyzed by WalletHub.

If you or a loved one was injured in a car crash in Washington State, you can benefit from the help of an experienced car accident lawyer. The injury attorney can walk you through your legal rights and calculate the true value of your accident claim.

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Assault & Battery: Man Dead After Gunshot Wound in Ferndale WA

In a perfect world, we would be free from violence but sadly, sometimes physical altercations and attacks occur. When weapons are involved, the chances of a fatal injury increase dramatically. In an assault and battery incident, someone is harmed at the hands of another.

As reported by whatcom-news.com and kgmi.com, very early Sunday, January 23^rd, a man was shot in front of the American Legion building in Ferndale WA. When Ferndale police and Whatcom County Fire District 7 personnel arrived at the scene about 12:20 a.m., they found the victim lying on the sidewalk outside the front of the building with bystanders administering first aid. The victim was transported by ambulance to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center where he later died. The official cause of death will be released after the autopsy report is released from the Whatcom County Medical Examiner.

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Warning Signs That Your Elderly Parent Should Not Drive

Driving is a big part of human independence; particularly when we live in the suburbs or a town like Bellingham that doesn’t have 24-hour public transportation. As we age, seniors tend to want to retain the independence that comes with driving – not always recognizing when they should not drive anymore. Unfortunately, the risk of being injured or killed in a motor vehicle accident increases as we age. According to cdc.gov, about 8,000 older adults (aged 65+) were killed in traffic accidents and more than 250,000 were treated in emergency departments for crash-related injuries in 2019.

We know that as we age we go through physical changes that decrease our vision and cognitive abilities but that doesn’t mean that we immediately lose the ability to drive safely. How do we know when our aging parents should not drive anymore? There are some warning signs to look out for.

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Why Low Speed Accidents Can Still Cause Serious Injuries

Different types of motor vehicle accidents come with their own risk factors. A low-speed or low-impact collision may cause less property damage than a high-speed crash but studies have shown that soft-tissue injuries and other potential lasting damage are still a serious concern.

If you have been injured in a low-speed accident, do not let the at-fault insurance company bully you into giving up on a settlement. If you were injured in a low-impact crash, contact a personal injury lawyer for help.

What is a low-speed car accident?

A low-speed car accident typically describes a crash that occurs under 10 miles per hour. Most of the time, there is little to no damage to the vehicle but the potential for serious injuries to the body is there.

Common low-speed crash scenarios:

• A car in a parking lot crashing into a car as it backs out of a spot.
• A car that comes to a stop and then rear-ends the car in front of them because they believe it is safe to move forward*.
• A car rear-ends a vehicle at a stop sign or stop light because they did not come to a complete stop in time*.

*The second two examples are types of low-speed rear-impact car accidents.

Challenges with low-speed accidents

Apart from the risk of injuries, low-speed accidents can be very stressful because insurance companies will often try to deny claims outright due to the lack of or minimal property damage. Their excuse may be that it’s not possible that your injuries were a result of the accident when there is little to no damage to your vehicle. In many cases, the only way to get the at-fault insurance company to pay for your medical bills and pain and suffering settlement is to hire an experienced car accident lawyer who can negotiate on your behalf.

Low-speed collisions can still cause serious injuries

Rear-end low-impact injuries happen on a regular basis. That’s because, even in accidents where vehicles were traveling at 5 miles per hour, a sudden rear impact to a vehicle can cause an occupant’s neck to whip backward and then forward with the force of the impact. The neck can whip back and forth at a higher acceleration than the acceleration of the vehicle, which causes significantly more injury to the occupants than to the vehicle itself. This type of injury is known as whiplash. Other issues can also occur in “low-impact” crashes, including herniated disks that can lead to chronic pain, weakness, numbness or tingling, and reduced function that can linger for months to years.

It has been claimed that 85 percent of the neck injuries caused by car accidents are the result of rear-end collisions and that 10-15 percent of those who suffer from soft tissue injuries after car accidents are never able to achieve a full functional recovery. In some cases, surgery is required.

Seek the help of a car accident attorney

If you or a loved one was injured in a collision because of the negligence of another, contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal rights. Let an experienced car accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times larger with the help of a lawyer. Call the personal injury lawyers at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County and Snohomish County since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!

Head-On Crash on Birch Bay-Lynden Road Leads to Explosion and Reckless Driving Charge

As reported by Whatcom-News.com, on Sunday, January 9, first responders were dispatched to the area of Birch Bay-Lynden Road and Rathbone Road in response to a car versus semi-truck crash. When responders arrived, they found the semi-truck and its trailer in flames and the passenger car about 300 feet away with its engine separated from the body of the car. A field of debris around the scene of the accident indicated that there had been at least one large explosion in the head-on crash.

NWFR team members had to extricate the driver of the car who was then transported to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center under advanced life support protocol with possible broken bones. The driver of the semi-truck was uninjured, though the truck and trailer were completely destroyed.

An investigation by Washington State Patrol Troopers (WSP) found initial indications that the semi-truck had been traveling westbound on Birch Bay-Lynden Road and the car had been traveling eastbound when they crashed into each other. The car crossed over the centerline and crashed head-on with the semi-truck.

The driver of the car was charged with reckless driving by the WSP.

What is reckless driving in Washington State?

As per RCW 46.61.500 (effective January 1, 2022), any person who drives any vehicle in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property is guilty of reckless driving. Violation of the provisions of this section is a gross misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to three hundred sixty-four days and by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars.

What is a head-on crash?

One of the scariest types of collisions a person can be involved in is a head-on crash. This type of accident happens when the front-end of two vehicles collide, most commonly on a road with no median to stop the vehicles from crossing lanes. According to data gathered by the Fatal Analysis Reporting System in 1999, 75 percent of head-on accidents occurred on un-divided two-lane roads.

Common causes of head-on collisions

• Rural roads, neighborhood roads and other roads that lack a median meant to stop vehicles from crossing over into the opposing lane
• Poor construction-zone redirecting
• Distracted driving
• Failure to maintain vehicle control, failing to pass or overtake another vehicle
• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol or when fatigued
• Poor weather conditions such as ice
• Breaking traffic rules or ignoring traffic signs and signals
• Being unfamiliar with the area can cause confusion and lead to a driver turning down a one-way road and crashing head-on into another vehicle

The exact cause of the driver crossing over the median and crashing head-on with the semi-truck is unclear but these common causes offer some insight into what may have led up to the crash.

Seek the help of a car accident attorney

If you or a loved one was injured in a collision because of the negligence of another, contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal rights. Let an experienced car accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times larger with the help of a lawyer. Call the personal injury lawyers at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County and Snohomish County since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!

Fatal Vehicle Vs Pedestrian Accident on Guide Meridian Leads to Arrest for Vehicular Homicide

A fatal vehicle vs pedestrian accident on the Guide Meridian (SR539), south of Beard Road, occurred on January 4, 2022. As reported by whatcom-news.com, the accident left the right lane blocked for some time as first responders responded to the scene of the accident about 12:40 p.m.

According to the Washington State Department of Transportation, a 2002 Ford F150 pickup was driving southbound on the Guide towing a 2001 Chrysler Town and Country van using a tow strap. When the strap disconnected, both vehicles came to a stop. The driver of the towed vehicle got out to replace the strap. Instead of waiting, the Ford continued driving southbound and the unoccupied Chrysler crashed into the man that was outside the vehicle – killing him. The victim was declared dead at the scene.

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