Distracted Driving Awareness Month Kicks Off in WA State with Extra Distracted Driving Patrols

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Across the United States, Distracted Driving Awareness Month is a unified effort to raise awareness about the risks of distracted driving to help put an end to preventable deaths and injuries on our roads.

As reported by khq.com, in Washington State, law enforcement agencies are stepping up patrols for distracted driving behaviors for a week, starting today through April 11, 2022. These extra patrols will be stationed at intersections and other areas with a focus on finding drivers who are engaged in driving behaviors that take their attention away from the road. A citation for a first offense is $136 and a second offence jumps up to $234.

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How to Collect Your Money After a Personal Injury Judgment

The vast majority of personal injury claims are concluded with a settlement paid by the at-fault insurer. Personal injury lawyers work hard to negotiate full and fair settlements on behalf of their injury clients because it is preferable over taking a case to trial for several reasons. When a settlement cannot be negotiated out of court, the case is brought to trial. If the judge or jury finds the defendant liable for the plaintiff’s injuries, they may issue an injury judgment that is legally binding. In some situations, the debtor either refuses to follow the court order or cannot afford to pay the amount of the judgment. The question becomes: How to Collect Your Money After a Personal Injury Judgment?

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Personal Injury Terms for Understanding Your Personal Injury Claim

If you have been injured in an accident or by other circumstance because of the fault of another, you may be able to recover damages through a personal injury settlement. We understand that some of the terms used in personal injury law are not part of regular conversation. Read on to learn some basic personal injury terms that may help you better understand your personal injury claim.

Personal Injury Terms for Understanding Your Personal Injury Claim

Here are some useful terms for understanding your personal injury claim:

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Falling Asleep at the Wheel: 6 Signs You’re Too Tired to Drive

There are a variety of reasons that a person may cause a car accident: drowsy driving or falling asleep at the wheel is one of them. Tragically, drowsy driving crashes result in more than 1,550 fatal car accidents and 71,000 injuries annually.

If you or a loved one was injured because of a driver falling asleep at the wheel, call a local car accident lawyer as soon as possible. The injury attorney can discuss your legal rights and determine next steps.

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Failure to Secure a Load Leads to Fatality

Debris of any kind that lands on the roadway is a serious safety hazard. Every year in North America, road litter causes 25,000 accidents and almost 100 fatalities. Washington State has more than 400 accidents annually caused by road debris; failure to secure a load is a common part of this problem. Many of these accidents and injuries could be prevented by properly securing a load.

Typically, debris ends up on the road because it is either not loaded properly or secured properly and then goes flying when the vehicle is moving. When material of any kind falls off of a vehicle because it isn’t properly secured, it is littering. According to Washington State Patrol Records, approximately 37 percent of all litter-related citations issued by Washington State Patrol are for a failure to secure a load. An additional 22 percent of citations are issued for debris escaping from loads.

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6 Types of Catastrophic Injuries

When someone is seriously injured in a way that affects their ability to function the way they did before the accident, they may have experienced a catastrophic injury. In addition to the potential for a lifetime of pain and suffering, a catastrophic injury can prevent the victim from earning a living or becoming a parent because of permanent disability or impairment. In most cases, catastrophic injuries require extensive medical treatments, rehabilitation, and surgeries.

If your life has been turned upside down due to a catastrophic injury because of the negligence of another, seek the help of a personal injury lawyer. The injury attorney will discuss your legal rights and evaluate the circumstances of your case to determine next steps.

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Top 5 Reasons Insurance Companies Lowball Insurance Settlement Offers

If there is one thing you need to know about insurance companies it’s that they aren’t in business to pay out fair settlements. Their priority is their bottom line, not their clients and certainly not the person injured by one of their clients. If you were injured because of the negligence of another such as in a car accident, you likely received a call from the at-fault insurer shortly after the accident claim, to ask questions that will benefit them and/or to make a lowball settlement offer. It is important to seek legal guidance from a personal injury lawyer before speaking to an insurance adjuster and definitely before accepting an insurance settlement offer.

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Avoid Slip & Fall Accidents in Wet Weather

We are transitioning from winter to spring and in the Pacific Northwest that means many days with wet roads and sidewalks. Wet surfaces are often slippery, which can dramatically increase the risk for a slip and fall accident. Simple preventative measures by walkers and property owners can help reduce the chances of a serious slip and fall injury.

Every year, thousands of Americans are the victim of a slip and fall accident, often through no fault of their own. When a fall and subsequent injury happens because of the negligence of another, the best thing to do is contact a slip and fall attorney to discuss your legal rights. For example, if you walked into a store with sopping wet floors that had no sign warning about the slippery surface, you may have a slip and fall claim. Your attorney will go over the details of your accident and let you know the best way to proceed.

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Seeking Justice for Elder Financial Abuse

Elder financial abuse is one of several kinds of elder abuse that involves the illegal or improper use of a senior’s assets or the abusive control of their financial assets by a trusted caregiver or caregiving organization. Seniors harmed by financial abuse can be left devastated – both financially and emotionally – which is why it’s so important for loved ones to keep a lookout for signs of elder financial abuse.

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Pedestrian Fatalities on the Rise

Pedestrians are extremely vulnerable to injury when they are struck by a motor vehicle. The combination of being hit by the weight of a vehicle and having no protection from the impact makes for a very dangerous situation. Sadly, pedestrian fatalities have been on the rise and despite the drop in traffic during the early days of the pandemic, more pedestrians were killed.

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