

Can I Seek Compensation for Commercial Fishing Accidents?
The American commercial fishing industry caught over eight billion pounds of seafood worth more than 4.4 billion dollars in 2008. There are about 115,000 harvesters catching this bounty. There is no doubt, however, that commercial fishing accidents are too common and that they can be deadly; falling overboard is the second leading cause of death among commercial fishermen. Between 2000 and 2013, 191 commercial fishermen drowned; none of them was wearing a personal flotation device (PFD). A workplace injury lawyer who specializes in maritime law can help you navigate the system after an injury or a family member’s untimely death.
The U.S. Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 only requires the Coast Guard to inspect fishing vessel safety equipment every two years. The law does not require dockside inspections of the boats themselves. This leaves a lot of vessel safety up to vessel owners and therefore puts employees at risk.
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Fishing Boat Accidents
Fishing boat accidents account for many of the serious and fatal water injuries endured each year. In fact, per the U.S. Coast Guard there were nearly 5,000 recreational fishing boat accidents in the United States in 2008. These accidents caused more than 700 deaths, 3,000 injuries and $54 million in property damage. Boats loaded incorrectly are a common cause of fishing boat accidents; it can lead to capsizing and people falling in the water. Fishermen should heed the posted recommendation for weight of cargo and passengers that is posted on their boat; many fishing boat accidents are caused by overloading. Compounding the problem is that so few fishermen wear lifejackets; these safety devices can reduce some of the risk of falling overboard.
Fishing Boat Accident Risk Factors
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Top Tips to Prevent Household Poisonings
The American Association of Poison Control Centers has released poison prevention tips for children and adults. A product liability lawyer may be able to help you if you or a loved one has been poisoned by a household chemical. Prevent household poisonings in your home by following these simple rules.
Top Tips to Prevent Household Poisonings
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Hydroplaning Accidents
Hydroplaning Accidents, sometimes called aquaplaning or planing are caused when a driver loses control of the steering wheel because a layer of water on the roadway prevents direct contact between the tires and the road surface. This loss of friction is caused because the tire cannot move the water out of the way fast enough. The driver becomes unable to brake or steer, which means the driver is out of control of the vehicle. The vehicle either skids until it crashes into something or until the tires regain traction with the road. Hydroplaning accidents can happen to anyone but occur most commonly in flooded roadways, heavy rain conditions, or when a vehicle is speeding and tires are in poor repair. Hydroplaning becomes a risk when the water depth on the road is over a tenth of an inch and the vehicle is moving at 50 miles per hour or more. The best safety measure is to slow down in wet conditions.
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Top 10 Slip and Fall Accident Risk Factors
A slip and fall accident is a very common type of accident that is sometimes caused by unsafe conditions on someone else’s property. Property owners have a duty to use reasonable care on their property. This means being aware of dangerous conditions on their property and fixing those problems in a timely manner in order to make the property safe for visitors. Until issues are fixed, the area should be well marked to warn about the hazard. Property owners who fail to fulfill this obligation may be held liable for damages in a slip and fall accident through a premise liability claim. A personal injury attorney can help you through your slip and fall case.
Top 10 Slip and Fall Accident Risk Factors
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Top 8 House Fire Hazards
In 2011 residential house fires claimed the lives of 3,005 Americans and cost 11.7 Billion dollars in damages. Fires are partially dangerous because they can start small and rage out of control in minutes; burning your house to the ground in a short period of time. Learning common fire hazards can help to prevent residential house fires.
Top 8 House Fire Hazards
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Car Insurance in Washington
Washington has a mandatory liability car insurance law to ensure that if you are involved in an accident that is your fault you can help pay for personal injuries and property damage.
Washington State’s Mandatory Liability Insurance must include:
Minimum coverage of:
- $25,000 for injuries or death per person
- $50,000 total for injuries or death per accident
- $10,000 for property damage


What is Uninsured Motorist Property Damage Coverage?
What happens if I am in an accident with an uninsured motorist?
Across the country, 14 percent of drivers are uninsured. In Washington State 18 percent of motorists are uninsured! If you are hit by a driver without car insurance and you don’t have uninsured motorist property damage coverage, then you will need to sue them for damages (and hope they have something to give) or pay for the expenses yourself. If you are injured by an uninsured driver and don’t have medical insurance, medical payments coverage or personal injury protection, you could end up paying for your own hospital bills. If you’re hit by an uninsured driver and don’t have collision coverage, you could end up paying your own car repair bills.
Uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD) coverage is designed to provide compensation when your insured vehicle is damaged by an accident with an uninsured vehicle. Each state sets a limit on the coverage; some are as high as the cash value of the car and some are as low as $3,500 or less. Some states have deductibles ranging from $200-$500 but many have no deductible.
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What Does Comprehensive Car Insurance Cover?
Liability coverage is required in most states. It is often referred to as Bodily Injury Liability and provides coverage in case of bodily injury or death from a car accident for which you are responsible.
Comprehensive car insurance is a type of car insurance designed to protect against the expenses of physical damage to a car. It is sometimes referred to as “other than collision” (OTC) coverage, or “Comp”. What exactly is this type of coverage and what does it cover?
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Top 5 Car Insurance Scams
Car insurance scams by individual policy holders against their insurance provider have been around since insurance was invented but over the years insurance providers have gotten better at recognizing scams and catching the perpetrators. According to insurance fraud experts, insurance scams are the second highest financial crime in the United States. Additionally, more than 20 percent of personal injury claims and 10 percent of car wreck claims are from bogus or staged accidents.
Most people dread getting into a car accident; dealing with a wrecked car, haggling with your insurance company and personal injuries are no fun. The scary thing is that some car accidents are actually planned in order to pull off a car insurance scam. Innocent drivers end up paying the price both in higher premiums of $200-$300 per year, blemished driving records, personal injuries, and the hassles of repairing or replacing their car.