Three People Injured in Whatcom County T-Bone Crash over Weekend
Sadly, car accidents happen every day and Whatcom County sees its fair share. As reported by kgmi.com, three people were injured in a T-bone crash on Aldrich Road this weekend. According to Washington State Patrol (WSP), the crash occurred when a silver 1997 Acura Integra that was traveling northbound on Aldrich Road crashed into a Buick sedan that was turning left off of King Tut Road on Saturday. Sadly, the driver of the Acura was not wearing a seatbelt and was transported to Harborview because of his injuries. The man and a woman in the Buick were transported to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center for their injuries. While the crash is still under investigation, speed has been identified as a factor in the collision.
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Tesla’s Autopilot System Faces Scrutiny as Crashes Pile Up
The criticism is mounting for Tesla’s Autopilot system as more crashes are being associated with the Autopilot function. While Tesla maintains that its Autopilot system actually makes driving safer, doubts are growing among safety experts and the public.
As reported by the hill.com, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there are about twenty-four active crash investigations involving passengers who were driving with the Autopilot function.
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NSC: Motor Vehicle Deaths Up for First Three Months of 2021
Motor Vehicle deaths are a tragedy that we deal with every single day. In the U.S., we lose an average of 90 people in car accidents daily. Tragically, most collision-related fatalities are preventable. Public education campaigns and traffic enforcement are important tools to help change dangerous driving behavior. Preliminary numbers for 2021 show that motor vehicle deaths are up for the first three months of 2021.
If you lost a loved one in a motor vehicle accident because of the negligent or reckless behavior of another, you may be entitled to compensation through a car accident claim. A personal injury attorney can explain your legal rights and help you recover a full and fair settlement for your losses.
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Can I Make a Personal Injury Claim for PTSD and Emotional Distress Caused by a Car Accident?
Most people think about physical injuries when it comes to car accidents but it’s important to understand that emotional distress, psychological trauma, anxiety and even Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are relatively common problems caused by collisions. This is particularly true when someone was killed or very severely injured in the accident or when cars burst into flames or become mangled beyond recognition.
Emotional injuries can be extremely debilitating – just as much if not more so than physical injuries – making it difficult to work and causing loss of enjoyment of life. According to the American Psychological Association, car accidents are the leading cause of PTSD among the general (non-military) population. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that nine percent of people who survive car accidents develop PTSD.
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Personal Injury Claims for Failure to Yield Accidents
When it comes to sharing the road with other drivers and pedestrians, you must learn when you have the right-of-way and when you should yield. For example, a driver at a four-way stop must wait until it is their turn to go or they risk crashing into another vehicle who actually had the right-of-way. Failure to yield accidents lead to some very serious injuries every year. If you were the victim of a failure to yield accident, you may find this article helpful.
What is failure to yield the right-of-way?
When a driver is guilty of failure to yield the right-of-way, it means that they didn’t allow other traffic, such as cars or pedestrians, to go when they had the right-of-way.
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Driver Transported to Bellingham Hospital After Rollover Crash on Birch Bay-Lynden Road
As reported by Whatcom News, Birch Bay-Lynden Road was temporarily closed in both directions at Woodland Road on April 13, 2021, because of a rollover crash with injuries. First responders were called to the scene of the injury crash at 10:25 a.m. and the road was reopened to traffic in both directions about 11:30 a.m. The single-vehicle rollover crash occurred when a Dodge Durango left the road and crashed into a pole on the north side of the road as it was traveling westbound on Birch Bay-Lynden Road. The vehicle landed on its side in a grassy area next to the road. According to Washington State Patrol Trooper Rocky Oliphant, the driver was transported by aid to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. He also noted that the driver would be arrested for driving under the influence upon release from the hospital.
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UW Band Members Awarded $1.4 million in Common Carrier Accident Claim after 2018 Charter Bus Crash
As reported by King 5 News, a King County jury has awarded four members of the UW marching band more than $1.4 million in a common carrier accident claim after their charter bus crashed in icy conditions in November, 2018. The bus, which was on its way to the Apple Cup at the time, crashed near George, Washington after the driver lost control in icy conditions and crashed into a ditch. The driver was later cited for driving too fast for the conditions. A traffic citation is often used by the prosecution to show negligence on the part of the defendant and may have played a part in the jury’s decision to award a settlement.
According to the personal injury firm representing the victims, forty-five people were injured in the crash and many should continue to pursue justice. The four students who were awarded the settlement in varying amounts have post-traumatic stress disorder and suffered a range of serious injuries including a fractured spine and other broken bones, an AC joint separation to the shoulder, lacerations and bruises. At least one of the four students required surgery.
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How to Protect Yourself from a Potential Car Accident
In a perfect world, there would be no car accidents but the reality is that thousands of collisions happen every day. On average, there are six million car accidents in the U.S. every year, which translates to about 16,438 per day. The best thing we can do as drivers is to protect ourselves as much as possible from car accidents. In this article we’ll take a look at a few ways you can protect yourself.
How to protect yourself from a potential car accident
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Washington State Ranked 8th Safest State to Drive in 2021
Each state has its own driving and insurance laws as well as weather, road conditions and rural versus urban makeup that contribute to road safety and traffic accident rates. Naturally, we are interested in where our own state ranks. Using data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the analysis by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, reviews.com ranked all 50 states from safest to the most dangerous to drive in for 2021. Find the complete list here: https://www.reviews.com/insurance/car/most-dangerous-states-for-driving/
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What You Need to Know about Car Accident Compensation in Washington State
If you or a loved one is suffering from serious injuries and other damages such as lost wages after a car accident, you deserve a fair settlement. Without compensation for your losses, it is very difficult to move forward with your life or to ever feel whole again. Each state has its own laws that affect car accident compensation. As personal injury attorneys in Bellingham, we are going to talk about car accident compensation in Washington State.