How Do I Get My Lost Wages After a Car Accident in Washington State?
People who suffer serious injuries in an accident often lose wages while they take time to recover. This is why lost wages should and can be recovered as part of a car accident settlement. When people are in pain and feeling overwhelmed with their injuries, they may wonder, how do I get my lost wages after an accident?
How do I Get My Lost Wages After a Car Accident in Washington State?
The only way to recover lost wages after an accident is by filing a personal injury claim and proving that you lost wages as a result of the injuries you sustained in the accident. This is often easier said than done. A car accident attorney will help you place a value on your lost wages and gather all the documents you need to prove your losses. They will also walk you through the injury claim process, negotiate on your behalf and file a lawsuit, if necessary. If you are struggling to make ends meet as you work on a full recovery, call an accident lawyer for help. You will pay no fees up front or anything if you do not recover; injury lawyers are compensated out of a percentage of the settlement.
Read MoreFatal Car Vs Pole Crash Takes Life of 32-Year-Old Man in Sumas, Washington
As reported by Whatcom News, a fatal car vs pole crash occurred early this morning at S Pass Road and Kendall Road in Sumas. First responders were called to the scene of the accident about 5:45 a.m. According to a Washington State Patrol (WSP) trooper, 32-year-old driver, Gerald R Caron, was confirmed dead at the scene.
The press memo issued by the WSP indicated that the driver was speeding while driving northbound on Kendall Road and was unable to navigate the turn at S Pass Road. The vehicle left the roadway, crashing into a power pole. Caron was not wearing a seatbelt when the crash occurred; it is not known if drugs or alcohol were a factor.
Factors affecting the fatal car vs pole crash
While we don’t know if the driver had consumed drugs or alcohol before getting behind the wheel, there are some factors that we can take a look at in this accident: speed, single-vehicle accident and not wearing a seatbelt.
Speed
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), for more than the past two decades, speeding has been a crash factor in approximately one-third of all motor vehicle fatalities. In 2019, speeding was identified as a contributing factor in 26 percent of all traffic fatalities.
Speed is generally considered to be an exacerbating factor in crashes. It’s important to understand that even small increases in speed can cause a disproportionately bigger increase in the risk of a crash. For example, a five percent increase in average speed leads to approximately a 20 percent increase in fatal crashes.
Single-vehicle accident
A single-car crash means that only one vehicle is involved in an accident. Just like the accident we’re talking about today, a single-vehicle accident is often a runoff-road (ROR) crash. A ROR accident is when a vehicle leaves the roadway and moves onto the shoulder, median, roadside or parking lane, etc. and then crashes into an unmoving object like a tree, pole, wall or fire hydrant. In this case, the driver ran off the road and collided with a power pole. In a single-car accident, property damage and personal injuries are the typical outcome. You may be surprised to hear that single-car collisions carry a higher fatality rate than head-on or side-impact collisions. More than 8,000 people die in single-vehicle rollover crashes in the United States each year.
Not wearing a seatbelt
It was determined that the driver was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. According to cdc.gov, seat belts reduce the risk of death by 45 percent and cut the risk of serious injury by 50 percent for drivers and front-seat passengers. Most importantly, seat belts prevent drivers and passengers from being ejected from the vehicle through the windshield during a crash. Drivers and front-seat passengers who are not wearing a seat belt at the time of a crash are 30 times more likely to be ejected from a vehicle.
Seek the help of a car accident attorney
If you or a loved one was injured 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!
Source:
Read MoreDriver Flees Scene of Head-On-Crash; Probable Cause for Hit-and-Run-With-Injury and Vehicular Assault
A head-on-crash turned into a hit-and-run accident when a driver fled the scene of an accident on foot at the 1700 block of Birch Bay-Lynden Road. When Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) deputies and North Whatcom Fire & Rescue personnel arrived on scene, they found a man trapped in his car with a shattered femur. The “jaws of life” were used to remove the trapped man from inside their vehicle. The man was then transported to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center by ambulance and flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for treatment.
(more…)
Read MoreTeen Driver Safety: 10 Best Cars for Teen Drivers 2021
By default, teenage drivers are inexperienced and inexperienced drivers are much more likely to make a mistake or error in judgement that can dramatically increase the chance of being in a car accident. In fact, most fatal teen car crashes happen within six months of obtaining a driver’s license. In 2021, motor vehicle accidents are still the number one cause of death among American teenagers. Teen drivers are 10 times more likely to be in a fatal car accident than adults. Fatal teen accidents can be reduced through proper driving education, parental input about safe driving behaviors and vehicles with high safety ratings.
(more…)
Read MoreThree 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.
(more…)
Read MoreTesla’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.
Read MoreNSC: 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.
(more…)
Read MoreCan 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.
Read MoreNSC Memorial Day Holiday Period Traffic Fatalities Estimate for 2021
Many people look forward to holiday weekends to get together with friends and family. Sadly, whenever there are more cars on the road combined with holiday drinking, car accidents and traffic fatalities increase. This Memorial Day period*, the National Safety Council (NSC) estimates that 415 people may die on U.S. roads. In addition, they estimate that 47,300 people will seek medical care for injuries they sustain in crashes over the holiday weekend.
*Memorial Day is always observed on the last Monday in May but the holiday period is a 3.25-day weekend that begins Friday evening and runs through Monday. In 2021, the Memorial Day weekend extends from 6 p.m. Friday, May 28 to 11:59 p.m. Monday, May 31.
Read MorePersonal 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.
Read More