Seattle Personal Injury Law Blog

Two Yakima residents were hospitalized with serious injuries in a recent car crash at around 5:00 a.m. The driver, 17, and passenger, 33, were transported to Yakima Regional Medical and Cardiac Center for initial treatment. The younger car accident victim was then flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Police also expect the passenger to be transported to Harborview presently.

There are apparently eyewitnesses who have stated that the vehicle was speeding around the time of the accident. The SUV allegedly "left the roadway striking several objects, including a power pole, a parked vehicle and came to rest against a tree," according to a Yakima Police Department Sergeant.

When U.S. military personnel return from overseas deployment, the first six months back on their home soil are apparently "prime time" for car accidents. A three year study by USAA, a major insurer for armed forces personnel and their families, confirms that returning soldiers have 13 percent more accidents in which they are at fault in the first six months of returning to the U.S.

Those in the Army or Marines returning to Seattle may be even more likely to have a car accident. The accident rates of army drivers throughout the nation increased by 23 percent, while Marines were a bit more careful, with crash increases of only 12.5 percent. Navy and Air Force personnel had accident increases of only 3 percent (Navy) and 2 percent (Air Force).

Western State Hospital, the largest mental treatment facility in Washington, reports an unusual tragedy, as a 40-year old patient is accused of killing a fellow patient. The accused, a level 2 sex offender, is being held at Pierce County jail in lieu of $1 million bail. The man is alleged to have killed the other patient by "shoving" a ballpoint pen in the victim's ear.

The second-degree murder charge was filed by Pierce County prosecutors. There are no indications, as yet, whether the Seattle-area hospital could face premises liability issues as well. It remains unclear how the accused accessed the alleged murder weapon, the ballpoint pen.

Tax Day 2012 has come and gone. On that day procrastinators throughout the country, including Seattle, scrambled together their income tax filings complete an in the mail before the deadline. According to a recent study many individuals were likely involved in serious motor vehicle accidents that day as well. The study revealed that Tax Day is one of the most deadly days when it comes to fatal car accidents.

According to the study, which was based on information obtained from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, over the course of 30 years, 6,783 fatal traffic accidents occurred on the day. Broken down, the average number of car accidents that resulted in death on each Tax Day is 226.