Washington Injury Law Blog

As a Washington Car Accident Attorney I can’t tell how many times I’ve cringed seeing someone driving a car with a dog on their lap. A woman is blaming her 4-month old puppy for stepping on the steering wheel and causing her to hit an off-duty policeman who was directing construction zone traffic in Seattle. Being distracted by a cell phone is one thing, but having a living, breathing animal that can act unpredictably on your lap while driving in my mind is crazy!

 

Don’t get me wrong I love dogs. When I proposed to my wife Shelly, I gave her an English Bulldog puppy with the engagement ring attached to his collar. I love my dog endlessly, but I’d never let him ride in my lap while driving or in the front passenger seat unsecured for that matter. Here’s a picture of Harvey – in my opinion the best dog in the world!

 

 

The policeman was sent rolling over the woman’s car hood and off again, when the car then drove over the officer’s legs. Ouch! I have a client who had his foot run over by a car, which you might think wouldn’t cause major injuries but it can and did. My client of course had a broken bone or two, but after those healed he also had serious nerve damage that has left several toes and the ball of his foot with permanent numbness and pain. His walking motion was also changed by the foot injury and has caused a secondary injury to his hip. You can imagine what kind of serious injuries can result from having both legs run over by a 4,000+ pound car.

 

My advice to the injured policeman is to speak with an experienced Washington Injury Attorney before saying one word to the woman’s insurance company. Getting some useful information and learning what your legal rights are before talking to the insurance company is always the best first step. That does not necessarily mean you have to hire an attorney. I regularly talk to Seattle car accident victims that do and some that don’t need my services, but all of them need to have their rights explained to them before talking with the insurance companies. Another great source of this information is my book The Guide To Washington Injury Cases, which can be ordered for free by Washington residents on my law firm’s website www.scottmcdonaldlaw.com or by clicking here.

 

Drive safe and keep your puppy in the back seat!

 

Max Meyers, Esq.

 

 

Related news story in Seattle PI

 

As a Washington Bicycle Accident Attorney I’m always interested in any newsworthy events involving bicycling. Over the past few days I’ve been reading in the Seattle PI about a Critical Mass bicycle protest ride that got out of control. A car driven was stopped from exiting a parking lot by several bicycles. It appears the driver became frustrated and ran over two of the bicyclists and proceeded to drive away. Other bicyclists chased the car down and started beating on the car, broke the windshield and rear window, and struck the car driver.

 

A black eye has been given to bicyclists as a result of this unfortunate event. I understand the frustration the driver was feeling, but that did not give him the right to run over bicyclists. The bike riders had no right to take justice in their own hands like vigilantes and beat up the car driver. The bicycle riders should have called the police and given the license plate number to the police and let them handle it. None of the people involved acted properly. All of them should feel ashamed of their actions.

 

With the ever increasing gas prices more and more bicycles are hitting the roads. Bike advocates of every stripe and color are also increasing efforts to gain better rights for bicycle riders. An advocate group called  Critical Mass conducts moving bicycle rights protests all over the country.  The protests involve a large group of bicycle riding down a street in a mass group. The riders block intersecting streets and driveways so the large group can ride past without cars pulling out into the mass of bicycle riders. The rides are often unannounced and disrupt traffic. Thus conflicts with drivers arise fairly easily.

 

Last year a clash between undercover King County Police with another Critical Mass ride resulted in heavy handed arrests by the police and cries of police brutality by the riders. In New York a NYPD officer was caught on video tackling a Critical Mass rider without provocation last Friday. Below is a video of the incident.

 

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAkRweEQxxI&NR=1[/youtube]

 

Aggressive bike advocacy does not seem to be working to endear favor with motorists or police. Taking the law into your own hands is never the answer. If you are a bicycle rider who wants greater rights and respect from drivers you need to start with being respectful and courteous to vehicles. Car drivers biggest gripe is when bikes run stop signs and red lights. As a bike rider I know it is a pain to stop for every sign and red light when riding in the city, but that is the law and I, like you, must follow it. Car drivers do and you as a bicycle rider cannot expect to get empathy for your situation if you act like a scofflaw and constantly break the rules of the road. By always following the rules of the road you can start to overcome the bias against bicyclists that many police officers and Washington drivers hold.

 

If you take the high road and choose to follow the laws going out of your way to be a friendly and courteous bicycle rider the driving public will be much more willing to share the road and grant greater bicycle rights.

 

Please ride safely. If a conflict arises call the police and let them handle it. Your health and safety are more important than a moment of frustration and anger.

 

That’s my 2 cents.

 

Max Meyers

 

More Bicycle news stories and videos:

 

Pedal v. Metal, Newsweek article

 

Bicyclists Say Seattle Ignores Safety Issues, Seattle PI article

 

Emotion Still Running High After Critical Mass Confrontation, Seattle PI article

 

Youtube video link of 2006 Critical Mass Confrontation by King County Sheriff undercover officers, beware some explicit language used:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XwDLCCsKxQ&feature=related

 

Seattle Critical Mass July 2007 video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqKMqLmIZe8&feature=related

 

 

You think you can hide anonymously behind your computer and post false and unauthorized profiles on social networking sites like Facebook or MySpace? Think again! An English businessman in London, England was successful this week in obtaining $43,767 in damages for defamation against a former friend who posted a false Facebook page about the man.

 

The false Facebook page was up on the Web for only 16 days. The men previously worked together and had a falling out. The former friend posted a Facebook page that looked like it was posted by the businessman.  The page made false claims about the businessman’s sexuality, financial indebtedness, and political views. Facebook staff traced the pages as being posted from the former friend’s computer. End result is $43,767 for doing something stupid!

 

False and misleading information is posted on social network sites everyday. What you may not realize is that U.S. defamation laws apply to the Internet the same as they do to newspapers. If you’re thinking about seeking revenge at your ex or other “enemy” by posting a false Facebook or other social network page, don’t do it! You could find yourself defending  your actions in court.

 

Max Meyers

 

 

As an avid recreational Seattle bike rider and Washington Bicycle Accident Attorney I’ve seen more and more bicycles on the road as people ditch their cars as gas prices have risen to over $4.00 per gallon. With more and more bicycles hitting the Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland and other Washington city streets you can expect to see a rise in car versus bicycle accidents.

 

Bike sales have skyrocketed this year due to high gas prices according to the National Bicycle Dealers Association.  Bicycles are flying out bike shop doors and onto Seattle streets.  Bikes are no longer toys hanging in the garage, they’re becoming primary transportation to work. You can expect this to continue as gas prices here in Washington climb toward $5 per gallon.

 

I for one am biking to work more than last year. Gas prices are ridiculous and I object on principle to oil companies making billions off of me and then getting off with a slap on the wrist when they poison the environment. Hello, Exxon!

 

All these new bikers on the road means more conflict between bikes and cars. My mother in law, like many other Washington drivers, believes bicycles should not be on the road and should get h*&% out of the way! Bicycles have equal legal right to be on the road and those of you in cars need to share the road. Bicycles need to follow all traffic laws, hello, no running stop sign or red lights. If you and I all follow the rules of the road, be courteous, patient and share the road many bicycles versus car accidents could be avoided.   

 

Enjoy this great sunny weather and ride safe!

 

Max Meyers

 

Starting at 4:45 a.m. Saturday morning 9,500 bicycle riders will begin riding from Seattle to Portland in Cascade Bicycle Club’s annual charity fundraiser ride.  About 2,500 of the riders will attempt to ride the 206 miles in one day, Ouch!!   They will leave at 4:45 a.m. from University of Washington parking lot near Hec Ed.  The remaining 7,000 two day STP riders will leave between 6:00 – 10:00 a.m.

 

With 9,500 bike riders hitting the same roads you can expect heavy bicycle traffic along the STP route.  In 2007 there were riders who came from 44 different states and Australia, Bermuda, Canada, England. Ireland, Japan, Nepal and Switzerland.

 

If you find yourself driving along a road that is also part of the STP route please use extreme caution.  When a car collides with a bicyclist the result is usually serious injury to the bicycle rider.  As a Washington Bicycle Accident Attorney I have seen the devastating effects a car v. bicycle accident can have.

 

I know if can be frustrating to share the road with that many bicycles, but it is a charity ride for a good cause.  When passing bikes give them a wide cushion and pass at a bit slower pace that you might normally.  It will be appreciated by the STP riders and help you avoid an accident.

 

 Ride Safe and Drive Safe!

 

Max Meyers

 

 

Did you break the law on the way to work this morning? The new hands free cell phone law took effect in Washington state today, July 1, 2008. You may only speak on a cell phone while driving if you have a headset, earpiece, speaker, or other hands free device which allows you to keep both hands on the steering wheel. No more phone to ear while driving with one hand.

 

As Kirkland car accident attorney I often have cases where my client was hit by someone distracted by cell phone conversation. Please help make the roads safer by not talking on a cell phone while driving period. A distraction is a distraction regardless of hands free device or not.

 

The fine if caught will is $124.00. However, there is a big limitation in enforcing the new law. Police cannot pull you over for having a cell to your ear alone. To be cited for the cell phone the police have to have another reason to stop you, like speeding, improper land change, running a red light, etc. 

 

BEWARE – the Washington State Patrol is conducting a “special emphasis” patrol and will be actively looking for violators of this new law.

 

Hang up that cell phone and drive Safe!