Washington Injury Law Blog

As the economy continues to hammer local government budgets, many cities are looking out of the box to cover budgets gaps according to a recent MSN Money article.  Cities across the country are using or considering the increased enforcement of traffic laws to cover these budget woes.

Canton, Ohio is one such town.  Residents have seen a 221% jump in traffic tickets during the first quarter of 2010.  If you plan on visiting the home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame you better leave that lead foot at home!  Canton’s Police Chief Dean McKimm sees the new enforcement as a way to increase traffic safety and bring in dollars.  Cities in Michigan have faced similar situations.

Actions like this confirm what many people felt was true in the past, which is that traffic tickets are about revenue as much as safety.  As the sour economy continues we can expect to see these part-time “tax” collectors with guns and badges in cities here in Washington state.  We’ve already have seen increased enforced on the weekends across the state.

This may be a short term budget fix, but speed is a serious danger, especially when it comes to motorcycles.  Just this week we have seen two separate Washington motorcycle accidents reported in the news that proved fatal because the riders were traveling at very high speeds.  With motorcycle season upon us here in Washington, if you ride, please keep the speed under control.  There have already been far too many fatal Washington motorcycle accidents this year.

Keep the lead foot off the gas pedal or it just may empty your wallet!

Most people would consider walking to your car from the local McDonald’s a pretty safe activity.  Being hit by a car weighing thousands of pounds as a pedestrian can lead to very serious injuries even if the car is moving very slowly.  In this case the injuries proved fatal.

George Ketah, a 67 year old man, was walking across the Ballard McDonald’s parking lot shortly after eating lunch.  A 37 year-old woman began backing her car out of parking stall.  The woman failed to see George and hit him with her car.  Even though the car was moving slowly George was knocked to the ground and the woman ran him over.  George suffered catastrophic injuries to his upper torso and chest, which proved fatal.

The careless driver failed to see George walking in the parking lot.  Driver’s who are backing out of a parking lot stalls have a duty to look around their vehicle and make sure nobody is walking in the area.  The woman in this case failed to do so and was negligent for hitting George.  Tragedies like this seem unbelievable, but this time is sadly true.

The woman is now going to be facing potential criminal charges of vehicular assault or vehicular manslaughter.  She will also likely face a wrongful death lawsuit from George’s spouse and children if he has any of these surviving family members.

If you or a loved one has a wrongful death claim like George’s family it is very important that you consult with an experience Washington injury attorney as soon as possible.  An in depth investigation needs to be performed as quickly as possible to preserve all relevant evidence.  Delay can result in the loss of key pieces of evidence, which can have a negative effect on a wrongful death claim.

If you or a loved one has a wrongful death claim please call me at my office, Scott McDonald and Associates, (425) 822-5700 to set up a free consultation regarding your wrongful death claim.