Bernard Law Group's blog

Should You Ride a Motorcycle?

Riding a motorcycle can be a lot of fun. However, if you do not have the skills needed for safe riding, it can end up in a disaster or tragedy. Besides, different riders have different personalities and varying skill levels. Riding a motorcycle is not for everyone. Here are a few questions you would be well-advised to ask yourself before you get on a motorcycle or decide to start riding one.

1. Are you a big-time risk taker? If you have an aggressive personality and cannot resist taking chances and living dangerously, then riding a motorcycle may not be for you.
2. You need to able to ride a bicycle properly. In fact, this is a prerequisite for enrolling in basic rider courses offered by training schools. Riding a motorcycle takes balance and coordination.
3. How is your vision? The ability to see well ahead is important for safe riding.
4. Are you "safety-minded?" If you decide to ride a motorcycle, you need to take safety seriously. You need to make safety a top priority.
5. Can you focus? Inattention (on the part of motorcyclists AND motorists other than a motorcyclist) is one of the major causes of motorcycle accidents in Seattle and throughout the United States.

Whatever you believe your attitude and skill level, it is very important if you take on motorcycling that you undergo the necessary training. You certainly need to familiarize yourself with the safe operation of a motorcycle. When you are equipped with the knowledge, the skills and the right attitude, riding a motorcycle is just the way it should be – fun.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Washington motorcycle accident, please contact the experienced Seattle personal injury attorneys of The Bernard Law Group at 1-800-418-8282 or info@bernardlawgroup.com for a FREE, comprehensive and confidential consultation. We can also send you our FREE brochure, which has useful and educational information about motorcycle accidents that will help you better understand your legal rights and options. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his skilled legal team today.

Using Child Safety Seats the Right Way

Most of us understand the importance of placing children in car seats, especially younger children. However, a number of studies show that 80 percent of children are not secured correctly in a car seat. Every Seattle personal injury attorney knows that these are mistakes that could seriously injure your child, but these are also mistakes that can be easily avoided.

First of all, parents need to remember the basic rules. Infants must be in a rear-facing infant seat until they are 1-year-old and 20 pounds. After that, toddlers can use a forward facing seat until they are about 40 pounds. After that, children over 40 pounds should be placed a booster seat until they are at least 8 year old, weigh 80 pounds and are 4 feet 5 inches tall. Also, all children should sit in the back seat until they are 12 years old.

But there are several mistakes that are commonly made, although we may have the right seat for our children. Securing the seat incorrectly in your car or not securing the child properly can cause serious injuries in the event of a crash. Here are a few common mistakes that can be easily avoided:

• Having harness straps too loose or in the wrong position
• Having a harness chest clip in the wrong position
• Not locking the seat belt properly with the locking clip, retractor or locking latch plate.
• Not securing the car seat correctly, by either using the wrong seat belt path or not making the seatbelts tight enough.
• Placing an infant seat in the path of an airbag

If you are purchasing your car seat second-hand or in a yard sale, do your research and make sure that the car seat is not included in a defective product recall. If your child has been injured as a result of a defective car seat, contact an experienced products liability lawyer who can give you more information about your legal rights.

Call The Bernard Law Group for a FREE, comprehensive and completely confidential consultation at 1-800-418-8282 or e-mail us at info@bernardlawgroup.com. We can also send you our FREE brochure about Washington product defect cases, which has useful, educational information to help you understand your rights. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his skilled legal team today.

Nearly 5 Million Pounds of Meat Recalled for E. Coli Contamination

A meat-packing company in Southern California has significantly expanded its ground beef recall and veal due to fears of E. coli contamination. According to an Associated Press news report, the recall includes about 4.9 million additional pounds of products by Huntington Meat Packing Inc. The original recall was for 864,000 pounds of meat and was announced on January 18. So far, there have been no reports of illnesses or fatalities as a result of these recalled meat products.

The contaminated meat was sold in 10, 20, and 50-pound packages to distribution centers, restaurants and hotels between January 4 and January 22, 2010. The products include ground beef patties, diced beef, veal patties and beef burrito filling mix. The Office of the Inspector General is conducting an investigation of the manufacturing plants. The investigation has apparently revealed that "the products were prepared in a manner that did not follow rules to prevent food safety hazards." Investigators are also saying that they find the company's food safety records to be unreliable.

Seattle personal injury lawyers who have experience handling products liability and food borne illness cases know that E. coli is a potentially deadly bacterium that in the most serious of cases, can cause kidney damage or even death. The most common symptoms of an E. coli infection include bloody diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Young children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems are prone to severe E. coli infections. If you have been sickened or have suffered long-term health problems as a result of a food-borne illness, you may seek compensation from the negligent food manufacturer to cover medical expenses, loss of wages, pain and suffering and other related damages.

If you have been sickened as a result of these products, contact an experienced Seattle food-borne illness attorney to find out about your rights. Please call The Bernard Law Group at 1-800-418-8282 or e-mail us at info@bernardlawgroup.com. We can also send you our FREE brochure, which has useful, educational information to help you understand your rights. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his skilled legal team today.

Source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iczAgwtWFBT089LUZgG56BhYqkyAD9DRFN9G0

Toyota Tacoma Trucks Recalled for Problem with Propeller Shaft

Toyota has announced yet another auto product defect recall, this time involving 8,000 Tacoma pickup trucks from the 2010 model year. According to a Fox News report, these recalled vehicles have a problem with the front propeller shaft, which could cause the vehicle to lose control. Apparently, there is a manufacturing defect in these vehicles that causes cracks to develop in the drive shaft. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) officials say a crack can form in the rear joint, causing the drive shaft to come loose from the truck. This defect will only affect four-wheel drive models, so standard two-wheel drive Tacomas are left out of the recall.

This is one of many Toyota recalls issued over the last few months. The Japanese auto maker has already recalled more than 8.5 million vehicles for problems involving defective gas pedals, floor mats and brakes. A majority of these vehicles were recalled for sudden or unintended acceleration, which could pose a crash hazard. The government has also demanded various documents from Toyota to determine whether the auto maker reported the vehicle defects and issued the recalls in a timely manner.

If you have been seriously injured in an accident involving a recalled Toyota vehicle, you may want to consider contacting a reputed Washington auto products liability lawyer. Please remember that if you suspect your accident was caused by a defective auto, it is very important that you preserve your vehicle in tact so it can be examined by an expert for evidence of defects or malfunctions.

If your loved one has been seriously injured by a defective auto, please contact the reputed Seattle personal injury lawyers at The Bernard Law Firm to find out about your legal rights and options. Please call us at 1-800-418-8282 or e-mail us at info@bernardlawgroup.com to schedule your FREE, comprehensive and confidential consultation. We can also send you our FREE brochure about Washington auto product defect cases, which has useful, educational information to help you better understand your rights. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his skilled legal team today.

Source: http://www.wvec.com/news/consumer/Toyota-recalls-some-Tacoma-trucks-over-propeller-shaft-84265777.html

Kirk Bernard's Seven Tips for Driving Safely in Winter Weather

Winter can be a tricky time to drive. At a time when roads are slick with black ice or packed with snow, it is better to avoid driving. However, if you must drive, please use common sense and exercise caution. Here are a few of useful winter driving tips from skilled attorney Kirk Bernard:

1. Always drive with your headlights on. Visibility is usually rather low during the winter months because of overcast conditions, snow or rain. Fog can also hamper visibility quite a bit. Draw attention and be seen. Leave your lights on.
2. If you have four-wheel drive, do not get over-confident with it. Just because you have one of these vehicles, it does not mean that you'll be able to stop faster on an icy roadway.
3. Always give yourself room to stop. If you have anti-lock brakes, press the pedal down firmly and hold it. If you don't have anti-lock brakes, gently bump the pedal.
4. When you approach intersections, off-ramps, bridges or shady spots, please slow down. These are areas that have the potential to develop black ice.
5. It is advisable to avoid abrupt actions while steering, braking or accelerating to lessen your chance of losing control.
6. Do not cut in front of trucks. These large vehicles take a longer time to stop.
7. Avoid using cruise control or overdrive.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Washington auto accident, please contact the experienced Seattle personal injury attorneys with The Bernard Law Group at 1-800-418-8282 or info@bernardlawgroup.com for a FREE, comprehensive and confidential consultation. We can also send you our FREE brochure, which has useful, educational information about Washington car accident cases to help you understand your legal rights and options. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his skilled legal team today.

Toyota Recalls Prius and Lexus Hybrid Vehicles for Braking Defects

Toyota Motor Corp. has announced a global recall involving more than 400,000 of its Prius and Lexus hybrid vehicles because of braking problems. This defective auto recall has come after quite a bit of deliberation and speculation about how Toyota will deal with this issue. The auto maker has come under fire for not reacting in a timely manner to auto product defects involving faulty gas pedals and floor mats in more than 8 million vehicles. These defects are said to have caused sudden or unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles, causing several fatalities and numerous injuries over the last decade or so. In an unprecedented move, Toyota suspended production and sales of eight vehicle models in order to fix the gas pedal problem

The problem with the Prius involves delays in the vehicles' braking capacity especially on icy or bumpy roads. Dealers say this problem can be fixed in 40 minutes. Prius owners complained that they suddenly lost braking capacity and control of the car when they hit a pothole or a bump on the roadway. Toyota officials are saying now that this happens because of a software glitch. If you own one of these recalled Prius models, please contact your Toyota dealer to get the software fixed as soon as possible. You may also wish to speak with a skilled Seattle car accident attorney if you have been in an accident involving one of the recalled vehicles.

If your loved one has been seriously injured by a defective auto, please contact the reputed Washington personal injury lawyers at The Bernard Law Firm to find out about your legal rights and options. Please call us at 1-800-418-8282 or e-mail us at info@bernardlawgroup.com to schedule your FREE, comprehensive and confidential consultation. We can also send you our FREE brochure about Washington auto product defect cases, which has useful, educational information to help you better understand your rights. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his skilled legal team today.

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/09/AR2010020900654.html?wprss=rss_business/economy

Salmonella Outbreak from Salami Products Hits Washington State

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is investigating an alarming salmonella outbreak, which federal food safety officials have linked to Daniele brand salami and sausage meat products. According to CDC's Web site, 217 people in 44 states have been infected with a matching strain of Salmonella Montevideo. So far, 42 have been hospitalized as a result of the food poisoning. Until now, 15 cases have been reported in Washington State. No fatalities have been reported yet in connection with this outbreak.

CDC officials say that the infected patients range in age from infants to 93-years-old. More than half of those affected are men. A preliminary analysis and study shows that the salami manufactured by the Rhode Island company, Daniele International Inc., may have caused this salmonella outbreak.

The most common symptoms of salmonella infections include diarrhea, vomiting, severe stomach cramps and fever. Most patients who are affected by this bacterium are able to recover without treatment. However, in case of severe infection, patients do require hospitalization and treatment with antibiotics. Skilled Seattle products liability attorneys know that if ignored, a salmonella infection has the potential to become fatal. Infants, the elderly, and those with impaired immune systems are most likely to be severely affected by this strain of bacteria.

If you have been a victim of food poisoning in Washington State as a result of these contaminated products, you may be able to seek compensation to cover medical expenses, lost wages, cost of hospitalization, pain and suffering and other damages. If you have been injured as a result of a food-borne illness, please contact a food-borne illness lawyer to find out about your rights. Call the Bernard Law Group for a FREE, comprehensive and completely confidential consultation. Please call us at 1-800-418-8282 or e-mail us at info@bernardlawgroup.com. We can also send you our FREE brochure about Washington personal injury cases, which has useful, educational information to help you understand your rights. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his skilled legal team today.

Source: http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/montevideo/index.html

Governor Orders Health Department to Investigate Nursing Home Abuse Cases

Washington State Governor Chris Gregoire has ordered the Department of Social and Health Services to review its oversight of adult family home industry. Gregoire pointed out several cases of mistreatment and nursing home negligence and abuse detailed in an investigation conducted by the Seattle Times. The newspaper brought out a three-part series titled "Seniors for Sale," which revealed that thousands of vulnerable senior adults have been exploited by those not qualified to be caregivers and just interested in chasing after profits. These unethical, sometimes appalling actions, had deadly consequences in many cases.

The Times discovered elderly victims who were prisoners in their rooms. Some were tied to their beds with ropes at night or strapped to chairs during the day so they wouldn't wander away. Others were drugged into submission so they wouldn't be tough to deal with. Many also did not receive proper medical treatment. The Times also found out that at a Tacoma nursing home with a lengthy history of serious violations, a patient died of a heart attack caused by a pressure sore, which went untreated for a month.

The Department of Social and Health Services will now require nursing home owners to post any investigative reports about their homes so residents, family members and visitors know about it. The agency will also post it on its Web site so the public can compare different nursing homes. According to the Times story, about 11,200 people live in 2,843 adult family homes in Washington State. In King County alone, there are 1,100 homes.

If your loved one has been abused or neglected in a Washington nursing home, please remember that the victim has legal rights. The victim may file a personal injury claim with the help of a Seattle nursing home abuse lawyer against the nursing home. If the victim is deceased because of nursing home abuse or negligence, the victim's family members may bring a wrongful death lawsuit against the home.

If your loved one has been seriously injured or abused in a nursing home or care facility in Washington, please contact the reputed Seattle personal injury attorneys with The Bernard Law Firm to find out about your legal rights and options. Please call us at 1-800-418-8282 or e-mail us at info@bernardlawgroup.com to schedule your FREE, comprehensive and confidential consultation. We can also send you our FREE brochure, which has useful, educational information to help you understand your rights. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his skilled legal team today.

Source: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/seniorsforsale/2010963980_seniors03.html

Kirk Bernard Reviews Pickup Truck Performance in Rollover Accidents

A recent KOMO News report discusses the results of new crash tests relating to how pickup trucks perform in rollover accidents. The results are rather disturbing and raise some serious safety concerns about pickup trucks, which have become a popular choice of vehicle for families. The crash tests were performed by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) and show that small pickup trucks lag in rollover protection. The study rated Nissan Frontier as "good." Ford Ranger was rated "acceptable" while the Dodge Dakota, Toyota Tacoma and the Chevy Colorado were all rated "marginal."

As an experienced car accident attorney in Washington State, Kirk Bernard knows that rollover accidents are a significant problem in the United States. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about 10,000 people die each year in rollover crashes. Approximately 40,000 people die each year in all types of traffic accidents. That means rollovers account for about 25 percent of all traffic accident fatalities, which is a significant number. If you are buying a car, truck or SUV, you want to make sure that it is crashworthy in the event of a rollover accident. You want to have that assurance that you and your family will be safe in your vehicle in the event of a crash – especially a rollover accident.

The article quotes spokespersons for auto makers insisting that their vehicles are safe and that they meet government standards. It is important to remember that government standards are lagging with regard to rollover protection and safety. Auto makers have known this for decades. Auto makers have the technology to make their vehicles safer. It remains to be seen if they will refocus their priority on safety rather than profit.

If your loved one has been seriously injured by a defective auto, please contact the reputed Washington auto products liability lawyers at The Bernard Law Firm to find out about your legal rights and options. Please call us at 1-800-418-8282 or e-mail us at info@bernardlawgroup.com to schedule your FREE, comprehensive and confidential consultation. We can also send you our FREE brochure about Washington auto product defect cases, which has useful, educational information to help you better understand your rights. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his skilled legal team today.

Source: http://www.komonews.com/news/consumer/83598052.html

Pedestrian Accident Prevention: Understanding Yielding the Right-of-Way

A recent pedestrian accident involving two girls in Seattle emphasizes that pedestrians are at risk of being hit by a vehicle even when walking in a marked crosswalk. According to a news report, the accident occurred in the 12600 block of 100th Ave. N.E. in Kirkland, Washington. The girls were walking eastbound in the crosswalk when a white sport utility vehicle struck both of them. Both girls were airlifted to Harborview in Seattle with broken bones and a head injury. The vehicle's driver remained at the scene and police are investigating the accident.

Yielding the Right-of-Way
Washington State law requires motorists to yield right-of-way to pedestrians walking in marked or unmarked crosswalks. According to the Revised Code of Washington Section 46.61.235 (1): "The operator of an approaching vehicle shall stop and remain stopped to allow a pedestrian or bicycle to cross the roadway within an unmarked or marked crosswalk when the pedestrian or bicycle is upon or within one lane of the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling or onto which it is turning. For purposes of this section "half of the roadway" means all traffic lanes carrying traffic in one direction of travel, and includes the entire width of a one-way roadway."

In this case, the family of the young victims would benefit from a consultation with a Washington pedestrian accident lawyer, who has successfully represented pedestrian accident victims in these types of crosswalk accidents. In cases where pedestrians were legally crossing and the driver was inattentive or negligent, victims can seek compensation to cover medical expenses and cost of hospitalization, treatment and rehabilitation.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a pedestrian accident caused by a negligent driver, we can help. Please contact the experienced Washington personal injury attorneys with The Bernard Law Group at 1-800-418-8282 or info@bernardlawgroup.com for a FREE, comprehensive and confidential consultation. We can also send you our FREE brochure, which has useful, educational information about Washington pedestrian accident cases to help you understand your legal rights and options. Get in touch with Kirk Bernard and his skilled legal team today.

Source: http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/east_king/kir/news/82840512.html