Andrew Kim Law Firm, PLLC | Washington Legal Blog

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What should parents learn about car safety and kids? | Washington Kids Accident Lawyer

From the time your new baby comes home from the hospital, until they are driving with their own driver's license, parents need to learn how to maximize their kids' safety in the car.  At each stage, kids are at risk in different ways. 

Most parents don't know how to use their infant or young child's car seat correctly.  Too many school-aged kids are in danger because they don't use booster seats.  Some kids are in danger from air bags because they ride in front seat before they are big enough to do so safely.  Inexperienced teenage drivers are often overtired, driving under the influence, overly confident in their abilities, or aren't paying attention because they're distracted by their friends, cell phones and food.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of accidental death for all young people from one-year-old babies through teens.  Too many motor vehicle deaths and injuries could have been prevented. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics can help you get started on how to shop for and correctly install a car seat.  Keep your child in a car seat for the longest recommended time.  Don't "graduate" them before they are both the recommended age and weight. 

The Bellevue, Washington office of the Andrew Kim Law Firm, PLLC represents adults and children seriously injured in any motor vehicle accidents.  If you would like to talk to a personal injury attorney to see whether you have a case, please call us at 1-800-636-3676 or visit www.wainjurylaw.com.

Monster Truck Rally Accidents Not As Rare As You Might Think

Go cart accident injures 15 month old boy | Bellevue child accident attorney

A go cart accident at the County Line Amusement Park in Spring Hill, Florida injured a 15 month old toddler boy after he and his father stalled their go-cart and were instructed by an employee to walk to another cart nearby.  The boy was hit by another go-cart driver.  The parents Lisa Saladino and Shane Stanley are seeking more than $15,000 in damages in the civil negligence lawsuit filed December 23, 2008.

Although there may be some negligence against the amusement park and its employee, some degree of comparative fault may also rest with the father.  You may also have some difficulties finding sympathetic jurors to decide in your favor since they may wonder why you would take a 15 month old on a go cart ride in the first place.  But then again, why didn't the employee prevent the father from taking the toddler on the ride?  There usually is a minimum age or height requirement for rides at amusement parks.  Looks like there's plenty of blame to go around in this case but not one that we would take.

The Bellevue, Washington office of the Andrew Kim Law Firm, PLLC represents adults and children seriously injured in go-cart rides, roller coasters, and other amusement park rides that are defective or not properly maintained causing bodily injury to the riders.  If you would like to talk to a personal injury attorney to see whether you have a case, please call us at 1-800-636-3676.

Munire Cribs Recalled after Child Is Poisoned by Lead Paint

3,000 Newport Rubbed Black 4-in-1 Cribs and 6,000 matching furniture pieces made by Munire Furniture of Piscataway, New Jersey were recalled after one child was hospitalized for lead poisoning from the lead paint which is in excess of the federal limits. 

The paint in question is a red paint underneath the black finish paint on some of the cribs and matching furniture which can be harmful to teething babies and toddlers who may ingest the paint chips after chewing on the rails like this one baby did.

Specialty furniture stores nationwide sold these items from April 2006 through November 2008.  For more information about the recall, check out the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission news release here.

Refurbished youth football helmets not properly tested

NHTSA teen driver safety program

Leading Cause of Death for Teens - Traffic Crashes

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA's) reported that young drivers, ages 15 to 20 years old are especially vulnerable to death and injury on our roadways.  Car and truck crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in America.  Mile for mile, teenagers are involved in three times as many fatal car accidents as all other drivers.

Motor vehicle collisions make up 35% of teen deaths, 16% homicide, 12% suicide, and 37% all other.

Research shows which behaviors contribute to teen-related auto accidents.  Inexperience and immaturity combined with speed, drinking and driving, not wearing seat belts, distracted driving (cell phone use, loud music, other teen passengers, etc.), drowsy driving, nighttime driving, and other drug use aggravate this problem. 

These statistics are a bit surprising to even me, an experienced car accident and personal injury attorney who has handled quite a large number of car accident, truck accident, and motorcycle crash injury claims over the past 15 plus years. 

Research clearly shows three steps in reducing teen crashes –

1)  Increase seat belt use,

2)  Implement graduated driver licensing, and

3)  Reduce teens' access and use of alcohol and/or drugs

These are three things that we all should be striving to do on a consistent basis for the safety of our children.  The Andrew Kim Law Firm, PLLC provides information to help parents make well informed decisions regarding the well being of their kids.

Bellevue Downtown Park collapses and injures young girl | Bellevue child accident attorney

On December 21, 2008, the skating rink tent at Bellevue’s Downtown Park collapsed from the weight of snow on the roof.  A young girl was the only one who needed assistance from firefighters to get out, who was injured and taken to Overlake Hospital Medical Center for examination.

With the record accumulation of snow we've had the past week and with the temperatures expected to rise making the snow melt and become heavier, caution should be used in removing snow from flat roofs which may collapse from the weight of snow.

Bellevue accident and injury attorney Andrew Kim assists children and others injured from defective structures, collapsed decks, due to improper maintenance and inspection, defective design, and negligent construction.  You can call Andrew Kim Law Firm, PLLC at the Bellevue office at (425) 289-1990 for a free consultation.