Personal injury laws and information in the State of Washington 

Like every other state, if you’ve been injured as a result of the carelessness and negligence of somebody else, the State of Washington allows you to file a lawsuit seeking compensation for your damages. Certain time limits apply, though. The general rule in Washington is that you must file your lawsuit against anybody who you claim to be responsible for your injuries within three years of the date of the occurrence. In cases involving assault and battery or defamation, the period could be as short as two years. If your case involves the State of Washington or any governmental entity or agency in the state, certain strict notice provisions also apply. If you fail to comply with those notice provisions, your case can be dismissed forever, even if your lawsuit is timely filed. 

Types of personal injury cases in Washington

 Most of the personal injury cases filed in Washington involve the law of negligence arising out of motor vehicle collisions, premises liability, product liability, and wrongful death. To prove liability in these cases, the claimant must ordinarily prove that:

  • The person who they claim to be liable for their injuries owed them a duty
  • There was a breach of that duty
  • The breach of that duty caused the claimant’s injuries and damages
  • The injuries and damages claimed are legally recognized

 If the person who claims injury through negligence fails to prove any one of those elements, the entire case falls.

Comparative negligence

 Sometimes the person alleged to be responsible for a claimant’s injuries alleges that the claimant was also careless and negligent. That’s called the law of comparative negligence, and if proved, the percentage of negligence attributable to the claimant is deducted from his or her gross damages award. For example, if the gross award is $100,000, and the claimant was determined to be 30 percent at fault, his or her net award would be $70,000.

 The law of personal injury is highly complex, especially if it involves medical negligence or when a person claims to have been injured by a dangerously defective product. Due to the complexity and costs involved in bringing personal injury cases, many attorneys don’t take them.

 We handle every aspect of every personal injury case that comes into our office from the beginning to the conclusion. Contact us right away after an accident for a free consultation and case evaluation.

Causes of Knee Pain and Possible Treatments

One of the most common problems that people suffer, regardless of age, is knee pain. While knee pain can sometimes be helped with a simple brace, there are certain conditions and other problems that might require other treatment options. If you suffer from knee pain, then knowing what’s causing the pain is important. It can help inform your doctor of the correct kind of treatment that can best give you satisfactory results. This article will discuss knee pain, its most common causes, and possible treatments.

Causes

You may experience knee pain after an injury. An ACL injury, for example, is caused when a tear occurs in the anterior cruciate ligament. This is one ligament of a set of four that actually connects your shinbone to the bone of your thigh. When that ligament is torn due to a sporting injury or some other form of injury, you can experience pain in your knee.

Sometimes if you fall or have an accident, you can actually fracture your knee. These fractures can occur either on the knee cap itself or in the bone of the actual knee. For those who suffer from osteoporosis, it’s possible to even fracture your knee because you stepped wrong. That’s because the bones have become so weak that they’re brittle.

The pain may also stem from a torn meniscus. The meniscus is rough cartilage that acts as a shock absorbent between your shin and thigh bone. Sometimes the meniscus can degrade on its own. Other times, it can be torn by twisting your knee in a sharp direction while applying weight to it.

Patellar tendinitis is another cause of knee pain. Tendinitis itself is inflammation of tendons. When it occurs in the tendons of your knee, it’s known as patellar tendinitis. Those who run a lot, bike, or even ski can slowly wear down their tendons or injure them.

Sometimes the pain can stem from a dislocated knee cap. This happens when the bone on top of your knee moves out of place. It usually slips to the side of the knee. This can cause you a lot of pain since the bone is rubbing against you.

Other problems that may cause knee pain can be stemming from Arthritis. There are various forms of Arthritis that could be to blame for the pain. Gout, for example, occurs when uric acid crystals develop in the joint. It can make moving the knee extremely painful.

Treatments

One of the most popular treatments is pain medications. Especially useful for simple injuries, pain medications can ease the trauma and pain that you’re in. It might also reduce inflammation. This can help speed up the recovery from the injury.

Sometimes physical therapy may also be suggested. The goal of physical therapy is to help strengthen the muscles around the knee. In so doing, the knee becomes stable. Some of these therapies may involve stretches or workouts that go along with a specific sport that you might play. Other times, it may involve wearing arched supports. This can help shift pressure and weight off of the knee and prevent osteoarthritis.

Braces might help knee pain in that it also helps to strengthen the muscles and keeps your knee firmly in place.

Sometimes you may need surgery to remove the damaged bone.

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Boost Social Security Checks By Tapping IRAs Early, Suggests Study

According to a recently published study, Social Security Payments could be inflated by withdrawing early from workplace automatic individual accounts or auto-IRAs.

By beginning auto-IRA payments from ages 62 and 66, you could delay claiming Social Security until 67 to collect Social Security benefits fully, according to report on the Pew Charitable Trust published yesterday.

The increase from utilizing auto-IRAs to delay Social Security benefit collection can be “significant,” the report noted.

“The worker who starts collecting at age 62 would receive $700 a month, compared with $1,000 for the worker who waits until age 67,” the study explained.

The Pew Charitable Trust details that every year past age 62 that someone delays Social Security increases their monthly check by about 8% until age 67.

“Delaying the start of these payments can be especially advantageous to married couples, because when the recipient dies, the surviving spouse continues to receive the higher of the two spouses’ benefits whether or not he or she was the primary earner,” Pew stated.

Keep in mind; this strategy isn’t meant for just anyone:

“Some may be unemployed or underemployed, and need the income; others may face the possibility of dying early, and therefore might not benefit from delaying the start of Social Security,” said Pew.

The recent report also explained that some could need to collect Social Security before the normal retirement age due to health complications that aren’t serious enough to qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance.

 

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tedknutson/2018/03/22/social-security-payments-can-be-boosted-by-tapping-auto-iras-early-says-study/#364a17c233d4

Overview of Social Security & Applying for Benefits

According to ssa.gov, Social Security was created in 1935 by President Roosevelt as a federal program. Before the enactment of social security, each state and local government was responsible for the welfare of the elderly. In the 1920s and 1930s, the economy had shifted due to industrialization and war; many people were unemployed and poverty-stricken. The Great Depression era was hard for nearly everyone, but the people who were hit the hardest were the elderly and disabled due to inability to work. The Social Security Board was created to help enroll the elderly into the program to receive payments. The Social Security entity did not only extend eligibility to the elderly but to the unemployed, blind or disabled, and children.

Applying for social security benefits is done online at ssa.gov or in person at a local Social Security office. Applications included are for retirement, Medicare, and social security disability benefits. If unable to apply online, call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). The person must be a United States citizen to apply and meet all criteria to receive benefits. The original birth certificate is needed or a certified copy of the original. Proof of citizenship is needed if not born in the United States. Proof of income from the previous year is needed. Documents to prove income include last year’s employment tax return or a copy of W-2 forms.

Retirement or spouse’s retirement has an age requirement of 61 years and 9 months. When an applicant is 65 years old and requests benefits, Medicare is automatically included in the benefits. Medicare is health insurance created for the elderly in 1966 under the Social Security act created by President Roosevelt. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services oversees the healthcare benefits given to Medicaid patients.

In conclusion, Social Security was created to help people in need of assistance in the United States. It was created in response to the Great Depression and enacted under President Roosevelt in 1935. People over 65, those that are disabled may apply online, by visiting socialsecurityofficesnearme.com, or in person at the local office the program for assistance. More information can be found in the links below.

References & Resources:
https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/applying5.html 
https://www.ssa.gov/history/briefhistory3.html
https://postallocationsnearme.com/

Information on Reckless Driving Laws in Virginia

Virginia, like other states in the United States, has its own set of reckless driving laws. Drivers can be arrested and convicted for driving recklessly when they are traveling at a speed or manner that can endanger the life of a person, cause serious injury such as loss of limb or cause significant damage to property.

Various Traffic Laws Regarding Reckless Driving

The law includes 13 traffic violations that fall under the category of reckless driving. If these are proven, it automatically means an individual was recklessly driving. These laws include the following:

• Driving with faulty brakes or without control of a vehicle per Va. Code Ann. 46.2-853
• Passing unsafely on a curve or hill crest per Va. Code Ann. 46.2-854
• Driving with too many people in the front seat that it interferes with the driver’s view and ability to properly operate the vehicle per Va. Code Ann. 46.2-855
• Passing alongside two vehicles on a road that includes less than three lanes in either direction per Va. Code Ann. 46.2-856
• Driving alongside another vehicle while traveling on a road with a single lane per Va. Code Ann. 46.2-857
• Passing at a railroad crossing on a one-lane road per Va. Code Ann. 46.2-858
• Failing to stop when approaching a school bus that is stopped per Va. Code Ann 46.2-859
• Not properly using turn signals per Va. Code Ann. 46-2.860
• Traveling at an unreasonable speed regardless of traffic conditions and circumstances and ignoring posted speed limit per Va. Code Ann. 46-2.861
• Exceeding the speed limit by at least 20 mph or driving faster than 80 miles per hour per Va. Code Ann. 46-2.862
• Not properly stopping before entering a highway from a side street per Va. Code Ann. 46-2-863
• Racing another vehicle per Va. Code Ann. 46-2.865
• Entering a “HOT” (high occupancy toll) lane while crossing a barrier, buffer or other type of separator

Penalties for Reckless Driving in Virginia

Generally, the penalties one faces for reckless driving in the state of Virginia depend on certain factors. However, it is typically charged as a class 1 misdemeanor and individuals convicted of reckless driving can face as long as six months in jail and possibly a fine of $1,000. If the offense included using a cell phone unlawfully, the individual faces an additional fine of $250.

In addition, the individual can see their driver’s license suspended for up to six months. They can also expect four or six points placed against their driving record. With an offense that includes street racing, the license is suspended for six months to two years and the vehicle may be ordered for forfeiture.

If you are arrested on charges of reckless driving in Virginia, it’s important to speak to a skilled reckless driving attorney in Virginia. It’s your best bet for having the charges against you reduced or even dropped.

Source: http://www.drivinglaws.org/resources/traffic-tickets/traffic-laws/reckless-driving-virginia-misdemeanor.htm

Commonly Misused and Abused Drugs in America

Opioid Pain Relievers

Opioids are a class of drugs that reduce or eliminate pain; prescription painkillers are used to treat pain associated with cancer, arthritis, and other degenerative conditions. They also reduce pain from acute pain related to injuries, surgery, or dental work.

Opioids include prescription medications oxycodone, morphine, fentanyl, and codeine as well as the illicit drug heroin. There are varying classes of pain relievers, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and opioid analgesic; each type with different advantages and adverse effects. Pain treatment, regardless of acute or chronic, should be individualized for the patient and evaluated at frequent periods, and non-medications alternatives should be seriously considered.

The use of prescription-based opioid painkillers puts patients at risk of overdose, physical dependence, and addiction. A serious evaluation of whether or not someone should use a prescribed opioid painkiller needs to occur. Those who abuse opioids commonly adjust the method of administration and will snort or inject the substance to potentiate its effects. The use of opioids, whether alone or in combination with other substances), may cause drowsiness, confusion, and slow or stopped respiration which could lead to overdose and potentially death.

Opioid misuse and abuse has risen dramatically in the past few decades and is now considered a public health epidemic in the United States. From 1993 to 2013 the chance of death from prescribed opioid overdose almost quadrupled. Deaths from heroin have similarly seen huge increases since 201, with a 40% increase from 2012 to 2013.

Over-The-Counter Drugs

Over the counter, drugs do not need a prescription. Several OTC drugs include substances that can be abused. Here are some resources for drug rehab centers in major cities across the U.S.:

Psychiatric Drugs

Psychiatric drugs are given to patients by health care practitioners to address mental illnesses such as depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and anxiety disorders. Typically prescribed medications that are abused are sedative medications in the drug class named benzodiazepines, which include alprazolam (Xanax), clonazepam (Klonopin), and diazepam (Valium), and the antipsychotic medication, quetiapine or Seroquel. These drugs alone or when combined with other substances create sedation and euphoria. Hypnotic medicines that aid those suffering from insomnia can also be abused. Sleep medication Ambien is an example of a commonly abused substance.

A separate class of drugs used to treat attention-deficit disorders includes stimulants. Stimulants temporarily raise alertness and energy and have a calming and focused effect on those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Stimulants include amphetamines like Adderall, methylphenidate or Ritalin, and cocaine. In 2010, the National Institute on Drug Abuse estimated that around 1.1 million individuals abused stimulants, which are prescribed to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy. Side effects of stimulant abuse may include psychosis, seizures, and cardiovascular problems.