Donna Mack
Liability Theories in Car Crash Cases
Every year, car crashes seriously injure millions of Americans. The medical bills in these cases, by themselves, average over $40,000 each. This figure does not include other economic losses, such as lost earning capacity, and noneconomic damages, such as pain and suffering. Usually, these incidents aren’t “accidents,” especially if multiple vehicles were involved. These… Read More »
Legal Responsibility in Child Sex Abuse Cases
Sex abuse causes physical and emotional injuries. This conduct causes permanent genital injuries in over 90 percent of sex abuse cases. Other physical injuries include secondary injuries, such as eating disorders. Sex abuse usually warps a victim’s sense of body image. The emotional injuries include Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The symptoms of PTSD, such… Read More »
Breaking Down an Alcohol-Related Car Crash
After trending downward for many years, the number of alcohol-related wrecks took a sharp turn the other way after coronavirus pandemic lockdowns. In 2021, the number of these incidents shot up to its highest level since 2007. Since traffic enforcement mostly stopped during 2020, many drivers picked up bad habits, such as driving while… Read More »
Physical and Emotional Dog Bite Injuries
Every year, animal attacks kill or seriously injure thousands of Americans. To obtain compensation for these injuries, these victims usually have several legal options. However, a number of insurance company defenses are available as well, mostly the provocation defense. Depending on the legal theory used and the extent of provocation, which is a physical… Read More »
Obstacles to Fair Compensation in Dog Bite Cases
The total amount of dog bite claims shot up in 2022, to over $1 billion. Advances in medical treatments, along with higher medical costs, mostly fueled this increase. In other words, victims receive more money because they need more money. But insurance company lawyers care nothing about what victims need. They only want to… Read More »
At-School Injuries: Who is to Blame?
Online schools are more common today than ever before. But over 90 percent of Washington kids attend public school. School administrators assume responsibility for student safety, as well as student education, when kids walk through the doors. Schools are not above the law. Instead, they’re accountable to the same principles of negligence and injury… Read More »
Fireball DUI Collision in Seattle
Police have a suspect in custody after a fiery alcohol-related wreck seriously injured four people. All four of the people inside the car were able to get out and were taken to the hospital in stable condition. The driver of that vehicle, however, is in police custody for suspected DUI, an SPD PIO confirmed…. Read More »
Evidence in a Car Crash Case
Proof is the cornerstone of a car crash or other negligence case. The victim/plaintiff must establish liability (legal responsibility for damages) by a preponderance of the evidence (more likely than not). That’s one of the lowest standards of proof in Washington law. But building a basic case isn’t enough. To obtain maximum compensation, the… Read More »
The Five Kinds of Driving Impairment
One of the five kinds of driver impairment causes most of the vehicle collisions in Washington. Speeding, turning illegally, and other kinds of aggressive driving cause most of the rest. Juries often award considerable damages in these cases. Arguably, impaired tortfeasors (negligent drivers) knowingly choose to put other people at risk. As a result,… Read More »
Breaking Down a Negligent Security Claim in Washington
Negligent security is more than a lack of security. Instead, negligent security is basically a lack of care. This legal concept is based on the story of the Good Samaritan. According to this story, which for better or worse is ingrained in Western law, the Good Samaritan went out of his way to help… Read More »