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Everett-Bellingham WA - Accident News and Resources including car, bicycle, motorcycle and truck accidents and much more.

Whatcom, Island, San Juan, Skagit, and Snohomish Counties comprise the Pacific Northwest Interior

Across these diverse counties, residents and visitors encounter gorgeous mountain views, extensive waterways, the beautiful Puget Sound, and the vast network of San Juan Islands.

Whatcom County, Washington, on the border with Canada, is an established college town with a growing population

Whatcom County has a population of approximately 200,000. The county seat and largest city is Bellingham. The county name ultimately derives from the Lummi word Xwotʼqom, meaning "noisy water."

The largest industries in Whatcom County include manufacturing, agriculture, and healthcare. Whatcom County is the location of Western Washington University.

Island County - A unique and beautiful region composed entirely of islands

As of the 2010 census, its population was 78,506. Its county seat is Coupeville, while its largest city is Oak Harbor. Its name reflects the fact that it is composed entirely of islands. It contains two large islands, Whidbey and Camano, and seven smaller islands - Baby, Ben Ure, Deception, Kalamut, Minor, Smith, and Strawberry.

San Juan County - A beautiful maritime archipelago of 743 islands

San Juan County is a county located in the Salish Sea in the far northwestern corner of Washington State. As of the 2010 census, its population was 15,769. Of the hundreds of islands in the county,  only 60 islands are inhabited.

Skagit County - Situated between near the majestic Cascade Mountains, the fertile Skagit Valley, and the powerful Skagit River

Skagit County, with a population of 116,901, is situated in the gorgeous Skagit Valley. The county seat and largest city is Mount Vernon. The majestic Cascade Mountains stand to the east, overlooking a fertile valley boasting a variety of agricultural crops. Running through the valley is the powerful Skagit River flowing westward toward the beautiful San Juan Islands.

Snohomish County - Home of the world's largest aerospace-industry manufacturing facility

Snohomish County, with a population of 772,501, is the third-most populous county in Washington. The county seat and largest city is Everett. The county is located between the sparkling blue waters of Puget Sound and the rugged, snow-capped peaks of the Cascade Mountains. Snohomish County begins 12 miles north of Seattle, a little under 100 miles south of Vancouver, and a short ferry ride away from the San Juan Islands and the Olympic Peninsula. Snohomish County is home to over 20,000 businesses, ranging from small family farms specializing in organic foods, to the world’s largest advanced manufacturing facility producing state-of art aerospace equipment.

The region's climate can contribute to accidents throughout the Northwest Interior

The climate is generally mild and typical of the Puget Sound region. The year-long average daily high and low temperatures are 59 and 44.1 °F. The western region of the Northwest Interior has a marine oceanic climate that is strongly influenced by the Cascade Range and Olympic Mountains, and gets an average of 42 inches of rain per year.

In Accident Data Center, find recent accidents at the links below:

Whatcom, Island, San Juan, Skagit, and Snohomish County car accidents;

Whatcom, Island, San Juan, Skagit, and Snohomish County pedestrian accidents;

Whatcom, Island, San Juan, Skagit, and Snohomish County motorcycle accidents;

Whatcom, Island, San Juan, Skagit, and Snohomish County bicycle accidents;

Whatcom, Island, San Juan, Skagit, and Snohomish County train accidents;

Whatcom, Island, San Juan, Skagit, and Snohomish County truck accidents.

When someone is injured in an accident in the region, it is important to gather information about what happens next.

Being injured in a serious accident is always a shocking and scary experience, and dealing with the aftermath is exhausting and stressful. Accident victims are forced to deal with hospitalization, medical treatments, missed work, and lost income, often while trying to manage pain and disability from their injuries. And then the insurance adjusters start circling. Find out more about accidents and what issues an injured person needs to be aware of by going to this link.

What to do after a serious injury accident in Whatcom, Island, San Juan, Skagit, or Snohomish County

When someone has been injured or killed in a motor-vehicle collision, the accident victim and their family members are left with medical bills, lost income, and other costs. It is important to get legal assistance to help the accident victim recover, or when the accident is fatal, to help the family members get fully compensated for their losses. Learn more about how a Pacific Northwest personal injury attorney will help injured victims and families.

State: 
Washington

Legal Data Center

Top 7 reasons to hire an experienced personal injury attorney
What every family needs to know about a wrongful death case
When a bicycle accident is fatal, survivors have hard decisions to make
Twelve tips to improve your personal injury claim
If a loved one died in an accident, this could be considered a wrongful death

Accident reports by county

Island County, WA - 15
San Juan County, WA - 2
Skagit County, WA - 113
Snohomish County, WA - 327
Whatcom County, WA - 156

Legal Resources

Everett-Bellingham WA
When a semi jackknifes: how it happens, how to prevent it, and what to do if you're in an accident with one

When a semi jackknifes: how it happens, how to prevent it, and what to do if you're in an accident with one

Most likely you’ve seen the harrowing pictures in the media, as these are usually significant, scary accidents. When a truck jackknifes, it’s a big deal. Jackknifing means that the trailer skids up and folds against the tractor at a very acute angle. You can think of it like a pocket knife partly opened. Any other vehicles nearby are vulnerable to being hit by the trailer as it swings around, and, as you can imagine, worst case scenarios can happen in the blink of an eye. A car can be smashed in between the tractor and its trailer, or it can be hit at any angle by the trailer as it swings out of control. Often in these accidents, especially since they tend to occur on highways at fast speeds, fatalities and serious injuries occur. If you or a loved one has been involved in a wreck with a semi tractor trailer that jackknifed, you may be entitled to compensation for your damages and losses.

Everett-Bellingham WA
How do accident victims receive financial compensation? [VIDEO]

How do accident victims receive financial compensation? [VIDEO]

There are a few categories in which accident victims are awarded compensation after an accident: 

  • Medical bills from a motor vehicle crash: At fault drivers are responsible for paying all medical expenses incurred. Also, they must pay all future medical bills that are likely to be incurred. 
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  • Lost wages: This includes past wage loss from the accident, as well as future wage loss, i.e. future physical therapy visits that require time off work. 
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  • General damages: Includes pain and suffering, mental anguish - all the things you can't put an exact price tag on. A good lawyer will make insurance company see how the accident has effected the client. 

For more information, please see this video on how accident victims are compensated after a collision with an at-fault or partially at-fault driver.

Everett-Bellingham WA
Overweight truck accidents occur increasingly often

Overweight truck accidents occur increasingly often

Though semi tractor trailers are designed to carry heavy loads, they can be overloaded. When a truck carries more than it is supposed to, major, catastrophic wrecks can occur. These wrecks, as they tend to happen on interstate highways at high speeds, can happen on any road. It’s a sad fact that many trucks are overloaded typically, on any given day. Truckers and their companies are under pressure to maximize each trip, and sometimes this means trucks are loaded too heavy, or too quickly so they are not properly balanced. If you or a loved one were hit by a commercial truck, it would be hard to tell if overweight or improper loading contributed to the wreck, or increased its severity unless you know what to look for. If this is a factor in your accident, then someone you love, or yourself, was hurt from negligent behavior. Were you hit by an overloaded truck? Learn more.

Everett-Bellingham WA
Certain vehicles have a higher likelihood of rollover

Certain vehicles have a higher likelihood of rollover

The higher the center of gravity, the higher the likelihood that a vehicle will rollover. Accidents and sudden turns can sometimes prove to be too much for trucks and SUVs to handle, which can result in one of the scarier – and deadlier – kinds of crashes. If a vehicle rolls, common results are that occupants are ejected and/or the roof is crushed. Catastrophic injuries may occur such as multiple fractures, back or spinal cord injuries, or traumatic brain injuries. And in the worst case scenarios, fatalities may result. For more info on rollover crashes, factors that contribute to rollovers, and what to do, click here.

Everett-Bellingham WA
When a truck's trailer becomes a runaway, collisions can be devastating

When a truck's trailer becomes a runaway, collisions can be devastating

If you’ve spent any time traveling along Washington mountain highways, you have most likely noticed them: runaway truck ramps. These are provided for trucks that get into a very scary situation: when the trailer begins to go faster than the tractor to which it’s attached. Situations like this are extremely volatile, and all it takes is seconds for catastrophe to occur. Trailers can become detached, and will take out all that’s in front of it until it comes to rest. Imagine more than 80,000 pounds barreling at you. Assuming you can survive being in its path, you will have experienced a terribly traumatizing event, not to mention the property damage that resulted. These are some of the most horrific kinds of wrecks one can imagine. For more information on commercial trucks and runaway trailer accidents click here.

Everett-Bellingham WA
The challenges of a wrongful death claim against a trucking company

The challenges of a wrongful death claim against a trucking company

A vehicle accident is scary, frightening, and awful. When that wreck results in the death of your loved one, it is one of the hardest things in life to go through. If it’s because of a truck driver or company’s negligence, it’s unconscionable. While you might want to file a lawsuit against the responsible parties, the thought of that might feel insurmountably difficult. You know it will be a long, uphill battle, and will take lot of mental and emotional preparation. Truck companies can be ruthless in dealing with accident victims, and will be trying to discredit you or simply fluster and frustrate you when you’re grieving, and just trying to stay afloat after a loved one’s death. Is your best option to simply take what the trucking company offers you in a wrongful death claim? 

Everett-Bellingham WA
Semi-tractor trailers have multiple blind spots and "no zones"

Semi-tractor trailers have multiple blind spots and "no zones"

Truck accidents that involve negligence can cost commercial trucking companies millions of dollars in liability, and they know it. These kinds of accidents can be complex, and the companies have resources to put on these cases, and fight them tooth and nail. If you’ve been involved in an accident with a semi-truck trailer, you have options for how to best approach what happens next. The trucking company, rest assured, will have a team of lawyers backing them. What about you? 

Everett-Bellingham WA
With long hours, sometimes truck drivers fall asleep at the wheel with devastating consequences

With long hours, sometimes truck drivers fall asleep at the wheel with devastating consequences

Commercial truck drivers have increasing pressures on them to maintain a strict schedule. With the increase in shipping needs of consumers, trucks have felt the demand to make shipments in good time. Sometimes this pressure means marathon driving sessions. If you’ve been behind the wheel on interstate roads for long periods without break, you might be able to relate. Fatigued driving means the driver feels worn out and unfocused, and may even fall asleep behind the wheel. It happens with enough frequency on Washington roads that there are rules on how long trucks are able to be on the road. These rules are established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which enforces what are called Hours of Service regulations. These rules govern when a truck driver may operate a commercial truck, and for how long. If a trucker or the company who hires him or her doesn’t comply with these rules, and an accident results from this negligence – regardless of the outside pressures on the driver – he or she may be held liable for damages. If a fatigued truck driver hit you, click here for more information.

Everett-Bellingham WA
Negotiating a claim after a drunk truck driver hit you is often too challenging for accident victims

Negotiating a claim after a drunk truck driver hit you is often too challenging for accident victims

18,000 pounds of metal speeding down the highway with a drunk driver is an unconscionably dangerous scenario, and  yet it is not unheard of on Whatcom or Skagit County roads. If a drunk commercial truck driver hit you on any road in Washington, you need skilled representation fast. It is highly likely you’re facing the aftermath of a deadly, catastrophic wreck and you should not do so alone. Focus on rebuilding your life and do not attempt to negotiate with the trucking company responsible for this devastation. Most accidents that occur between a commercial truck, or semi-tractor trailer, and another vehicle are complex. The trucking companies involve multiple parties, and have a vested interest in avoiding paying high settlements. So what do you do if you've been in an accident with a drunk commercial truck driver?

Everett-Bellingham WA
Crashes with tractor trailers have catastrophic consequences for others on the road

Crashes with tractor trailers have catastrophic consequences for others on the road

Semi-tractor trailers are to cars, trucks, and SUVs like those smaller vehicles are to pedestrians. In an accident of a semi vs. almost any other type of vehicle, the semi will do much more damage than it, and its passengers, would receive. These trucks take longer to correct if they’re on a disastrous path, as well. Their drivers have to be extremely careful and focused at all times behind their wheels. Therefore, when truck drivers drive recklessly, negligently, distractedly, or under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the effects can be devastating. These can be complex claims, as not all injury accidents clearly or easily reveal the singular at-fault party. It can be a combination of factors that lead to an accident. If you have been involved in a wreck with a tractor trailer, you're likely full of questions about how to receive compensation for your losses. Click to learn more.

Most recent accident reports

Michele Smith seriously injured in rollover car crash on Interstate 5 near Bow, Washington

Date: 
Thursday, January 12, 2017
Roadway: 
Interstate 5
City: 
Bow, WA
Type: Car Accident
Topics: 
Rollover

Lisa Hunt, 48, killed and man injured in car crash with dump truck on Highway 92 near Lake Stevens, Washington

Date: 
Thursday, December 22, 2016
Roadway: 
Highway 92
City: 
Lake Stevens, WA
Type: Car Accident

Sheereen Sadighi, 52, dies in single vehicle wreck on State Route 20 in Skagit County, Washington

Early media reports indicated that the victim was male, but they have since been revised. 

Date: 
Sunday, December 18, 2016
Roadway: 
State Route 20
Type: Car Accident

Mario Urbano killed in pedestrian collision with alleged drugged driver Cheryl Ann Turner, 30, on Grand Avenue in Everett, Washington

Date: 
Thursday, December 8, 2016
Roadway: 
Grand Avenue
City: 
Everett, WA
Type: Pedestrian Accident

Car crashes through wall of house at 47th street and Fowler Avenue in Everett, Washington

Date: 
Tuesday, December 6, 2016
Roadway: 
47th street and Fowler Avenue
City: 
Everett, WA
Type: Car Accident
Topics: 
Property Damage

Trina Morgan, 46, dies when assisting at scene of car crash after being struck by vehicle on State Route 530 in Snohomish County, Washington

Date: 
Sunday, November 13, 2016
Roadway: 
State Route 530
City: 
Arlington, WA
Type: Car Accident
Topics: 
Good Samaritans, Children/Minors Involved

Kyle Digges, 29, and Jessica Bart-Greenough, 32, injured in pedestrian collision on State Route 2 near Snohomish, Washington

Date: 
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Roadway: 
State Route 2
City: 
Snohomish, WA
Type: Car Accident
Topics: 
Good Samaritans, Disabled Vehicles

Man, woman, and three-month-old girl injured in chain-reaction collision on Mount Baker Highway in Bellingham, Washington

Date: 
Monday, November 7, 2016
Roadway: 
Mount Baker Highway
City: 
Bellingham, WA
Type: Car Accident

Man drowns after falling out of canoe in Kings Lake in Granite Falls, Washington

Date: 
Saturday, November 5, 2016
Roadway: 
Kings Lake
City: 
Granite Falls, WA
Type: Boat Accident
Topics: 
Drowning, Accidents in Waterways

Bill Rayborn, 83, killed in pedestrian collision at Reed and Second in Friday Harbor, Washington

Date: 
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
Roadway: 
Reed and Second
City: 
Friday Harbor, WA
Type: Pedestrian Accident

Male pedestrian, 22, injured in collision on Highway 20 near Hamilton, Washington

Date: 
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
Roadway: 
Highway 20
City: 
Hamilton, WA
Type: Pedestrian Accident

Gary R. Jones, 59, injured in collision at State Route 20 and Lunz Road on Fidalgo Island, Skagit County, Washington

Date: 
Saturday, October 29, 2016
Roadway: 
State Route 20 and Lunz Road
Type: Car Accident
Topics: 
Head-on

Coralise M. Almojera, 25, Mollie R. Cline, 51, and Thomas H. Cline, 50, injured in single-vehicle crash on Lummi Shore Drive on Lummi Reservation, Washington

Date: 
Monday, October 24, 2016
Roadway: 
Lummi Shore Drive
City: 
Lummi, WA
Type: Car Accident

Roy W. Bennett, 89, killed in collision with teen driver on 112th Street SE in Everett, Washington

Date: 
Sunday, October 23, 2016
Roadway: 
112th Street SE
City: 
Everett, WA
Type: Car Accident
Topics: 
Accident Topics: Teenaged Drivers - Young Adult Drivers, Elderly Drivers

Pedestrian, 71, injured in collision with hit-and-run driver at Beverly Lane and 74th Street SE in Everett, Washington

Date: 
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
Roadway: 
Beverly Lane and 74th Street SE
City: 
Everett, WA
Type: Pedestrian Accident
Topics: 
Hit and Run