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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
If you've been rear-ended in Bellingham, you're not alone

If you've been rear-ended in Bellingham, you're not alone

Rear end collisions. They're one of the most common kinds of crashes, and they almost always happens when it’s least expected. Often these types of accidents leave victims with devastating pain, including but not limited to whiplash. Obviously physical pain can result, as well as emotional trauma. Last but not least, another long term impact is the financial strain of medical bills, loss of transportation, and even loss of wages. After an accident involving a real-end collision, it’s important to know the facts. You have options and don’t have to soldier through it without help. You can make an informed decision about what to do after being rear-ended.

Everett-Bellingham WA
Rollover Accidents Are Especially Dangerous on Whatcom and Skagit County Roads

Rollover Accidents Are Especially Dangerous on Whatcom and Skagit County Roads

While it’s hard to imagine a vehicle accident that isn’t scary, rollovers have particularly dangerous aspects. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) they tend to happen on rural roads that lack barriers like guard rails, roads which are common in Whatcom and Skagit Counties. This means that the vehicle can end up in a ditch or down an embankment. Also, the faster the vehicle is going, the higher the chance it will roll. Faster speeds result in harder impacts. Drunk or distracted driving also tend to factor into rollover crashes. As these are typically single-vehicle accidents, a driver who is drunk or distracted is inattentive and careless to the conditions on the road. Even a simple curve in the road can start the chain reaction of circumstances that result in a rollover. Swerving to avoid a pothole, or a tire blow out can result in flipping your vehicle over. If you have been in a rollover accident, some of these factors might have been involved in your crash. Click here for more information on what to do after a rollover accident.

Everett-Bellingham WA
If a loved one died in an accident, this could be considered a wrongful death

If a loved one died in an accident, this could be considered a wrongful death

A wrongful death can happen in a variety of ways, from a car or truck accident to a medical procedure that goes tragically wrong. Regardless of the cause, a wrongful death is always heartbreaking, and the resulting claim takes a special kind of experience to handle effectively. When a loved one dies as the result of negligence or recklessness, family members are overwhelmed with grief, anger, and confusion as to what to do next. Often the at-fault party will deny liability and will seek to place blame elsewhere, even on the victim. The legal process can be overwhelming for family members who are mourning and trying to come to terms with what has happened. When a wrongful death happens, the legal stakes are higher and more challenging, the at-fault parties fight harder, and the process can be stressful for surviving family members. If a loved one died during an accident it is quite possible you could file a wrongful death claim. Click to learn more.

Everett-Bellingham WA
The basic steps a lawsuit goes through in one quick, easy to understand summary

The basic steps a lawsuit goes through in one quick, easy to understand summary

It may seem daunting if a claim progresses to a lawsuit. A skilled personal injury attorney settles nearly every client’s personal injury claim in a negotiated settlement. This means that very rarely do his clients need to go to trial with a lawsuit. However, if your claim doesn’t have the resolution you wanted, you still have the option to file suit. Your lawyer will step you through the process, explaining things as you go. But here is the gist of what to expect during a lawsuit. 

Everett-Bellingham WA
Red light runners can cause some of the most common wrecks at Bellingham intersections

Red light runners can cause some of the most common wrecks at Bellingham intersections

The amount of trust it takes to buckle yourself into a 4-ton contraption relying on physics, engineering, and technology to barrel you down a road boggles the mind, when you think about it. Adding to this the fact that millions of other drivers are doing exactly the same thing in their own vehicular universes, it’s sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. In the case of a driver breaking a law such as running a red light and hitting you, it does. At that moment, a typical drive to get to work, bring the kids home from school immediately changes your life permanently. If someone ran a red light and hit you, you have options. Click to learn more about what they are.

Everett-Bellingham WA
Broadside car collisions can start a change reaction that brings deadly results

Broadside car collisions can start a change reaction that brings deadly results

It’s remarkable that unsafe lane change collisions don’t happen more often on Bellingham and its surrounding Whatcom County roads. All vehicles have blind spots, and when we travel at highway speeds, parallel to other cars, with so many drivers shifting lanes, merging, accelerating and slowing down – naturally this put us in dangerous situations. Usually it’s an honest mistake to begin our move into the next lane when suddenly we hear a honk of the horn warning us to get back over. However, if someone is drunk or distracted, or simply reckless, a tragic and unnecessary accident might result in lifelong – or life-ending – changes. Click here to learn more about broadside car collisions and what to do if you're in one.

Everett-Bellingham WA
Hit and run car accidents are some of the worst kinds of crashes

Hit and run car accidents are some of the worst kinds of crashes

No one will dispute that a motor vehicle accident is traumatic for everyone involved, including the driver who caused it. But fleeing an accident is never a good idea, and makes a tragic situation worse every time. If you have been hit by a hit-and-run driver, life can get really complicated very fast. Click here to learn more about what to do next.

Everett-Bellingham WA
Wrong Way Driving Causes Devastating Car Crashes in Bellingham

Wrong Way Driving Causes Devastating Car Crashes in Bellingham

Like many cities, Bellingham has its share of one-way roads. It's not uncommon to see drivers who travel against the direction they're supposed to. Especially when this happens at highway speeds, such as along I-5 or Whatcom County roads,being hit by a wrong-way driver is one of the most devastating kinds of collisions possible. These crashes can happen very fast, without the victims’ seeing them coming. Often the injuries sustained in these kinds of accidents are major and possibly fatal. Click here if you've been involved in a wreck where the driver was going the wrong way.

Everett-Bellingham WA
The first thing accident victims need to do when the other driver doesn't have insurance

The first thing accident victims need to do when the other driver doesn't have insurance

We take to the roads throughout Bellingham and Whatcom County trusting that other drivers will have insurance. But that’s not always the case. You can well imagine the protocol as it’s supposed to happen after an accident: get medical attention for any injuries, file a police report, and exchange insurance information with other motorists involved. What happens if that last step can’t be followed because the driver has no insurance, or a policy that simply doesn’t cover all of the damages that occurred? So quickly, an already a stressful time just became even more worrisome. Click to learn more on what to do if the driver who hits you has no insurance.

Everett-Bellingham WA
Ever had to slam on your brakes when driving through Bellingham to avoid a rear-end crash?

Ever had to slam on your brakes when driving through Bellingham to avoid a rear-end crash?

 It happens when, of course, Bellingham drivers least expect it – a big rig up ahead has spilled its load, or a distracted driver swerves into the lane ahead, creating chaos for other drivers. Or maybe a herd of deer crosses a Whatcom county road. Here’s what to do so you can avoid a rear-end collision by learning more about panic stops.

Most recent accident reports

Melissa Vander Waal, 22, and Coral Bernal, 25, injured in head-on crash near Sumas

Melissa Vander Waal, 22, of Sumas was driving south at about 7 a.m. when her 2000 Ford Focus swerved into the northbound lane. Coral Bernal, 25, of Bellingham, was headed north and saw the Ford move into her lane.

Date: 
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Roadway: 
Highway 9
City: 
Sumas, WA
Type: Car Accident