1. Home
  2. Washington

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
A personal injury attorney can help accident victims get help for lost wages

A personal injury attorney can help accident victims get help for lost wages

When someone is blindsided because a negligent driver "came out of nowhere" and hit them, there can be life-changing consequences. In this accident victim's story that happened in Bellingham, WA, the at-fault driver caused damage so severe that the victim was not able to return to his job after the accident - ever again. It was critical that he find money to pay for lost wages and damages he received because of the accident. Insult to injury, the motorist who hit him was uninsured. Click to learn how this accident victim was helped by a personal injury lawyer to find compensation for his lost wages due to an auto accident.

Everett-Bellingham WA
When an uninsured motorist hits you, it can be hard to know what to do next. Here's one victim's story.

When an uninsured motorist hits you, it can be hard to know what to do next. Here's one victim's story.

A common type of injury sustained in a motor vehicle accident is damage to the spine or pelvis. When someone is blindsided because a negligent driver "came out of nowhere" and hit them, there can be life-changing consequences. In this accident victim's story that happened in Bellingham, WA, the at-fault driver caused damage so severe that the victim was not able to return to his job after the accident - ever again. It was critical that he find money to pay for lost wages and damages he received because of the accident. Insult to injury, the motorist who hit him was uninsured. 

Everett-Bellingham WA
Who Can I Hold Liable in My Passenger Accident Injury Claim?

Who Can I Hold Liable in My Passenger Accident Injury Claim?

A driver and passenger have an unspoken agreement every time they get in a vehicle together - that they both have a responsibility to each other to make the drive as safe as possible. Yet it's ultimately the responsibility of the driver to maintain the well-being of all passengers in the car. Behaviors that go against safety - drunk and drugged driving, and distracted driving are two big examples - endanger everyone in the car and around it. These are other factors will have a dramatic impact on determining liability after an accident. Click to learn more from this Bellingham, WA accident lawyer about how negligence and liability are factored in to accident injury claims.

 

Everett-Bellingham WA
Being ejected from a crash due to a drunk driver is almost too much to bear

Being ejected from a crash due to a drunk driver is almost too much to bear

It's not uncommon for people ejected from a vehicle in a car crash to have life-threatening injuries. When that accident is due to someone else's negligence, especially drug or drugged driving, it may seem like a cruel, needless tragedy to the victims who weren't even driving. If this kind of case has happened to you, know that you're not alone. Here's a story of one personal injury accident client for an attorney based in Whatcom County, Washington, who went through such a horrible scenario but was compensated fairly. Even if it can't turn back the clock and change what happened, it can help a victim cope. 

Everett-Bellingham WA
Neck surgeries needed after a bike accident can mean expensive medical bills

Neck surgeries needed after a bike accident can mean expensive medical bills

Attorney Bill Coats’ took on a personal injury case in Bellingham, Washington, that involved multiple defendants. He obtained a settlement of over $1M for his client who experienced spinal injuries after a bike crash because of some high school kids' prank that went horribly wrong. So often, an injury to the neck or spine can mean complicated surgeries as well as a high incidence of chronic pain. While this particular case's story is unique and doesn't guarantee the same results for your case, it can help to get a glimpse of how the legal process works in personal injury claims with spinal and neck damage.

Everett-Bellingham WA
A head-on car crash can bring a lifetime of residual effects

A head-on car crash can bring a lifetime of residual effects

When you're injured in an accident, it helps to know you're not alone. A head-on collision is one of the hardest events to go through, because the resulting injuries and losses can be catastrophic. As a personal injury attorney, I have helped clients find compensation for head-on car crashes so that they can focus on the best possible life afterwards. Here's a story I'd like to share with you about someone who was hit when another car crossed the median on a highway outside Bellingham, WA.

Everett-Bellingham WA
A tragic story about the danger of jet skis

A tragic story about the danger of jet skis

Personal injury attorneys are well-acquainted with the scenario: an ordinary, enjoyable experience suddenly turns deadly when negligence is involved. When a child dies as a result of it, the sadness and anger that comes is even more acute for the survivors and loved ones. Here is one story of a fun day at the lake that took a terrible turn, and highlights the dangerous of teenagers using jet skis unsupervised. Bellingham, Washington wrongful death lawyer Bill Coats represented the survivors of a teenager's premature death.

Everett-Bellingham WA
Inattention blindness: what makes distracted driving so dangerous [VIDEO]

Inattention blindness: what makes distracted driving so dangerous [VIDEO]

Everyone by now should know that driving while distracted is one of the most dangerous things you can do behind the wheel. But lots of people also think that multi-tasking is possible, and while other drivers might not be able to do two things at once, there are ways to juggle tasks safely. More and more research says this is not so. If you're trying to have a conversation on the phone, whether you are listening or speaking, your mind is engaged in cognitive tasks. Even if you aren't holding your phone - a manual task - your mind is focused on this primary task of your conversation. Which means that if you are trying to talk about your dinner plans while you're driving, your mind is focused on trying to choose between pizza and Chinese, not what's in front of your windshield. 

Here is a great video that explains why distracted driving occurs. 

Everett-Bellingham WA
5 Tips for the first conversation with the insurance adjuster after a car accident

5 Tips for the first conversation with the insurance adjuster after a car accident

Many accident victims are nervous about their first contact with the insurance company’s adjuster, and justifiably so. Assuming anyone who was recently in a car wreck is dealing with injuries and emotional stress that come from a traumatizing event, it’s hard to think clearly through a claim negotiation. Here are some tips for that first contact with the insurance adjuster to help you advocate for yourself or a loved one and set the stage for financial recovery instead of further anxiety and financial stress.  

Everett-Bellingham WA
Studies show those who hire a lawyer recover 3.5 times more money on average than those who do not

Studies show those who hire a lawyer recover 3.5 times more money on average than those who do not

If you've been injured in an accident, you might be wondering if it's worth it to hire an attorney. How do you know? The headline of this story alone will tell you that sometimes it makes sense to hire one. One of the reasons lawyers can get their clients so much more money for a claim is that insurance company negotiators often don't look at all the factors that your attorney will. Accounting for things like future wage loss and medical bills usually aren't volunteered by insurers, no matter how much of a "good neighbor" they might seem. Click the link for more tips and answers to frequently asked questions to help you decide to hire a personal injury attorney for your accident claim.

 

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