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Multi-Vehicle Accident on Interstate 90 Leaves Several Injured

On Behalf of | Jul 27, 2011 | Car Accidents

By Pendergast Law on July 27, 2011

A multi-vehicle pileup accident on Interstate 90 near Bellevue, Washington, left several people injured, one critically, according to a recent article in The Seattle Times.

The crash began when a tractor-trailer driver caught up to slow-moving I-90 traffic near 133rd Avenue Southeast. He hit the truck’s brakes, trying to avoid a crash. Instead, the truck skidded and then jackknifed, colliding with a logging truck. The impact damaged the logging truck’s rear axle, causing both the truck and some of the logs it was carrying to hit other vehicles as the drivers of both the semi and the logging truck struggled to get their vehicles under control.

In all, 13 vehicles were involved in the accident, which stretched for half a mile along the interstate. Six people were treated for minor injuries. The worst damage from the accident, however, was suffered by a nine-year-old girl who was in one of the cars that took the hardest hit from the skidding larger trucks. She was in critical condition at Harborview Medical Center, but sadly, succumbed to her injuries.

The trucking company that owns the semi has been cited by the U.S. Department of Transportation multiple times for vehicle maintenance violations and fatigued driver violations in the past two years, according to The Seattle Times. Investigators have not yet said whether they think a maintenance problem or driver fatigue caused this accident, however.

Commercial vehicles like semi trucks, their drivers, and their owners are held to high standards regarding vehicle care and driver health and safety. When one of these factors is overlooked, serious injuries can result. If you have been injured in a crash caused by another driver’s negligence, contact the experienced car accident lawyers in Bellevue at Pendergast Law. For a free consultation, call us today at 888-539-9211.