By Pendergast Law on February 7, 2016
A 42-year-old woman was killed and four others were injured in a Washington car accident between an SUV and a semi-truck hauling frozen fish. The fatal truck accident occurred on Interstate 5 near the 200th Street exit near SeaTac. Officials say the driver of the SUV, for unknown reasons, let the vehicle cross the center-line, where it hit the truck. The semi rolled over, taking the SUV with it.
One of the passengers in the SUV died at the scene. The driver was rushed to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition and a third person in the SUV sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The driver and passenger in the semi truck were hospitalized as well.
According to the Washington State Department of Transportation, in the year 2013, a crash occurred in Washington every five minutes. A person was injured in an accident every 12 minutes and a person was killed every 20 hours. During that same year, a speeding driver was involved in a crash every 30 minutes, a distracted driver was involved in an accident every 15 minutes, and every two days an impaired driver killed someone.
A significant number of the fatally injured victims of Washington car accidents are passengers who had nothing to do with the crash. It is a common misconception that a passenger can’t pursue compensation when traveling as the passenger in the at-fault driver’s vehicle. In fact, the victim or the victim’s family can hold the at-fault party responsible for the crash regardless of which driver caused the accident.
An experienced Seattle car accident attorney will be able to stay on top of the official investigation and help protect your rights and best interests. Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S. can help.
Contact us at 888-539-9211.