Broken Down Van Causes Fatal Collision | Seattle Wrongful Death Attorney

Blog Categories:

Most people do not have a familiarity with the ins and outs of their vehicles. Engines alone are complex and differ from car to car, and they represent only a fraction of how an automobile will run. Luckily, automotive service centers allow the average person to do without a close understanding of their vehicles. But that doesn’t mean knowing your vehicle isn’t important. As a Seattle auto accident attorney, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that a well-maintained car can mean as much as a fatality-free ride.

At 3:30 A.M. on August 15^th, 2011, a large box truck and a minivan collided on I-5 in Lakewood. According to West Pierce Fire and Rescue, the truck rear-ended a van that had stopped in the middle lane due to mechanical failure. Rescuers and paramedics rushed to the scene to cut through the mangled metal wreck and get to the people trapped inside. A 24-year old woman from Lacey, who was in the back seat at the time of the accident, had been killed. The two people in the front seat of the van and the driver of the van were taken to a hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

This violent rear-end accident could have been avoided had the owner of the van known something was wrong with their car and acted on that knowledge. After the van became disabled and slowed down, there was a very small chance that another vehicle would not have struck it. Stopping in the middle of the road is always dangerous, especially on a freeway or highway. The passing of the woman is extremely unfortunate, and as a Bellevue wrongful death lawyer I know how difficult this will be for her family. This horrible news shows us all how important it is to understand the thousands of pounds of metal we get behind every day.

If you or a loved one suffered personal injuries in a Washington car accident that was caused by another’s negligence, please call Premier Law Group for a FREE consultation with one of our experienced Seattle personal injury lawyers at 206.285.1743