Reckless Driving Accident Injury Lawyers
On Sunday, October 13th of 2024 in Enumclaw, a tragic accident occurred at around 11:45 in the morning. According to Washington State Patrol, a 63-year-old woman from Enumclaw was going west on Route 410 near Milepost 34 when went into the eastbound lane to pass other cars in a “no pass zone.” When she saw the oncoming traffic, she tried to swerve back and crashed into another vehicle. The vehicle she crashed into spun out and was struck by the oncoming vehicle going east. Two of the vehicles were partially in a ditch, blocking the eastbound lanes of State Route 410. The other vehicle came to a stop on an embankment on the south side of the road.
Bystanders attempted to perform CPR on two of the victims. Officials arrived at the accident scene, including the Enumclaw Fire Department, King County Medic One, Puget Sound Fire, and Buckley Fire Department. The crash scene was just east of Enumclaw, near the Mud Mountain Dam Recreation Area. Two people were declared dead at the scene, a 72-year-old man from Lakebay and 69-year-old woman from Puyallup. They were in the car that spun out into the eastbound lanes. There were two people that had life-threatening injuries and were giving emergency treatment before being airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. The at-fault woman was also taken to the hospital for moderate injuries.
Once she is released from the hospital, the woman that caused the accident will be arrested and booked into jail. She will likely be charged with vehicular assault and vehicular homicide. She is not suspected to have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The no-passing zones are there for a reason, for the safety of everyone on the road. This tragic crash was unnecessary and preventable if that woman had not been acting recklessly.
State Route 410 was closed completely between Twin Creek Bridge and Mud Mountain Dam road for more than five hours so that an investigation could take place. The road opened again after 5:15 in the evening. Drivers were asked to avoid the area throughout Sunday while the road was cleared and evidence was gathered.
Reckless driving is the cause behind many serious car accidents, and is a crime. Penalties for reckless driving can include jail time and fines. These penalties are more severe if the reckless driving caused serious injuries or death. However, a person doesn’t need to have caused a crash for their driving to be considered reckless. It’s driving that is done with disregard for the safety of other people on the road, and presents a substantial risk of causing harm. Some examples of reckless driving include not yielding to the right-of-way, tailgating when driving at high speeds, road rage or aggressive driving, driving under the influence, running stop signs or red lights, and speeding. Another cause, like in the case talked about in this article, is making erratic lane changes.
Car Accident Law Firm in Washington State
Unfortunately, there has been an increase in reckless driving in recent years. From 2019 to 2020, the number of fatal crashes caused by speeding increased by 17 percent. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) collects data so that they can strategize ways to make the roads safer. There are many types of reckless driving. Although accidents can be caused by outside factors such as weather conditions, many of them are caused by recklessness and negligence.
In most cases, a reckless driver that caused an accident is the one responsible for damages. A personal injury lawyer will be able to determine liability. Liability when it comes to car accident injury claims is usually based on negligence. Negligence is the failure of a party to exert reasonable care. You can prove that the other driver was acting with negligence by showing that they weren’t driving safely. Evidence could include traffic or dash camera footage, eyewitness accounts, prior traffic law violation history, and more.
Recklessness goes beyond just negligence. Reckless behavior is when a driver knew that their behavior was dangerous and could cause harm, and they did it anyway. Reckless driving often leads to accidents, such as in the case discussed above. A personal injury lawyer can help you prove that the other driver was being reckless, and that they are liable for the damages that occurred. Some examples of damages include lost wages, past/present and future medical expenses, vehicle or other property damage, pain and suffering, and more.
In some states, at-fault drivers that caused an accident with their reckless actions can be ordered to cover punitive damages. However, Washington is one of four states in America that doesn’t allow punitive damages in personal injury cases. This means that victims cannot receive extra compensation for being injured from intentional reckless conduct. Victims of car accidents in Washington can only receive compensatory damages. However, our team at Sears Injury Law will fight to get you as much compensation as possible.
Sometimes, the at-fault driver won’t have their own insurance coverage. It is illegal in Washington to drive without having car insurance. If the other driver didn’t have the mandatory insurance, then you can still recover damages in other ways. One option is suing the driver directly, but they may not have the money to pay for your damages. Other options include if your insurance has personal injury protection (PIP) coverage or uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage. This should pay for your damages if the at-fault driver doesn’t have insurance to do so. Whatever your situation, Sears Injury Law’s experts can help you determine the best path forward.
If you were injured in an accident caused by a negligent or reckless driver, reach out to Sears Injury Law as soon as possible. The insurance company will try to give you a settlement offer, but this will almost always be much lower than what you are actually entitled to. Injury victims are often left suffering from the financial repercussions of their accidents for many years. Our lawyers specialize in personal injury law, and know how to deal with insurance companies to get justice for victims. People injured because of someone else’s poor behavior deserve to be able to move on with their lives as best as possible, and Sears Injury Law can make that happen.