Pedestrians can often be seen near Seattle’s busy streets. Drivers need to be aware of their presence and respect their right of way. If drivers fail in these areas, pedestrians can easily be hurt or killed.
A man was recently killed on Interstate 5 in Snohomish County. According to reports, the man was a passenger in a pickup truck that was carrying some sort of load. When the load of the truck loosened, the 29-year-old driver of the truck moved to the right and stopped. Then, the 51-year-old passenger went to fix the loose load.
Witnesses claim that another car aggressively slowed next to the truck as the man fixed the load. This car apparently came to a complete stop. In order to avoid an accident with this car, a third car — another pickup truck — swerved to miss the car. As this pickup truck swerved it hit the passenger on the side of the road. Authorities claim that this man died on the scene.
The accident is still under investigation. If negligence on the part of any of the drivers played a role in the man’s death, that driver could be held liable in a civil suit. Pedestrians, unlike other cars, have very little protection in an auto-pedestrian accident. Therefore, these accidents are often fatal.
A wrongful death suit can help auto-pedestrian accident victims’ families following the accident. This suit can help them recover costs relating to the accident — like funeral costs, pre-death medical expenses and others. It can also help them recover lost wages that they would have received had their family member not been killed. Finally, emotional damages like pain and suffering, loss of parental guidance or loss of companionship may also be recovered.
While this compensation can never replace the loss, it can help ease a family’s financial burdens during a difficult time.
Source: The Seattle Times, “Bothell man killed in freeway accident, says WSP,” Mike Carter, Dec. 6, 2014