Elma, WA—a 25-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene of an accident on State Route 8 near Elma, WA.
According to the Washington State Patrol, the man was driving a mail truck westbound when the truck hit the guardrail several times before crashing into a stand of timber.
As a result of the accident, the unidentified driver was killed. No other injuries were reported in the accident.
No other vehicles were involved in the crash.
The investigation is ongoing. No further information was immediately available.
Thoughts on the fatal crash on State Route 8 in Elma
The facts in this accident strongly suggest the victim lost control of his vehicle, and our sincere condolences go out to the man’s loved ones.
There are a number of reasons why an individual may lose control of the vehicle they are operating. In cases where they are operating a vehicle in the course of performing their job, and the vehicle is owned by the employer, the employer’s failure to perform routine maintenance on the vehicle is a common root cause. A finding of this nature allows the victim’s family a basis to recover against the employer.
Another possible cause of this accident is mechanical failure. One of the most common mechanical failures that lead to a sudden loss of control is bad steer axle tires. If the steer axles are not examined and replaced in line with routine maintenance guidance, they can fail at a moment’s notice and result in tragedy. If an investigation finds that one or more of the steer axle tires on this truck was bad and in need of repair, the victim’s family may be able to recover against his employer for failing to provide a vehicle that was safe to operate. It is also possible that the steer axles were defective at the point of manufacture, allowing the victim’s loved ones to seek legal recourse against the original manufacturer.
The victim’s loved ones deserve answers. Our firm is often called upon to conduct our own thorough investigation to ensure all possible avenues for legal recourse are identified and pursued. In the meantime, we extend our deepest condolences to the victim’s loved ones.
