Updated on: 11/22/2019
One person was killed and two others were injured in a two-vehicle collision on State Route 18 on Wednesday night in Maple Valley, according to police. The incident occurred just west of State Route 169 in the Maple Valley area around midnight.
A 28-year-old Seattle man — who was a passenger in a Mazda pickup truck — was pronounced dead at the scene. Both drivers were transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle after the wreck.
An Auburn woman driving an Acura eastbound on SR 18 veered over the center median and struck the pickup, driven by a Roy man.
Washington State Patrol is investigating the cause of the collision.
Head-On Collisions Cause Serious Injuries
When a vehicle veers over the center line, is traveling the wrong way on a roadway, or makes an illegal turn into oncoming traffic, the results are often catastrophic. These wrecks — classified as "head-on" or "frontal" collisions — leave people seriously injured, and sometimes dead.
The following are types of injuries that may result from a head-on collision:
- Whiplash
- Neck injuries
- Abdominal injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- Chest injury
- Foot and leg injuries
Many vehicle manufactures have made great strides over the past 20 years to reduce the risk of injury in frontal collisions. But no safety protocols exist today that can completely protect a driver or passenger from these injuries.
With the damages so high in these head-on crashes, it's often a smart idea to consult with an experienced car accident attorney. Medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering and rehabilitation costs pile up quickly, and having someone to fight for you is important.
Take this case for example: led by personal injury attorney Chris Davis — founder of Seattle-based Davis Law Group, P.S. — we recovered an $840,000 settlement for a woman injured in a head-on collision in Lynnwood. Another driver crossed the center line, not unlike the Maple Valley crash above, and slammed into her head-on. Her massive injuries required many surgeries and an extensive rehab process.
And the case wasn't simple. Investigators tried to pin the blame on a heart attack suffered by the at-fault driver moments before the crash. But medical experts proved the at-fault driver had benzodiazepines in her system at the time of the crash. Ultimately, our client's $500,000 Harborview Medical Center bills were paid for, as well as additional money to get her back on her feet.
At Davis Law Group, we have successfully recovered millions of dollars in compensation for our clients throughout Washington state, and we are dedicated to helping car accident victims fight for the justice that they deserve. To find out how we can help you, call us today at (206) 727-4000 — or simply fill out the "Free Case Review" form that is located on this page and we will contact you shortly. We proudly offer 100% free case reviews to accident victims and we only get paid when we win.
