Updated on: 6/10/2019
Police say that one passenger was killed and two others were injured in a rollover crash near Ferndale that was allegedly caused by an impaired driver.
Officials say that the crash occurred just after 6 p.m. Sunday when a Ford 350 truck was traveling southbound on River Road in Ferndale. The driver allegedly began to lose control of the vehicle after encountering a curve on the roadway before crashing into a power pole.
A 30-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, while two other passengers were transported to a local hospital in Bellingham. The severity of their injuries was not reported.
Legal Rights Of Passengers In DUI Crashes
Washington state law permits accident victims to pursue a personal injury claim or lawsuit against the party or parties responsible for causing their injuries. This would include passengers who are injured in a crash caused by the party who was responsible for driving them.
Passengers often have relatively straightforward personal injury claims because it is nearly impossible for them to be found legally liable or responsible for a collision. In almost all car accident cases, the person responsible for a crash is going to have been someone who was behind the wheel. Drug or alcohol impairment is also a significant factor in determining liability, which police have already determined was involved in this collision.
The results of the full investigation into the crash will provide more clarity on legal liability and responsibility for the passengers’ damages. Anyone who is injured as a passenger in an accident should consider consulting with an experienced personal injury attorney sooner rather than later to preserve their legal rights and ensure they do not make any of the common mistakes associated with car accident injury claims.
