Tacoma Boy Dies in Tragic Car Crash

A nine year-old Tacoma boy, D.B., was taken off life support and died after being involved in a fatal car accident on March 16, 2013. The accident was a single-car crash in which the boy's uncle was driving with a blood alcohol concentration that was twice the legal limit. The driver had also smoked marijuana before the accident. The uncle was also injured but D.B.'s eight-year old sister, sitting in the back seat with a lap and shoulder seat beat buckled, escaped injury. D.B., who was wearing only a shoulder seat belt, and his uncle were ejected from the car when it rolled. The driver had apparently been speeding with the two kids asking him to slow down. After the accident, the little girl managed to get out of the car and flag down someone to help her.

According to Mothers Against Drunk Drivers, 156 individuals died in alcohol-related traffic accidents in Washington State in 2011. The state ranked 25^th in the nation for the most fatalities caused by drunk drivers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately a third of all deaths caused by traffic accidents are the result of drunk driving. Further CDC statistics show that more than half of all children aged 14 and younger who died in car crashes in 2010 were riding with alcohol-impaired drivers, as in the case above. Drivers with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 percent or higher who are involved in fatal car accidents are four times more likely to have a prior drunk driving conviction than sober drivers, per the CDC.

Personal Injury Attorney in Seattle, Washington

Drunk driving constitutes negligence in cases where these drivers cause injury or death to others. Besides criminal consequences, these drivers and / or their insurance companies will face injury claims and wrongful death lawsuits on behalf of victims and their families. Being involved in an accident with a drunk driver can cause devastating injuries, the worst being those which permanently injure victims for the rest of their lives.

The legal team at Ward Smith, PLLC has dozens of years of legal experience and has been included in Washington State's list of Super Lawyers. These attorneys get results, both outside the courtroom through settlement negotiations as well as in the courtroom in civil litigation against negligent parties. They are dedicated to providing aggressive, caring, and competent legal service to clients throughout Bellevue, Kent, Kirkland, Seattle, and Redmond. Contact the firm to get the help you need following any personal injury.