Car accidents can cause personal injury when least expected

Although travel to destinations south of the border remains restricted, exceptions exist. Anyone travelling from Vancouver to Seattle and surrounding areas will be at risk of crossing paths with errant drivers. When that happens south of the border, recovery of personal injury damages could get complicated. 

The following example could easily involve British Columbia residents

At approximately 11 a.m. on a recent Sunday morning, a 31-year-old woman drove her SUV in a city about 35 miles south of Seattle. As she entered an intersection, another vehicle smashed into her SUV. According to the sheriff’s department report, the sedan rear-ended the SUV. The force of the impact caused the suspected at-fault driver’s car to flip over. It landed on the SUV, causing the death of the woman behind the wheel. 

The investigation

In a preliminary report by investigators, the posted speed limit was 35 mph. However, it is alleged that the sedan driver drove at a speed of about 100 mph when he entered the intersection. This was confirmed by the dashcam footage of a delivery driver. The 31-year-old man who caused the accident suffered only minor injuries. The sedan driver was tested for alcohol and drugs in his blood, and the results are pending. He was jailed on suspected vehicular homicide. 

Legal and insurance claims

Although the deceased driver was not from British Columbia, similar accidents could happen to Vancouver residents travelling in Washington. When that happens, legal and insurance issues become complicated. Attempts to recover damages through the civil justice system and insurance claims could involve the laws and insurance regulations of both countries.