Spokane Valley, WA — A utility truck and a pickup truck were both involved in a serious accident last Thursday (March 19, 2015) along Trent Avenue. According to the news reports, this happened during the early part of the day, near Trent Avenue’s Intersection with Harvard Road.
So far, it appears that these two trucks (pictured above) were headed in opposite directions along Trent Avenue. The utility truck was driving west, the police said, while a silver and blue dump truck was going east. For unknown reasons, the two vehicles collided in an accident near Harvard, which caused the pickup truck to swerve off the road and overturn in the ditch.
The dump truck sustained major front-end damage from the wreck and the driver was actually pinned inside for some time. After both drivers were rescued, they were taken away to a hospital via helicopter and treated for their injuries. The dump truck driver appeared to be less-seriously injured.
No names were released.
Map of the Accident
Commentary:
Does anyone know more about this accident? If the dump truck was the one that lost control (assuming one of the drivers did), then that driver and the company he works for are going to face some tough questions. Since an employer is vicariously liable (in most cases) for their workers when they are within the course and scope of their job, an accident that injures some other third party would mean that the company is ultimately responsible. However, if the other driver is at fault, that means that he and whatever insurance he carries for his truck would be used to take care of things.
Obviously, there’s information here we don’t have — and I’m not even sure I trust the news to get it right every time. However, that’s a “nutshell” version of how the law would work. Essentially, liability falls on the at-fault party in an accident scenario. However, because a commercial vehicle was involved, things will be a lot more complex than, say, a claim against an Allstate policy would be.
— Grossman Law Offices
