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In the last two months, dangerous rock slides on Interstate 90 have become a major problem.

On September 11, 2005 boulders crashed onto a Volvo near Snoqualmie Pass, instantly killing the driver and her two passengers. The three victims were all 28 years old and hailed from Western Washington.

A day later another boulder the size of a large pickup fell from nearly the same location. This time no one was injured.

On November 6, 2005 an early morning rock slide near Snoqualmie Pass again closed I-90. Traffic was closed in both directions for hours but luckily no one was injured.

In Washington, government agencies must exercise ordinary care in the design, construction, maintenance and repair of its public roads, streets and sidewalks to keep them in a reasonably safe condition for ordinary travel. The Washington Supreme Court established this standard in the 2002 case of Keller v. City of Spokane.

If the State failed in its duty to maintain I-90 in a reasonably safe manner individuals who were injured and killed in the rockslides are entitled to compensation.

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