The Evergreen State is a wondrous location for residents and visitors alike. In addition to thousands of outdoor activities, many locations in Washington have become more bustling communities as the tech industry has thrived.
In addition to the number of attractions in and around the Seattle area, multiple other cities and towns in Washington can see people who suffer serious injuries in many different kinds of accidents. Victims frequently face enormous medical bills as well as lost income and tremendous pain and suffering. Need an Injury Lawyer Washington can help.
Dedicated Legal Representation
Many different kinds of accidents, whether they are car crashes, motorcycle accidents, or some other causes of wrongful death, are the direct results of the negligence of third parties. While Washington has a more generous statute of limitations than other states that allows victims up to four years to file personal injury actions, it is still important to retain legal counsel as soon as possible after any accident.
In many instances, representatives from the insurance companies will attempt to contact injured parties as soon as possible afterwards. Such agents will frequently express concern and a supposed willingness to “take care” of the victims, but it is important to remember that insurance companies are businesses that have the goal of making money. In order to do this, their main goal in resolving personal injury claims is to pay as little as possible to do so.
While initial settlement offers can often seem quite generous to many victims, such proposals rarely account for the full lifetime costs of treating catastrophic injuries. You should avoid speaking to any insurer’s representative or signing any paperwork until you have first contacted Need an Injury Lawyer Washington.
Common Types of Personal Injury Cases in Washington
Our firm represents residents and visitors who have suffered injuries in numerous communities throughout Washington, such as Yakima, Bellingham, Federal Way, Kennewick, Pierce, Marysville, Spokane Valley, Seattle, Redmond, Shoreline, Kirkland, Auburn, Tacoma, Vancouver, Bellevue, Kent, Everett, Lakewood, Renton, Spokane, Pasco, and many others. We handle many different kinds of cases, including:
- Car Accidents
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Wrongful Death
- Commercial Vehicle Accidents
- Uber Accidents
- Bicycle Accidents
- Pedestrian Accidents
- Bus Accidents
- DUI Accidents
How Washington Personal Injury Cases Work
Revised Code of Washington § 4.22.005 establishes Washington as a pure contributory fault state. Under this system, any fault chargeable to a plaintiff diminishes proportionately his or her award.
In other words, a person who is 25 percent at fault in a case in which he or she is awarded $100,000 will ultimately receive $75,000. Unlike other states that limit the amount of negligence that can be allocated to a plaintiff, a person can recover damages even if he or she is 99 percent at fault.
Personal injury actions generally require proving the following four factors:
- Duty — A negligent party owed a certain duty of care to a victim;
- Breach — A negligent party breached that duty of care to the victim;
- Causation — A victim’s injuries were the direct result of the negligent party’s breach of duty; and
- Damages — A negligent party’s breach of duty resulted in actual damages to the victim.
Personal injury cases involve civil law, which uses a much lower standard of proof than criminal cases. A plaintiff in a civil action must prove his or her claim by a preponderance of the evidence—meaning that the greater weight of the evidence, or more than 50 percent, supports the plaintiff’s claims—as opposed to the standard of beyond a reasonable doubt—essentially meaning a jury cannot have any doubts whatsoever about the plaintiff’s claims—in a criminal case.
Damages in Washington Personal Injury Cases
The types of damages people are entitled to in Washington personal injury actions can vary depending on the specific aspects of their cases. Two of the most common kinds of compensation awarded in such cases are medical expenses and lost wages. Both of these types of awards are referred to as economic damages, because they are tangible losses that can be calculated and easily proven.
Some cases also involve noneconomic damages—awards which are far more subjective and typically cannot be calculated—such as pain and suffering or loss of consortium. Washington also allows certain individuals to seek punitive damages, which are awarded specifically to punish negligent parties for willful and wanton misconduct.
Attorneys Serving All of Washington
Our firm knows any person may be hurt in any one of a number of different accidents. We represent both residents and visitors to communities in Whatcom County, King County, Pierce County, Snohomish County, Spokane County, Clark County, Thurston County, Kitsap County, Yakima County, and many others.
Our experienced personal injury lawyers can immediately conduct a thorough investigation of the accident that caused your injuries or your loved one’s death. We can represent you in conversations with insurers and negotiate a fair and full settlement. If an insurance company is unwilling to provide adequate compensation, we will file a lawsuit to hold the negligent party accountable.
Helping All Kinds of Injury Victims
Some people might suffer injuries that involve extended periods of recovery, such as broken bones. Other cases can result in far more serious kinds of harm in which victims may require several years or even lifetimes of treatment, such as spinal cord injuries or paralysis.
The worst possible outcome involves fatal injuries. When a person is killed by the negligence of another party, it is referred to as a wrongful death. Families are often far too consumed by grief to immediately contemplate legal action in such cases.
Need an Injury Lawyer Washington assists all kinds of injury victims. We believe that all people are entitled to their day in court.
Free, No Obligation Consultation.
Some people express hesitance about seeking the help of a personal injury lawyer out of fears relating to the costs of hiring legal representation. You should know that Need an Injury Lawyer Washington handles personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that you pay absolutely nothing for our services unless you receive a financial award.
Our firm is available 24/7 to answer your phone call and assist in whatever way we can. Need an Injury Lawyer Washington can handle all of the complex paperwork relating to your case so you can focus on your recovery.