How much are car accident settlements in Washington? Car accident settlements vary based on several factors, including liability, accident severity, insurance, and limitation periods.
A Seattle car accident lawyer will assess your circumstances and losses after an accident to determine how much your case is worth. They will negotiate for you so you do not lose valuable compensation in your case.
Understanding What Losses Can Be Recovered in a Car Accident Settlement
It’s important to understand what can be covered in a car accident settlement in order to understand how different factors impact the value of a settlement. Damages are designed to provide for your monetary losses first and foremost, but they also provide for the pain, suffering, and intangible losses you experience as a result of the accident.
Some of the losses a settlement may cover include:
- Current and ongoing medical expenses
- Lost wages and earning potential
- Property damage costs
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
- Decreased quality of living
- Loss of companionship and/or consortium
The value of each of these losses can vary significantly, which is why it’s necessary to have a lawyer help you determine how much a car accident settlement is worth. Additionally, clients sometimes wonder if there is a cap on personal injury settlements in Washington. Because there aren’t any caps, clients can recover varying amounts that are determined by the specific losses they’ve suffered.
Statute of Limitations for Recovering a Car Accident Settlement
To cover these losses, it’s important to be aware of the car crash statute of limitations in Washington. Washington dictates that all recovery actions must be started and resolved within three years.
While other factors can impact your settlement, nothing will impact it as much as not having enough time to file your claim and negotiate a settlement. As such, you should contact a lawyer immediately.
For a free legal consultation , call (253) 627-4696
Partial Fault Lowers the Value of a Settlement
Liability plays a big part in an accident. In car accident claims, you are required to show the other driver’s fault by showing their obligations as a motorist, their specific acts of negligence, and how they contributed to the accident and the harm you suffered. From here, the other party generally pays you the value of your losses. However, if you’re partially at fault, they will be required to pay you less.
According to RCW 4.22.005, individuals who contribute to an accident can still recover compensation for the damages they suffered, but they will be reduced in proportion to their contribution. Washington is a pure comparative negligence state, so victims who share fault can recover their losses as long as they weren’t 100% at fault. However, even a little fault can contribute to significant monetary recovery losses.
For example, if you suffered a serious accident and your losses are valued at $100,000, but you were 20% at fault for causing the accident, you will only be able to recover $80,000.
The $20,000 loss you suffered means that you will have to pay more out of pocket for your expenses. A lawyer will fight to reduce your liability, though, so you do not experience a significant drop in compensation.
Lawyers Will Determine How Serious Your Losses Are When Calculating Your Settlement
Every accident is different and varies in severity. For example, a fender bender may not do much vehicle damage or cause any major injuries. However, a head-on collision could total a vehicle and result in catastrophic injuries or fatalities. Of these two situations, the latter results in greater losses and requires more compensation in order to recover and return to the state you were in prior to the accident.
Lawyers and insurance adjusters pay close attention to the extent of your losses and how serious they are, since these losses are a critical indicator of how much compensation you will need to reach maximum recovery. They will carefully review your medical expenses, vehicle repair costs, wage information, and more to determine your needs.
Keeping thorough records and documenting everything after an accident is important for exactly this reason. This will also ensure that your losses will be calculated accurately.
Your lawyer will also talk to medical experts to determine the ongoing cost of your care so that future or lifetime expenses will be included in the value of your settlement.
Insurance Companies May Resist Paying You What You Deserve
Insurance can be particularly challenging when it comes to car accident settlements. Not only do they not want to pay you what you are entitled to receive, but the at-fault driver’s policy caps may not be enough to cover the losses you have sustained. This is why hiring a lawyer yields much better results, because they’re prepared for these situations and know how to skillfully negotiate a favorable outcome.
Insurance companies often use a variety of underhanded tactics to pay you less, which can impact the value of car accident settlements in Washington.
While their first offer will typically be low, they may also try to delay your claim so you are less likely to negotiate. They may also try to blame you for causing the accident or use technicalities to deny your claim.
Additionally, the other driver’s insurance may not be enough to cover your losses. In these situations, you may be able to sue the other party directly.
However, there is no guarantee that the other party will have the means to pay you. All of these factors can contribute to lower settlements if you handle the case on your own. With a skilled lawyer to negotiate for you, though, you will receive a better outcome.
Puget Law Group Fights to Recover Maximum Compensation in Your Case
Puget Law Group works diligently to determine how much you can receive for your Washington car accident and then fights to secure it.
Our team is committed to securing the maximum amount of compensation so you can get the care you need and begin to rebuild your life after an accident. To learn what you can recover in a car accident settlement, set up a free consultation with our lawyers.
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