Seattle Personal Injury Lawyers

If you experience a personal injury in Seattle, WA, it is possible that you will be responsible for any medical costs or damages associated with your injury. If another party or entity was responsible for your injuries, they could be held accountable. A Seattle personal injury lawyer can aid you in pursuing reimbursement for your injuries. 

How a Seattle Personal Injury is Defined

Personal injuries are a result of negligence. An individual can act negligently when operating an automobile, for example, leading to a personal injury. But, someone else could also suffer a personal injury because the driver was behaving carelessly.

At Puget Law Group, one of the talented Seattle personal injury lawyers can help you to receive the compensation you are due. To file a personal injury suit in Seattle, reach out today for a free consultation.

Types of Personal Injury Cases

There are several ways personal injuries can occur. The critical part of determining when considering a personal injury lawsuit is if the injury happened because of someone else’s misconduct or negligence.

Car Accidents

Car accidents are a fact of life with so many people constantly commuting or traveling by automobile. They happen for many reasons. Drivers are more likely to cause an accident resulting in a personal injury lawsuit when distracted, texting while driving, under the influence of drugs or alcohol, driving recklessly, or using excessive speed. 

If a driver’s negligent behavior causes an accident that harms a passenger, another motorist, cyclist, biker, or pedestrian, they can be held responsible for the monetary damages suffered by their victim. 

Trucking Accidents

Truck accidents happen for a number of reasons, such as driver fatigue, distracted driving, driving too fast for conditions, following too closely, failure to yield, unsafe lane changes, unbalanced loads, and other forms of driver negligence. In any of these incidents, an accident may occur, and the driver will be liable for their negligent behavior. 

Bike Accidents

Many people opt for bicycling as a fun hobby and wait to spend more time outdoors, but also as an opportunity to be more eco-friendly, to commute without the headache of parking and getting around in traffic that is gridlocked. But, driver negligence can cause injuries to cyclists. Dooring is a common biking accident in urban areas that could be avoided if the driver paid attention to the oncoming bike traffic before opening their doors. 

If a cyclist is harmed because of driver negligence, they are entitled to file a lawsuit seeking financial recompense for their injuries and related expenses. 

Motorcycle Accidents

Exploring the open road by motorcycle is an exhilarating way to travel when other drivers on the road are watching out for bikers and acting with care. Sometimes through unsafe lane changes, failing to follow traffic laws, and driving at excessive speeds, bikers are injured in accidents through no fault of their own. In these cases, when accidents happen, and bikers are harmed, they are entitled to file suit to recoup medical costs and damages they may have experienced. 

Aggressive Driving 

Drivers experiencing road rage, driving aggressively and recklessly, can spur car accidents that are entirely their own fault. Leaving the motorists, cyclists, or pedestrians who are injured to sue them for the damages they are liable for causing. 

Bus Accidents

Public transportation or transportation to and from school can be very beneficial to those who are able to utilize it. But, if a passenger, motorist, or pedestrian is hurt in an accident involving a bus, they are entitled to seek damages for their injuries through a personal injury lawsuit. 

If you have been injured in Seattle, WA, and it was caused by someone else’s carelessness, we suggest you call a Seattle personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Your attorney will investigate your case and formulate an effective strategy to achieve the maximum award to which you are entitled. 

Filing a Seattle Personal Injury Lawsuit

A Seattle personal injury lawyer will review your case before filing a lawsuit. This way, your personal injury attorney will understand all of the aspects of your case and can make sure they are developing an effective strategy for the unique circumstances surrounding your case. 

Personal injury lawsuits put the burden of proof on the plaintiff. They must show that the accident occurred due to the negligence of another party. The burden of proof is established by collecting evidence to support your request for damages. This may include video, photographs, witness testimony, and possibly expert testimony.

A personal injury lawyer in Seattle will take into account the evidence, police reports, and witness testimony that is available before deciding whether to take your case. A significant amount of evidence and testimony will likely influence the personal injury attorney to take your case. Your lawyer can then move to file a personal injury suit before the statute of limitations on your case runs out. 

Statute of Limitations on Personal Injury Cases in Seattle, WA

The statute of limitations for personal injury cases varies throughout the United States. In Washington state, the statute of limitations on personal injury incidents is three years. Though, a victim of a personal injury may have more than the prescribed three years in some cases. These are as follows: 

• The injury was not evident at the time of the incident. This can happen in surgical malpractice cases or due to dangerous drugs that have side effects long after they were prescribed. 
• Another reason that the deadline for filing a personal injury lawsuit might be extended is that the person who suffered the injury was incapacitated for a period of time due to the accident. The time they were incapacitated does not count towards the statute of limitations deadline. 

A Seattle personal injury lawyer with Puget Law Group can review your case whenever you are ready. Although you have three years to file, it is better to avoid procrastination. By speaking to a personal injury lawyer early on, you will be aware of things you should do to make sure your claim is taken seriously and encompasses the entirety of the damages you suffered. 

Your attorney can file the appropriate paperwork if you decide to pursue compensation for your personal injuries. How long it takes for your case to be resolved varies. A judge or jury will not likely immediately hear your case since you and the defendant are expected to engage in negotiations before the date your trial is scheduled to occur.

Negotiations for a Personal Injury Settlement

In Seattle, personal injury attorneys with Puget Law Group like to have an open and honest line of communication with their clients at all times. Clients are encouraged to review settlement proposals as they are submitted. But we will never encourage you to take a subpar settlement. 

Though, when offered a personal injury settlement, it is important that you review it to determine whether it is in your best interest. You can review it, and if it is not acceptable, you can decline it without facing any penalties. 

Missed work, medical bills, and the out-of-pocket costs for dealing with an injury may make any settlement seem more desirable than waiting while you barely make ends meet. But remember that sometimes, moving forward with litigation can secure you a better, more generous settlement in the long term. 

Your experienced Seattle personal injury attorney will work diligently to secure economic and non-economic damages for you. 

Economic and Non-Economic Damages in Seattle Personal Injury Suits

When compensatory damages are awarded to personal injury victims in Seattle, they come as economic and non-economic damages. If you have suffered an injury due to someone else’s negligence, you are entitled to both types of damages. 

Economic Damages You May Be Entitled to After a Personal Injury Accident in Seattle

In the state of Washington, there is no cap for economic damages. This means you can seek compensation for whatever you have lost. Some of the following economic damages that you may be entitled to as a personal injury victim in Seattle are listed below: 

• Medical costs: You may be entitled to reimbursement for the cost of ambulance travel, airlifting or Life Flight costs, emergency room visits, stays in the hospital or in the intensive care unit, medical procedures, surgeries, amputations, prescriptions, medical devices, rehabilitation services, doctor’s appointments, and follow-up medical care. 

• Lost Wages: Following an accident, missing work is rather common. If you have lost wages due to the accident, hospital time, attending doctor’s appointments, and recovery, you can seek financial recovery from the time you lost. 

• Therapy: After an injury, it may be necessary that you seek physiotherapy, psychological therapy, or occupational therapy. The cost of these services can add up quickly, and compensation may be available. 

• Loss of future income: If you are unable to return to the job you once had or were training for due to an injury, you may be able to pursue compensation for the loss of future income. 

• Home alterations: Often, when a major injury is suffered, our homes must be restructured to accommodate a personal injury victim’s new circumstances. This might include the addition of a ramp, the widening of doorways, access to handicap-accessible bathrooms, installation of grab bars and handrails, and more. 

• Medical devices: Medical devices may be necessary to aid personal injury victims in returning to their lives. This may mean wheelchairs, prosthetics, and handicap-accessible vehicles. 

Non-Economic Damages Following a Seattle Personal Injury Accident

There is no cap on non-economic compensatory damages in Seattle, Washington. This entitles personal injury victims to seek restitution for the non-economic damages they have suffered and the more easily calculated economic damages. Some examples of these damages are listed below: 

• Pain and suffering: These damages are awarded to compensate personal injury victims for the physical and emotional pain suffered due to their injuries. 

• Emotional distress: Personal injury victims are able to seek damages for the emotional anguish they have suffered as a result of their injuries. This could mean depression, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other difficult psychological impacts suffered due to the accident.

• Loss of enjoyment of life: This is a difficult damage to calculate monetarily, but it is one of the biggest losses a personal injury accident can cause. When the personal injury victim can no longer participate in the things that made their lives enjoyable because of the injuries they sustained, they are entitled to seek compensation for that loss.

• Loss of consortium: This is damage that is sometimes available to the spouse or partner of the victim when the injury means they have lost companionship, intimacy, protection, and security because of the accident. 

• Disfigurement and scarring: This can be painful and require the personal injury victim to go through multiple surgeries and procedures to work towards correcting. The victim may suffer shame and discomfort due to the way they look as a result of the accident.
• Loss of reputation: Sometimes, a personal injury accident has a component caused by rumors or details of the accident that causes the person who suffered the injury to feel ashamed or like their reputation has been compromised. Personal injury victims can pursue damages for the loss of their reputation.

Seattle personal injury lawyers can educate personal injury victims about the types of losses that may be available to them. This helps the injured party understand what a reasonable amount of compensation to pursue would be. The personal injury attorneys at Puget Law Firm can explain all of the details of possible damages after reviewing your individual personal injury case. 

Punitive Damages

While you may be curious about punitive damages, Washington is one of four states that does not allow for them in personal injury cases. They are typically used to punish the defendant for causing the injuries if their negligence or misconduct was the problem. Some judges use them as a deterrent so that the defendant and others who may be tempted do not behave in similar manners. But, in Washington, there is no option for being awarded punitive damages. 

Calculating Damages to Request in a Seattle Personal Injury Claim

Seattle personal injury attorneys are well acquainted with calculating the monetary value that the court is likely to award for a personal injury settlement. It is difficult, as an individual without experience with insurance settlements and personal injury lawsuits, to understand the economic value of injuries. Fortunately, Puget Law Group understands the intricacies of calculating those damages. 

In the meeting with your personal injury attorney, you will discuss the costs you have incurred to date because of your injuries. These will include the following: 

• Medical costs 
• Lost income
• Property damage replacement and repairs

Seattle personal injury lawyers will typically also discuss with you the less tangible aspects of your injury, such as the following: 

• Emotional distress experienced due to the injury
• Loss of companionship
• Loss of society
• Pain and suffering

Your personal injury attorney wants to have a picture of how your life differs and the damages you have experienced following your injury. By taking all of the circumstances into account, they can help you determine a damages amount that you can agree upon. Following this, they can begin filing a lawsuit on your behalf. 

Achieving the Best Results for a Seattle Personal Injury Lawsuit

A Seattle personal injury lawyer is the first person you should talk to when you are considering filing a lawsuit concerning a personal injury. Contact Puget Law Group for a free consultation so you can determine how your interests can best be represented. 

There are some things you can do to aid your personal injury attorney in achieving the best possible outcome. 

Collect evidence to Support Your Claim.

By gathering evidence to present to your attorney, you arm them with what they need to pursue the best resolution possible on your behalf. This can include the following: 

• Photographs and videos documenting the personal injury
• Accident reports from law enforcement
• Security or surveillance videos that may have caught the incident on video
• Medical records and doctor’s reports
• Witness statements from those involved or those who saw the incident occur
• Financial records

Bring all the evidence you have gathered to your attorney appointment so that you can understand where your case stands. By reviewing the evidence with your attorney, you can understand what should be submitted during your trial and what pieces are of value. Some of the evidence you collect may be used to dispute allegations against you that the defendant may make. 

Seek Medical Attention

Do not delay being evaluated by a medical professional following a personal injury. Even if you feel that you are not injured, you may still be. At times, injuries do not immediately present themselves. At other times, injuries may not be evident because, as a victim, you have suffered trauma and may be in shock, or your body is experiencing a spike of adrenaline that is masking the pain that you may feel later. 

See a doctor. Let them evaluate your condition. If they give you medical advice, it is important that you accept it. This could show the court, at a later date, that you took your injuries seriously.

Other Suggestions When Pursuing a Personal Injury Claim

There are a few suggestions that make sense when pursuing a personal injury claim. They are as follows: 

• Avoid social media, as it can be used against you in litigation.
• Do not accept the first settlement offer submitted.
• Be cooperative with law enforcement, but do not editorialize. Answer questions, but offer no apologies and do not accept blame. 

Contact Puget Law Group

Following a personal injury suffered by you or a loved one can be overwhelming. The compassionate attorneys of the Puget Law Group understand that you have experienced great trauma, and we want nothing more than to help you to overcome it. Our goal is to secure the maximum settlement possible for you. Contact us today to get started.