Seattle Car Accident Attorney

If a negligent driver caused a serious accident that resulted in injuries for you and a loved one, a motor vehicle accident claim likely offers the best chance of recovering your damages. Our Seattle car accident attorneys at Washington Injury Law can help you file a claim if you were recently involved in a vehicle collision in Seattle, WA and the surrounding areas. One of our Seattle personal injury lawyers can give you a free consultation and let you know how our firm can assist in the steps following your recovery.

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Seattle Car Accident Resources

Why Hire a Seattle Car Accident Lawyer to Handle Your Claim?

After a serious auto collision, you need to take legal action as soon as possible. A dedicated Seattle personal injury attorney will have the resources and legal acumen to handle all aspects of your case to ensure fair compensation for the losses associated with your motor vehicle accident.

  • Washington Injury Law has significant experience with all types of motor vehicle accident claims in the Seattle area.
  • Our Seattle car accident attorneys understand how serious auto accidents can be and want to help you get the most out of your recovery.
  • Our team of car accident lawyers will gather all of the evidence necessary to build a strong case for your car accident and work toward a fair settlement on your behalf. If a trial is unavoidable, we are not afraid of intense litigation.
  • We offer contingency fee billing to ensure anyone who needs legal representation for an accident claim, regardless of personal finances.

Our Seattle car crash lawyers at Washington Injury Law are familiar with the local court system, and a network of professional contacts experienced in car accidents, who can potentially weigh in as expert witnesses in support of your accident claim.

How Can a Car Accident Lawyer in Seattle Help?

While it is possible to recover damages for their car crashes without hiring an accident lawyer, most people should consider the potential value of hiring an experienced car crash attorney. A victim of a motor vehicle accident victim will likely not have the time, resources, or energy to spend pursuing legal action alone while also recovering from the serious injuries sustained in his or her accident. A car accident may leave a driver in an unresponsive state, leaving legal action up to his or her loved ones. A car crash lawyer in Seattle can help in several ways in such a case.

Your Seattle car accident attorney will gather evidence to support your accident claims and establish the full extent of your damages. He or she can also subpoena records and other information for use in your claim, including traffic camera data, if available, to prove fault for an accident. A car accident lawyer in Seattle can also speak with insurance companies on your behalf, often minimizing the chance of push back against legitimate claims for automobile coverage.

Seattle Car Accident Statistics [Updated For 2021]

All drivers of motor vehicles should always do their best to drive as safely as possible, but it is also important to know some of the local risk factors that increase the chance of accidents happening in the Seattle area. Motor vehicle accidents are one of the most common reasons for filing personal injury claims. An average of 20-50 million people are left injured or disabled every year as the result of an auto accident.

However, according to The Seattle Times, 2021 was the had the most fatal car accidents since 2006. This terrifying trend of fatalities on the road has been puzzling professionals and law makers, as they try to curb deaths on the road. You can read their full report here, but the key takeaways are:

  • There were 540 fatal crashes in the state of Washington, resulting in the deaths of 600 people. Of these 600 deaths, 118 were pedestrians or motorists.
  • The state of Washington has not had this many serious and fatal car accidents since 2006. Experts are quite concerned because the number of accidents keeps rising significantly and for no apparent reason.
  • 2,411 additional crashes resulted in serious injury, which is 16% more than in 2020.
  • Alcohol- and drug-influenced sustained a massive 25% jump from 2019-2020, and stayed that high in 2021. Speeding was also another prevalent issue, since it rose 18% from 2019-2020.

Teenage Car Accident Statistics [Updated for 2023]

There has been an increase in teen car accidents, therefore our Seattle car accident lawyers ran a study on the cases of these car accidents.  You can read about the study and it’s implications here, but the main points to focus on are:

How Much Will A Car Accident Attorney in Seattle Charge?

The cost of legal representation for a car accident is, unfortunately, a deterrent for many people who need legal counsel from seeking it after a serious accident. The assumed high cost of legal representation may deter some people who have only sustained moderate damages from a car accident. However, even moderate damages totaling in the hundreds or thousands of dollars can be a severe blow to some families. This is why our personal injury law firm offers contingency fee billing.

When you hire Washington Injury Law for your claim, you can expect no up-front costs for any of our legal services. We also only charge legal fees when we win your case, so you pay us nothing if we lose. Your legal fees after winning a case will be a portion of your settlement or jury award. Our experienced Seattle auto accident attorneys believe in making legal representation as accessible as possible to those who need it most.

Time Limit for Car Crash Claims in Washington

To file a car accident claim in Washington state, you must make sure you meet the applicable statute of limitations. The statute of limitations is the time limit for taking legal action. In Washington, the statute of limitations on personal injury lawsuits is three years starting on the date the car accident in question occurred. You must file your complaint before this window closes or a judge may simply throw out your accident case before it even begins. The defendant may also file a motion to dismiss based on your lateness.

Damages Available in a Car Accident Claim

The goal of any personal injury claim is to make the plaintiff “whole” again after suffering damages in an accident caused by a negligent party. If another driver caused a car crash with you or a loved one, the at-fault driver is liable for any and all damages resulting from the accident.

  • Plaintiffs in car accident claims can seek compensation for all medical expenses resulting from a car accident, including immediate treatment costs and hospital bills as well as long-term care costs, surgical costs, and any other expenses related to necessary ongoing medical care.
  • Property damage can also count as damages. If the insurance coverage is insufficient to cover the damage to the plaintiff’s vehicle and other property, the plaintiff can claim the difference as property damages.
  • Some injuries may cause plaintiffs to miss work for extended periods of time. If your car accident caused you to miss work while receiving medical treatment, you can claim compensation for lost income. In the event you suffer a severe injury that prevents you from working in the future, a financial expert may help you prove the extent of lost future earnings you can claim as well.
  • Noneconomic damages like pain and suffering also qualify for compensation, but determining a fair amount usually requires expert witness testimony and the discretion of the court. For example, a relatively minor injury requiring about $500 in medical bills and a week of recovery time will likely lead to far less pain and suffering compensation than a severe injury requiring thousands of dollars’ worth of medical treatment and rendering the victim unable to work in the future.
  • A jury may award punitive damages if the defendant’s behavior exceeds the scope of typical negligence, involved any criminal activity, or showed a clear disregard for the well-being of others.

It is vital to act quickly to recover compensation from a car accident. You must ensure your claim meets the applicable statute of limitations to secure recovery, and even if you know you bear some measure of fault for your accident you should still pursue a claim. Washington state follows a pure comparative negligence law, so a plaintiff partially at fault for claimed damages may still recover compensation, he or she simply loses a portion of compensation equal to his or her fault in the event in question.

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Common Injuries in Car Accidents

A car accident can cause many different types of injuries.

  • Traumatic brain injuries like concussions, skull fractures, and penetrating head wounds can damage the brain and cause serious or fatal injuries. Many traumatic brain injuries require extensive recovery time and can lead to permanent disabilities.
  • Spinal cord injuries occur when the force of an accident damages any part of the spine. The spinal cord cannot repair itself like the rest of the body so any damage the cord sustains in permanent. A spinal cord injury can cause paralysis, loss of motor control and sensation, and even loss of control over bodily functions.
  • Burns are possible when a car accident causes a fire.
  • Bone fractures are some of the most common injuries sustained in car accidents. Crashes that occur at higher speeds have a higher chance of causing severe bone fractures that may require multiple rounds of corrective surgery.
  • Soft tissues like muscles, tendons, and ligaments are highly susceptible to injury from the force of a crash. Some of these injuries may recover on their own with time and minimal to moderate discomfort while others may require surgical correction and long-term recovery.

Car accident victims can easily sustain multiple injuries and some injuries may not display any noticeable symptoms immediately after an accident. It is not uncommon for someone to have a minor car accident and believe he or she is totally fine and then wake up the next day in excruciating pain.

A high-stress event like a car accident can cause a spike in adrenaline that dulls the pain for several hours, so seeking medical attention afterward is always a good decision. Doing so will also help if you decide to take legal action or file an insurance claim for your accident. A jury or claims adjuster from an insurance company will want to see that you went for immediate medical treatment to verify your injuries were as serious as claimed.

Contact Our Seattle Car Accident Attorney Today

A car accident can be life-changing. If you or a loved one recently suffered injuries and other damages due to a negligent driver in the Seattle, WA area, a personal injury case offers the best chance of financial recovery. Contact Washington Injury Law today to schedule a free consultation with one of our car accident attorneys in the Seattle area and we can help you prepare for the legal process.

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