Injury Lawyers in Washington State
If you have been injured as the result of someone else’s actions or negligence, you don’t have to deal with the consequences on your own. A personal injury lawyer can help you receive monetary compensation to make up for medical expenses, lost wages due to time off from work because of the injury, and pain and suffering. If you have been injured as a result of the negligence of another person or entity and need an experienced personal injury attorney, you can rely on the team at Palace Law. Our office is located in University Place, WA, and we serve all of the surrounding areas as well.
Working with You to Obtain Equitable Compensation
You may have a personal injury case on your hands if the following has occurred:
- A car accident or pedestrian accident caused by someone else’s reckless driving;
- A slip-and-fall accident in a store or business caused by poor maintenance, or
- An injury at work caused by someone who is not a coworker
These are just a few examples of what can potentially constitute a personal injury case. If you have any questions about your specific situation, we are available 24/7. There are many examples of what can potentially constitute a personal injury claim. At Palace Law, we can help you with every step of the process. We have a comprehensive understanding of Washington laws pertaining to personal injury claims and will fight aggressively for a successful outcome. We also know that every personal injury claim is different, therefore, we will create an individualized plan for you after a comprehensive evaluation of the facts of your case. Below are the areas of personal injury we can assist you with:
- Bicycle Accidents
- Brain Injuries
- Car Collisions
- Construction Injuries
- Dog Bites
- Pedestrian Accidents
- Logging Accidents
- Medical Malpractice
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Nursing Home Negligence and Abuse
- Police and Fire Fighter Accidents
- Premises Liability Accidents
- Product Liability Accidents
- Sidewalk Accidents
- Slip and Fall Accidents
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Trucking Accidents
- Wrongful Deaths
Providing Resources
You can help your personal injury attorney help you by doing the following at the scene of the accident:
- Call the Police;
- If you are medically able, get as much information as possible from the other party and from witnesses;
- Take a picture of the other driver’s license following an auto accident;
- Take a picture of the other driver’s license plate following an auto accident;
- Take a picture of the other driver’s insurance card following an auto accident;
- Take a picture of the other driver’s car damage following an auto accident;
- Take a picture of all the cars involved following an auto accident;
- Take pictures of the scene of the accident—if you suffered a slip and fall, photograph the hazard that caused the accident;
- If you’re hurt, get medical attention—even if you don’t think you are seriously injured, have a doctor look you over.
After You Leave the Scene of the Accident
Once you leave the scene of the accident, do the following:
- Call your insurance company and see what coverages are available to you.
- If you start to hurt, get medical attention.
- Don’t give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance company.
- Call a personal injury attorney from Palace Law to answer your questions.
Do I Have a Case?
If you have been injured in a Washington accident, and that accident was the result of negligence on the part of another person, you may consider filing a personal injury case. Many people wonder whether the facts surrounding their case will fully support a successful personal injury case. Personal injury cases are complex matters which require a thorough review of the facts, as well as total documentation by a highly qualified attorney from Palace Law. There are essentially three primary elements of a personal injury case:
- Liability,
- Damages, and
- Proximate cause, or the link between the above two elements.
You must first be able to show that the other person was negligent and that the negligence caused your accident. You must also have damages of some type, whether an economic loss (such as medical expenses) or a non-economic loss (such as pain and suffering). When you have both liability and damages, you must be able to link the two together, proving the negligence led to the damages.
How Long Do I Have to File a Case?
Each state sets specific time limits on the amount of time to file a lawsuit after suffering harm. This is known as the statute of limitations, and it can vary, depending on the type of lawsuit being filed. The statute of limitations on personal injury cases in the state of Washington is three years from the date of the accident. If you do not file your case within the three-year window of time, you may have lost your opportunity to ever file the case—and your right to receive compensation for your injuries.
How Much is My Claim Worth?
If you are considering filing a personal injury claim, you have probably wondered how much your case could potentially be worth. In a single word, the value of your case depends on damages. A determination will be made regarding the financial cost to you for your physical and mental injuries. In some instances, if a jury believes the defendant’s conduct was so egregious that it deserves punishment, punitive damages may also be a factor. “Damages,” more specifically, can include the following:
- Compensatory damages are meant to compensate the plaintiff for anything which was lost as a result of the accident or subsequent injury and to make the injured plaintiff “whole” again from a financial standpoint. This requires a specific dollar amount to be placed on each consequence of the accident. While it is relatively easy to place a dollar amount on medical expenses or property damages, it is more difficult to translate pain and suffering into a specific number. Compensatory damages can also include lost wages, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium.
- Punitive damages can be awarded when the defendant is deemed to have acted willfully or carelessly. Although the plaintiff receives the punitive damages, the real goal is to punish the defendant for their conduct, acting as a deterrent for others who might act in the same careless or willful manner.
An Accident Happens in the Blink of an Eye
One minute you are going about your business, perhaps going to or from work, shopping in a store, or doing any of the thousands of things you routinely do. In the next instant, you have suffered an accident, caused by negligence, which can change your life for a significant length of time—or forever. You may find yourself unable to return to work if your injuries are severe, therefore, unable to pay your normal monthly expenses.
Your medical expenses may be mounting alarmingly, and you could be in constant pain as a result of your injuries. The stress associated with everyday life can be magnified exponentially following an accident with injuries; you may feel overwhelmed, anxious, frustrated and even angry that your life changed in an instant because another person or entity was negligent or careless.
When an individual suffers harm from an accident or injury caused by the negligence of another, the negligent party is legally responsible for that harm. Personal injury claims are formalized via civil court proceedings, and while informal settlements are common following the filing of a personal injury claim, some personal injury lawsuits do go to trial. The goal of a personal injury claim is to ensure your injuries are fully covered by the responsible party—or his or her insurance company.
How Palace Law Can Help with Your Washington Personal Injury Claim
At Palace Law, we have been protecting the rights and futures of Washington accident and injury victims for many years. If you have been left to deal with the pain and trauma of injuries, medical expenses, and lost wages, Palace Law can help. We have more than 100 years of collective experience, which we will use on your behalf. We will create an individualized plan for you, taking into account the details of your injury as work toward helping you receive equitable compensation for your injuries. Contact Palace Law today!