Pacific, Washington Injury Lawyer

Washington Personal Injury Attorney Serving Clients in Pacific

Injuries can happen without warning, whether you are driving in or around Pacific, Washington or are shopping at a local retail establishment. Many personal injuries result from motor vehicle crashes, and they often happen because of another motorist’s negligence. Yet injuries can also occur when a property owner is negligent, or when you purchase a consumer product that contains dangerous defects. No matter how your injury arose, you should speak with a Pacific, Washington injury lawyer as soon as possible to learn more about your options for filing a personal injury claim. By working with an advocate at the Khan Injury Law, you may be able to receive financial compensation for your losses.

Different Kinds of Personal Injury Lawsuits Our Firm Handles in Pacific, Washington

Personal injury lawsuits can arise out of numerous kinds of accidents. At the Khan Injury Law, we routinely assist clients with the following types of personal injury lawsuits:

Motor vehicle accidents, including car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, bus accidents, and pedestrian accidents;
Dog bite claims, including dog bite cases involving adults and children alike;
Premises liability lawsuits, including slip and fall accidents;
Product liability or product defect claims; and
Wrongful death lawsuits.

Personal injury cases can vary widely. In some situations, we may be able to help you obtain compensation by starting with an auto insurance claim. However, if you are not offered a reasonable settlement after filing an insurance claim, we are prepared to take your case to court to help you obtain the financial compensation you deserve.

Why Should I File a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Pacific, WA?

By filing a personal injury lawsuit, you can be eligible to receive financial compensation for many different types of losses, from hospital bills and lost wages to compensation for your pain and suffering.

While it may be difficult to even begin thinking about filing a lawsuit after you are dealing with the physical and psychological pain of your recent injuries, it is important to remember that Washington State law gives plaintiffs only a limited time to file a claim. If you fail to file a lawsuit within a particular period of time, known as the statute of limitations, your claim will become what is known as “time-barred.”

How Much Time Do I Have to File an Injury Lawsuit in Pacific?

Most injury lawsuits in Pacific, Washington have a three-year statute of limitations (RCW 4.16.080). This means that you must file your lawsuit within three years from the date that you sustained your initial injuries. As we mentioned above, failure to do so will result in you having a time-barred claim, and you will not be able to seek compensation by filing a civil lawsuit.

It is important to know that the statute of limitations can vary in specific circumstances. For instance, if you are filing a claim against a government entity or employee—for example, if a government employee caused the car accident in which you were injured—the statute of limitations may be much shorter than three years. Accordingly, you should discuss your case with a Pacific injury lawyer as quickly as possible to ensure that you have enough time to file a lawsuit.

You should also know that the statute of limitations for a wrongful death claim (RCW 4.20.010) is different than the statute of limitations for a general injury claim. While the “clock” on the personal injury statute of limitations begins “ticking” when the plaintiff suffers the injury, the “clock” on the wrongful death statute of limitations begins “ticking” on the date of the deceased’s death. Then, the close family members have three years from the date of death to file a claim.

Steps to Take After an Injury to Protect Your Right to Damages

If you’ve been injured, even if you’re initially unsure of whether or not you have a personal injury claim, there are certain steps that you should take to preserve your right to compensation. These steps include:

File a police report. Depending on the type of accident you’re in, filing a police report is a must. This includes any accidents involving motor vehicles. If you don’t need to file a police report, you should file an official report documenting your accident with the appropriate party. For example, if you slip and fall in a grocery store, you should file a report with the grocery store manager.
Get medical care. One of the most important things that you can do after suffering a serious injury is to get medical care. Make sure you document all care receive and follow your doctor’s orders – if you don’t, this could be used against you to reduce the value of your claim.
Collect evidence. You should start collecting evidence as early in the claims process as possible. We recommend writing down witnesses’ names and contact information, taking photos of the accident scene, and documenting your injuries immediately.

Call a lawyer. If you haven’t already done so, getting a lawyer to start working on your case as soon as possible can be very advantageous. Even if you’re unsure about working with a lawyer or whether or not you have a case, you should schedule a consultation. Consultations are offered free of charge and can provide you with the information you need to make a decision.

Damages in a Pacific, WA Injury Lawsuit

What kind of compensation can you expect to receive? Generally speaking, plaintiffs who file injury lawsuits in Pacific, Washington can be eligible to receive two different kinds of compensatory damages under Washington State law (RCW 4.56.250):

Economic damages, which include medical expenses, loss of earnings, burial costs, loss of use of property, and other related costs. In other words, economic damages compensate an injured plaintiff for direct, economic losses that are objective.
Noneconomic damages, including nonmonetary losses, including, but not limited to pain, suffering, inconvenience, mental anguish, disability or disfigurement incurred by the injured party, emotional distress, loss of society and companionship, and loss of consortium, among others. In other words, noneconomic damages compensate a plaintiff for losses that are subjective. This type of damages award can be more controversial because juries may not agree as to the amount of monetary compensation that is appropriate for, example, a plaintiff’s mental anguish as a result of sustaining disfiguring injuries in a motor vehicle crash.

It is important to know that Washington State limits the amount of noneconomic damages for which a plaintiff can be eligible. The maximum amount “is determined by multiplying 0.43 by the average annual wage and by the life of the person incurring noneconomic damages.” The statute clarifies that the life expectancy number used cannot be less than 15 years.

Seek Advice from an Injury Attorney in Pacific, WA

Filing a personal injury lawsuit in Washington State can be extremely complicated, and it is important to be prepared with evidence to prove that the defendant is responsible for your losses. One of the dedicated Pacific personal injury attorneys at our firm can assess your case today and discuss options that may be available to you for seeking financial compensation.

While Washington State law gives you several years to file a personal injury lawsuit in most cases, it is important to begin working with a lawyer as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more evidence that can be lost in your case. Moreover, the quicker you begin working with a lawyer on your case, the sooner you can be eligible to receive compensation. Contact the Khan Injury Law today to learn more about how we can assist with your injury claim.