Tukwila Car Accident Attorneys
Car accidents can be devastating—emotionally, physically, and financially. If you or a loved one has recently been involved in car accident that was the direct result of another driver’s negligent behavior, and if you sustained serious injuries as a result, you are entitled to compensation and recovery for damages accrued. Whether your injuries led to lost wages or a decreased earning capacity, long-term disability or even death, you deserve to be compensated for your losses.
At the Khan Injury Law, PLLC, we help the victims of car accident, as well as the victim’s family members, recover the compensation they need and deserve to cover the cost of medical expenses, lost wages, emotional trauma, and any other damages sustained as a result of a severe car accident injury.
With years of experience and knowledge, our Tukwila car accident attorneys are adept at handling a range of complex personal injury cases, and can help you achieve a successful outcome to your personal injury lawsuit.
Proving Fault in a Tukwila Car Accident
In order to receive compensation for the damages accrued as a result of your car accident, you must prove that the other driver performed illegal maneuvers and acted in an otherwise negligent manner. You must also prove that your injuries were a direct result of their negligent behavior. When proving fault in a car accident, there are a number of factors that a judge and insurance companies will consider. Those factors are:
- Police Reports: Despite popular belief, police do not always show up to the scene of an accident, and therefore, many victims of minor car accidents do not have police reports to back them up. While this is fine in the event that nobody was injured in the accident, it can be detrimental to your Tukwila personal injury case should you sustain latent injuries. Latent injuries could include back pain, chronic headaches, or even emotional trauma. To err on the side of caution, if a police officer does not show up to the scene of the accident, go directly to the station after you exchange information with the other driver and file a police report yourself. Whether you must file the police report yourself, or whether a police office does show up to the scene of the accident and produces one, be sure to obtain a final copy of the report. Police officers often include their own opinions about what lead to the accident based off of their expert observations, such as speeding, running a traffic signal, or texting while driving. Because they include speculations of liability, a police report may be one of your most valuable assets in a personal injury case stemming from a car accident.
- An Amended Police Report: Sometimes a police officer will make a mistake when creating their report, such as writing down the incorrect vehicle type, or stating the wrong time of day. Disputing factual errors such as these is easy, and you can generally get the report amended by showing the police officer wherein the error lies. However, amending a disputed fact, like liability determination, is much more difficult. Because liability determination is based greatly off of police opinion and observation, simply changing the fault determination is not an option. Unfortunately, in most cases, once fault determination is included in a police report, it cannot be taken out; instead, you may just have to include your own statement in the report and hope that that will be enough.
- State Traffic Law: State traffic laws are often the best place to find support for your car accident claim. For instance, if you claim that the other driver made a right on red without stopping to check for oncoming traffic, you may find the evidence you need to determine fault under RCW 46.61.055, which states that vehicles may make a right on red, but only after coming to a complete stop and allowing other vehicles or pedestrians lawfully within or approaching the intersection control area to complete their movements. When the law is on your side, you are in a better position to negotiate for a personal injury award.
- Rear End Collisions: Rear end collisions are one of the most common types of car accidents. If you were rear-ended, you are almost guaranteed a settlement, as a basic rule of driving in every state is that you are supposed to leave enough room between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you to stop should the car in front of you stop suddenly. If the vehicle behind you could not stop soon enough, chances are that they were not driving safely. Rear-end collision fault is easy to determine, as the vehicles often do all the talking for you. A damaged rear-end on one car, and the damaged front of the other, tells officers and insurance companies who hit whom. However, because Washington is a comparative fault state, you may be partially to blame in a rear end collision if your negligence contributed to the accident. For instance, your brake lights may have been out, or you may have decided to stop in the middle of the road to reach for your phone, which had fallen beneath the seat. While you may still be awarded damages, the amount will be reduced depending on the percentage of fault the courts feel you own.
- Right-of-Way Accidents: Just as rear-end accidents are almost always the fault of the driver who did the rear-ending, accidents that occur as the result of a driver that did not obey right-of-way laws are also almost always liable. In every state, a person making a left turn at an intersection is obligated to let drivers proceeding through the intersection to go first. If a driver takes a left turn while you are crossing the intersection, the driver turning left is at fault should they hit you. While you may have to assume some responsibility if you were speeding, or if you ran a red, it does not take away from the fact that the left-turning driver is also liable.
Evidence that may help your Tukwila car accident attorney prove liability include:
- Photographs of the scene of the accident, debris from the accident, and road conditions at the time of the accident;
- Police reports; and
- Eyewitness testimonies.
Consult a Tukwila Car Accident Attorney
If you or a loved one has suffered serious injuries due to a car accident, do not hesitate, and contact the Khan Injury Law, PLLC. Our experienced Tukwila car accident lawyers can help you file a personal injury claim and receive the compensation you need to recover. We can also help you receive damages for lost wages and/or any decrease in income that the car accident caused.
You should not have to pay for the negligence of another driver. To consult with a Tukwila car accident attorney, and to start the process of recovering damages for your injuries, contact the Khan Injury Law, PLLC by filling out our online form to schedule your free consultation today.