Seattle Personal Injury Lawyer
The challenges you face after an injury are enough to make you want to give up the fight for the compensation you need. Don’t give up. Instead, team up with a Seattle injury lawyer.
When accidents happen, injuries often follow. And what comes after injuries is often even more difficult than dealing with the initial pain the injuries caused. That’s because regaining your financial footing after you’re suddenly unable to earn a living and stuck with expensive medical bills is challenging, to say the least. But there is a way to ease the financial pressure you’re feeling.
In the state of Washington, victims who were injured in accidents that were someone else’s fault can file a personal injury claim in order to pursue the compensation they need to return to the life they knew before they were hurt.
However, even if you leave out the difficulty of completing all the legal paperwork, seeking compensation is going to be tough. For help with every aspect of your claim for compensation, turn to a Seattle personal injury attorney at Craig Swapp & Associates.
Types of Personal Injuries in Seattle
The type of accident you were in is going to determine the type of claim you have and, by extension, who you should hold financially accountable for your injuries and other damages.
An experienced personal injury lawyer in Seattle will examine the details of your accident to determine which category your accident falls under. The following are some common types of accidents that injure people in Seattle:
Auto Accidents
For residents of Seattle, understanding the different types of accidents involving cars, motorcycles, and trucks is crucial for staying safe and knowing how to handle accidents when they do occur. Here are three of the most common types of accidents and what you need to know about them:
Car accidents are one of the most frequent types of accidents. These accidents can involve collisions between two or more cars, or between a car and a stationary object. Common causes of car accidents include distracted driving, speeding, and drunk driving. Car accidents can cause a range of injuries, from minor cuts and bruises to more severe injuries like spinal cord damage or brain injuries. To prevent car accidents, it’s important to maintain a safe following distance, avoid distractions while driving, and obey traffic laws and signs.
Motorcycle accidents can be particularly dangerous and often result in serious injuries or fatalities. These accidents can occur due to factors such as poor weather conditions, vehicle defects, or other drivers failing to see or yield to motorcycles. Injuries resulting from motorcycle accidents can include road rash, head and neck injuries, and broken bones. To prevent motorcycle accidents, it’s important to wear proper safety gear, maintain a safe speed and distance from other vehicles, and be aware of road hazards and other drivers.
Truck accidents are another common type of accident that can have serious consequences. These accidents can occur due to factors such as driver fatigue, overloaded or improperly secured cargo, or defective equipment. Injuries resulting from truck accidents can include spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and even fatalities. To prevent truck accidents, it’s important to maintain a safe distance from large trucks, be aware of blind spots, and avoid distractions while driving.
Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents
Pedestrian accidents occur when a pedestrian is hit by a vehicle, usually a car or truck. These accidents can occur on crosswalks, at intersections, or even on sidewalks. Common causes of pedestrian accidents include distracted driving, speeding, and failure to yield to pedestrians. Injuries resulting from pedestrian accidents can be severe and can include broken bones, head and neck injuries, and even fatalities. To prevent pedestrian accidents, it’s important to use crosswalks and obey traffic signals, wear bright or reflective clothing when walking at night, and always be aware of your surroundings.
Bicycle accidents can also be serious and often result in injuries to the cyclist. These accidents can occur due to factors such as distracted driving, failure to yield to cyclists, or road hazards. Injuries resulting from bicycle accidents can include broken bones, head and neck injuries, and lacerations. To prevent bicycle accidents, it’s important to wear proper safety gear, such as a helmet, and use designated bike lanes or paths whenever possible. Cyclists should also be aware of their surroundings, use hand signals when turning, and follow all traffic laws and signs.
Premise Liability Accidents
Two common types of premises liability accidents in Seattle are slip and fall accidents and dog bites. Slip and fall accidents occur when someone slips or trips on a hazard on someone else’s property, such as a wet floor, uneven sidewalk, or icy driveway.
In Seattle, slip and fall accidents are common during the rainy season, when wet floors and sidewalks can become very slippery. Property owners in Seattle have a duty to keep their properties reasonably safe and free from hazards that could cause harm to visitors. If a property owner fails to do so and someone is injured as a result, the injured person may be able to recover compensation for their injuries.
Another common type of premises liability accident in Seattle is dog bites. Seattle is a dog-friendly city, and many people own dogs as pets. However, not all dog owners are responsible and take proper precautions to prevent their dogs from biting or attacking others. Dog bites can cause serious injuries, including puncture wounds, lacerations, and infections.
Workplace Accidents
Seattle is a bustling city with a thriving economy, and workplace accidents can occur in any industry or occupation. Common workplace accidents in Seattle include slip and fall accidents, machinery accidents, and construction accidents. Slip and fall accidents can occur in any workplace, but are particularly common in industries such as food service and retail, where wet floors and cluttered aisles can pose a hazard to workers.
Construction accidents are also common in Seattle, which is home to many construction sites due to its growing population and booming economy. Construction workers are particularly vulnerable to workplace accidents, as they often work at great heights and use heavy equipment and machinery on a regular basis. Falls from scaffolds and ladders, electrocution, and injuries caused by falling objects are just a few examples of the types of accidents that can occur on construction sites in Seattle.
Defective Product Accidents
Defective products can cause serious harm to consumers in Seattle, just as they can anywhere else. A defective product is any product that is manufactured, designed, or marketed in a way that makes it dangerous or unsuitable for its intended use. Examples of defective products include faulty electronics, contaminated food, defective medical devices, and dangerous pharmaceutical drugs. In Seattle, consumers who are injured by defective products may be able to hold the manufacturer, distributor, or seller of the product liable for their injuries.
In order to hold a manufacturer or seller liable for a defective product, the injured person must prove that the product was defective and that the defect caused their injury. This can be a complex and challenging process, which is why it is important to work with an experienced product liability attorney who understands the nuances of Washington state law. An attorney can help you gather evidence, assess liability, and pursue compensation for your injuries and other damages.
Medical Malpractice Accidents
Medical malpractice is a type of personal injury law that deals with injuries caused by healthcare providers who fail to meet the standard of care. Medical malpractice can occur in any city, including Seattle. Examples of medical malpractice include misdiagnosis, surgical errors, medication errors, and birth injuries. In Seattle, healthcare providers are held to a high standard of care, and patients have the right to expect that they will receive competent and ethical treatment from their healthcare providers.
Nursing Home Abuse
Nursing homes are supposed to provide safe and supportive environments for elderly and disabled residents, but unfortunately, some nursing homes fail to meet this standard of care. Nursing home abuse can take many forms, including physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation.
If you suspect that a loved one is being abused in a Seattle nursing home, it is important to take action right away. Signs of nursing home abuse may include unexplained injuries, changes in behavior or mood, poor hygiene, unexplained weight loss, and unusual financial transactions.
If you have been injured due to the negligence or intentional actions of another party in Seattle, it is important to contact a personal injury attorney. A skilled attorney can help you navigate the legal process, protect your rights, and pursue the compensation you deserve. Personal injury attorneys in Seattle are experienced in handling a wide range of cases, including car accidents, slip and falls, workplace accidents, defective products, medical malpractice, and nursing home abuse. They can work with you to gather evidence, assess liability, and negotiate with insurance companies or pursue litigation if necessary.
How WA Negligence Laws May Impact Your Case
More often than you might think, injury victims have contributed to the cause of the accident they were involved in, even if it was in a minor way.
Even though you may be partially liable for your injuries, you can still recover compensation for your losses from the other culpable party, but your award will be reduced by the percentage of liability you carry. This is known as modified comparative negligence.
Let’s look at an example. Say you are awarded a sum of $100,000, but you are found to be 25 percent at fault for the cause of the accident. Your award will be reduced by 25 percent and your case will be resolved at $75,000.
It’s important to remember, however, that WA follows modified comparative negligence, meaning that once you hit the 50 percent liability threshold, you’ll no longer be eligible to pursue a personal injury claim against the other involved person or persons. In fact, if you are more than 50 percent at fault, you should probably prepare for the possibility of having a civil lawsuit brought against you for the damages you caused.
Calculating Your Compensation
For instance, how much do you expect to pay for physical rehabilitation in the next decade? What about after that? How much do you deserve for the permanent scars your injuries have left on your body?
These are all questions an experienced injury attorney in Seattle can help you answer. Your lawyer will examine both your economic and non-economic damages when quantifying your losses. Your economic losses refer to the impact your injuries will have on you financially, whereas your non-economic losses focus on the psychological and lifestyle impacts.
Your lawyer may advise you to seek compensation for the following damages, depending on the unique circumstances of your case:
- Medical costs
- Damage to your personal property
- Lost wages during your recovery time
- Future income you won’t be able to earn because of your injuries
- Emotional trauma
- The loss of household services
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of consortium
- Pain and suffering
- The loss of enjoyment of life
FAQ
My loved one died in an accident that someone else caused. Can I sue?
In most cases, yes. The state of Washington allows certain family members of those who are killed because of the negligent actions of another party to pursue compensation through wrongful death claims. Seeking wrongful death compensation in Seattle comes with some tricky legal rules and requirements, so it’s important to work with a qualified lawyer during this difficult time.
What’s the deadline for filing a claim?
In general, the deadline for filing personal injury claims in Washington is three years from the date of the accident or from the date you are diagnosed with a condition that was directly caused by the accident you were involved in. This deadline is called the statute of limitations.
What does it cost to hire legal help?
Our firm works based on a contingency fee. This will typically be a percentage of your winnings. The great thing about an attorney contingency fee is that if we don’t win your case, you don’t pay us anything. When we win, our fee can be deducted from your winnings so you don’t have to worry about paying us back later.
Contact a Seattle Personal Injury Attorney
It’s normal to feel overwhelmed—maybe even a little hopeless—after you have been seriously injured through no fault of your own. We understand that physical pain and financial pressure come together to create a seemingly insurmountable obstacle.
But rest assured that hope is not lost—particularly if you work with a dedicated and passionate lawyer. At Craig Swapp & Associates, we’re passionate about seeking justice for victims of negligence.
Our firm is proud to offer our prospective clients a free case review prior to choosing us to represent your case. When you’re ready to arrange your complimentary consultation with a Seattle injury lawyer, give us a call at 1-800-404-9000 or head to the bottom of the page to fill out our online contact form.
