Personal Injury Resources

At Washington Law Center, we understand that there are a few circumstances where you may not need the services of a personal injury attorney but nearly every case where someone is injured in a car accident, the injured party will greatly benefit from legal representation.

One obvious question to ask is, “why would an insurance company not want you to have an attorney?” Insurance companies are in the business of not giving out money. The more money they pay on insurance claims, the less profit they earn. With that understanding, it is obvious why a claims adjuster would say not to get a personal injury attorney. The experienced attorneys at Washington Law Center know the proper compensation that should accompany an insurance claim for an injury sustained from an incident like an auto accident. They are skilled negotiators that can keep you from being misled by an insurance company.

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Were you or a loved one injured by or because of another person? You may have a personal injury claim, including a lawsuit to recover injury damages, lost wages, compensation for medical bills and property damages, and more; but your time is limited. To determine the statute of limitations on your claim, you first need to know what type of claim you have. As an overview, Washington’s personal injury statute of limitations is the legal timeframe you have to commence your action in court.

Meaning that, if you wait until after the Washington statute of limitations to expire, you will be barred from filing a lawsuit and will collect nothing.

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You filed a lawsuit for your personal injury and now your attorney is asking when you’re available for an IME or independent medical examination. A natural first instinct is to question why you need to be examined by a doctor who does not know you or your medical history. Medical examinations are inherently personal and can be a bit intrusive. It’s reasonable for someone to have concerns about divulging their medical information to someone whom they are unfamiliar, so why is this happening?

In almost every personal injury case, the plaintiff puts their mental or physical condition “in controversy.” For instance, if you were involved in a motor vehicle collision, suffered a neck strain, and were suing the at-fault driver for compensation – you are the plaintiff and the at-fault driver is the defendant. The defendant, who has an interest in reducing their liability, hires an attorney to question: (a) whether you are in fact injured with a neck strain, (b) whether your neck injury was caused by the collision, (c) whether you had neck issues prior to the collision, and (d) whether the treatment received for your injury was reasonable and necessary. Thus, by seeking compensation for a neck strain, you have put your mental or physical condition “in controversy.”

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Whether you need to file a lawsuit for your car accident claim usually depends on whether the insurance company makes an acceptable offer in pre-lawsuit negotiations. Many factors determine what an insurance company offers, and this discussion outlines the most common reasons your attorney may recommend filing a lawsuit.

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If you’ve been involved in a car accident in Washington, you may be wondering how to obtain a police report for your own benefit and for insurance purposes. Many people involved in an auto accident believe that the paper they receive at the scene of the vehicle collision is the police report; however, that is normally just an “Exchange of Information” and the actual report is something that is created and submitted later by the responding officer.

Are police reports available to the public?

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If you’ve been injured in a collision you should always check with your insurance company to see if you have PIP (Personal Injury Protection) or MedPay benefits.  These are no-fault benefits to cover necessary medical expenses related to a collision.  No-fault means that you are able to use them no matter who is at fault for the collision, even if that is you. 

Contrary to popular opinion, you should not be using your primary health insurance as a first line of payment for medical expenses after a collision.  Your PIP benefits should be used first and exhausted prior to  using health insurance.  This will eliminate the need to pay deductibles, co-pay or co-insurance.  These benefits are often available to you and anyone that is in your vehicle.  PIP benefits may also be available to you if you were a passenger in someone else’s vehicle. 

We strongly encourage you to get a free consultation with the attorneys at Washington Law Center to help navigate you through your injury claim following a collision.

Unfortunately, a large percentage of drivers on the road either have no insurance or have insufficient insurance to cover the damage they cause.  If you have been injured by a driver that either has no insurance or has insufficient insurance to cover your medical expenses we encourage you to have a free consultation with the attorneys at Washington Law Center. 

The attorneys at Washington Law Center will leave no stone unturned in our quest to get you full compensation.  They will work all potential resources, including under-insured motorist insurance to get you fully compensated. 

Our firm has extensive experience litigating matters involving road design and maintenance.  There are many factors that go into a collision and when facing a situation of inadequate insurance it is vitally important to consult a seasoned attorney.  We will investigate all potential liability as it relates to road maintenance and design in order to hold each entity and individual accountable for their acts and omissions.  

If you have been injured in a collision by someone that has no insurance or inadequate insurance please call the attorneys at Washington Law Center for a free consultation. 

If you have been injured by anyone associated with the government, including state run hospitals, and you intend to seek compensation you must file a tort claim pursuant to RCW 4.96.020.  The legislature in Washington requires that anyone who intends to file suit against a state or local entity provide basic information about the claim at least 60 days prior to filing suit.  This allows the entity to evaluate the claim and determine its validity. They then make a decision as to whether it wishes to resolve the matter. 

The attorneys at Washington Law Center encourage you to get a free consultation if you have been injured by any individual or group associated with the state or local government.  It is vitally important that a proper investigation is performed as well as making certain that there is a timely filing of a tort claim pursuant to RCW 4.96.020. These factors are critical for you to obtain just compensation.

Landlords in Washington have very specific obligations to their tenants and their guests. RCW 59.18 sets forth the general obligations owed but the attorneys at Washington Law Center encourage you to seek a free consultation if you have been injured at your rental home or one that you have visited.  Your rental home should be kept in a safe and habitable condition.  We have represented many people that have been injured due to lack of maintenance and proper upkeep.  Landlords also have an obligation to warn of dangerous conditions known to them and can be liable when they don’t.     

Too often we find that rental homes are kept in substandard conditions where they fail to meet applicable building codes.  Landlords also fail to properly maintain common areas where injuries can occur.    

If you have been injured at a rental home we encourage you to immediately seek a consultation with one of our attorneys.  Landlords often immediately repair conditions following an injury so it is vitally important that we commence an investigation immediately to properly analyze the facts.  There may be insurance benefits available if you have been injured at a rental property. This means you want have to pay deductibles, co-pays or co-insurance.  Call now for a free consultation if you have been injured at a rental property.