Getting into a serious accident at work or suffering severe injuries in a car accident can significantly impact a person’s health, family relationships, and life routines. It can upend your life’s fragile balance, put you in the hospital, require medical treatments for months on end, and disrupt your work and income opportunities.
According to the Department of Licensing, more than 2,200 people suffered severe injuries statewide in car crashes in 2017, with 565 fatalities. These accidents form the basis for many personal injury lawsuits.
Sudden personal injuries can be devastating. A person can face tremendous costs for medical treatments, lose the opportunity to work for months due to their injuries, and suffer the loss of enjoyment and consortium with your spouse—all because of the negligence of an impaired or reckless driver, or mistakes made in a mismanaged workplace.
Have you or someone you love suffered injuries in a terrible car accident, workplace explosions, or other mishaps that were not your fault? If you become involved in a life-changing accident due to the fault and negligence of another party, you may have legal rights in a court of law to seek compensation for your losses.
You might want to consult a Seattle personal injury lawyer if you suffered multiple injuries in an accident. The legal team at Ben Crump Law, PLLC, can work with you to explore a strategy for a personal injury lawsuit. Call us today at (800) 730-1331 for a free case review with a team member.
Insurance Claims vs. Personal Injury Claims
Seattle residents have several options when they suffer injuries due to the negligence of another party, whether it occurs in a car crash, slip and fall accident, dog bite incident, or medical malpractice:
- File an insurance claim against the at-fault party’s policy.
- File a worker’s compensation claim if their accident happened on the job.
- File a personal injury lawsuit to recover compensation for your damages.
Insurance companies have financial limits on how much a claim can cover for any accident. What you could recover depends on the type of coverage the at-fault party holds at the time of the accident. Generally, each policy has a maximum amount that an insurance company will pay out for a covered claim.
For example, compensation from an insurance claim filed against the at-fault driver in a terrible car wreck might not cover all your expenses—especially if you suffered severe injuries that require substantial long-term care.
That’s why it might make sense to look into filing a personal injury claim against the at-fault party. A Seattle personal injury lawyer can investigate your accident, compile evidence that proves the at-fault party’s negligence, and file a civil action to collect the damages you need to recover fully.
Contact the team at Ben Crump Law, PLLC, today to discuss your options. Our personal injury attorneys can help protect your legal rights and work to disallow the at-fault party from using any statements you made to insurance adjusters or the police against you in settlement talks or court proceedings.
For a free legal consultation with a personal injury lawyer serving Seattle, call (800) 730-1331
Compensatory Damages
When you get into a personal injury case, you seek financial compensation for the damages you suffered. These compensatory damages fall into two categories—economic and noneconomic—and reimburse the injured person for their injuries, both tangible and intangible. At Ben Crump Law, PLLC, the legal team seeks to put a dollar amount on your losses, with the final total becoming the compensatory damages that we seek on your behalf in an insurance claim or personal injury suit.
It is relatively easy to calculate reimbursement for damage to a vehicle or the costs of medical treatment. Our team also works to put a dollar amount on noneconomic damages, including any pain and suffering caused by the accident and reduced earning potential if your injuries force you to leave your job.
Among the types of economic and noneconomic damages you could claim in a personal injury case include:
- Medical expenses: Settlements and awards in personal injury cases nearly always cover medical costs incurred through hospital stays, doctor’s visits, prescription and over-the-counter medication, rehabilitation, and physical and mental therapy. You would receive a lump sum for bills you’ve already received and estimates for any future bills you might incur.
- Loss of income: If the personal injuries you suffered because of your accident had an enormous negative impact on your income and earnings, you could recover compensation of your income (wages, bonuses, benefits, and more) lost from missing time at work, as well as future earnings affected by your injuries.
- Property damage: Depending on your case, compensation may also cover property losses, costs of repairs, and fair market value determination for items damaged in an accident. For example, if your car got smashed while transporting valuable paintings in your back seat, and the paintings suffered irreparable damaged, you could claim the value of those damaged paintings.
- Pain and suffering: This category falls under noneconomic damages. You can quantify emotional damages using several formulas, with per diem and multiplier the two most commonly used. A Seattle personal injury attorney can calculate damages for mental anguish, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) effects, and more.
Seattle Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me (800) 730-1331
Don’t Wait to Pursue Legal Action
In Washington, Revised Code of Washington (RCW )§ 4.16.080 sets the statute of limitations for filing a personal injury lawsuit at three years from the date of the incident. If you do not initiate your suit within this period, a court might dismiss your case, no matter how strong it might be. Some exceptions to the statute of limitations exist, so you might want to contact a lawyer if you fear you missed the deadline.
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Call Our Team Today
Call Ben Crump Law, PLLC, today at (800) 730-1331 to speak to our team about your case. The initial consultation is free, but you can learn whether you have grounds for a personal injury lawsuit. Our team of Seattle personal injury lawyers can protect your legal rights and explore how best to pursue your personal injury case.
Call or text (800) 730-1331 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
