Car accidents can be traumatic experiences. The distress often continues for months after the crash when a car accident victim in Tacoma, WA, encounters the fault-based car accident laws that require an injury victim to present compelling evidence of the at-fault party’s liability to recover compensation.
The Tacoma car accident attorneys at Sears Injury Law provide experienced legal representation throughout every step of the car accident claim process. We can help you recover maximum compensation for your injuries and ensure your rights are protected. Call our Tacoma personal injury attorneys today at (253) 544-5553.
Why Choose Us as Your Car Accident Lawyers In Tacoma?
Most car accident claims are made directly against an at-fault driver’s insurance. Sadly, insurance companies are not on your side in this process and may protect their profits at your expense. You need assertive legal representation from the Tacoma car accident lawyers at Sears Injury Law. Here’s what we have to offer:
- A free consultation and contingency-based payment, so you only pay our fee after we’ve recovered compensation in your case
- An attorney who will come to you if your injuries prevent an office visit
- Access to accident reconstruction specialists and medical experts to strengthen your claim
- A law firm with over 100 years of combined experience navigating Washington’s insurance system, civil court, and injury laws
- A results-oriented approach through personalized legal strategies rather than a carbon-copy recovery plan that might not align with your goals
The attorneys at Sears Injury Law combine compassion with assertive legal action to achieve exceptional results, such as a recent $5,150,000.00 settlement in a car accident case.
Understanding Car Accident Injuries In Tacoma, Washington
The crash force of an accident propels the motorists forward at the speed the car was traveling before the seatbelt snaps them back against the seat, placing the body’s musculoskeletal system and organs under tremendous strain. At the same time, the car’s structure collapses inward at the collision point, causing blunt-force trauma to body parts. Common car accident injuries include the following:
- Broken bones
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Soft-tissue injuries like sprains, strains, torn ligaments, and tendon damage
- Lacerations, contusions, and abrasions
- Internal organ injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- External head, facial, and dental trauma
- Burns
- Traumatic amputations
Even a car accident victim with mild injuries deserves compensation for their medical expenses and lost wages when someone else was responsible for the accident, but a successful claim may be crucial to relieve injury-related financial hardship for those with serious or catastrophic car accident injuries.
Common Causes of Car Accidents In Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a busy city, with residents who live active, productive lives. Unfortunately, this daily bustle means streets and highways are often congested with traffic, undergo frequent construction, and frustrate drivers. Common causes of Tacoma car accidents include:
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
- Aggressive driving
- Tailgating
- Failure to yield the right of way
- Unsafe lane changes
- Improper merging
- Traffic violations
- Improper passing
- Tire blowouts
- Inadequate vehicle maintenance
In some Tacoma car accident cases, a negligent road maintenance agency or the manufacturer of a defective car part causes an accident. An assertive Tacoma car accident lawyer from Sears Injury Law will pursue compensation from all parties that contributed to the accident to maximize the compensation available to their client.
How Does Comparative Negligence Law Impact a Tacoma Car Accident Claim?
Washington has fault-based car accident laws allowing an injury victim to recover compensation from the responsible party. Even if a car accident victim contributed to the cause of the accident, they can still recover compensation, but the insurance company subtracts their percentage of fault from the amount they pay out on the claim. RCW 4.22.005 states the following:
“In an action based on fault seeking to recover damages for injury or death to person or harm to property, any contributory fault chargeable to the claimant diminishes proportionately the amount awarded as compensatory damages for an injury attributable to the claimant’s contributory fault, but does not bar recovery.”
While this is good news for a Tacoma car accident victim who contributed to the cause or severity of the accident, it also incentivizes insurance companies to assign higher percentages of fault to an injury victim with substantial damages to protect company profits. By assigning an injury victim 40% fault for an accident, they can reduce a $100,000 claim to $60,000. A proactive Tacoma car accident attorney protects an injury victim’s best interests throughout the process.
How Does a Car Accident Attorney Help with an Accident Claim?
Having strong legal representation when seeking compensation for car accident damages is always beneficial. Your car accident attorney from Sears Injury Law will do the following on your behalf:
- Handle all communication with the insurance company
- Investigate the accident to document clear evidence of another party’s negligence and liability under the state’s fault-based insurance law
- Carefully calculate economic and non-economic damages to maximize the compensation available to the injury victim
- Send their findings to the insurance company in a “demand package”
- Assertively argue for the highest possible settlement during negotiations with the insurance company
- Obtain an ample settlement or pursue the case in court
Nearly 95% of car accident cases end with a settlement. Insurance companies would rather avoid the additional expense of court, where juries are sympathetic to the injury victim. Your trial-ready attorney from Sears Injury Law will prepare all aspects of the case as though for trial, making a more compelling argument for a settlement.
What Damages Can I Recover In a Tacoma, WA Car Accident Claim?
A car accident often causes far more than just property damage. When it results in serious injuries, the damages quickly escalate. Some injuries cause life-altering consequences, leaving an injury victim with disability and an uncertain future.
A successful Washington car accident claim cannot undo the injury, but it can recover common damages such as the following:
- Reimbursement for past medical expenses
- Future medical costs for ongoing care
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Compensation for lost earnings
- Future income loss or diminished future earning ability
- Compensation for pain and suffering
- Catastrophic injury damages specific to the case, such as scarring, disfigurement, loss of an organ, traumatic limb loss, the loss of one of the senses, or diminished quality of life
When a car accident in Tacoma causes fatal injuries, a loved one may file a wrongful death claim with the help of a Tacoma wrongful death lawyer to recover compensation for their losses.
Contact Our Tacoma Car Accident Attorneys Today
No one should leave their financial recovery in the hands of an insurance company without legal representation. Call the Tacoma accident attorneys at Sears Injury Law for a free, confidential consultation so we can begin a strong strategy for your financial recovery while you focus on your physical well-being.