Although a serious injury happens in an instant, the physical and financial impacts can last for many months or even years. Some injuries cause permanent, life-altering consequences for all aspects of life, including the ability to earn a living and take care of routine daily tasks. When someone else’s careless, reckless, or wrongful actions caused the injury, an injury victim has legal recourse under Washington’s injury law. Contact the Tacoma accident lawyers at Sears Injury Law to learn more about your right to demand financial accountability. Call us at (253) 544-5553 to schedule a free consultation to learn more about how our Tacoma injury lawyers may be able to help you.
Why Choose the Tacoma Personal Injury Lawyers at Sears Injury Law?
An unexpected injury pulls the rug out from under your life, leaving you floundering. The Tacoma personal injury lawyers at Sears Injury Law have deep empathy for the distress clients face in these situations. Let Sears Injury Law turn their compassion into powerful legal advocacy by offering the following:
- A free evaluation of your case and payment contingent upon success, so you pay nothing until you have compensation in hand
- Over 20 years of legal experience in Washington’s civil courts and insurance system behind your case
- A renowned history of recovering over $300 million for injured clients
- Attorneys dedicated to tailoring a personalized strategy based on the unique circumstances of your case to obtain favorable results
Sears Injury Law puts a well-respected voice behind your case with recent notable results, including a $2.5 million car accident settlement.
What Types of Personal Injury Cases Are Common In Tacoma?
Personal injury law centers on the understanding that all people owe a duty to take reasonable care to avoid causing injury to others. Unfortunately, individuals, property owners, and companies sometimes neglect to take reasonable actions, resulting in serious injury to someone else. The Tacoma injury attorneys at Sears Injury Law handle personal injury cases such as the following:
- Car accidents
- Commercial truck accidents
- Bus accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Uber and Lyft accidents
- Boat accidents
- Airplane accidents
- Helicopter accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Slip-and-fall injuries
- Premises liability accidents
- Dog bites
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Workplace accidents
These are some, but far from all, of the ways that one party’s negligence can cause injury to someone else. If another individual, business, or other entity caused you to suffer physical harm with economic consequences as well as pain and suffering, you don’t have to be left financially responsible. Let our Tacoma personal injury attorneys help you recover the compensation you deserve.
What Types of Injuries are Common in Tacoma Personal Injury Claims?
When you’ve suffered an injury through no fault of your own, it’s distressing to face medical bills, missed paychecks, and painful procedures and recovery time, knowing the injury was preventable. Common injuries in personal injury claims in Tacoma and throughout Washington include the following:
- Fractures
- Traumatic brain injuries, ranging from concussions to severe injuries that cause permanent impairment
- Spinal cord injuries
- Internal organ injuries
- Burns
- Traumatic amputations
- Soft-tissue injuries like sprains, strains, and tendon/ligament tears
- Lacerations, contusions, abrasions
- Facial or dental trauma
- Dog bite injuries
- Wrongful death
When an injury prevents a prompt return to work or makes returning to work in your previous capacity impossible, you could quickly face financial hardship. A successful personal injury claim cannot undo the injury or erase the pain, but it does relieve financial distress and provides a sense of justice to injury victims.
What Damages Can an Injury Victim In Tacoma Recover?
Expenses add up quickly when a serious injury suddenly alters the course of your life, either temporarily or permanently, leaving you facing an uncertain future. Common damages recovered in Tacoma personal injury cases include:
- Medical expenses
- Future medical costs
- Out-of-pocket injury-related expenses
- Lost wages
- Future income loss or diminished earning ability
- Compensation for pain and suffering
In catastrophic injury cases, an injury victim faces permanent consequences. Depending on the type of injury, a catastrophic injury victim could recover additional compensation for loss of limb, the loss of one of the senses, scarring, disfigurement, organ loss, or diminished quality of life. If a loved one dies due to someone else’s actions, a close family member could recover compensation through a wrongful death claim. Contact our Tacoma wrongful death attorneys for help guide you through the legal process.
What Is the Process of a Personal Injury Claim In Tacoma?
Washington’s pure comparative negligence system allows an injury victim to seek compensation from the at-fault party, typically through an appropriate insurance company. This could be an at-fault driver’s auto insurance or a negligent store owner’s commercial liability insurance.
Unfortunately, insurance companies are not on the injury victim’s side, despite their promises and compassionate tones. Instead, they may protect their profits at the injury victim’s expense if the claimant isn’t represented by experienced, assertive legal counsel. After hiring a Tacoma personal injury attorney, they will do the following:
- Handle all communication with the defendant and their insurer
- Thoroughly investigate the accident or incident that caused the injury and document compelling evidence of their negligence and liability
- Carefully calculate the economic and non-economic damages you’ve suffered and expect to continue to experience in the future
- Send their findings to the appropriate insurance company
- Begin negotiations with the insurance adjuster to arrive at a settlement to cover the damages
Over 93% of personal injury cases end with a settlement to resolve the matter without court; however, your trial-ready attorney from Sears Injury Law is ready to take the case to a jury and achieve a large court award for your damages through a well-executed legal strategy should a jury trial become necessary.
How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Claim in Tacoma?
Most states allow an injury victim only two years to file a claim for damages, but Washington’s statute of limitations for personal injury claims is a more generous three years from the date of the injury. Under limited circumstances, the court may extend this time limit. For example, if the injury victim is a minor, the three-year statute of limitations begins on their 18th birthday. If an injury victim is incapacitated for some time after the accident or doesn’t discover an injury until later, the statute of limitations begins on the date they recover cognition or discover the injury.
Call the Tacoma, Washington, Personal Injury Attorneys at Sears Injury Law
No one should try to take on a complex legal endeavor while also dealing with painful medical procedures, a lengthy recovery period, or an uncertain future due to a serious or catastrophic injury. Instead, contact Sears Injury Law for experienced legal counsel and representation by a Tacoma personal injury attorney dedicated to safeguarding your best interests throughout the process.
