While there is no right or wrong time to connect with a car accident lawyer, there are points that are worse than others. For example, if you want to pursue a car accident claim but discover that the statute of limitations relevant to your case has expired, you might think that it’s too late to get a lawyer on your car accident case.
That said, it is always worth it to contact an attorney after a car accident. Experienced Bellevue car accident lawyers can help you determine what statute of limitations applies to your case, whether or not the statute’s expired, and how you may still recover damages if your filing deadline has passed.
We make a point to explore the legal exceptions and leniencies that may allow our clients to get the financial support they deserve after devastating accidents. In other words, our team believes that it’s never too late to get a car accident lawyer.
Familiarizing Yourself With Washington State’s Statute of Limitations
Washington State puts a statute of limitations on all of its personal injury cases. According to RCW 4.16.080, you must bring any claim you wish to file forward by the third anniversary of your accident. If you can’t file your claim within three years of a devastating car accident, you may lose the right to hold negligent drivers accountable for your losses.
This statute of limitations allegedly keeps the data needed to prove your right to compensation relevant to your case. Washington’s courts argue that cases filed after a statute of limitations expires will inaccurately reflect upon the events that led to a victim’s accident.
It’s with the statute of limitations in mind that our Bellevue personal injury lawyers recommend you get in touch with a lawyer even if you’re not sure whether or not you want to pursue compensation for your losses.
Free consultations let you learn more about your rights and let you start building your claim well before your statute of limitations expires.
Breaking Down Statute Exceptions
Is it too late to get a lawyer for a car accident if your statute of limitations has expired? Not necessarily. There are some exceptions to Washington’s personal injury statute of limitations that may extend the length of time you have to file a claim.
For example, anyone under the age of 18 at the time of an accident has until they turn 21 to pursue legal action against a negligent party. If someone is 13 when they get into an accident, that means they have eight years to build a claim against another party.
Similarly, if it took you an unusual amount of time to detect serious injuries or conditions, you could argue that the countdown on your statute of limitations should start on the day you discovered your condition. Our team can help you petition for an exception to be made for your case based on your circumstances.
Challenging Accusations of Shared Fault
Your statute of limitations is the most pressing deadline you have to worry about when asking yourself whether or not it’s too late to get a lawyer for a car accident. You also have to worry about whether or not you’ve already been accused of contributing to your accident.
The other people involved in your accident do not want to take the blame for your losses. A fast-acting party may contact a lawyer of their own and level accusations of fault against you before you have time to do the same.
While you can still contact a lawyer after someone’s accused you of causing your accident, doing so puts you on the back foot. You may spend a considerable amount of time countering the charges brought against you instead of arguing for your right to loss-based compensation. Even so, it’s still worth it to call a Bellevue car accident lawyer.
Finding the Evidence You Need to Make a Case in Time
The evidence relevant to your accident isn’t going to stick around forever. If you want to level a case for compensation against someone else, we recommend that you contact a lawyer before evidence of that person’s negligence disappears from your accident scene.
The faster you call an attorney to the scene of your collision, the sooner we can gather the physical debris and electronic data needed to prove that negligence contributed to your losses. Likewise, we can connect with bystanders sooner, ensuring that their memories of your accident are fresher.
Unfortunately, the longer you wait to contact a lawyer, the less reliable the evidence needed to prove your right to a case may become. That said, you should still get in touch with a lawyer if, two years down the line, you decide you want to pursue a case. We’re prepared to do the extra legwork needed to build your case, even if it’s a few years old.
You Can Contact a Bellevue Car Accident Lawyer Today
If you think you may have the right to pursue legal action against the person or parties responsible for your recent car accident, don’t wait to get in touch with a Bellevue car accident attorney. Your right to pursue loss-based damages hinges on your ability to stay on top of relevant claim deadlines.
Our team believes that it’s never too late to get a lawyer for your car accident. We make it easy to meet with an experienced and compassionate attorney without breaking the bank. You can book a free, no-obligation phone consultation with our staff today to discuss the negligence that led to your accident.
The sooner you get in touch, the easier it will be to preserve your right to take legal action against a negligent party. We’re ready to go to work for you–all you have to do is call. It‘s not a consultation, it‘s a conversation.
Jason at premier law group is truly an outstanding individual. Our particular case was not something that their firm usually sees but they were more than willing to help us and give us all of the information they had available. I can't recommend them enough.