Terrifying, shocking, and sometimes life altering (or worse… life ending) – the experience of a car accident is not one that any individual should have to suffer through. Though sometimes unavoidable, if you find that you or a loved one have suffered the after-effects of a car accident, hiring a Washington car accident lawyer could help alleviate much of the burden.
Are you here because you or a loved one have been involved in a car accident in the state of Washington? Did the accident cause injury and now you’re searching for a lawyer that could, perhaps, help you understand your rights? Well, you’re in luck! When looking for a lawyer in Washington specializing in car accidents, this is the best firm to find.
We at Premier Law Group are here to help you understand all the details and nuances to filing a claim thoroughly and properly. We have been specializing in car accidents in Washington for years and pride ourselves on providing necessary resources to help educate you on the various aspects of car accident claims, and also assist you with making the best decisions for your personal and specific situation.
There are many factors that could play into the status of your claim. Starting the process as soon as possible is essential when you or a loved one have been injured in a car accident.
What’s At Stake And How A Washington Car Accident Attorney Can Help
Your Health 
When it comes to injuries resulting from car accidents, most people tend to think about physical injuries like whiplash, concussions, and broken bones. Physical injuries are a major component, but there are other types of injuries as well. Car accident injuries include those related to mental and psychological health. Without regard to how you were injured, your health is now at stake. You probably need resources like time, money, and therapy in order to make the best possible recovery. Typically, insurance is available to help you access these resources.
Your Emotional Well-Being
Many insurance companies and adjusters don’t want to give you the full and fair compensation you deserve. The reality is, insurance companies exist to generate profit and their adjusters are incentivized to pay out the bare minimum in compensation. In fact, the compensation they offer when you don’t have a car accident attorney may not even cover costs associated with making a good recovery. And by the way, it’s hard to know what a good recovery should look like, especially so soon after your car accident. This is to say that your emotional well-being is also at stake. Without a Washington lawyer specializing in car accidents, insurance representatives will pressure you to accept unfair compensation, causing a lot of unnecessary anxiety and frustration.
Your Financial Well-Being 
Finally, your financial well-being is at stake after a car accident. For example, injuries may be preventing you from working in your chosen field, or performing as you would have had you not been injured. Either of these scenarios may be costing you money. You may have mounting medical expenses and other bills associated with the accident. Injuries which impact your ability to fulfill daily obligations and domestic chores will increase the expense associated with keeping up with your quality of life. There are all kinds of ways that mild, moderate, and severe injuries impact your day-to-day financial well-being.
While insurance adjusters and investigators may appear to be on your side, take into consideration the party who hired those individuals to assess the claim. Chances are they are not investigating the collision to decide in your favor, and hiring a lawyer specializing in car accidents will help you understand who is on your side and who is not. By hiring an attorney to handle your case, you can recover fully by getting the medical and emotional treatment you need while the lawyer handles the details of the case.
For all these reasons, it’s important that a trusted Washington car accident lawyer assist with your injury claim. The right car accident attorney will enable you to make the best possible recovery, handle communications and negotiations with the insurance company, and help you get full and fair compensation.
What should you do if you’ve been in a car accident in the state of Washington
Gather and preserve evidence.
Understandably, you may be in a state of shock or disbelief after your accident. It may be difficult to remember these important pieces of evidence, however, the more you can remember to gather and preserve, the better off your case will be. In the event you are reading this before you have an accident (consider yourself lucky), be sure to have a conversation with a loved one, or someone you may be with or first contact in the event of an accident. Ask them to ensure your collection of as much of this data as possible, and acknowledge you’d do the same for them.
First and foremost, in the event of an accident, call 911 immediately and check that everyone is safe. Then, once you see that everyone is safe or the proper assistance is on the way, begin gathering.
Information to collect for your car accident lawyer in Washington:
- Other party information: Names, addresses, phone numbers, and insurance information are absolutely necessary.
- Witness information: If anyone nearby witnessed the accident, whether completely or partially, it may be helpful to collect their names, phone numbers, best methods of contact, and a quick statement of their perspective. If they agree to an audio recording, this is preferred to a statement taken and written by you.
- Photographs: Take photographs of the vehicles involved and be sure to capture the type of accident, the vehicle involved – whether commercial, personal, motorcycle, semi truck, etc. Also photograph the location of the accident with any street signs or address markers, location on the road, surroundings, or nearby buildings with potential security cameras. If possible, photograph the parties involved and include any apparent injuries, distresses, or impairment.
- Call the proper authorities: Be sure to call 911 immediately if medical attention is required. In the event of a slight accident where medical attention is not required, call the local police to file an official report.
- Request surveillance footage: If you do not have the authority to request the footage, suggest the authorities request the footage. This could be from anyone nearby that may have a recording, personal or business.
- Maintain an injury log: If any injuries develop at a later time, be sure to keep a detailed log of the injuries, their healing, and photograph the progress.
- Request the 911 recording for your own records.
How soon should you hire a lawyer after a Washington car accident?
A very common question asked is, “When should I hire a lawyer?” 
Though there’s no perfect timeline to seek counsel, it’s never too early to receive a consultation and hire a lawyer. The sooner legal counsel is hired for your case, the better chance of protecting and preserving your health, emotional well-being, and financial status.
Additionally, each state has their own statute of limitations. A statute of limitations is the deadline, or cut-off date, by which you must file a claim. In the state of Washington, the statute of limitations for filing a car accident claim is three (3) years. Extenuating circumstances may also exist. These may affect the statute of limitations in your situation and there may also be exceptions to the rules. However, to ensure you stay within the limitations, it’s best to contact a Washington car accident lawyer ASAP.
What is necessary to prove personal injury in the state of Washington?
Many people attempt to file a lawsuit, yet turn up empty handed. We, at Premier Law Group, understand the basic elements necessary for a successful outcome. These elements are:
- You were owed a minimum standard of care.
- The party at fault did not meet that minimum standard of care, or was blatantly negligent.
- The negligence of the party at fault led to your injuries or suffering.
- The injuries or suffering has caused you to incur notable damages.
Your minimum standard of care can come in many forms. It isn’t only other drivers that must provide a minimum standard of care. Product manufactures, governing bodies, and all other participating parties, knowingly or not, should also perform to these minimum standards of care.
Fellow drivers are:
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- Licensed to operate the vehicle.
- Fully attentive to their surroundings.
- Undistracted and unimpaired.
- Following the laws of the road.
Car manufacturers have:
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- Ensured their product meets all standards.
- Run the proper and thorough testing of their motor vehicles.
- Notify all necessary parties if their vehicles are later found faulty.
The state of Washington:
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- Maintains a safe and proper roadway.
- Uses proper signage when necessary.
What is Negligence?
Above, we touched on the four basic elements necessary to prove personal injury. Number two highlighted the negligence of an individual or company. So, what exactly is negligence?
Negligence, in layman’s terms, is “fault”. If someone is negligent or at fault, this means they were the causations of the incident in question. This could include driving impaired, not following the rules of the road, or distracted driving in other manners.
We, as ethical humans, each owe one another a minimum standard of reasonable care with which we must express. Where a minimum standard of reasonable care is not provided, placing risk or injury or discomfort on someone, negligence exists. The party exhibiting negligence will be at fault and shall be responsible for the neglected party’s injury.
To ensure a successful claim, we must demonstrate the negligence of the alternate party.
Is your Washington Car Accident Lawyer truly great, or an imposter?
If you’ve never been injured in a car accident or hired a car accident lawyer in Washington, you may appreciate some information about what to look for in a lawyer. At the very least, the attorney you hire should:
- Have specialized experience representing victims of car accidents.(At Premier Law Group, you could say this is our “area of expertise”.)
- Have a good reputation within the community. A good reputation in the legal community and beyond shows that a lawyer has experience and other qualifications. (We’re proud to say that our Washington car accident attorneys are recognized by the media and receive awards from various organizations on a regular basis. We also have a track-record of getting excellent case results.)
- Be accessible and approachable. There’s a lot at stake in a car accident claim, so it’s important that you have a good and productive working relationship with your lawyer. (We’re known as the “approachable” car accident attorneys in Washington).
- Never pressure you. Instead, your lawyer should guide you and provide the information required for you to make the best decisions. (This is the mark of a real professional.)
- Be considerate of your client experience. You’ve been through enough already! The firm you choose should make the process of working with them a positive experience for you. (We’re pleased to have excellent client satisfaction and be the only car accident law firm in the state to offer a VIP Program.)
Hiring a quality legal counsel will certainly make a difference in the process of your claim. A settlement in your favor can assist in paying bills, making up for lost wages, and provide peace of mind.
The Premier Law Group Advantage
We understand the stressful financial impact an accident will cause, and we hope to not cause additional undue stress. If you don’t need a Washington car accident lawyer to settle your claim, we’ll tell you up front. We’ll even give you a copy of our guide How To Settle Your Own Case.
Our mission is to ensure that everyone who contacts us ends up more informed about their legal options – whether we end up representing them or not. Contact Premier Law Group to schedule your free case review with a lawyer specializing in car accidents. Call 206.880.7422 today. There’s no legal fee unless we settle or win your case.
The Premier Law Group has been assisting Washington state car accident victims for over 20 years receive the compensation they deserve for the injuries they sustained from the negligence of other parties. Our goal is to get you on the road to recovery with peace of mind and financial security.
Call 206.880.7422 For A Free Case Review Today