Washington Lawyers for Personal Injury
More than 7000 miles of in-state routes cross Washington, the northwesternmost state of the contiguous United States. According to the Washington State Department of Transportation, between 2012 – 2021, there were, horrifyingly, 1,073,162 crashes. There were 91,446 crashes on Washington roads in 2021 — the Seattle Times called it the deadliest year on Washington roads in 15 years. 593 of these accidents were fatal. There were 2,519 crashes involving suspected serious injuries in that year. Roads weren’t the only place where those who live and work in Washington were injured, however. Some people were harmed because of boating accidents, animal attacks, premises liability, medical malpractice, nursing home negligence, and construction accidents. If you were injured through the fault of another, you should call the seasoned Washington personal injury lawyers of Walton Law about whether you have a claim.
We provide free and confidential consultations, and represent our clients on a contingency fee basis, meaning that they don’t pay unless we recover damages on their behalf. We understand that when you’ve been seriously hurt, you’re already in a financially precarious position and need to be able to trust we’re on your side. Our award-winning founder Chris Walton seeks the best available outcome in court and mediation for accident victims and has earned many awards for his advocacy. We’ve recovered millions on behalf of our clients.
Personal Injury Lawsuits
Many vehicle accidents are the result of negligence. To establish liability in most cases, we will need to prove by a preponderance of the evidence the defendant owed you (1) a duty to use reasonable care, (2) breach of the duty of care, (3) causation, and (4) damages. The circumstances of your accident will determine the duty of care and how the defendant breached it, and what our personal injury attorneys serving Washington will need to prove and argue. For example, a driver of a car may breach the duty to use reasonable care if he drives while distracted or under the influence or fails to follow traffic signals and signs and causes a car accident.
Comparative Negligence
Washington, like many other states, allows defendants to use the defense of comparative negligence. Under this defense, you can recover compensation even if you’re partly to blame for the accident, but your damages can be reduced by an amount proportionate to your degree of fault. You should be aware that the defendant’s lawyer and insurance adjustor will be searching for ways in which you are at fault. For example, if you were wearing inappropriate footwear in a landscaped area outside a shopping mall and fell in a dangerous pit, a jury might find you were 50% responsible for your accident, while the property owner was also 50% responsible, such that if you had $100,000 worth of damages, you’d only be able to recover $50,000 from the property owner in a premises liability lawsuit. It’s important to make sure to consult your own experienced Washington personal injury lawyer before talking to the insurance adjustor and lawyers for the other side.
Our Attorneys Seek Damages for Washingtonians
When we can establish liability, we are usually able to recover compensatory damages on behalf of our clients. These are damages intended to put you back in the position you would have been in had you not been involved in an accident. Catastrophic injuries can command significant awards. For example, if your spouse has brain injuries caused by a drunk truck driver, it may be appropriate to sue to recover medical bills, lost income, lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment, and loss of consortium. In a case involving drunk driving or other particularly egregious misconduct, punitive damages may be awarded.
Consult a Seasoned Washington Lawyer for Your Personal Injury Lawsuit
It can be difficult to know what to do after being seriously injured or losing a loved one in an accident. You need a results-oriented personal injury attorney by your side in Bellingham to fight for your best interests after being harmed through another’s fault. Chris Walton has the highest possible rating (AV Preeminent) given by Martindale-Hubbell. At Walton Law, our compassionate, results-oriented law firm tailors representation to ensure thoughtful, personalized service. We understand you may not be able to meet with us during normal business hours, so we offer both evening and weekend appointments. If you’re too injured to come to us, we can come to you. Call our seasoned Washington personal injury lawyers at (866) 338-7079 or online to schedule a free consultation.