Car crash fatalities reached a new high last year in Washington. According to the Traffic Safety Commission’s annual report, nearly half of these fatalities involved drunk or drugged driving. If you have been injured in an Arlington car accident caused entirely or in part by another person’s negligence or wrongdoing, you may have the right to seek compensation for your damages.
Why You Should Hire Wells Trumbull
The Arlington personal injury attorneys at Wells Trumbull understand how a car accident can quickly turn your life upside down. Don’t face this challenge alone. We have been protecting the rights of Washington car accident victims for more than three decades and we get results. Our track record speaks for itself and we would like to help you too. Call us at (360) 322-1477 or visit our contact page now to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case. Our Arlington car accident lawyers will listen to you, answer your questions, explain your rights, and help you take the next steps to achieve justice and the compensation you deserve.
Common Causes of Arlington Car Accidents
Impaired driving is a leading cause of car accidents throughout Washington, but it’s far from the only cause. Many car accidents result directly from driver error or negligence. Common causes of car accidents in Arlington and elsewhere include the following:
- Speeding
- Tailgating (following too closely)
- Distracted driving
- Aggressive driving
- Failure to yield the right of way
- Unsafe lane changes
- Improper merging
- Unsafe passing
- Intentionally running a red light or rolling through a stop sign
- Drowsy driving
Less commonly, car accidents may result from negligent road maintenance, for instance, when a pothole or obstructed sign causes a crash. A defective tire or auto part could cause an accident, leaving the manufacturer of the part liable for an injury victim’s damages. Although inclement weather contributes to many car accidents, drivers have a responsibility to adjust their speed and braking time appropriately in poor weather or limited visibility conditions.
Washington has fault-based insurance laws that require an injury victim seeking compensation through a car accident claim to show evidence of the other driver’s liability or the liability of a negligent road maintenance agency or other entity. This pure comparative negligence system allows car accident victims to recover compensation even if they contributed to the accident, but the insurance company then deducts their percentage of fault from their compensation. For example, if the insurance adjuster determines that you were 25% at fault for your accident because you were driving seven miles per hour over the speed limit when a driver ran through a stop sign and hit your car, they can reduce a $100,000 claim to $75,000. Unfortunately, this often incentivizes insurance companies to shift liability to the injury victim.
An experienced car accident attorney protects your best interests by making a compelling argument for the at-fault driver’s full liability by showing the following:
- The at-fault driver (or other entity) owed a duty of care to you and others on the road
- They breached this duty through negligence
- Their breach of duty directly caused your accident and injuries
- As the injury victim, you suffered significant damages from the accident
Then, your car accident attorney in Arlington meticulously examines your damages to maximize the amount of compensation you can recover through a settlement or court award.
What Types of Car Accidents Cause Serious Injuries In Washington?
Washington residents are active and productive, leading to congested roadways and busy highways, including in Arlington. Common types of car accidents resulting in serious injuries include the following:
- Rear-end collisions
- T-bone accidents (angle collisions or broadside accidents)
- Sideswipes
- Head-on collisions
- Roadway departures
- Tire blowout accidents
- Multi-car pileups
- Car vs. Commercial truck accidents
Sadly, pedestrian accidents, motorcycle accidents, and bicycle accidents are also frequent problems throughout Washington.
Common Injuries Caused by Arlington Car Accidents
Car accidents cause serious trauma to the body due to the tremendous power of crash force. Although a seatbelt prevents ejection from the vehicle and increases the chances of survival, it cannot prevent all injuries. Crash force calculations show that a 130-pound person becomes a 5,850-pound force in a collision at only 45 miles per hour, placing the human body under severe strain as they are propelled forward and then snapped back against the seat—often while the structure of the car collapses inward at the impact point, causing blunt force trauma. Common injuries in car accidents include the following:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Fractures, including of the limbs, hips, ribs, clavicle, and pelvis
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Internal organ injuries and internal bleeding
- Soft-tissue injuries like sprains and torn ligaments
- Lacerations, abrasions, and contusions
- Facial and dental trauma
- Burns
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic amputations
Injuries are painful and debilitating, sometimes causing life-altering adverse effects, as well as the expenses that accompany serious physical and emotional trauma. These are the “damages” in a car accident claim for compensation.
What Should I Do After An Arlington Car Accident?
You may be disoriented and confused in the immediate aftermath of a car accident. However, if you are able, there are a few things you can do at the scene of the accident and afterward that can protect your health and your rights.
Some helpful steps to take include:
- Call 911 or the local police to get medical help and report the accident. A Washington police report will be helpful when proving your case since it offers an unbiased professional view of the scene. Even if you do not think you are seriously injured, get a medical evaluation. Many injuries don’t make themselves known until days or weeks later, yet can cause chronic pain and mobility issues.
- Take photos or video footage if you can do so safely. Documenting the scene and any visible injuries can help support your claim.
- Exchange information with the other parties and with any witnesses.
- Contact an experienced Arlington car accident attorney as soon as possible.
- Do not give a statement to an insurance company until you have consulted with your attorney. Insurance company adjusters can use what you say against you to try and deny or devalue your claim.
- Do not admit fault or apologize to anyone after the accident. Doing so can be used to argue that you admitted the accident was your fault.
- Stay off social media. Insurance adjusters often view victim’s online information to discover anything that can be used to minimize their claim.
- Document everything. Write down what you can remember about the accident and the moments leading up to it. Also, keep a journal of your pain and how the injuries affect your daily life.
- Keep a case file with all medical expense receipts and out-of-pocket receipts or invoices for expenses caused by your injuries. Additionally, you should keep all medical reports, plans of treatment, and communications with your doctors or therapists in your case file.
These steps can help support your case and your healing. Be sure to follow any other instructions your accident attorney in Arlington gives you.
How to File a Car Accident Claim In Arlington
The days and weeks following a car accident are often turbulent and confusing, especially while dealing with a painful recovery process or the loss of a loved one. Hiring an experienced car accident lawyer not only maximizes your chances of a full financial recovery but also relieves the stress and anxiety of a complex legal process. The process of filing and completing a claim involves the following:
- First, your car accident lawyer in Arlington investigates all aspects of the accident to prove liability
- Then, your attorney carefully calculates your economic and non-economic damages to recover all compensation available to you
- The Arlington accident lawyer sends a demand package to the insurance company of the at-fault driver
- Negotiations take place between the insurance adjuster and the attorney to maximize the amount you recover in a settlement
- About 93% of car accident claims end in a settlement
If the insurance company fails to offer an acceptable settlement for your damages, you and your car accident attorney in Arlington may choose to go to court. A lawsuit in court takes longer than achieving a settlement, but juries are very often sympathetic to injury victims, resulting in large jury awards for their damages.
What Damages Are Recoverable In an Arlington Car Accident Claim?
Car accident injuries are expensive as well as painful, often impacting the injury victim’s career and ability to earn a living. These consequences of a car accident are the “damages” calculated in a car accident claim. Common damages recovered in Arlington car accident claims include:
- Reimbursement for medical expenses
- Anticipated future medical expenses related to the injury
- Lost wages
- Future income loss
- Lowered future earning ability
- Compensation for pain and suffering
- Compensation for any other damages that apply in your circumstances, for instance, scarring, disfigurement, loss of limb, loss of vision or hearing, or diminished quality of life
If a loved one died in a car accident in Arlington due to another driver’s negligence, their personal representative, or one assigned by the court, can file a wrongful death claim to recover compensation for the closest surviving family member.
Questions to Ask Your Arlington Car Accident Attorney During a Consultation
Reputable car accident lawyers in Arlington do not charge fees for an initial consultation, during which they evaluate the merits of your case, and you decide if the law firm is right for you. You will tell them the details of your car accident during this consultation, and it’s also your chance to ask important questions such as the following:
- What percentage of my compensation goes to your legal fee? (injury attorneys typically only charge a fee contingent upon obtaining a settlement or winning the case in court)
- How long do you think my claim will take?
- Are you aiming for a settlement, or do you think my case will require a trial?
- Have you handled cases similar to mine with favorable results for your clients?
- Are you the attorney who will handle my case, or will you turn it over to a colleague?
- What should and shouldn’t I do to give my claim the best possible advantages?
Asking how you can help your own case is also important. Your Arlington, WA personanl injuryattorney may advise you to direct all communication with the insurance company to them and to refrain from posting about the accident and your injuries on social media until they resolve the claim.
Contact a Car Accident Attorney in Arlington, Washington Today
Car accidents can wreak havoc on all aspects of your life. If you were injured in an Arlington car accident due to negligence or wrongdoing by another party, you may be able to recover compensation for your damages.
You need the guidance and representation of an experienced and skillful Arlington car accident attorney with a proven track record of success handling car accident cases. You need Wells Trumbull.
We will carefully investigate your car accident to determine all possible causes and potentially liable parties and we will customize a legal strategy for your strongest case.
Call us today at (360) 322-1477 or visit our contact page now to schedule a free consultation. Our car accident lawyers in Arlington look forward to meeting you and helping you get your life back on track.