If you have been injured by the fault of another party, you need an Arlington personal injury lawyer to help you. You can put your trust in Wells Trumbull.
Our Arlington personal injury attorneys have more than 35 years of experience protecting the rights of personal injury victims in the Arlington area and we have a proven track record of winning big for our clients.
The aftermath of a personal injury can be chaotic, stressful, and overwhelming. We understand that you may be worried about medical bills, your family’s living expenses, and your career. You may also be receiving calls from insurance companies hoping to settle your case for less than you deserve.
We will help you navigate the confusing legal landscape and fight for you to receive the compensation you deserve.
Contact Wells Trumbull today at (360) 322-1477 or by going to our contact page now to schedule a free consultation. We will listen to your story, answer your questions, explain your rights, and help you take the steps to get the justice you need.
How to Choose a Qualified Personal Injury Lawyer in Washington
There are many personal injury lawyers available in Washington, but it’s important to be discerning when choosing a skilled, qualified attorney, and one who is right for your case. At Wells Trumbull, you’ll find the following advantages:
- As highly qualified legal representatives for your case, we never charge upfront fees. Instead, you’ll have a free case consultation and contingency-based payment, so we work for you, and you only pay our fee after we recover your compensation
- A skilled attorney understands how to make the most compelling claim for compensation. At Wells Trumbull, we let our compassion work for you by taking the time to get to know you and witness the impact of the injury on your life so we can better convey your story to the insurance company or a jury
- Our highly experienced staff puts their years of knowledge, skills, and resources behind your case
- The attorney dedicated to your case will assertively safeguard your rights and argue for your best interests throughout the investigation and negotiations for a settlement—or take your case to court if required
Our history of exceptional results puts a strong voice behind your claim, including recent wins like the $6.5 million recovered for a client in a car accident claim and a $3 million win in a slip-and-fall injury claim.
What is an Arlington Personal Injury Claim in Washington?
In Washington, if you are injured by another person’s negligence or wrongful action you have the right to seek compensation for your damages through a personal injury claim. This is a legal claim by which you prove your damages and your right to compensation against the party who caused your damages.
A personal injury case requires proving the at-fault party’s liability through an investigation of all aspects of the injury. The injury victim has the burden of proof to show the following:
- That the at-fault party owed a duty of care to the injury victim, such as a driver’s duty to follow traffic laws and an apartment building owner’s duty to maintain smoke detectors
- They breached this duty of care through negligence
- Their breach of duty directly caused the injury
- The injury victim suffered damages from the injury
Once a personal injury lawyer in Arlington meets the burden of proving liability in a personal injury claim, they carefully calculate the economic expenses, determine an amount for pain and suffering and other damages, and then present their findings to the insurance company to begin negotiations for a settlement. Most cases end with a settlement, but if an insurance company denies a direct claim, your trial-ready Arlington personal injury attorney from Wells Trumbull is more than prepared to go to court and seek a jury verdict for your damages.
What are the Common Causes of Personal Injury Claims in Washington?
Personal injury cases are based on the principle that we all owe a duty of care to those in our orbit, requiring us to take reasonable measures to avoid causing injury. Personal injury cases are based on the following three types of negligent behaviors that result in serious injury to someone else who then suffers damages from the injury:
- Carelessness: when a person, company, business, or other entity fails to take basic, common-sense action to avoid causing harm, such as a driver who causes an accident while texting behind the wheel
- Recklessness: when an individual’s actions disregard the safety of others with gross negligence; for example, if the owner of a nightclub intentionally bars an exit to prevent access to unpaying customers, violating a fire safety law
- Wrongdoing: causing injury to another through an act of wrongdoing such as a violent assault or driving while intoxicated
A personal injury claim proceeds independently of any criminal charges in the case. The criminal justice system focuses on punishing the wrongdoer, while the civil court’s intention is to compensate the injury victim.
Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle In Washington
Personal injury claims cover a wide range of accidents, including:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Medical malpractice cases
- Premises liability cases (a claim against the owner or manager of the property where the accident occurred because of some dangerous condition on the property)
- Product liability cases (a claim against the manufacturer or designer of a dangerous or defective product)
- Construction accidents
- Workplace accidents against parties other than your employer or co-employee
- Bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Dog bites
These are only some of the more common types of personal injury cases. At Wells Trumbull, our personal injury lawyers in Arlington have successfully handled numerous kinds of accident claims. If you have been injured in any type of incident in Arlington or the surrounding area by another party’s fault, let’s discuss your case.
What Types of Injuries are Common In Arlington, WA Personal Injury Cases?
Even relatively minor injuries can quickly cause financial hardship for families due to the high cost of medical care. Hospital bills come in at the same time the injury victim misses work days. More serious injuries may be catastrophic or life-altering, impacting the ability to earn a living and accomplish routine daily tasks. Common injuries in personal injury claims include the following:
- Broken bones
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Burns
- Animal bites
- Soft-tissue injuries such as sprains, strains, and torn ligaments or tendons
- Traumatic limb loss
- Spinal cord injuries
- Lacerations
- Contusions
- Abrasions
- Internal injuries
- Loss of vision or hearing
Wrongful death claims are also a type of personal injury claim. If the circumstances of the injury that caused the death were such that the decedent could have filed a personal injury claim if they’d survived, then a close family member can recover compensation through a Washington Wrongful death claim filed by the decedent’s personal representative named in their will, or a representative assigned by the court.
What Damages Are Recoverable for Injured Victims?
The type and amount of compensation you can recover in a personal injury case in Washington depends on the facts of your specific case and the type and severity of your injuries. However, some of the most common types of damages you may be able to recover include:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning potential
- Property damage
- Expenses incurred to modify your home or vehicle because of your injuries
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Disfigurement and scarring
In Washington, you have the right to recover economic and non-economic damages you incurred due to the fault of another party. However, unlike many other states, Washington does not allow for punitive damages except where specifically allowed by state statute.
Shock and pain make it difficult to take purposeful action after a serious injury, but if an injury victim or a companion with them when the injury occurred can take prompt action, it helps to minimize the harm caused by the injury. It also helps streamline a compensation claim later. After an injury caused by someone else’s actions or negligence, do the following:
- First, apply reasonable first aid and call 911 to request an ambulance if it’s a life-threatening emergency
- If the injury doesn’t require an ambulance, make arrangements for transportation to a hospital or urgent care center
- Use a cell phone camera to take photos of the cause of the injury, like a pool of water on a restroom floor or the scene of a car accident
- Take photos of any visible injuries
- Add the contact information of anyone involved, such as another driver in a collision or a business owner after a premises accident
- Ask for an accident or incident report
An injury victim should always go directly to a hospital after a personal injury or seek medical care as soon as possible. This not only ensures prompt care for an emergency injury but also establishes important evidence that the injury occurred in the accident or incident.
Statute of Limitations In an Arlington,WA Personal Injury Claim
Like all states, Washington has a time limit on how long after an injury the victim may take a personal injury case to court. The statute of limitations for Washington personal injury claims is three years from the day the injury occurred. This time limit protects the defendant against living with the long-term threat of a lawsuit and also helps ensure that evidence is still available if a case requires court. Only under limited circumstances will the state sometimes delay—or toll—the statute of limitations. Examples include cases of delayed discovery of an injury or when an injury victim is incapacitated for a significant time after an accident. If a minor suffers an injury caused by someone else’s actions, the three-year statute of limitations begins on their 18th birthday.
Contact an Experienced Arlington Injury Lawyer
The personal injury attorneys in Arlington from Wells Trumbull have over three decades of experience protecting the rights of injury victims. We have a proven track record of recovering maximum compensation for our clients. We want to fight to do the same for you.
If you have been injured in Arlington or the surrounding area, you may be entitled to recover compensation for your damages
Call Wells Trumbull at (360) 322-1477 or visit our contact page to schedule a free consultation.