What Is Washington's Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Cases?
Seattle Personal Injury Attorney
The Statute of Limitations (SOL) is the strict allotment of time after an injury has occurred, where the accident victim can file a claim for damages that may cover lost wages, medical expenses, and any pain and suffering. In the state of Washington, the SOL for filing a personal injury lawsuit is capped at 3 years from the date of the injury, according to RCW 4.16.080.
Once this date has come and gone, the injured victim can no longer pursue any kind of claim for damages. There can be some exceptions to this rule; however, it is best to speak with an attorney as soon as possible after your injuries have occurred.
Do not waste any time - call for your initial consultation with our Seattle injury firm!
Why is it so important to retain an attorney immediately?
After an incident resulting in injury, it is extremely critical that you work with a lawyer right away for a number of reasons. We have laid below out some of the most prominent problems associated with waiting to file a claim and motives why it is important you file a claim today.
- Failure to Notify: It is always important to at least notify the potentially liable party about the accident that resulted in injuries, even if you do not think you will be filing a claim. In some cases, if you do not notify the other party within 30-90 days after the incident, you may not be able to even file a civil suit.
- Evidence May Be Lost: The longer you wait to speak with an injury attorney, the more evidence there is that may be lost. If you retain an attorney early on, they can go to the scene of the accident and take photos of damages, any poorly marked signs, any evidence of fault, local surroundings, and any other pertinent information needed to help your case. Should you wait too long, some of those pieces of evidence may begin to fade or be removed altogether.
- Details Will Become Hazy: If you wait too long to discuss your case with an attorney, chances are that you will forget many of the details of the incident. If you are unable to remember particular or significant pieces of information, this could hurt the success of your overall case.
- Medical Treatment Documentation: Having a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer work with you from the moment of your injury can help you understand the best way to document your medical treatment. You want to keep a thorough record of all injuries, scars, treatments, surgeries, and other procedures to help your claim.
Over 20 Years of Combined Experience – Call (206) 537-0106
At the Law Office of J.D. Smith, PLLC, our Seattle personal injury attorney have 20+ years of collective experience representing clients throughout Washington. We are very familiar with the Statute of Limitations set forward by the state.
We know how to best create a claim that may potentially get you the financial help you need. Not charging any fees unless we recover for you, you have nothing to lose by calling our Seattle injury firm.
Having obtained millions of dollars in compensation for our past clients, give our office a call at (206) 537-0106 for your confidential consultation.
