Proven Vancouver, WA Personal Injury Attorneys Ready To Assist You
If you live in Vancouver, there is probably a specific reason why. Whether you commute across the Columbia River or you enjoy soaking in all that the Pacific Northwest has to offer, there is a very good chance that you live here because there is no other place you would rather be.
Of course, Vancouver is not perfect. We have our issues just like every other city in America. Auto accidents are common, companies don’t do enough to keep their workers safe, doctors make mistakes, and far too many children fall victim to sexual abuse.
Do You Have a Personal Injury Claim in Vancouver, WA?
Were you injured in an accident in Vancouver, WA? Find out if you are entitled to financial compensation. We offer free initial consultations, and you can contact us 24/7.
If you have been injured in an accident, whether that means a car accident, a bicycle accident, medical malpractice or some other type of injury it, is important to find out if you are entitled to financial compensation. Whether you suffered a broken bone, have been diagnosed with head or back trauma, or are struggling to cope with any other type of serious injury, asserting your right to compensation could be critical to your long-term recovery. With offices in Vancouver, WA we have decades of experience representing accident victims in Washington. We have recovered millions of dollars in compensation for clients suffering due to accidents ranging from vehicle collisions to malpractice. Our Vancouver, WA personal injury attorney focuses exclusively on representing accident victims and their families. We have done so for more than 25 years. We are known for our client-first approach to legal representation, and we are trusted for our results in insurance settlement negotiations and complex personal injury litigation.
Have you been injured in an accident in Vancouver, WA? If so, we encourage you to give us a call. We will make arrangements for you to meet with one of our lawyers as soon as possible, and we will not charge you any fees or costs unless we win your case. Our Vancouver, WA personal injury lawyer provides compassionate, personalized, and aggressive legal representation, and we do what it takes to make sure our clients receive the compensation they deserve.
“I am forever grateful for Tom D’Amore and the staff at D’Amore Law Group who helped play a role in the recovery of this compensation. I would highly recommend this law firm to any of my friends and family, and be able to do it without a doubt in my mind that they would be well taken care of.” – E. Dodge, Washington
Vancouver, WA Personal Injury Law Firm for All accident-related Claims in Washington
Auto Accidents
Protecting your legal rights after an auto accident in Vancouver can be extraordinarily challenging. From proving liability to calculating your losses, and from dealing with the insurance companies to filing any and all third-party claims you have available, you need to know what you are doing every step of the way. With decades of experience representing auto accident victims and their families, our attorneys can help you, and we are prepared to work quickly to recover the financial compensation you deserve.
Semi-Truck Accidents
Semi-truck accidents present even more challenges than “ordinary” auto accident cases. There are more potential factors involved, and this means that there are more companies that are potentially liable for your losses. These companies almost certainly have defense counsel on retainer to fight accident victims’ claims. To have any hope of securing a financial recovery, you will need to have a team of experienced Vancouver, WA personal injury lawyers on your side as well.
Construction Site Injuries
Accidents on construction sites are far more common than they should be. Safety requirements for construction sites exist at the state and federal levels. Yet, it is widely recognized that working in construction is among the most dangerous occupations in the country. If you were injured on a construction site, there are multiple parties that could potentially be liable for your losses, and our Vancouver, WA personal injury attorneys can do what is necessary to secure just compensation on your behalf.
Medical Errors
In an ideal world, medical errors would not happen. Doctors would take the time to carefully attend to their patients’ needs (and would not feel pressured to rush patient visits in order to maximize insurance reimbursements), they would refer patients to specialists when necessary, and all health care providers would prioritize patient care over all else. Unfortunately, this is not the case, and medical errors are not only common, but they are also a leading cause of death in the United States.
Child Injury and Sexual Abuse
Another unfortunate reality of our society is that some people choose to take advantage of children. From family members to members of the clergy, child injury & sexual abuse is an issue that cannot – and should not – be ignored. If you were victimized as a child, if your child is a victim, or if you have any reason to suspect that your child may be a victim, you should speak with an attorney promptly. We urge you to contact us right away for a free and confidential consultation.
Our practice involves representing individuals in cases involving all types of serious accident-related injuries. Our experienced legal team routinely represents clients in Vancouver, WA who have been injured due to:
- Car Accidents
- Highway-Roadway Accidents
- Trucking Accidents
- Bicycle Crash Accidents
- Pedestrian Accidents
- Motorbike Accidents
- Wrongful Death
- Construction Accidents
- Medical Negligence and Malpractice
- Medication Errors
- Spinal Cord and Head Injury
- Sinus Surgery Injury
- Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse
- Child Injury
- Product Liability
- Class Actions
- Bad Faith Attorneys & Insurance Fraud
You Don’t Have Forever to File a Claim: Washington’s Statute of Limitations
Courts do not want to hear lawsuits about events that occurred a long time ago. Witnesses disappear or forget, evidence deteriorates, and it becomes progressively harder to reconstruct exactly what happened. For this reason, the State of Washington imposes a deadline for filing a claim in court. If you miss the deadline, the court will dismiss your complaint no matter how much evidence you have.
How Much Time Do You Have?
You can think of the statute of limitations deadline as a clock that begins ticking backward on a certain date, until it hits zero. If you have a personal injury claim, for example, the clock starts ticking on the date of your injury and hits zero three years later. If the victim died in the accident and the personal representative of the probate estate seeks to file a wrongful death claim, the clock starts ticking on the victim’s date of death and hits zero three years later. Your Vancouver personal injury attorney can help you identify the statute of limitations that applies to your claim.
When Is a Claim Considered “Filed”?
Claim Considered “Filed”?To file a claim and beat the statute of limitations countdown, you must:
- File a formal complaint with a court of appropriate jurisdiction (and pay the filing fee); or
- Formally serve the summons on the defendant.
Accomplishing either one of the aforementioned actions is enough to beat the statute of limitations deadline.
“Tolling” the Statute of Limitations Clock
The statute of limitations is “tolled” when an event or circumstance temporarily stops the countdown. There are two common events that can “toll” the statute of limitations clock, giving you more time to file a lawsuit:
- The victim was under 18 or mentally incompetent at the time of the accident; or
- The defendant leaves the state or hides.
The clock will start ticking again once the victim reaches 18, the defendant returns to Washington, etc.
The Vancouver WA personal injury attorneys at D’Amore Law Firm can help you beat the statute of limitations deadline.
Frequently-Asked Questions (FAQs): Seeking Compensation for Accident-Related Injuries in Vancouver, WA
Q: When can I seek financial compensation for an accident-related injury in Washington?
In the vast majority of cases, personal injury claims are governed by the law of “negligence.” If you can prove that someone else was negligent in causing the accident that led to your injury, you are entitled to seek full compensation for your injury-related losses.
Examples of negligence include:
- Distracted, drowsy, and drunk driving
- Running red lights and stop signs
- Merging or turning without looking
- Prescribing an improper medication, or overdosing or under-dosing a patient
- Improperly diagnosing (or failing to diagnose) a patient’s condition
- Making mistakes during treatment or surgery
Q: Can I recover compensation for my lost wages?
Yes. If you are entitled to compensation, your claim should include the income you have already lost as a result of your injury (i.e. days you were unable to go to work) as well as your lost future earning capacity. In order to prove your lost earning capacity, you will need a comprehensive diagnosis and medical evidence demonstrating the long-term effects of your injuries. Contact our knowledgeable and experienced Vancouver WA personal injury lawyers to discuss your situation.
Q: Can I recover compensation for my pain and suffering?
Yes. In addition to financial losses such as medical expenses and lost wages, if you are entitled to compensation, you can recover your non-financial losses as well. This includes:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of companionship and consortium
- Loss of society, services, and support
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Q: What does it mean for a personal injury lawyer to handle cases “on contingency”?
When an injury lawyer handles cases “on contingency,” this means that you are not required to pay any legal fees unless your claim is successful. Your initial consultation is free, you will not receive monthly legal bills, and your attorney’s compensation will be calculated as a percentage of your total recovery.
Q: The insurance company says they will settle with me out of court. So why do I need a lawyer?
The question is not simply whether or not you receive compensation, but how much compensation you receive. Insurance company adjusters are professional negotiators, and they know personal injury law better than just about anyone except an injury lawyer. You will be at a serious disadvantage if you try to represent yourself.
Q: The defendant says the accident was partly my fault. What happens if he is right?
If he is right, a court (or an insurance company at the negotiating table) will subtract from your damages in proportion to your fault. For example, it will subtract 20 percent of your damages if you were 20 percent at fault, but you would still receive the other 80 percent.
Q: I was hit by an uninsured drunk driver. Can I file a claim against the bar that sold him alcohol?
Perhaps. Washington has passed a “dram shop law” to provide for this situation. The strength of your claim, of course, depends on the facts of your case. Your chances are much better if the driver was visibly intoxicated at the time he was served alcohol or if the driver was under 21 and the bar did not check his ID. Social hosts (such as party hosts) can also be held liable.
Q: How will I know when to settle my case?
Knowing when to settle your case requires a critical assessment of all of the factors that make your case unique. You will need to know the answers to questions such as: What is your claim worth? Could you have been partially at fault in the accident? How strong is your evidence of fault? What is your likelihood of success if you take your case to trial?
At D’Amore Law Group, we will help you answer all of these questions – and many more – so that you can make an informed decision about maximizing your financial recovery.
Information to Collect after an Accident in Vancouver, WA
After an accident, the burden of proving that you are entitled to financial compensation is on you. While your lawyer will be able to conduct an investigation and gather evidence, it will be helpful for you to try to collect some information as well. If possible, you should bring the following to your free initial consultation:
- Police Report – If you (or anyone else) called 911 after the accident, the responding officer may have prepared a police report. If you received a copy of the report, you should give it to your lawyer.
- Insurance and Contact Information – If you were injured in a car accident or on someone else’s property and you were able to obtain the driver’s or property owner’s insurance information, you should give this to your attorney as well. If your case involves nursing home abuse or malpractice, be sure you know the name and location of the facility where you were harmed.
- Medical Records – Your medical records will be critical to proving the financial and non-financial costs of your injuries, including your long-term treatment needs and the extent of your pain and suffering. If you have any records from your initial medical visits, it will be helpful for your attorney to be able to review them during your initial consultation.
- Employment Records – If you have missed (or will miss) days from work as a result of your injuries, you may be entitled to compensation for your lost wages. Your attorney will need your employment information in order to calculate your losses and communicate with your employer on your behalf.
- Personal Notes – After any type of accident, it is important to try to take as many notes as possible. Write down as many details as you can remember from the day of the accident, and try to keep a daily log of your doctor’s visits, missed time from work, and all of the other ways your injuries impact your life.
5 Key Facts about Personal Injury Claims in Vancouver, WA
1. Knowing What Happened and Convincing the Insurance Companies Are Different Matters Entirely.
While you may know (or have a pretty good idea) of what happened, in order to recover just compensation, you will need evidence of liability. The insurance companies aren’t going to take you at your word, and they aren’t going to pay anything unless the evidence proves that they have a legal obligation to do so.
2. Few Accident Victims Understand the Full Financial Impact of Their Injuries.
While you are no doubt feeling the financial strain as a result of your injuries, understanding the long-term financial implications of your accident requires an expert assessment of your medical needs, the disabling effects of your injuries, and various other issues. Until you have a full picture of your current and future losses, you cannot make informed decisions about settling your claim.
3. Once You Accept a Settlement, Your Personal Injury Claim Is Over.
While you may be able to accept a partial payment from your insurance company without waiving your legal rights, you need to be extremely careful to preserve your claim for compensation. If you accept a settlement, your claim will be over and you will be unable to seek any additional compensation for your accident-related losses.
4. If You Do Not Stand Up for Your Legal Rights, No One Else Will.
As an accident victim in Vancouver, the onus to protect your legal rights is on you. No matter how sympathetic the other driver, property owner, or other liable parties might seem; and no matter what the insurance companies say on television; they are ultimately going to put their interests first. If you are going to recover just compensation, it is going to be because you took the necessary steps to assert your rights under Washington law.
5. In Order to Recover Just Compensation, You Need an Experienced Attorney on Your Side.
All of this means that it is strongly in your best interests to hire an experienced Vancouver personal injury lawyer to represent you. With all that you have at stake, and with everyone else looking out for themselves, you need to be able to rely on someone who has the knowledge, experience, and desire to make sure you receive just compensation.
Free Consultation: Speak with our Vancouver Personal Injury Lawyer
If you have been injured in Vancouver, Washington, we encourage you to contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation about your legal rights. To speak with one of our experienced Vancouver, WA personal injury attorneys in confidence, please call or tell us about your case online today.
