Walla Walla Car Accident Lawyers
A negligent motorist can cause a car accident in Walla Walla, WA that leaves you with an injury. By filing a personal injury claim, you can hold this motorist accountable. A personal injury lawyer can submit your claim and help you pursue the most compensation possible.
Calbom & Schwab Law Group, PLLC is a top choice for personal injury lawsuits in Washington State. Our car accident lawyers can help you navigate the ins and outs of your auto crash claim. To learn more, please reach out to us.
Why Car Crashes Happen in Walla Walla
There were 603 fatal car crashes reported in Washington State in 2021, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Fatal and non-fatal car accidents happen in Walla Walla and other Washington cities and towns every day. They occur for many reasons, such as:
Distracted Driving
A motorist can look down at their cell phone or GPS system and get distracted. Ultimately, distracted driving can lead to an accident. If you are involved in a crash caused by a driver who claims they were distracted, a car accident lawyer can help you seek damages from this individual.
Intoxicated Driving
In Washington, a motorist can have their license suspended and face other penalties if they are found to be driving under the influence. Along with these penalties, this motorist is subject to personal injury claims. A car accident attorney can work with you to submit a claim against a driver if they were operating their car while intoxicated and crashed their vehicle into yours.
Speeding
It is a driver’s responsibility to follow the posted speed limit. If a motorist chooses to speed, they may not be able to stop quickly enough to prevent a collision. Regardless, you can partner with an auto accident lawyer who can help you get compensation from a motorist who was speeding and caused your collision.
Fatigued Driving
A driver may feel tired behind the wheel, especially if this motorist has been traveling for many hours. At this point, the driver should take a break from traveling. Otherwise, if a driver is fatigued, they may struggle to stay focused and can cause an accident.
Lack of Experience
Teens between the ages of 16 and 19 years old face a higher risk of car crashes than motorists in any other age group, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) points out. If a teen driver lacks experience, they may feel stressed out behind the wheel. This can lead to mistakes — and accidents.
Car Performance Issues
A motorist should address any car performance issues before they escalate. If a driver is dealing with faulty brakes or other vehicle problems, this motorist can put themselves and others in danger. If a vehicle issue makes it difficult to stop or slow down, it can contribute to an accident.
Poor Weather or Road Conditions
Rain and other harsh weather conditions can impact visibility for drivers and make the roads slick. Meanwhile, potholes and other hazards can hamper a driver’s ability to navigate the roads safely. Even if a driver blames the weather or road conditions for an accident, they can still be held responsible for the incident.
At Calbom & Schwab Law Group, PLLC, we make it easy to connect with best-in-class car accident attorneys. We can take a look at your auto accident case and help you determine if now is the time to submit a personal injury claim. For more information, please get in touch with us.
What to Do If You Are Involved in a Car Crash in Walla Walla
A car accident can happen without notice and put you in a difficult spot. As soon as your crash happens, take a deep breath and try to focus on getting through the incident. Here are things you can do to protect yourself and others involved in your crash.
Get Away from Traffic
If possible, move your car to a safe spot on the side of the road. Make sure that you and any passengers in your car are OK. Check to see if the other driver and anyone else involved in the crash is safe.
Call 911
Notify 911 about your accident and provide the 911 operator with as much information as you can. This will prompt medical personnel and police officers to come to the collision scene. Medical professionals can treat anyone who got hurt in the crash, and police officers can get information that they can use to prepare a collision report.
Get the Other Driver’s Contact Information
Ask the other driver involved in your crash for their full name, driver’s license, and insurance information. You will need this information if you want to get compensation from the motorist. If there were witnesses who saw your crash happen, ask these individuals for their contact information as well.
Collect Evidence
Take photos and videos from the scene of your accident. Each photo and video that you take can serve as a piece of evidence in your personal injury claim. Your body of evidence can help you secure a personal injury settlement award that meets your expectations.
Go to a Doctor
Do not try to “tough it out” in the hours and days following your collision. If you visit a doctor, you can get a medical evaluation and find out if you are dealing with any injuries that may affect you long into the future. The doctor can treat your injuries and provide tips and recommendations to prevent these issues from getting any worse.
Notify Your Insurance Company About Your Crash
Let your insurer know about your accident. When you do, stick to the facts. Do not accept responsibility for the crash since doing so can compromise your ability to get damages.
Reach Out to Auto Accident Attorneys
Connect with an auto accident attorney, and they can answer frequently asked questions and many others about car crash claims. A lawyer can provide honest and unbiased feedback about your case. If an attorney feels you have a strong case against a negligent motorist, they will let you know.
You should not wait too long after your auto crash to contact a lawyer. If you do, you risk missing out on an opportunity to pursue compensation. On top of that, you may have to cover all of the costs associated with your auto accident out of your own pocket.
How Much Time You Have to Submit a Car Accident Claim
Washington has a statute of limitations of three years for personal injury lawsuits. This means you have up to three years from the date of your auto crash and injury to pursue compensation from anyone responsible for them. If you decide against submitting a claim during this period, you are 100% responsible for all of the costs associated with your accident and injury.
Auto accident lawyers take the guesswork out of personal injury claims. If you want to file a lawsuit against a negligent motorist, a car crash attorney can help you out. Your attorney will submit your claim in accordance with Washington’s statute of limitations and put you in a great position to get compensation.
Filing a lawsuit does not guarantee an instant result. It can take months or years to receive damages in an injury case. Your lawyer is with you for the long haul and commits as much time as needed to help you get the damages that you deserve.
Damages That You Can Get in an Auto Crash Case
You can request economic and non-economic damages in a personal injury lawsuit in Walla Walla. Economic damages are given out for medical bills, property damage, and other quantifiable losses. Non-economic damages are provided for pain, suffering, and other subjective losses.
There is no restriction on the amount of economic and non-economic compensation that you can ask for in a car crash lawsuit. Your lawyer can help you calculate your losses. They will encourage you to pursue both economic and non-economic compensation and ask for the most money possible.
You may have a compelling argument for compensation, but you still need to prepare for your trial. With your attorney’s help, you can present evidence and witness testimony to show that you deserve damages. Your lawyer will also help you deal with settlement offers that you may receive from the defendant in your case or their insurance company.
How to Deal with a Settlement Offer in Your Car Accident Case
Do not be surprised if you get a call from the motorist who caused your auto crash or their insurance company just days after your collision. In this instance, you may get a settlement offer. If you approve the proposal, you get instant compensation but give up your right to seek any additional damages.
If you are involved in a crash while turning left or any other auto collision caused by someone else, it may be in the at-fault party’s best interests to approve a settlement. Yet, you did not ask for the accident to happen, and the incident can disrupt your life. Thus, if you get a settlement offer in the immediate aftermath of your crash, be skeptical about it, and consult with a lawyer to go over your options from here.
A Walla Walla car accident lawyer can evaluate a settlement proposal with you. Your attorney will not push you to accept or decline the offer. Rather, they will encourage you to view the proposal from all angles so that you can make an informed decision about it.
Factors to Consider When You Evaluate an Auto Accident Settlement Offer
It can be tempting to accept a settlement so that you can close your auto accident case as quickly as you can. Conversely, if you approve a lowball settlement offer, you risk giving up money. In this scenario, you may be forced to pay some of the costs associated with your crash — despite the fact that you were not responsible for it.
To avoid a rash decision about a settlement proposal, consider the short- and long-term ramifications of any choice that you make. If a settlement provides close to the amount of compensation that you want, you may be able to continue to negotiate with the defendant. On the other hand, if a settlement is well short of what you want, you can decline the proposal.
Account for the evidence at your disposal and the overall strength of your case, too. For instance, if you have many pictures of the accident scene, you may be able to use your photos to compel a judge or jury to rule in your favor. Therefore, it may be beneficial to go to trial, share your photos and other pieces of evidence, and let a judge or jury decide whether to award damages.
Why You Need to Show That an At-Fault Motorist Was Fully Responsible for Your Crash
Washington has a “contributory fault” statute in place that applies to auto crash claims and other personal injury cases. Based on this statute, you can share responsibility for a car collision with another driver. If you are found to be partially at fault for your accident, the damages that you are awarded can be reduced by your percentage of fault.
For example, you can suffer an injury in an auto accident and request $5,000 in damages. A judge or jury may find that you were 20% responsible for the incident. If this happens, you will get $4,000 in compensation.
You can sue a negligent motorist if they are even 1% at fault for your auto accident. By partnering with an experienced car collision lawyer, you can build an argument that shows a judge or jury that you were in no way responsible for your crash. Your attorney can also help you avoid legal challenges throughout your litigation.
Get Started with a Walla Walla Auto Accident Claim
Calbom & Schwab Law Group, PLLC is a leading choice for car collision cases in Walla Walla. Our team is available to help you with your auto accident claim in any way that we can. Please contact us today to request a case consultation.