Wenatchee Car Accident Lawyer

Automobiles are a big part of life for most Americans. We spend hundreds of hours every year driving for work and pleasure. Vehicles are also getting bigger every year, meaning that a wreck with a car, truck, or SUV can cause more serious injuries. If you have been hurt in a crash, you need quality legal guidance to determine who is at fault.

When you contact us at Calbom & Schwab, we will schedule a free consultation with a reputable Wenatchee car accident lawyer who has spent years handling cases like yours. We are skilled at negotiating with insurance companies and defense lawyers to secure the maximum compensation available for our clients. 

Trust in the Wenatchee Auto Accident Lawyers of Calbom & Schwab

At Calbom & Schwab, our car accident lawyers believe in providing experienced and reliable representation when you have been hurt in a crash. We assess your situation, explain your options, and fight tirelessly to achieve a satisfactory outcome. We are also committed to working ethically and with integrity, as well as being deeply in our community of Wenatchee, WA.

Established in 1954, we operate across Washington State, bringing nearly 70 years of experience to every case. After an accident, you want someone you can rely on to tackle the legal battles for you while you recover. We want to be that trusted advisor for you when you have been hurt. 

Our Wenatchee car accident attorneys strive to exceed your expectations by taking the time to understand your case fully. We return your phone calls and messages promptly and keep you updated on the progress of your claim. We have staff who are fluent in Spanish so that you are comfortable working with us and fully understand our advice. We work across Washington to help clients protect their rights when they have been harmed by others. 

Start Protecting Your Claim as Soon as You Are Injured

After a car accident, you are likely disoriented and potentially injured. It is a difficult time to think clearly and consider what you say to others. However, there are actions you can take that will give you a firm footing for an injury claim if someone has hurt you. These steps can prevent insurance companies and other drivers from taking advantage of you.

To protect your rights, we recommend the following actions:

  • Collect photos and videos: Take pictures of your injuries, car damage, road conditions, weather, and anything else that may help. Ask someone to help if you are unable to do this.
  • Exchange details: You are required by law to share your contact information and insurance details. Collect this from everyone who was involved in the crash. 
  • Avoid small talk: Do not say anything that could be an admission of guilt or assigns blame. This can be difficult when you are shaken up, but your words can be used against you later.
  • Get medical care: Get evaluated and treated by first responders. If you are not transported to a hospital, follow up with your personal physician.
  • Collect witness information: Ask bystanders for their contact details so your attorney can interview them later.
  • Write down what happened: Make a record of the accident by writing or dictating the details while your memory is fresh.
  • Hire an auto accident lawyer: Schedule a free case evaluation with Calbom & Schwab to explore your options for compensation. 
  • Avoid social media: Refrain from discussing or posting about your accident. Insurance companies and defense lawyers will scrutinize everything you say to deny their client’s liability. 

Your first priority is to get medical care and begin recovering. However, there are valid reasons for being careful about what you say and do after a car accident. Insurance companies will not hesitate to pin the blame on you for the crash. They will hire private investigators to find “proof” that you are exaggerating your injuries, even if that proof is shaky. 

Calbom & Schwab’s Wenatchee auto accident attorneys will discuss your case and guide you with customized advice for your unique situation. We help you avoid common pitfalls and mistakes that could jeopardize your chance for compensation. 

You Deserve Full Compensation for Your Injuries and Damage

After a car crash, your injuries and property damage can range from minor to catastrophic. When someone else is to blame for your crash, you deserve repayment for every penny of loss. You would not have experienced the inconvenience, pain, and injury if the accident had not occurred. You must be made whole.

This means different things to each client, and our car accident attorneys will listen to your story to determine how your wreck has impacted your life. We will calculate your economic damages, which have fixed monetary values, as well as your non-economic losses, which are more subjective. We can suggest damages you may not have considered, such as loss of intimacy with your partner.

Our auto accident attorneys focus on meeting all your needs, including your physical, emotional, and financial recovery. We maintain a network of medical experts who can diagnose your injuries and project your future treatment expenses. We also work with reputable auto repair specialists to provide estimates for vehicle repair or replacement. 

You Can Claim Lost Wages, Emotional Distress, and More

You should consider numerous types of damages when putting together an insurance claim or car accident lawsuit. You need reimbursement for your medical and property damage expenses, but you also deserve compensation for other aspects of your life you have overlooked. 

When you suffer extreme injuries, your costs can skyrocket and may last many months or even years after your wreck. Our Wenatchee car accident lawyers will negotiate aggressively to secure a fair settlement so that you can adjust comfortably to the effects of your injuries. 

Our team has helped clients seek restitution for various expenses listed below.

Medical Expenses 

This will likely make up the largest portion of your compensation demands, followed by your property damage claim. Even minor injuries can be costly in today’s healthcare market. When an injury worsens, you could face a mountain of bills you should not have to pay without restitution from those who hurt you. When someone else is responsible, we will hold them accountable.

You can claim more than just your doctor bills. Any expense related to your care can be included, such as surgeries, ICU, ER, therapy, travel expenses for treatment, prescription medications, and mobility devices. You can also claim any renovations you must make to your home to accommodate a lengthy or permanent disability. 

Your car accident lawyer from Calbom & Schwab will compile a list of all your current medical expenses and include an estimate of your future needs. We will ensure you are not left with bills you cannot pay once we reach a settlement. 

Lost Income and Job Benefits

Even when the accident is relatively minor, you will still have to take time from work to visit the doctor and take your car for repair. For more serious crashes, you could be out of work for some time, losing income and other benefits. You cannot afford to do without this income, and the person responsible must repay this loss to you.

You may miss accruing time that affects your bonuses, vacations, and other benefits. When you are not drawing your paycheck, you are not making retirement contributions and insurance payments. We will review your situation and recommend all appropriate work-related losses.

Lost Income Potential 

Serious injuries can put you out of work for a long time, impacting your ability to get raises, promotions, or bonuses. Your plans to advance in your career could be changed, leaving you with less income over your working life than you have planned. When someone has stolen this from you by their careless actions, you must seek compensation for your loss. 

Property Damage

You will likely need repairs to your vehicle or even a new car if yours is totaled in the crash. However, you should also include items such as luggage, cell phones, computers, clothing, and anything else that gets damaged. For example, if you had a trunk full of expensive holiday gifts when the accident occurred, the cost of replacing those presents can be part of your claim. 

Non-Economic Damages

Each person is affected differently by a crash, even if they were in the same vehicle and the same accident. Some folks will bounce back physically and mentally, while others will be severely changed. You may think it is greedy to ask someone to pay for your suffering, but our auto accident lawyers can remind you how your life has been turned upside down. 

You have the right to seek financial restitution for your mental anguish, emotional distress, depression, isolation, and anxiety. You may develop PTSD after your crash and be limited in how you can return to your life before the accident. Other losses you could experience include:

  • Unable to pursue your fitness or health goals
  • Can no longer enjoy your hobbies or activities
  • Reduced ability to guide and care for your children
  • Suffering a sense of isolation from society
  • Shame, embarrassment, and fear surrounding scars, amputations, or disfigurement

Your Wenatchee Car Accident Lawyer Will Investigate Liable Parties and Hold Them Accountable

Most car accidents result from someone’s poor choices or inattention to their driving. You should not have to suffer the consequences when they have been careless, and your auto accident attorney can ensure they are held accountable. We will also conduct a thorough investigation to determine all the parties who could have contributed to your crash.

Our team will collect evidence from a number of sources to support your claim of negligence and the validity of your damage demands. We rely on documentation such as: 

  • Cell phone records
  • Black box data showing if a car or truck accelerated or braked at the time of the crash
  • Photographs of:
    • Your injuries
    • Damage to your property
    • Weather and road conditions
    • Environmental factors such as trees, signs, and other objects
  • Security, traffic, dashboard, and other camera footage
  • Police reports
  • Repair estimates
  • Your medical records
  • Testimony from witnesses and crash experts

In addition to other drivers, you may have a valid claim against a repair shop that used substandard parts, a manufacturer who designed a faulty vehicle, or a bar that overserved the person who crashed into you. You could even seek compensation from a government agency that failed to keep the roads clear of hazards that caused you to wreck.

Insurance Claims May Not Cover All Your Damages

Washington law requires all drivers to carry a minimum amount of liability insurance. Drivers must pay for any damage and injury they cause during a wreck, and this insurance is intended to verify that they can cover the losses. However, motorists only need to carry minimum amounts, which are:

  • $25,000 for injuries or death inflicted on one person
  • $50,000 total for injuries or death per accident (two or more people)
  • $10,000 for damage to property

As you can see, these small amounts will quickly be used up in healthcare costs and auto repair. If your car is totaled, you will struggle to find a replacement for $10,000. Likewise, ICU and ER charges alone can quickly climb into hundreds of thousands, outstripping the coverage limit. On top of this, insurance companies will fight against paying anything to you.

Insurance adjusters know you are worried about these bills and are anxious to get money in a hurry. They will first try to minimize or deny your injury claims, or they may delay responding to you. They hope you will get desperate enough to accept an insultingly low offer.

At Calbom & Schwab, we aggressively push back and will not let them take advantage of you. Our auto accident lawyers have years of experience negotiating satisfactory settlements for our clients. We also prepare your claim for court from the beginning so we do not lose time when the insurance company does not meet our demands. 

Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit After a Car Accident

Filing insurance claims should be your first step after a crash, but if you are injured and struggling to heal, you need help. The same is even more true when it comes time to proceed to court for your claim. Insurance companies will have teams of lawyers, and defendants will definitely use a car accident attorney to protect their rights. You should not risk facing the legal system alone.

Instead of struggling with the complex process of pursuing a lawsuit, turn things over to a Wenatchee car accident attorney at Calbom & Schwab. We help you avoid mistakes that could cost you your right to compensation. The statute of limitations for filing a lawsuit is only three short years from the date of your accident. If you wait too long, your claim will be denied.

We will work to produce a solid case that demonstrates the four elements of negligence:

  1. The defendant owed you a duty of care.
  2. They failed to uphold that duty.
  3. You suffered injuries and damage as a direct result of their failure.
  4. You incurred expenses related to your damage and injuries.

Proving these elements is the key to securing the compensation you deserve from those who hurt you. Your car accident attorney will interpret the law to your advantage and ensure that blame is placed where it belongs.

When Car Accidents End in Death, We Can Help

When the very worst happens and you lose a loved one in a car crash, Calbom & Schwab stands ready to help you. You will face all the same concerns about medical bills and justice, along with the expenses for burial and your personal grief. We have handled many wrongful death lawsuits and understand how to build your case to maximize your chances of success. 

In Washington, a personal representative must file the suit on behalf of the deceased person’s estate to benefit the survivors. This may be a lawyer, an executor for the estate, or anyone who is acting in the best interests of all the survivors in the estate. 

Wrongful death statutes indicate that a settlement or jury award be paid to:

  • The decedent’s spouse or registered domestic partner
  • The decedent’s children and stepchildren
  • The decedent’s parents and siblings if there were no spouse or children, and the parents and siblings were financially dependent on the deceased 

Like any other personal injury case, a wrongful death claim must prove negligence and must be filed within three years of the date of death. If your loved one succumbed to their injuries days, weeks, or months after the accident, then the statute of limitations will start then instead of the day of the crash. Your Wenatchee auto accident attorney can give you more details about how these and other factors may affect your claim. 

Contact a Wenatchee Car Accident Lawyer Today

Facing the uncertainty surrounding a car crash can be overwhelming when it is unclear who is at fault. This stress is made worse when you are hurting and just want to rest so you can recover. Turn your burden over to a skilled, top-tier Wenatchee car accident lawyer, and we will handle all the details for you.

At Calbom & Schwab, we treat every case with the same compassion, determination, and dedication to success. We offer experienced legal representation to help you recover emotionally, physically, and financially from your crash. Do not wait any longer to schedule your free consultation.
Learn more about your options by contacting us today.