Seattle Personal Injury Lawyers

Personal Injury Lawsuit Attorneys in Washington State

When someone is injured because of the negligence, recklessness or even the intentional conduct of someone else, that injured person has legal rights and options available for justice under the laws of Washington. However, despite all of the advertisements that make it seem as though recovering justified compensation is a simple process, the fact of the matter is that obtaining justice is a process that requires the help of experienced Seattle personal injury lawyers.

Below you’ll find information regarding the standards of proof involved in filing a Washington personal injury lawsuit, and you’ll also find some examples of common personal injury settlements and cases in WA that include traffic accidents, dog bites and dangerous drug claims for injuries that result in lawsuits.

Washington Personal Injury Law and Negligence

If someone is seriously injured because of another person’s faulty actions and that injured person decides to file a Washington personal injury lawsuit, Washington law requires that four elements be proven successfully in order for that injured party to recover monetary compensation. Below is a brief overview of these elements of proof that must be established in this type of a lawsuit.

Legal Duty of Care in Personal Injury

The first element of negligence that must be proven successfully by the injured party is proof that the defendant in a lawsuit owed the plaintiff a legal duty of care. A legal duty of care can be described as a general expectation that the plaintiff could be free of actions by the defendant that placed the plaintiff in situations of unreasonable harm or injury. This duty generally extends to any potential plaintiff that is foreseeable and anyone who could be affected by the defendant’s actions.

Breach of the Duty of Care

If the plaintiff successfully proves that he or she was owed a legal duty of care, the next step is to prove that the defendant breached this duty. This is done by showing that the defendant did not act as a reasonable person would have acted in a similar situation. This is often a question of fact for the court to decide based on the evidence that’s presented, and this unreasonable conduct is what tends to constitute negligence.

Causation

Causation is the third element of proof in a negligence case in Washington, and this element is one of the most difficult legal concepts in existence. Basically, the plaintiff must show that the defendant’s breach of his or her legal duty of care caused the injuries that were suffered by the plaintiff. These injuries could have been caused either directly or indirectly, but some sort of link between the defendant’s unreasonable conduct and the resulting injuries suffered must be established.

Damages

Finally, if all of the elements above are proved successfully, the plaintiff must show that he or she suffered actual damages as a result of the defendant’s negligent conduct. These damages can be direct or tangible in nature, and examples of these types of damages include medical costs, lost income and property damage. Damages can also be intangible in nature, and examples of these types of damages include pain and suffering and extreme emotional distress.

Common Washington Personal Injury Cases

While most Washington personal injury cases involve the standards of proof that are described above, there are also common types of lawsuits that arise. Below you’ll find a few examples of these common types of Washington personal injury claims.

Washington Traffic Accidents

Thousands of Washington traffic accidents occur every year, and these accidents usually lead to some sort of assignment of fault. There are situations where one party is clearly at fault and others where both parties share the blame to some extent for what occurred. Experienced Seattle auto accident lawyers can help those who have been harmed in a collision with the following:

• Analyzing the fault
• Negotiating a possible settlement with the other driver’s insurance company
• Negotiating a settlement with the defense attorney
• Preparing for trial
• Managing the trial
• Collecting the judgment

Each of these steps is invaluable in terms of the benefits they provide to someone who is working to overcome the injuries he or she suffered.

Washington Dog Bites

Millions of dog bites occur in the United States every year, and the majority of people who are injured in these situations are children. When someone is injured in this type of situation, experienced Seattle dog bite lawyers can help those who have been harmed gather and organize the relevant evidence that relates to the situation and work to hold the responsible dog owner accountable for the harm that has been endured.

Dangerous Drug Representation and Lawsuits

Countless people in Washington depend on some form of medication to help manage their health problems. Unfortunately, there are drugs that reach the market that are defective and those that lead to the development of side effects. When these situations arise, holding the drug manufacturer accountable is an intricate task when dealing with multi-billion-dollar corporations. Washington dangerous drug lawyers who have handled these cases successfully in the past will be able to level the playing field between the consumer who has suffered and the corporation that should be held responsible.

Contact a Seattle Personal Injury Lawyer

If you or someone you love has been harmed in any way as a result of the actions of someone else, you need to take immediate steps to protect your legal rights. Contact the Seattle personal injury lawyers at Phillips Law Firm today to schedule a free initial consultation.