Washington State Personal Injury

It is possible for a person to recover damages if injured due the negligence of another. If a person is injured in an accident there are several steps the person can take to increase chances of recovery:

• Write down details about the accident or injury, and details about losses (like wages)
• Take careful notes of conversations with others involved in the accident or incident
• Collection of physical evidence or taking photographs if it is believed it will assist the case. For example, it is a good idea to take a photograph of a vehicle which was severely damaged.

How Will Fault for Injury Be Determined?

Various rules of fault may apply. Here are a couple of examples of liability rules in different types of actions:

• Slip and fall in a store. Storeowners must keep their premises reasonably safe for shoppers. They must keep all aisles clear and maintained. A judge or jury will look at whether the owner was aware of the condition that caused your injury and how long it had existed.
• Automobile accident. The injured plaintiff is required to prove that the defendant was negligent, that the negligence caused the accident, and that the accident caused the plaintiff's injuries. As with other types of accidents, figuring out who is at fault in a traffic accident is a matter of deciding who was negligent. Your attorney will look to a number of sources to help you determine who was at fault for your accident, such as police reports, state traffic laws, and witnesses.

What is a claim worth?

Determining how much an injury is worth is, of course, a critical part of any injury case. Unfortunately, it is difficult to generalize about how much an injury might be worth. Some of the factors used to determine the worth of a claim may include the following:

• Medical care and related expenses
• Income lost because of the accident, because of time spent unable to work or undergoing treatment for injuries
• Permanent physical disability or disfigurement
• Loss of family and social interactions
• Emotional damages
• The more painful the injury, the higher the potential damages