Bellevue Personal Injury Lawyer

Accidents happen every day in Bellevue and across the state of Washington. Some of these are minor. However, sometimes they are major events, leaving victims with serious injuries and upending their lives. When this happens, it’s time to reach out to a Bellevue personal injury lawyer for help.

A lawyer can help in several ways: they can investigate the facts of the case, collect valuable evidence, file a claim, and negotiate a fair settlement. Our team is poised to file a lawsuit if we’re unable to negotiate a fair compensation outside of court. Most important, you only pay us if we’re able to win your case. This means you have access to legal representation without having to pay us upfront.

Why You Should Prioritize Seeking Medical Care 

One of the most important things you can do following an accident (of any kind) is to seek medical care. There are a few reasons for this:

1. A qualified doctor can assess the true extent of your injuries, some of which may not be apparent.
2. You increase your chances of making the best possible recovery.
3. Doctor reports and medical bills are powerful evidence that support your personal injury claim and provide a basis for understanding its value.

We urge our clients to go to the hospital or visit a doctor as soon as possible after their accident. Please call our offices if you require more information about this process.

What Makes Liability Complex 

In your mind, it might seem clear who’s at fault. Someone else was careless or malicious and you were injured as a result. However, you should anticipate that the at-fault party may be prepared to defend their position. Or worse, claim that the accident was your fault.

Other factors may come into play:

• There may be multiple at-fault parties.
• Doctors, property owners, and product manufacturers may retain aggressive legal representation.
• Perhaps you are partially to blame.

This is one reason we highly recommend you reach out to an experienced lawyer from our team. We know the kind of angles insurance companies and other attorneys may throw at you. Please, don’t go it alone.

Washington is a Comparative Fault State 

Suppose you are partially to blame for what happened. For example, perhaps you were speeding at the time of your car crash. Even in this situation, we may still be able to help thanks to Washington’s comparative state law (RCW 4.22.005).

The law allows victims to collect a partial settlement. Here’s what happens: a judge or jury can assign you a percentage you’re to blame. For instance, imagine a judge determines your speeding made you 30% responsible for the injuries you sustained in your crash. Your settlement amount would then be reduced by 30%.

Is a personal injury claim worth still worth pursuing, even if your percentage to be found at fault is high? If your injuries are significant, we think it is! It doesn’t take much to have medical bills pile up. Even a partial award can make a big difference in offsetting these expenses.

Free Case Evaluations for Victims

Ready to discuss what happened with a Bellevue personal injury lawyer? The first step is to call our office or fill out the short form on the homepage of our website. From there, we can schedule a free case review. Please don’t hesitate to reach out.