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Your Seward Personal Injury Attorney
An injury changes the pace of your days. Medical visits, paperwork and worry about money can crowd out everything else. If you were hurt in Seward because of another person’s actions, this page explains how Alaska treats injury claims so you can plan your next step.
Nothing on this page is legal advice, and NeedAnAttorney.net is not a law firm. It is a service that connects injured people with attorneys. The rules described here are quoted or summarized from Alaska’s own statutes so that you can check them yourself.
Questions Worth Asking In Seward
A short list of questions can sort out who is right for you:
- The date. Ask for the specific last day to file in your case. The general rule is two years (AS 09.10.070(a)).
- If you were partly to blame. Ask what happens to your award if a jury assigns you a percentage of fault (AS 09.17.060).
- The damage limit. Ask how the statutory cap on noneconomic damages applies to someone with your injuries (AS 09.17.010).
- Fees and costs. Ask what the fee is, when it is paid, and which expenses are deducted from a settlement.
- Who will work on it. Ask who handles your file day to day and how fast messages are answered.
Kinds of Injury Claims
Vehicle crashes
Whether the collision was minor or serious, the same early steps help: get checked by a doctor, photograph the vehicles and the scene, exchange insurance information and keep any repair estimates.
Pedestrian and bicycle injuries
If a driver hit you while you were on foot or on a bike, note exactly where it happened, what the signals and lighting were like, and who saw it. Ask the people who stopped to leave their names and numbers.
Falls and unsafe property
Slips, trips and falls come from spills, uneven surfaces, poor lighting and broken stairs. What matters is who controlled the place and how long the problem was there, so document the hazard and tell the owner or manager promptly.
Wrongful death
If someone you love died because another person was careless or at fault, the law treats it separately. Alaska law lets the personal representative bring the action (AS 09.55.580(a)). You do not have to sort this out alone or quickly; an attorney can explain who is allowed to act and what the dates are.
Injured in Seward? Get matched with an attorney now.
When You Were Partly At Fault
Many people stay quiet because they think any mistake of their own ends a claim. In Alaska it does not. Under AS 09.17.060, a claimant’s own fault reduces the damages in proportion to that fault and does not bar recovery, so a person found 25 percent responsible still receives 75 percent of the damages.
When more than one party shares responsibility, AS 09.17.080 has the judge or jury assign a percentage to each claimant, defendant and released person, and each defendant answers according to its own percentage. A person who settled early still receives a share of the fault, which can change what is left for the others.
What Alaska Caps In An Injury Award
Alaska limits what a court can award for noneconomic loss, meaning pain, suffering, inconvenience, physical impairment, disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life and loss of consortium. Under AS 09.17.010, the usual ceiling for one injury or death is the greater of $400,000 or the injured person’s life expectancy in years multiplied by $8,000.
A higher ceiling applies in a personal injury action involving severe permanent physical impairment or severe disfigurement: the greater of $1,000,000 or life expectancy in years multiplied by $25,000. Medical bills and lost wages are economic losses and fall outside these limits.
When the Clock Starts and Stops
A person bringing a claim for personal injury or death must commence the action within two years of when it accrued (AS 09.10.070(a)). A wrongful death action must be commenced within two years after the death, under AS 09.55.580(a). The clock can be paused while a claimant is a minor or legally incompetent (AS 09.10.140), and when a child under eight is injured, the time before the eighth birthday is not counted. Because exceptions are narrow and a missed deadline can end a case, ask about dates in your first conversation.
What The Other Driver’s Policy Must Cover
Under AS 28.20.440(b), an owner’s liability policy must provide at least $50,000 for injury to one person, $100,000 for injury to two or more in a single accident, and $25,000 for property damage. The same section calls for uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage in at least those amounts, but under AS 28.20.445 an insured may reject that coverage in writing, so check whether your own policy includes it. If your medical costs are higher than the other driver’s limits, coverage from your own policy may become important.
Where Treatment and Court Happen in Seward
Seward is in Kenai Peninsula Borough. The Alaska Court System’s directory lists a court location in Seward, in the Third Judicial District, at 410 Adams Street. Providence Seward Medical Center in Seward appears on the Alaska Department of Health list of trauma centers, designated Level IV.
Ask every provider for your full records and an itemized bill, and keep a running list of appointments. A transfer between hospitals leaves two sets of records, so request both.
Where To Begin After An Injury In Seward
Use the form at the top of the page to tell us what happened. We connect you with an attorney who takes injury cases in the Seward area. There is no charge to submit it, and submitting it does not hire anyone.
Meanwhile, jot down the facts while they are fresh: date, time, place, who was there, what care you have had and what work you have missed. Save every bill and every message from an insurer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I speak with the other driver’s insurance company?
You are free to talk to them, but you are not required to give a recorded statement immediately. Saying that you want advice first is a reasonable answer.
Is there a fee for the form on this page?
No fee for the form. Many attorneys take injury cases on a contingency basis, so ask how it works and get the terms in writing.
Do I need an attorney who works near Seward?
It helps. An attorney who handles cases near Seward knows the local courts and providers, and the form on this page matches you with one.
What is the deadline to sue for an injury in Seward?
Two years from when the claim accrued for most personal injury claims (AS 09.10.070(a)), and two years after the death for wrongful death (AS 09.55.580(a)).
Does Alaska bar me from recovering if I share the blame?
No. Under AS 09.17.060 your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault, and you can still recover the rest.
Does Alaska put a ceiling on pain and suffering?
Yes, a statutory one: the greater of $400,000 or life expectancy in years times $8,000, and a higher limit for severe permanent impairment or disfigurement (AS 09.17.010).
What are Alaska’s minimum auto insurance limits?
At least $50,000 for injury to one person, $100,000 for injury to two or more in one accident, and $25,000 for property damage (AS 28.20.440(b)).
Which records matter most after an accident?
Keep your medical records and itemized bills, photographs of the scene and injuries, any police or incident report number, proof of missed pay, repair estimates, and all messages from insurers.
If You Were Hurt Somewhere Else In Alaska
The directory lists every Alaska community that has a page.
