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Your Sitka 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 Sitka because of another person’s actions, this page explains how Alaska treats injury claims so you can plan your next step.
This page is general information, not legal advice. NeedAnAttorney.net matches people with attorneys and does not represent anyone. The legal points below come from Alaska’s statutes, and the form at the top of the page is how you reach an attorney.
Before You Hire: Questions For A Sitka Attorney
A short list of questions can sort out who is right for you:
- The deadline. Ask the attorney to name the exact last day to file for your claim. Alaska’s general limit is two years (AS 09.10.070(a)).
- The cap. Ask how Alaska’s limit on noneconomic damages would apply to your injuries (AS 09.17.010).
- 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 people. Ask who will be in touch with you and how quickly they return calls.
- The money terms. Ask how fees are calculated and which costs come out of a recovery.
Injury Claims People Ask About
Vehicle crashes
After a crash, see a doctor even if you feel fine, since some injuries show up later. Take photographs of the cars, the road and any injuries, get the other driver’s insurance details, and save every repair estimate.
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
Wet floors, icy steps and broken railings cause injuries that turn on how long the hazard existed and who was responsible for it. Photograph the hazard as soon as you can and report the fall to whoever runs the property.
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)). This is a hard moment to decide anything, and an attorney can walk you through the steps without hurrying you.
Injured in Sitka? Get matched with an attorney now.
When You Were Partly At Fault
Alaska is a pure comparative fault state. AS 09.17.060 says contributory fault chargeable to the claimant diminishes the compensatory damages in proportion to that fault, and it does not bar recovery. If a jury decided you were 40 percent at fault for a $100,000 loss, you would be awarded $60,000.
AS 09.17.080 covers cases with several people at fault. Fault is divided among everyone, including people who have already settled, and judgment against each defendant follows that defendant’s percentage rather than the whole amount.
Limits On Pain And Suffering Awards
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
Alaska gives you two years. That is the general limit for personal injury under AS 09.10.070(a), and the limit for a wrongful death action under AS 09.55.580(a) runs two years from the death. Ask for the date in writing at your first conversation.
A claimant who is a minor or legally incompetent may have extra time under AS 09.10.140, and the time before a child’s eighth birthday is not counted. Do not rely on an exception without checking it with an attorney.
Insurance Minimums in Alaska
Alaska’s financial responsibility law, AS 28.20.440(b), requires an owner’s liability policy to provide at least $50,000 for injury to one person, $100,000 for injury to two or more people in one accident, and $25,000 for property damage. If your bills pass the other driver’s limit, your own policy matters.
The same section calls for uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage of at least those amounts. AS 28.20.445 lets an insured reject that coverage in writing, so look at your own policy to see whether you have it.
Where Treatment and Court Happen in Sitka
Sitka has a court location in the Alaska Court System directory, part of the First Judicial District, at 304 Lake Street, Rm 203. On the state’s trauma center list, Sitka is shown with SEARHC Mt. Edgecumbe, designated Level IV. Sitka is in Sitka City and Borough.
Keep copies of everything the hospital or clinic gives you, ask for an itemized bill, and note each appointment as it happens. If you moved between facilities, collect the records from each one.
Reaching Out For Help In Sitka
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 Sitka area. There is no charge to submit it, and submitting it does not hire anyone.
While you wait, write down what happened and when, who saw it, what treatment you have received and how many days of work you missed. Put bills, letters and insurance messages in one folder.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
When will I know what my claim is worth?
It depends on how long you need treatment and how the insurer responds. Settlement usually comes after your condition is clear, and a lawsuit adds time.
What is the Alaska statute of limitations for an injury claim?
Generally two years (AS 09.10.070(a)). For a wrongful death, the two years run from the date of death (AS 09.55.580(a)).
If I was partly responsible, can I still recover something?
Yes. Alaska reduces your damages by your percentage of fault and does not bar recovery (AS 09.17.060).
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).
How much insurance does the other driver have to have?
An owner’s policy that meets Alaska’s financial responsibility law must provide at least $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for injuries, and $25,000 for property damage (AS 28.20.440(b)).
What should I save for my claim?
Save treatment records and bills, photographs, the report number if there is one, pay stubs that show lost work, estimates for repairs, and every letter or email from an insurance company.
Do I have to give the other insurer a recorded statement?
Not right away. You may decline a recorded statement until you have talked to someone about your options, and saying so is fine.
If You Were Hurt Somewhere Else In Alaska
The directory lists every Alaska community that has a page.
