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Your Coeur d'Alene Personal Injury Attorney
The short answer. In Idaho most injury claims must be filed within two years (Idaho Code 5-219(4)). The trial court for Kootenai County sits in Coeur d’Alene, at 324 West Garden Avenue, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814. To talk it through, send the form on this page and we will work to connect you with an attorney in our network.
Nobody plans for the call that follows an accident. Whether you were hurt in a crash, a fall or something else in Coeur d’Alene, the weeks afterward bring decisions that feel bigger than they should. Here is what Idaho law says, in plain terms, so you can ask better questions.
A quick note on what this page is: general information about Idaho injury law, written from the statutes, from a matching service that does not practice law. It is meant to help you ask good questions, not to decide your case.
Before You Hire: Questions For A Coeur d'Alene Attorney
Bring these to your first call, whoever it is with:
- The deadline. Ask the attorney to name the exact last day to file for your claim. The general limit for injury claims in Idaho is two years (Idaho Code 5-219(4)).
- If you were partly to blame. Ask what happens to your award if a jury finds you share the blame (Idaho Code 6-801).
- Any ceiling. Ask what limit applies to the award and whether it reaches your claim (Idaho Code 6-1603).
- 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
Walkers and cyclists hurt by a vehicle should write down the location, the time of day, the lighting and the signals as soon as they can. Witnesses who stopped are valuable, so ask for their contact details before they leave.
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
When a death is caused by someone else’s wrongful act or neglect, the claim works differently from an injury claim. A wrongful death claim follows its own rules in Idaho; ask an attorney which date applies (Idaho Code 5-311). This is a hard moment to decide anything, and an attorney can walk you through the steps without hurrying you.
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When You Were Partly At Fault
Your share of the blame decides whether you can recover at all in Idaho. Idaho Code 6-801 sets the rule.
You can recover from a defendant only if your share of the fault is smaller than that defendant’s share, and your award is reduced by your share; with one defendant, a share of 50 percent or more bars the claim (Idaho Code 6-801). Photographs, witness names and medical records help show where the fault lies.
What An Award Can Include
Pain and suffering awards are limited in Idaho. The rule is in Idaho Code 6-1603; ask what amount applies today. The limit does not apply to causes of action arising out of willful or reckless misconduct, or to acts a jury finds beyond a reasonable doubt would be a felony.
Ask how the limit would apply to your claim. Punitive damages are limited separately (Idaho Code 6-1604(1)-(3)).
Time Limits To Know
A lawsuit for most injuries in Idaho must be started within two years (Idaho Code 5-219(4)). Extra time can be available for a child and in some other limited situations (Idaho Code 5-230).
A claim against a government body usually has its own claim or notice steps that must be followed before you sue, so ask early (Idaho Tort Claims Act, Idaho Code 6-905). If someone died, a separate set of rules can apply (Idaho Code 5-311). Ask in your first conversation which date applies to your claim.
Why Policy Limits Matter
The least liability coverage an auto policy in Idaho can provide is $25,000 for injury to one person, $50,000 for injury to two or more people in one accident and $15,000 for property damage (Idaho Code 49-1229(1) and 49-117(20)).
Those figures are floors, and a serious injury can cost more than the other driver’s policy pays. They are minimums, not a measure of what your claim is worth.
Courts and Hospitals Near Coeur d’Alene
Kootenai County is the county the Census Bureau assigns to Coeur d’Alene. Kootenai County’s First Judicial District district court is listed in Coeur d’Alene, at 324 West Garden Avenue, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814. In Coeur d’Alene, the state list of trauma centers names Kootenai Health as a Level II trauma center.
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.
How To Begin Your Coeur d'Alene Claim
Use the form at the top of the page to tell us what happened. NeedAnAttorney.net reviews your details and works to match you with an attorney in our network who may handle cases in Idaho. 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
Is the other driver’s policy enough to cover my injuries?
At least $25,000 for injury to one person, $50,000 for injury to two or more people in one accident and $15,000 for property damage (Idaho Code 49-1229(1) and 49-117(20)). A crash with several injured people can use up limits quickly. It helps to learn early what other coverage may exist.
What should go in my claim folder?
Hold on to your medical bills and records. Add photographs of the scene and of your injuries. Pay stubs that show missed work, repair estimates and every letter or email from an insurer belong in the folder too.
Should I speak with the other driver’s insurance company?
You are free to talk, but nothing requires an immediate recorded statement. Keep it short and take the adjuster’s name and claim number. Nothing you say can be taken back, so take your time.
Do I have to give notice before suing a government body?
Special rules may apply. Special claim or notice steps can apply (Idaho Tort Claims Act, Idaho Code 6-905). The notice steps can differ from those for other claims. Write down the date and place of the injury.
Which court would hear an injury case from Coeur d’Alene?
The court is chosen by the type and size of the case and where the injury happened. Ask your attorney to confirm it. The court listing described above names the local court locations.
When must an injury lawsuit be filed in Idaho?
Within two years for most injury claims (Idaho Code 5-219(4)). The period can be longer for a child, and a few other situations extend it too (Idaho Code 5-230). An early start protects the evidence.
Can I still recover if the accident was partly my fault?
Under Idaho law, you can recover from a defendant only if your share of the fault is smaller than that defendant’s share, and your award is reduced by your share; with one defendant, a share of 50 percent or more bars the claim (Idaho Code 6-801). Ask how the rule would be argued in your case. Raise it early with any attorney you speak with.
Does Idaho put a ceiling on pain and suffering?
A limit applies in some cases: the amount is set by the statute and can change (Idaho Code 6-1603). The limit does not apply to causes of action arising out of willful or reckless misconduct, or to acts a jury finds beyond a reasonable doubt would be a felony. The amount depends on the facts of your claim. Ask an attorney whether any rule reaches your claim.
Help Elsewhere in Idaho
People are hurt in every part of Idaho. These pages cover other communities.
