Instantly Connect For Your Personal Injury Consultation When Filling Out Form
Your Auburn Personal Injury Attorney
The short answer. In Washington most injury claims must be filed within three years (RCW 4.16.080(2)). The trial court for King County sits in Seattle, at 516 3rd Ave, Rm C-203, Seattle, WA 98104-2361. To talk it through, send the form on this page and we will work to connect you with an attorney in our network.
Getting hurt rarely comes at a convenient time. You may be in pain, missing work and answering calls from an insurance company while trying to learn what you are owed. If your injury in Auburn was someone else’s doing, start with the basics below and go at your own pace.
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 Washington’s own statutes so that you can check them yourself.
Before You Hire: Questions For An Auburn Attorney
Ask these in any first conversation:
- The date. Ask for the specific last day to file in your case. The general rule is three years (RCW 4.16.080(2)).
- Any ceiling. Ask whether any rule restricts the amount you could recover in Washington.
- Your share of fault. Ask how a finding that you were partly responsible would change the numbers (RCW 4.22.005).
- 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.
Personal Injury Types of Cases
Motor Vehicle Accidents
As long as the person that was operating the vehicle that injured you was negligent in some way, you can could have a claim for compensation. This can include.
- Car Accidents
- Truck Accidents
- Bicycle Accidents
- 18 wheeler Accidents
- Motorcycle crashes
- Drunk Driving
- Distracted Driving
- Aggressive Driving
- and other types of motor vehicle accidents
Work Place Accidents
These types of personal injury lawsuits involve more that just a employee and employer. If you feel like your place of employment was negligent in some way, you might have a claim for compensation. These types of accidents can include.
- Slip and Fall
- Unsafe working conditions
- Unmaintained equipment
- Auto Accidents
- Death
- Electrical Hazards
- Occupational illnesses like COPD, contagious diseases, and asbestosis
- personal injuries at work
Premises Liability
Many premises liability claims are from a property owner’s duty to maintain a property in the way that does not endanger others. There are may ways a property owner can violate this duty.
- Broken Stairs
- Unlit alleyways
- Slippery Floors
- Surfaces that are uneven
- Places to receive burns
- Places to receive chemical exposure
- Dog bites
- and other dangerous conditions
Wrongful Death
When negligence leads to fatal injuries, a wrongful death suit can help the surviving family members hold the negligent company, persons, and or person accountable for what was done. A wrongful death case can involve different types of compensation from other personal injury claims. After a fatal accident, family members can ask an attorney to review what compensation the surviving loved ones may have a right to. These types of accidents can include.
- Auto Accident
- Maritime Accident
- Drowning
- Electrocution
- Falls
- Helicopter Accident
- Fire
- Firearm
- and other types of wrongful deaths
Injured in Auburn? Get matched with an attorney now.
Your Own Share Of The Blame
Having made a mistake yourself does not end a claim in Washington. The source is RCW 4.22.005.
Your own share of the fault reduces your award in proportion to that share, and no fixed percentage ends the claim by itself, though a few narrow statutory exceptions can still bar a claim (RCW 4.22.005). Insurers often press this point first, so keep notes about how the injury happened.
Limits On What You Can Recover
The law of Washington restricts limits on damages for injury. The state constitution restricts such limits.
Ask an attorney which special rules, if any, reach your case.
Filing Deadlines For Injury Claims
A lawsuit for most injuries in Washington must be started within three years (RCW 4.16.080(2)). Extra time can be available for a child and in some other limited situations (RCW 4.16.190).
A claim against a government body usually has its own claim or notice steps that must be followed before you sue, so ask early (RCW 4.92.090, 4.92.100, 4.92.110). If someone died, the personal representative brings the claim and the general three year period of RCW 4.16.080(2) applies (RCW 4.16.080(2)). Ask in your first conversation which date applies to your claim.
Insurance Limits To Know
Under RCW 46.30.020(1)(a) and RCW 46.29.090(1), an auto liability policy in Washington must provide at least $25,000 for injury to one person, $50,000 for injury to two or more people in one accident and $10,000 for property damage.
When the other driver carries only the minimum and your injuries are serious, any other policy that applies becomes important. Before you accept a payment, ask your attorney to check for every policy that might apply, yours included.
Local Courts and Hospitals in Auburn
The Census Bureau lists Auburn in more than one county: King County and Pierce County. For King County, the Washington court directory shows the superior court in Seattle, at 516 3rd Ave, Rm C-203, Seattle, WA 98104-2361. The Washington court directory lists the superior court for Pierce County in Tacoma, at 930 Tacoma Ave S, Rm 334, Tacoma, WA 98402-2108. MultiCare Auburn Medical Center in Auburn appears on the state list of trauma centers as a Level III trauma center.
In the federal Hospital General Information file, the closest hospital to Auburn is Multicare Auburn Medical Center in Auburn, 1.0 miles, an acute care hospital (202 North Division Street Plaza One, Auburn, WA 98001). After it come St. Francis Community Hospital in Federal Way, 5.3 miles, an acute care hospital; then Multicare Covington Medical Center in Covington, 6.2 miles, an acute care hospital. All distances are straight line miles from Auburn.
A straight line is shorter than the drive from Auburn. Ask each provider for your complete records and an itemized bill, and note the date of every appointment.
The file also lists Valley Medical Center in Renton at 9.5 miles and Multicare Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup at 9.5 miles. Counting hospitals in a straight line from Auburn: 5 within 10 miles, 20 within 25 miles, 28 within 50 miles.
Closest to Auburn among the places this site covers are Sumner, 5.4 miles south; Kent, 5.8 miles north; and Federal Way, 6.0 miles west. From Auburn, Spokane lies 224 miles east and Seattle 23 miles north.
Your First Step After Getting Hurt In Auburn
Start with the form at the top. It asks a few questions about the injury. NeedAnAttorney.net reviews your details and works to match you with an attorney in our network who may handle cases in Washington. Using it is free, and it does not create an attorney client relationship.
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
Which other places near Auburn does this site cover?
By Census coordinates the nearest are Sumner, 5.4 miles south; Kent, 5.8 miles north; and Federal Way, 6.0 miles west, all in a straight line from Auburn.
How much can I recover for pain and suffering in Washington?
Pain and suffering is proved by the facts of your case, so ask which rules, if any, apply to your claim. The bills, the missed work and the lasting effects drive the amount. The facts of your claim drive the amount.
How low can the other driver’s liability limits be?
An auto liability policy must provide at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for injuries, plus $10,000 for property damage (RCW 46.30.020(1)(a) and RCW 46.29.090(1)). A serious injury can cost more than the other driver’s policy pays. Keep the other driver’s insurance details from the day of the crash.
How far is the closest hospital from Auburn?
In a straight line it is 1.0 miles to Multicare Auburn Medical Center in Auburn, an acute care hospital; St. Francis Community Hospital in Federal Way is 5.3 miles and Multicare Covington Medical Center in Covington is 6.2 miles. Call 911 in an emergency; not every hospital has an emergency room.
Do I need to speak with the adjuster right away?
It is fair to say you are getting advice first. You can ask for questions in writing. An attorney can speak to the insurer for you.
What if a city, county or other government body caused my injury?
Possibly. Special claim or notice steps can apply (RCW 4.92.090, 4.92.100, 4.92.110). The notice steps can differ from those for other claims. Write down the date and place of the injury. For a city or county, the claim form goes to the entity’s designated agent (RCW 4.96.020).
What should I ask an attorney who handles cases near Auburn?
Ask each attorney you consider whether they handle cases where you live, how you would meet and how the fee works. Compare more than one before you decide.
When does the time to file an injury claim run out in Washington?
Within three years for most injury claims (RCW 4.16.080(2)). A child can have extra time, and so can a few other limited situations (RCW 4.16.190). Write down the date of the injury now.
Help Elsewhere in Washington
The same matching service covers more of Washington. Pick the community closest to where it happened.
