Instantly Connect For Your Personal Injury Consultation When Filling Out Form
Your Bellingham 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 Whatcom County sits in Bellingham, at 311 Grand Ave, Ste 501, Bellingham, WA 98225-4038. To talk it through, send the form on this page and we will work to connect you with an attorney in our network.
After an injury, ordinary life gets heavy. There are appointments to keep, bills arriving, and a claim that nobody explained to you. If another person’s carelessness hurt you in Bellingham, it is reasonable to want a clear picture before you decide anything.
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 A Bellingham Attorney
Ask these in any first conversation:
- If you were partly to blame. Ask what happens to your award if a jury finds you share the blame (RCW 4.22.005).
- 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.
- 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.
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 Bellingham? Get matched with an attorney now.
How Fault Is Divided
Fault is rarely all on one side, and Washington law accounts for that. 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.
Is There A Ceiling On The Award
The amount of an award in Washington is not fixed by a general statute. The state constitution restricts such limits.
The facts of your claim drive the amount.
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)). Records fade and witnesses move, so an early start helps even well inside the limit.
The Court and Hospitals Behind a Bellingham Claim
The Census Bureau places Bellingham in Whatcom County. For Whatcom County, the Washington court directory shows the superior court in Bellingham, at 311 Grand Ave, Ste 501, Bellingham, WA 98225-4038. In Bellingham, the state list of trauma centers names PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center as a Level II trauma center.
In the federal Hospital General Information file, the closest Washington acute care or critical access hospital to Bellingham is PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham, 1.3 miles, an acute care hospital (2901 Squalicum Parkway, Bellingham, WA 98225). After it come Island Hospital in Anacortes, 18.5 miles, an acute care hospital; then PeaceHealth United General Medical Center in Sedro-Woolley, 19.9 miles, a critical access hospital. All distances are straight line miles from Bellingham.
A straight line is shorter than the drive from Bellingham. Ask each provider for your complete records and an itemized bill, and note the date of every appointment.
Further down the same list are Skagit Valley Hospital in Mount Vernon (24.2 miles) and PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center in Friday Harbor (30.0 miles). The file lists 1 Washington acute care or critical access hospital within 10 miles of Bellingham, 4 within 25 miles and 8 within 50 miles, all in a straight line.
Closest to Bellingham among the places this site covers are Anacortes, 19.6 miles south; Sedro-Woolley, 20.0 miles southeast; and Mount Vernon, 24.3 miles south. From Bellingham, Spokane lies 244 miles east and Seattle 79 miles south.
What To Do Once You Are Ready To Talk In Bellingham
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.
Before the first call, collect the basics: the date, the place, names of witnesses, your medical visits and your missed work. A single folder for bills, letters and photographs saves time later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there limits on an injury award in Washington?
It depends on the facts of your claim, so ask an attorney whether any rule limits it in your case. The bills, the missed work and the lasting effects drive the amount. The facts of your claim drive the amount.
What are the minimum auto insurance limits in Washington?
$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident and $10,000 for property damage (RCW 46.30.020(1)(a) and RCW 46.29.090(1)). Several policies can apply to one crash. Before you accept a payment, check for every policy that may apply.
How far is the closest hospital from Bellingham?
In a straight line the nearest Washington acute care or critical access hospital is PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham, 1.3 miles, an acute care hospital; Island Hospital in Anacortes is 18.5 miles and PeaceHealth United General Medical Center in Sedro-Woolley is 19.9 miles. Call 911 in an emergency; not every hospital has an emergency room.
Which other places near Bellingham does this site cover?
By Census coordinates the nearest are Anacortes, 19.6 miles south; Sedro-Woolley, 20.0 miles southeast; and Mount Vernon, 24.3 miles south, all in a straight line from Bellingham.
Are there special steps for claims against the government?
There are special steps. Special claim or notice steps can apply (RCW 4.92.090, 4.92.100, 4.92.110). Different entities can have different steps. Keep every letter you receive from a public agency.
When will I know what my claim is worth?
It depends on how long you need treatment. Claims often wait until your condition is clear and the total losses are known. A lawsuit adds time.
Is there a deadline for suing after an accident in Washington?
Generally three years (RCW 4.16.080(2)). A child may have more time, and a few other limited situations extend the period too (RCW 4.16.190). A wrongful death claim is brought by the personal representative under the general three year period of RCW 4.16.080(2) (RCW 4.16.080(2)).
If I was partly responsible, can I still recover something?
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). Photographs and witness names help show where the fault lies. Do not guess about fault when you talk to an insurer.
Help Elsewhere in Washington
The same matching service covers more of Washington. Pick the community closest to where it happened.
