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Your Bonney Lake 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 Pierce County sits in Tacoma, at 930 Tacoma Ave S, Rm 334, Tacoma, WA 98402-2108. 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 Bonney Lake, the weeks afterward bring decisions that feel bigger than they should. Here is what Washington law says, in plain terms, so you can ask better questions.
A quick note on what this page is: general information about Washington 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 Bonney Lake 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 Washington is three years (RCW 4.16.080(2)).
- If you were partly to blame. Ask what happens to your award if a jury finds you share the blame (RCW 4.22.005).
- 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 Bonney Lake? Get matched with an attorney now.
When You Were Partly At Fault
Washington does not shut the door on someone who shares the blame. RCW 4.22.005 sets the rule.
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, witness names and medical records help show where the fault lies.
Time Limits To Know
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.
Courts and Hospitals Near Bonney Lake
The Census Bureau places Bonney Lake in Pierce County. Pierce County’s superior court is listed in Tacoma, at 930 Tacoma Ave S, Rm 334, Tacoma, WA 98402-2108. The state list of trauma centers names MultiCare Auburn Medical Center in Auburn, in King County, as a Level III trauma center. Another facility on that list, St. Elizabeth Hospital in Enumclaw, is in King County; it is listed as a Level V trauma center. That list also names St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, in Pierce County, as a Level II trauma center.
Measured in a straight line from Bonney Lake, the nearest hospitals in the federal Hospital General Information file are Multicare Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup, 6.2 miles, an acute care hospital, then Multicare Auburn Medical Center in Auburn, 8.2 miles, an acute care hospital, then St. Elizabeth Hospital in Enumclaw, 8.2 miles, a critical access hospital. Multicare Good Samaritan Hospital is at 401 15th Avenue Se, Puyallup, WA 98372.
Road distance from Bonney Lake is longer than a straight line. Wherever you were treated, ask for the full records and an itemized bill, and keep a list of every visit.
The file also lists St. Francis Community Hospital in Federal Way at 9.9 miles and Multicare Covington Medical Center in Covington at 11.3 miles. Counting hospitals in a straight line from Bonney Lake: 4 within 10 miles, 12 within 25 miles, 28 within 50 miles.
Other places this site covers near Bonney Lake: Sumner at 3.9 miles northwest, Puyallup at 6.1 miles west, Auburn at 7.5 miles north. The reference cities are 30 miles north (Seattle) and 223 miles east (Spokane).
Taking The First Step From Bonney Lake
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 Washington. 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 $10,000 for property damage (RCW 46.30.020(1)(a) and RCW 46.29.090(1)). A crash with several injured people can use up limits quickly. It helps to learn early what other coverage may exist.
What is the nearest hospital to Bonney Lake?
On the federal list the nearest hospital is Multicare Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup (6.2 miles, straight line), then Multicare Auburn Medical Center in Auburn (8.2 miles) and St. Elizabeth Hospital in Enumclaw (8.2 miles). In an emergency call 911; not every hospital has an emergency room.
Which nearby places does this site cover besides Bonney Lake?
Closest by straight line are Sumner (3.9 miles northwest), Puyallup (6.1 miles west) and Auburn (7.5 miles north).
Do I have to give notice before suing a government body?
Special rules may apply. 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.
Which court would hear an injury case from Bonney Lake?
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 Washington?
Within three years for most injury claims (RCW 4.16.080(2)). The period can be longer for a child, and a few other situations extend it too (RCW 4.16.190). An early start protects the evidence.
Can I still recover if the accident was partly my fault?
Under Washington law, 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). Ask how the rule would be argued in your case. Raise it early with any attorney you speak with.
Does Washington put a ceiling on pain and suffering?
It depends on the facts of your claim, so ask an attorney whether any rule limits it in your case. The amount depends on the facts of your claim. Ask an attorney whether any rule reaches your claim.
Help Elsewhere in Washington
People are hurt in every part of Washington. These pages cover other communities.
