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Your Enumclaw 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.
If you are reading this after an accident in Enumclaw, you are probably tired, sore and unsure whom to trust. That is normal. A few rules learned early can keep you from making choices that are hard to undo.
We match people with attorneys; we do not advise on cases. Treat what follows as a plain language guide to Washington law drawn from the statutes. When you want to talk to an attorney, the form at the top of this page is the way to start.
What To Ask Before You Choose An Attorney In Enumclaw
Bring these to your first call, whoever it is with:
- Your share of fault. Ask how a finding that you were partly responsible would change the numbers (RCW 4.22.005).
- 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)).
- 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 Enumclaw? Get matched with an attorney now.
What Shared Blame Means For You
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.
The Deadline To Sue
Washington allows three years to file most injury claims (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)). Missing the date usually ends the case, so ask any attorney to name the exact last day for yours.
Minimum Coverage And Your Claim
Liability coverage on an auto policy in Washington must be 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)).
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 Enumclaw
The Census Bureau lists Enumclaw in more than one county: King County and Pierce County. The Washington court directory lists the superior court for King County 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. In Enumclaw, the state list of trauma centers names St. Elizabeth Hospital as a Level V trauma center.
The three hospitals nearest Enumclaw in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Hospital General Information file, measured in a straight line from the town’s coordinates, are St. Elizabeth Hospital in Enumclaw, 0.4 miles, a critical access hospital; Multicare Covington Medical Center in Covington, 12.1 miles, an acute care hospital; and Multicare Auburn Medical Center in Auburn, 13.5 miles, an acute care hospital. The street address of St. Elizabeth Hospital is 1450 Battersby Avenue, Enumclaw, WA 98022.
These figures are straight line distances, so the drive from Enumclaw is longer. Whichever provider treated you, request your complete records and an itemized bill, and keep a list of every appointment.
Fourth and fifth on the list are Multicare Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup, 14.2 miles, and St. Francis Community Hospital in Federal Way, 16.9 miles. Within 10, 25 and 50 miles of Enumclaw the file shows 1, 12 and 27 hospitals, by straight line.
Closest to Enumclaw among the places this site covers are Bonney Lake, 8.2 miles west; Maple Valley, 11.6 miles north; and Sumner, 11.7 miles west. The reference cities are 33 miles northwest (Seattle) and 215 miles east (Spokane).
Getting Started With Your Claim In Enumclaw
Fill in the form at the top of this page. NeedAnAttorney.net reviews your details and works to match you with an attorney in our network who may handle cases in Washington. The form is free to use, and sending it does not mean you have hired 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
What do Washington drivers have to carry for injuries to others?
The minimums are $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)). Your own policy may add coverage. Check uninsured and underinsured coverage on your own policy.
Which hospital is closest to Enumclaw?
St. Elizabeth Hospital in Enumclaw is closest on the federal hospital list, 0.4 miles away in a straight line, a critical access hospital. Multicare Covington Medical Center in Covington is 12.1 miles away and Multicare Auburn Medical Center in Auburn is 13.5 miles away. In an emergency call 911 first; not every hospital has an emergency room.
What other places near Enumclaw have their own page here?
Bonney Lake is 8.2 miles west of Enumclaw, Maple Valley is 11.6 miles north and Sumner is 11.7 miles west, by straight line from the Census coordinates.
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.
What court would handle a case from Enumclaw?
It depends on who is being sued and how much is claimed. Have the attorney name the court before you file anything. See the court information above for the location the state lists.
How long do I have to file an injury lawsuit in Washington?
For most injury claims, three years (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.
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). Insurers often raise this point first. An attorney can explain how the rule fits your facts.
Does Washington limit how much I can recover?
Ask an attorney whether any rule limits the amount for your kind of claim; the facts and the records drive the number. How fault is assigned can also change the amount. Lasting effects and missed work are part of what is proved.
If You Were Hurt Somewhere Else In Washington
NeedAnAttorney.net connects injured people throughout Washington with attorneys who handle cases in their area.
