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Your Lakewood 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.
Recovering from an injury is hard enough without legal confusion on top of it. If someone else’s carelessness hurt you in Lakewood, you are allowed to take your time understanding your options before you sign or say anything.
This page is general information, not legal advice. NeedAnAttorney.net matches people with attorneys and does not represent anyone. The legal points below come from Washington’s statutes, and the form at the top of the page is how you reach an attorney.
Questions Worth Asking In Lakewood
Whoever you speak to, a few answers tell you a lot:
- Your share of fault. Ask how a finding that you were partly responsible would change the numbers (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)).
- Limits on damages. Ask whether any rule restricts the amount you could recover in Washington.
- The money terms. Ask how fees are calculated and which costs come out of a recovery.
- 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 Lakewood? Get matched with an attorney now.
Sharing Blame And Your Claim
Being partly at fault is common, and in Washington it changes the amount rather than ending the claim. 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
Most injury claims in Washington must be filed within 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, and the general three year period of RCW 4.16.080(2) applies (RCW 4.16.080(2)). If a government body may be responsible, the steps can differ (RCW 4.92.090, 4.92.100, 4.92.110). Write down the date of the injury now so the count is never in doubt.
Local Courts and Hospitals in Lakewood
Pierce County is the county the Census Bureau assigns to Lakewood. 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 Lakewood, the state list of trauma centers names St. Clare Hospital as a Level IV trauma center.
The three hospitals nearest Lakewood in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Hospital General Information file, measured in a straight line from the town’s coordinates, are St. Clare Hospital in Lakewood, 1.3 miles, an acute care hospital; St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, 6.8 miles, an acute care hospital; and Tacoma General Allenmore Hospital in Tacoma, 7.5 miles, an acute care hospital. The street address of St. Clare Hospital is 11315 Bridgeport Way S W, Lakewood, WA 98499.
These figures are straight line distances, so the drive from Lakewood is longer. Whichever provider treated you, request your complete records and an itemized bill, and keep a list of every appointment.
Further down the same list are Multicare Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup (11.2 miles) and St. Francis Community Hospital in Federal Way (13.1 miles). The file lists 3 hospitals within 10 miles of Lakewood, 12 within 25 miles and 29 within 50 miles, all in a straight line.
Closest to Lakewood among the places this site covers are Tacoma, 6.9 miles northeast; Puyallup, 11.3 miles east; and Milton, 11.6 miles northeast. The reference cities are 33 miles north (Seattle) and 241 miles east (Spokane).
What To Do Once You Are Ready To Talk In Lakewood
The form at the top of this page is the starting point. NeedAnAttorney.net reviews your details and works to match you with an attorney in our network who may handle cases in Washington. It costs nothing to use and does not commit you to anything.
Until someone calls, make a simple record: what happened, the date and time, names of anyone who saw it, the treatment you have had, and the days you missed from work. Keep every bill and letter in one place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it matter that I was partly to blame?
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 and witness names help show where the fault lies. Do not guess about fault when you talk to an insurer.
Is there a ceiling on what I can recover for pain and suffering?
The amount is shown by the medical records and the proof of your losses; ask an attorney whether any limit applies to your facts. How fault is assigned can also change the amount. Lasting effects and missed work are part of what is proved.
Does Washington require drivers to carry liability insurance?
Liability coverage of at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for injuries (RCW 46.30.020(1)(a) and RCW 46.29.090(1)). Those figures are floors, not a measure of what a claim is worth. Ask an attorney to check every policy that may apply.
Which hospital is closest to Lakewood?
St. Clare Hospital in Lakewood is closest on the federal hospital list, 1.3 miles away in a straight line, an acute care hospital. St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma is 6.8 miles away and Tacoma General Allenmore Hospital in Tacoma is 7.5 miles away. In an emergency call 911 first; not every hospital has an emergency room.
What other places near Lakewood have their own page here?
Tacoma is 6.9 miles northeast of Lakewood, Puyallup is 11.3 miles east and Milton is 11.6 miles northeast, by straight line from the Census coordinates.
What if a public vehicle hit me?
Often with special steps. Special claim or notice steps can apply (RCW 4.92.090, 4.92.100, 4.92.110). The rules for public bodies differ from the rules for private parties. Do not wait to ask.
What should I ask when choosing an attorney for Lakewood?
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.
Is there a time limit for an injury claim in Washington?
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.
If You Were Hurt Somewhere Else In Washington
People are hurt in every part of Washington. These pages cover other communities.
