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Your Longview 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 Cowlitz County sits in Kelso, at 312 SW 1st Ave, Fl 2, Kelso, WA 98626-1739. To talk it through, send the form on this page and we will work to connect you with an attorney in our network.
An injury changes the pace of your days. Medical visits, paperwork and worry about money can crowd out everything else. If you were hurt in Longview because of another person’s actions, this page explains how Washington treats injury claims so you can plan your next step.
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.
Before You Hire: Questions For A Longview Attorney
Ask these in any first conversation:
- 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)).
- Your share of fault. Ask how a finding that you were partly responsible would change the numbers (RCW 4.22.005).
- 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 Longview? Get matched with an attorney now.
Your Own Share Of The Blame
Many people stay quiet because they fear any mistake of their own ends a claim. In Washington it does not. 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.
When The Clock Starts And Stops
The general time limit for an injury claim in Washington is 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). Ask in your first conversation which date applies to your claim.
Courts and Hospitals Near Longview
The Census Bureau places Longview in Cowlitz County. Cowlitz County’s superior court is listed in Kelso, at 312 SW 1st Ave, Fl 2, Kelso, WA 98626-1739. PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center in Longview appears on the state list of trauma centers as a Level III trauma center.
The three hospitals nearest Longview in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Hospital General Information file, measured in a straight line from the town’s coordinates, are PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center in Longview, 1.5 miles, an acute care hospital; Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center in Vancouver, 33.0 miles, an acute care hospital; and Providence Centralia Hospital in Centralia, 39.2 miles, an acute care hospital. The street address of PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center is 1615 Delaware Street, Longview, WA 98632.
These figures are straight line distances, so the drive from Longview is longer. Whichever provider treated you, request your complete records and an itemized bill, and keep a list of every appointment.
The file also lists PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Cente in Vancouver at 40.4 miles and Arbor Health Morton Hospital in Morton at 43.2 miles. Counting hospitals in a straight line from Longview: 1 within 10 miles, 1 within 25 miles, 5 within 50 miles.
Closest to Longview among the places this site covers are Chehalis, 35.8 miles north; Vancouver, 39.3 miles southeast; and Centralia, 39.8 miles north. From Longview, Spokane lies 281 miles northeast and Seattle 106 miles north.
How To Get Matched With An Attorney In Longview
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.
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
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. Medical bills and lost income are handled separately from pain and suffering. An attorney can tell you which rules apply to your facts.
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.
Which hospital is closest to Longview?
PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center in Longview is closest on the federal hospital list, 1.5 miles away in a straight line, an acute care hospital. Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center in Vancouver is 33.0 miles away and Providence Centralia Hospital in Centralia is 39.2 miles away. In an emergency call 911 first; not every hospital has an emergency room.
Which other places near Longview does this site cover?
By Census coordinates the nearest are Chehalis, 35.8 miles north; Vancouver, 39.3 miles southeast; and Centralia, 39.8 miles north, all in a straight line from Longview.
What if the injury happened on public property?
There are 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.
How long does an injury settlement take?
It varies with the injury and the insurer. 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)).
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). How the blame is assigned matters. Keep notes about how the injury happened.
Injury Attorney Pages For Other Washington Communities
The same matching service covers more of Washington. Pick the community closest to where it happened.
