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Your Rawlins Personal Injury Attorney
Recovering from an injury is hard enough without legal confusion on top of it. If someone else’s carelessness hurt you in Rawlins, 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 Wyoming’s statutes, and the form at the top of the page is how you reach an attorney.
Questions To Ask A Rawlins Injury Attorney
Bring these to your first call, whoever it is with:
- If you were partly to blame. Ask what happens to your award if a jury assigns you a percentage of fault (W.S. 1-1-109).
- The date. Ask for the specific last day to file in your case. The general rule is four years (W.S. 1-3-105(a)(iv)(C)).
- Any ceiling. Ask whether anything caps what you could recover. The Wyoming Constitution says no law may limit the damages for causing injury or death (Wyoming Constitution Article 10, section 4(a)).
- 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.
Common Kinds of Injury Claims
Vehicle crashes
After a crash, see a doctor even if you feel fine, since some injuries show up later. Take photographs of the cars, the road and any injuries, get the other driver’s insurance details, and save every repair estimate.
Pedestrian and bicycle injuries
If a driver hit you while you were on foot or on a bike, note exactly where it happened, what the signals and lighting were like, and who saw it. Ask the people who stopped to leave their names and numbers.
Falls and unsafe property
Wet floors, icy steps and broken railings cause injuries that turn on how long the hazard existed and who was responsible for it. Photograph the hazard as soon as you can and report the fall to whoever runs the property.
Wrongful death
When a death is caused by someone else’s wrongful act or neglect, the claim works differently from an injury claim. Wyoming law requires a wrongful death action to be brought by the wrongful death representative for the exclusive benefit of the beneficiaries (W.S. 1-38-102). This is a hard moment to decide anything, and an attorney can walk you through the steps without hurrying you.
Injured in Rawlins? Get matched with an attorney now.
Fault Shared Among Several People
People often assume that if they made a mistake, they get nothing. Wyoming law is more forgiving. Under W.S. 1-1-109, contributory fault does not bar a recovery if the claimant’s fault is not more than fifty percent of the total fault of all actors, and the damages are diminished in proportion to the claimant’s share.
The same statute has the jury decide the total damages without regard to fault and the percentage of fault of each actor, and then the court reduces the award by the claimant’s percentage. Each defendant is liable only to the extent of that defendant’s own proportion of the total fault, so who else shares the blame matters.
What Wyoming Does Not Cap
Many states limit pain and suffering awards. Wyoming’s Constitution takes a different position: no law shall be enacted limiting the amount of damages to be recovered for causing the injury or death of any person (Wyoming Constitution Article 10, section 4(a)). That means compensatory damages in an ordinary injury or death claim are not capped by a statute.
Claims against a governmental entity are different. Under the Governmental Claims Act, liability is generally limited to $250,000 for any claimant for claims arising out of a single transaction or occurrence, and $500,000 for all claims of all claimants from that occurrence (W.S. 1-39-118(a)), subject to the exceptions written into the statute.
When the Clock Starts and Stops
Wyoming allows four years for most injury claims that do not arise on a contract (W.S. 1-3-105(a)(iv)(C)), but only two years after the death for a wrongful death action (W.S. 1-38-102). Missing the date usually ends the case, so ask any attorney to name the exact last day for yours.
A minor or a person under a legal disability may have more time: W.S. 1-3-114 gives three years after the disability is removed or any other statutory period, whichever is greater. Health care claims are carved out of that rule.
Insurance Minimums in Wyoming
Wyoming’s financial responsibility law sets the minimum for an owner’s liability policy at $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for injuries, plus $20,000 for property damage (W.S. 31-9-405(b)). A crash with several injured people can use up those limits quickly.
That is why other coverage matters. Before you accept a payment, ask your attorney to check for every policy that might apply, yours included.
Medical Care and the Courthouse for Rawlins
The Wyoming Department of Health’s list of designated trauma centers names Memorial Hospital of Carbon County in Rawlins as a Community Trauma Hospital. According to the court locator of the Wyoming Judicial Branch, the District Court of the Second Judicial District sits in Rawlins, at 415 West Pine Street, Rawlins, WY 82301. The Census Bureau counts Rawlins in Carbon County.
Keep copies of everything the hospital or clinic gives you, ask for an itemized bill, and note each appointment as it happens. If you moved between facilities, collect the records from each one.
Starting The Personal Injury Attorney Wyoming Rawlins Intake Process
Fill in the form at the top of this page. NeedAnAttorney.net will connect you with an attorney who handles Rawlins injury cases, and the form is free to use. Sending it does not mean you have hired anyone.
While you wait, write down what happened and when, who saw it, what treatment you have received and how many days of work you missed. Put bills, letters and insurance messages in one folder.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I talk to the other side’s insurance company?
You can, but you do not have to give a recorded statement right away. It is fair to say you are getting advice first.
Are there special steps for claims against the government?
There are. The itemized written claim must be presented within two years of the act, error or omission (W.S. 1-39-113(a)), and the action follows within one year after filing the claim (W.S. 1-39-114).
Should my attorney be local to Rawlins?
Not required, but useful. Someone who works regularly near Rawlins will know how the nearby courts and clinics operate.
How long do I have to file an injury lawsuit in Wyoming?
For most injury claims, four years from when the claim accrues (W.S. 1-3-105(a)(iv)(C)). A wrongful death action must be commenced within two years after the death (W.S. 1-38-102(d)).
If I was partly responsible, can I still recover something?
Yes, if your fault is not more than fifty percent of the total fault of all actors. Your damages are then reduced by your percentage (W.S. 1-1-109(b)).
Is there a limit on damages for an injury in Wyoming?
No statutory ceiling applies to ordinary injury or death claims, because Article 10, section 4(a) of the Wyoming Constitution forbids one. Governmental entities are the exception, with limits in W.S. 1-39-118(a).
How much insurance does the other driver have to have?
An owner’s policy must provide at least $25,000 for injury to one person, $50,000 for injury to two or more in one accident, and $20,000 for property damage (W.S. 31-9-405(b)).
Which records matter most after an accident?
Keep your medical records and itemized bills, photographs of the scene and injuries, any police or incident report number, proof of missed pay, repair estimates, and all messages from insurers.
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