The Seattle Personal Injury Blog
Posted Friday, March 25, 2022 by
Chris Thayer
“Road rage” is a term that is thrown around a lot these days, but it is quickly becoming an epidemic. In fact, statistics reflect that road rage is a factor in as many as one in three vehicle accidents. This means that every time you are on the road you are at risk of encountering a rageful or aggressive driver, and these encounters are not likely to end well. Road rage is not only unhealthy, but it also generally involves illegal behaviors that put everyone on the road at risk. If you have been in a car accident that was caused by road rage or aggressive driving, you may have grounds to bring a personal injury lawsuit to recover for the harm you have suffered as a result.
*Bringing a Lawsuit for a Road Rage Accident * While you cannot sue for road rage alone, you can sue if the road rage resulted in physical harm. Personal injury lawsuits exist to restore a victim of someone else’s reckless or negligent conduct to the position they would have been in had the accident never occurred. This means that there must be a financial injury or deficit that can be repaired. If you did not suffer any financial harm as a result of the road rage, a personal injury lawsuit will not be able to provide a remedy. Financial harm should back up your physical harm in the form of medical bills, lost wages, and any other expenses incurred as a direct result of the accident.
A personal injury lawsuit also allows you to recover for pain and suffering caused by the physical and emotional trauma of the accident. Road rage accidents are a good candidate for punitive damages as well. Punitive damages are not available in every case because they are different from other forms of damages. Whereas other forms of damages (economic and pain and suffering) are intended to compensate the victim and make them whole, punitive damages are intended to punish the offender and to discourage others from acting similarly by imposing high price-tag penalties. Punitive damages may be awarded where the other driver’s conduct was particularly reckless, egregious, or intentionally malicious, which is often the case in road rage accidents.
*Establishing Negligence in a Road Rage Accident * Damages are not the only thing that you must establish in order to bring a successful personal injury lawsuit. You must also show that the other driver was negligent. Road rage and related behaviors are generally strong indicators that the other driver was negligent. Negligence is presumed in cases where a driver was breaking laws, such as by speeding or driving while intoxicated, at the time of the accident, and road rage often involves illegal and intimidating behavior.
*Contact the Pivotal Law Group in Seattle, Washington * If you have been a victim of road rage in Seattle, Washington, the experienced personal injury attorneys at the Pivotal Law Group are ready to help. We will fight to get you the compensation that you deserve, and to hold the other driver accountable for their reckless and harmful conduct. Contact the Pivotal Law Group today to schedule a consultation.
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Posted Friday, March 18, 2022 by
Chris Thayer
If you have been involved in a reckless driving accident in Seattle, you are not alone. Nearly 3 million people are injured in car accidents in the United States each year, and most of these accidents are caused by reckless driving. Reckless driving is defined by Washington State Statutes as driving with wilful or wanton disregard for the safety of others. This can cover a large umbrella of driving behaviors, including speeding, driving under the influence, ignoring traffic signals, or driving erratically. If you were involved in an accident and suffered injuries due to a reckless driver, you may be feeling incredibly frustrated. This is understandable, since all reckless driving accidents would have been avoidable if not for the conduct of one driver. The good news is that you are not left to deal with the burden of their behavior on your own.
*Suing for Reckless Driving Accidents in Seattle * If you have been injured in a Seattle car accident you may have grounds to bring a personal injury lawsuit to recover damages. In order to have standing to bring a claim, you must have suffered physical and financial injuries due to another driver’s negligence. Generally, the burden would be on you to prove that the other driver was negligent. However, in reckless driving cases, negligence is assumed. The reckless driver will generally have a difficult time overcoming this presumption, which makes your odds of success and recovery greater than they would be in other personal injury cases. For this reason, if you have been injured in an accident caused by someone who was driving recklessly, it is a good idea to consult with an attorney as soon as possible to get an idea of what your options are and how best to move forward.
*Damages in a Reckless Driving Accident * The amount of damages that you are entitled to in a personal injury lawsuit depends on how much your injuries have cost you, financially, physically, and emotionally. A personal injury lawsuit allows you to recover all actual and anticipated costs incurred as a result of the accident. This includes costs related to treatment, medication, transportation to and from doctor’s appointments, lost wages, and reduced earning potential. You can also receive compensation for the physical and emotional trauma caused by the accident, known as pain and suffering damages. If the reckless driver’s conduct was particularly egregious, you may also be entitled to punitive damages. Unlike economic and pain and suffering damages, punitive damages exist to punish the reckless driver and to deter others from acting similarly. A lawyer can give you the most accurate idea of the value of your claim.
*Contact the Pivotal Law Group in Seattle, Washington * If you have been seriously injured due to the reckless driving conduct of another person, our experienced Washington personal injury attorneys want to hear from you. We will fight to hold the negligent driver accountable and to get you the maximum amount of compensation that you are entitled to. Contact the Pivotal Law Group today to schedule your consultation.
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Posted Friday, March 11, 2022 by
Chris Thayer
Many of us live in fear of getting into a car accident. Side-impact collisions, also known as T-bone collisions, are among the worst kinds. This is because the driver rarely sees them coming. Often the time a driver feels most secure is when a light turns green and they can proceed safely across the intersection, which is why it is so jarring when the driver with the right-of-way is suddenly hit from the side. These accidents are especially bad because cars do not offer passengers as much protection from the side, as compared to the front or back. It is estimated that 23% of all fatal car accidents fall into this category, and most could have been avoided if not for a driver’s negligence.
*What to Do After the Accident *If you are physically able in the aftermath of a T-bone accident, it is important to gather as much evidence as you can at the scene. Take photos and videos of the scene of the accident, as well as damage to any involved vehicles, tire marks, debris, and license plates. Make sure to get contact information from other drivers or bystanders who witnessed the crash so that they can provide their account to police and the insurance company. Call the police and provide your account of events. Also be sure to tell them if you have suffered any injuries or are experiencing pain that you did not have prior to the accident. Next it is important to get medical attention. T-bone accidents can cause serious head trauma, including traumatic brain injuries, trauma to the spine, neck, skull, ribs, and chest. These are all high-stakes injuries that should not be taken lightly. If you are having any head or neck pain after an accident it is important to see a doctor. This is also an important step because it gets you medical documentation that you will need if you later decide to bring a claim.
Finally, call a lawyer. You will soon be inundated with calls from insurance claims adjusters trying to get you to accept a low-ball offer while you are vulnerable and uniformed. It is important to get an experienced legal advocate on your side as soon as possible to level the playing field and ensure that you get a fair settlement. If the insurance company will not provide a fair settlement, your lawyer will help you sue them so that you can recover the full amount of compensation to which you are entitled. This includes compensation for all costs incurred as a result of the accident (such as medical bills, lost wages, etc.) as well as compensation for pain and suffering. The permanence and severity of your injuries will be highly persuasive in determining the amount of damages to which you are entitled.
*Contact the Pivotal Law Group in Seattle, Washington *If you have been seriously injured in a Seattle, Bellevue, Kent, Renton, Burien, Mercer Island, or Issaquah car accident that was not your fault, our lawyers are here to help. Contact the Pivotal Law Group today to schedule a consultation and find out how much your claim is worth.
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Posted Friday, March 4, 2022 by
Chris Thayer
St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, and with it, are an astounding number of car crashes and DUIs. It is reported that there is a national 10% increase in car accidents and DUIs on St. Patrick’s Day. Accidents involving DUI can be particularly bad, and often result in fatalities. Accident victims that survive often have to cope with massive medical bills, chronic pain, an inability to work, and debilitating injuries. If you were involved in a St. Patrick’s Day car accident, it is important to stand up for yourself. It can feel hard to want to fight back when you are already suffering, but it is important to hold the liable party accountable for the harm that they caused by acting so recklessly. It is also important to make sure that you have the resources that you need to cover all of your medical costs and other expenses related to the injury. A personal injury lawsuit can help you recover from the accident financially, and ensure that you have the money that you need to afford proper care.
*Suing for a St. Patrick’s Day DUI in Washington State *If you are involved in a car accident on St. Patrick’s Day, there is a 62% chance.&text=73%3A%20People%20were%20killed%20in,life%20claimed%20every%2030%20minutes.) that the other driver was driving while impaired or under the influence. That means it is literally more likely than not that the driver who hit you is illegally impaired. It is important to look carefully for signs of intoxication in other drivers while you are on the road, and after the accident. If the other driver was swerving, driving erratically, slurring their words, or smelled of alcohol, be sure to tell police when they arrive at the scene so that they can perform all necessary sobriety tests, such as a breathalyzer.
This is relevant because if the other driver is intoxicated and charged with DUI, they will automatically be presumed liable for having caused the accident. This dramatically increases your chances of recovery by removing the obstacles that are usually required. These obstacles generally include establishing that the other driver was negligent and that their negligence caused the accident and your injuries. However, in a situation where the other driver is determined to have been driving under the influence, the doctrine of negligence per se assumes both of those elements, so you must only prove that you suffered physical and financial harm. Financial harm can be established by showing medical bills, lost wages, and any other expenses that you incurred as a result of the injury. If your injury will require care that will extend beyond the resolution of your claim, you can also receive compensation for anticipated future expenses.
*Contact the Pivotal Law Group in Seattle, Washington *If you have suffered injuries as a result of an accident with a drunk or negligent driver in Seattle, Bellevue, Kent, Renton, Burien, Mercer Island, Issaquah, or the greater Seattle area, the experienced personal injury attorneys at the Pivotal Law Group are ready to help. Contact the Pivotal Law Group today and schedule a consultation.
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Posted Friday, February 25, 2022 by
Chris Thayer
If you have been in a rear-end accident or other vehicle collision in Seattle or somewhere else in Washington State, you may now be dealing with the physical and financial consequences of someone else’s actions. Whiplash is commonly caused by rear-end accidents, and can result in trauma to the neck, cervical spine, and brain. Whiplash injuries can seriously impair a person’s ability to work and engage in daily tasks, such as driving, cooking, and cleaning. This can result in significant medical bills, which can be hard to pay off if you are unable to work. Many people who have suffered these injuries find that the fastest and most effective way to get the financial support that they need to recover and continue with their lives is by bringing a personal injury lawsuit.
*Can I Bring a Lawsuit for Whiplash?*In order to bring a personal injury lawsuit for whiplash there are a few criteria that must be met. First, the injury must have been caused by another driver’s negligence. There are two important components to this — the other driver must have been negligent and their negligence must have caused your injury. Second, your injury must have required medical attention and resulted in financial harm, known as damages. For instance, if you were rear-ended or in a fender-bender and felt some discomfort in your neck but did not seek medical attention or miss work, you are unlikely to be able to recover for your injury even if the other driver negligently caused the crash. This is because you do not have any financial damages to show based on your injury. For this reason, it is always a good idea to see a doctor as soon as possible after a car accident so that you can have the necessary documentation to bring a claim if you end up having an injury, such as whiplash, later. This is particularly relevant with whiplash and other soft tissue injuries as they often take several days to become apparent.
*Damages for Whiplash *A personal injury lawsuit aims to restore the victim of someone else’s negligence to the position they would have been in financially if they had never been in the accident. This includes compensation for all medical expenses and expenses related to the injury, as well as compensation for pain and suffering. The more permanent and severe your whiplash injury is, the higher your damages will be. The average settlement amount for a temporary or less serious whiplash injury ranges from $10,000 - $100,000, while whiplash injuries that cause serious interference in a person’s life, career, or general well-being, can be over $1,000,000.
*Contact the Pivotal Law Group*If you are suffering from whiplash or other injuries sustained in a rear-end accident that was not your fault, the Pivotal Law Group in Seattle, Washington, is ready to help. Serving Seattle, Bellevue, Kent, Renton, Burien, Mercer Island, Issaquah, or the greater Seattle area, our experienced personal injury attorneys will fight to get you the maximum amount of compensation that you are entitled to, so that you can get your life back on track as soon as possible. Contact the Pivotal Law Group today to schedule a consultation.
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