The Seattle Personal Injury Blog
Posted Friday, May 29, 2020 by
Chris Thayer
If you suffered injuries as a result of a car accident, you may feel anxious to return to work quickly, as medical bills and other monthly bills continue to pile up. Although you may feel compelled to return to work as soon as possible, this may actually cause your injuries to become worse, resulting in the need to take even more time off. There are many other reasons you should resist returning to work too quickly following a car accident.
*Importance of Recovering Your Physical Health *Assuming you have already received medical evaluation and treatment, you should always follow the advice of your health care professionals. Medical injuries typically need time to heal, especially ones that are the result of a serious car accident. While you may want to go back to your life prior to the car accident as quickly as possible, this may take more time than you realize. It is important to note that a medical professional will only require a victim of a car accident to stay home from work if it is truly medically necessary. Therefore, if your doctor is telling you to stay home and recover, and allow time for your injuries to heal, you should seriously consider taking this medical advice. Many medical injuries such as traumatic brain injuries can become permanent if they are not treated appropriately and a victim does not receive the proper amount of rest following the trauma.
*Importance of Recovering Your Emotional Health *Research shows that 10% of car accident victims are affected by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Violent car accidents can leave victims with trauma that they need to heal through both time and through the help of a mental health professional.
*Concerns About Your Insurance Claim *You may have serious concerns about your insurance claim, and wonder when you will receive compensation for your injuries and losses. It is important to note that an insurance company will look at the time frame in which a victim returns to work to help them determine whether or not the injuries of a victim are truly serious and whether or not they are deserving of significant compensation. If you rush to return to work, an insurance company may consider this evidence that your injuries are not substantial enough to warrant a significant payment.
**Contact an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney
**If you suffered injuries in a car accident, you should take the time to ensure that you receive proper medical attention for both your physical and your mental health needs. Additionally, it is critical that you follow the advice of your health care providers, and do not return to work too quickly after a bad car accident. If you were in a car accident, suffered injuries and are attempting to determine whether or not you should return to work, contact the experienced personal injury lawyers with the Pivotal Law Group at 206-340-2008. We proudly serve the Seattle, Bellevue, Kent, Renton, Burien, Mercer Island, and Issaquah areas.
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Posted Friday, May 22, 2020 by
Chris Thayer
If you suffered injuries related to any type of accident that was the direct fault of someone else’s negligence, you may be in a state of shock or feel overwhelmed. Many different types of accidents, including car accidents, dog bites, medical malpractice, slip and fall accidents, nursing home injuries, or any other accident resulting from someone else’s negligence that causes any type of injury, can be terrifying and confusing. In many cases, the victims do not feel severely injured immediately following an accident. This may be due to a rush of adrenaline or simply being in a full state of shock. Even if you do not feel seriously injured following an accident, you should seek medical treatment as soon as possible, as many catastrophic injuries that are life-threatening are not immediately noticeable.
*Accidents Involving Injuries *In some cases, accidents may seem minor so ambulances are not called to the scene in order to provide immediate medical assistance or treatment. However, there are several types of medical conditions that may not immediately present themselves, but are life-threatening if not evaluated and treated immediately. Some of these types of medical conditions include traumatic brain injuries, aortic dissections, whiplash, internal bleeding, or internal organ damage.
*Seeking Medical Attention *Unfortunately, if a victim waits too long to receive medical attention following an accident, he or she may suffer permanent damage or even death. Seeking medical evaluation and treatment immediately following any type of accident is important to ensure that any serious medical conditions are discovered as soon as possible. Additionally, it is important to note that if you were injured due to someone else’s negligence, if you choose at some later point to pursue a personal injury claim to receive compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering, the best way to do that is to show that you received immediate medical attention and evaluation showing your injuries are directly related to the accident.
*Insurance Settlements *In many cases, an insurance company will attempt to offer a low settlement immediately to a victim in order to close the case. Make sure never to accept a first settlement offer from an insurance company. Additionally, never consent to be recorded on any conversations as these can be used against you in the future regarding settlement offers. Also, never agree to provide full medical records and your full medical history. An insurance company only has the legal right to look at the medical records that relate directly to the specific accident in question. Insurance companies often use adversarial and aggressive tactics in order to manipulate victims into accepting settlement offers that do not fully cover their injuries and losses. If you suffered injuries related to an accident, consider visiting with an experienced personal injury attorney.
*Contact a Personal Injury Attorney Today *If you were injured in any type of accident due to the reckless or negligent actions of another person, contact the experienced personal injury lawyers with the Pivotal Law Group at 206-340-2008. We proudly serve the Seattle, Bellevue, Kent, Renton, Burien, Mercer Island, and Issaquah areas.
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Posted Friday, May 15, 2020 by
Chris Thayer
Research from the Insurance Information Institute shows that half of all fatal car accidents from 2003 to 2007 involved aggressive driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has given guidelines showing the differences between road rage and aggressive driving. No one wants to be on the other end of either road rage or aggressive driving, but knowing the distinctions can help you understand how best to protect yourself against these types of drivers.
*Differences Between Aggressive Driving and Road Rage*Aggressive driving is considered anything that a reasonable person would deem reckless. This could include speeding, blocking another car from passing, or tailgating. Road rage, on the other hand, is actually more serious because there is a violent intent behind the actions of one driver against another driver. These behaviors include attempting to harm another driver or their vehicle by ramming one car into another, attempting to physically fight another driver on the side of the roadway, or brandishing or using a weapon to threaten some form of physical harm.
While aggressive driving can be dangerous, and a person may get a ticket from law enforcement for operating a vehicle in a negligent way, road rage is much different due to its violent intent. Specifically, road rage is legally classified as a criminal charge. Due to the fact that road rage incorporates a willful and wanton disregard for the safety of others, it is a criminal offense.
Example**s of Road Rage
There are several types of examples of road rage that can be considered a criminal offense, including the following:
- Using a car to force another vehicle off of the roadway
- Swerving into another car, or actually hitting another intentionally
- Shooting a gun into another car
- Brandishing any kind of weapon such as a knife or gun with the threat of bodily harm
- Tailgating aggressively behind a car
- Consistently tapping on the brakes in front of another vehicle in an attempt to aggravate the other driver
- Weaving in and out of traffic in front or near a car in order to intimidate or frighten them
- Honking, gesturing, leering or staring at the person in another car in such threatening way that the other driver or passengers feel immediately afraid for their safety
Again, road rage is a criminal offense, and if you ever feel you are being threatening or that your safety is in danger due to the violent behavior of another person on the roadways, you should immediately contact 911 and let them know of your location and provide the license plate number of the other driver, if possible.
*Contact an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney *If you were involved in an aggressive driving accident or a road rage accident, you have the right to seek justice. Contact the personal injury lawyers with the Pivotal Law Group at 206-340-2008. We proudly serve the Seattle, Bellevue, Kent, Renton, Burien, Mercer Island, and Issaquah areas.
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Posted Friday, May 8, 2020 by
Chris Thayer
Bicycles are a common form of transportation in the Seattle area, and with more and more people becoming concerned about the environment, this form of transportation continues to grow. However, when a motorist and a bicyclist are involved in an accident, the injuries suffered can be catastrophic or even fatal. The city of Seattle has several regulations and laws regarding the rules of the road for motorists and bicyclists, however, accidents still happen. If you were involved in an accident as a bicyclist, following these 10 steps will help ensure your health and legal rights are preserved.
- Attempt to Remove Yourself from the Roadway: If you are able to physically move from the roadway, then you should do so to prevent further injuries or accidents from other motorists or bicyclists. Accidents that occur following a primary accident are called secondary accidents and are common and can cause additional injury and damage.
- **Contact 911: If you suffered any injuries or damage to your bicycle, you should immediately contact 911. Make sure to tell the police officer everything that happened correctly, and avoid placing blame or taking the blame for the accident. Simply give the facts of the accident. Request information regarding how you will be able to obtain a police report at a later time.
- Police Accident Report: Even if you make the decision not to call 911, you should at least call the police. This will allow the police to come to the scene and obtain all of the information necessary and provide a basis for any future claim for compensation for your injuries that you wish to make.
- Check Your Helmet: If any cracks appear on your helmet, you should replace it. Cracks on a helmet after an accident show that there was a violent impact, and you should assume that you have a concussion (even a mild one) and seek immediate medical attention.
- Exchange Information with Witnesses and the Driver: Make sure to exchange contact information with not only the driver of the motor vehicle but also any witnesses who can provide a first-hand account of the accident.
- Take Photographs: If it is possible for you to take photographs at the scene of the accident, it may be helpful later in your case. For example, see if any cameras on traffic lights or nearby businesses exist. Take your own photographs of the scene of the accident, the damage to your bicycle and the other vehicle, any injuries you suffered, the road conditions, the weather, etc.
- Make a Full Assessment: Make a full assessment of both your bicycle and yourself. If your bicycle suffered any damage, take it to a professional bike shop so that you can have a record of the damage that occurred as documentation for a later time. Additionally, you should make an assessment regarding any of your own personal injuries.
- Seek Medical Attention: Whether or not an ambulance arrived at the scene of the accident, you need to make sure to seek immediate medical attention. Certain injuries do not present themselves until hours or days following an accident, and these can be serious or even life-threatening.
- Document Everything: Make sure to keep a file of all of your medical bills, lost wages, and a diary of your pain and suffering and activities that you are no longer able to enjoy due to your injuries.
*Contact an Attorney*If you suffered any injuries related to an accident involving a vehicle as a bicyclist, you are likely dealing with large medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost wages. Contact an experienced personal injury attorney familiar at the Pivotal Law Group at 206-340-2008. We proudly serve the Seattle, Bellevue, Kent, Renton, Burien, Mercer Island, and Issaquah areas.
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Posted Friday, May 1, 2020 by
Chris Thayer
The state of Washington does not require a driver to purchase Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance. However, this type of insurance is required under law to be offered to consumers in Washington, therefore it is important to understand your choices as it comes to insurance, or what to do if you are in an accident involving someone else with PIP insurance.
*PIP Insurance*PIP is a category of auto insurance coverage. While some states require their drivers to purchase PIP insurance, the state of Washington does not require this coverage. However, under Washington law, an insurance company must offer this type of coverage to each consumer. The consumer must reject PIP coverage in writing. If a person does not reject the PIP coverage in writing, they will receive it and the insurance company will charge them for this coverage.
*Understanding PIP Insurance *PIP car insurance operates differently than typical car insurance in that a driver must first file an insurance claim following a car accident under their own insurance policy before filing a claim with the car insurance from the other driver, even if the accident was their fault. PIP auto insurance coverage applies to three different types of damages available — medical costs, wage loss costs, and funeral costs.
- Medical costs. Many victims of a car accident suffer injuries as a result of the accident. PIP insurance will cover emergency room services, diagnostic imaging or testing, hospital expenses, specialist appointments, medication, physician appointments, rehabilitation, therapy and more.
- Lost wages. Depending on the amount of PIP coverage a driver has, they may be able to cover a great deal of the wages they lost due to their inability to return to work following an accident. Death benefits. If a victim dies as a result of their injuries from a car accident, PIP - insurance provides compensation to the family of the loved one that passed away. PIP coverage compensation can be used for any funeral expenses.
*Legal Right to Sue *If you have PIP coverage, or if the other driver in your accident has PIP coverage, it may not cover the complete amount of expenses suffered due to the car accident. Having PIP coverage does not eliminate a person’s legal right to file a claim in court for compensation for the remaining amount in a personal injury case. Every PIP insurance policy will be different and may include an unlimited right to sue for all economic and non-economic damages including pain and suffering, or only include a limited right to sue for damages following a car accident.
*Arbitration*Due to the fact that there are oftentimes insurance disputes, many claims regarding car accidents will result in arbitration. If a PIP case ends up in arbitration, a neutral third party will make the decision regarding how best to resolve any disputes.
*Contact an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney *If you were injured in a car accident, and either you or the other driver has PIP insurance, you may be confused about how best to proceed with your claim to receive the compensation you deserve. Contact an experienced car accident attorney familiar with product liability law at the Pivotal Law Group at 206-340-2008. We proudly serve the Seattle, Bellevue, Kent, Renton, Burien, Mercer Island, and Issaquah areas.
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