Seattle Personal Injury Attorney Chris Thayer
Seattle Personal Injury Attorney Chris Thayer
Handling Personal Injury Claims in the Seattle Area and Throughout Washington Since 1995

My name is Chris Thayer and I am a personal injury attorney practicing in downtown Seattle. I handle personal injury, medical malpractice and wrongful death claims throughout the greater Seattle area, including Issaquah, Mercer Island and Kirkland.

I am here to help you.

Call for a free consultation (206) 340-2008

The Seattle Personal Injury Blog

Information to Provide to Your Personal Injury Lawyer Seattle WA

Posted Friday, January 8, 2016 by Chris Thayer

During the course of your representation, your personal injury lawyer Seattle WA will likely request various information. Some of the recommendations that your personal injury lawyer Seattle WA may make include:

Medical Trips List

Keep a list of medical trips that you take for treatment purposes. Include the date of the trip and whom you visited, such as a hospital, physical therapist, doctor, pharmacy or medical supply store. Include the reason for the trip, such as a check up, to pick up prescriptions or to get other supplies. A lawyer may use this list to assist with negotiations because it is a tangible representation of the treatment that you had to endure due to the accident. If the case goes to trial, the evidence may be used to demonstrate the troubles you have endured.

Medical Expenses

Another list that your personal injury lawyer may request that you maintain is a list of medical expenses. Include the type of expense that you incurred, such as a doctor’s bill, prescription expense, over-the-counter products like bandages and heating rubs and other medical expenses. This type of detail can help demonstrate to the other side the extent of your expenses and the organization of your case.

Other Information

A personal injury lawyer may request additional information depending on the particular circumstances of the case. For example, you may need to provide documentation related to your lost time off work. If you work a full-time job with steady pay, this may include providing check stubs that show pay. If you are self-employed, this may require more detailed records regarding payment, including client statements and tax returns. By providing your lawyer with all requested information, you can help substantiate damages.

Legal Assistance

For more information on what your Seattle personal injury lawyer may need, contact Chris Thayer by calling (866) 884-2417.

Slip and Fall Cases

Posted Monday, January 4, 2016 by Chris Thayer

When a person is injured after slipping and falling, he or she may consult with a Seattle accident attorney. A lawyer can help determine why the accident occurred and whether the party that owned the property should be held legally liable for the injuries that the victim suffered. Generally, the property owner is responsible for the injuries if the property owner created the condition that resulted in the injury and it was aware or should have been aware of the dangerous condition.

Legal Assistance

For more information on what to do after a slip and fall accident, contact a Seattle accident attorney like Chris Thayer by calling (866) 884-2417.

6 Tips About Slip-and-Fall Cases

Posted Friday, December 18, 2015 by Chris Thayer

Our injury attorney Washington provides six tips for your review in slip-and-fall cases.

  1. Did you cause the fall by your own negligence?
  2. Were you on the property legally or were you trespassing?
  3. Could the defendant have prevented the condition that led to your fall?
  4. Was there a hazard on the property that caused your fall?
  5. Was the defendant responsible for property maintenance?
  6. Did you suffer injuries directly related to the fall?

Call Chris Thayer, our injury attorney Washington, at (866) 884-2417 for additional insight after a slip-and-fall accident or for help with your case.

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Colossus Program & Insurance Company Offers

Posted Wednesday, December 16, 2015 by Chris Thayer

A Seattle Injury Lawyer on How Insurance Companies use Computer Programs to Measure the Value of Your Claim

Insurance companies, in an ever expanding desire to increase profits by reducing the settlement value of automobile accident cases, are increasingly relying on software programs to calculate damages. One of the most often used ones is called Colossus. Some companies rely almost exclusively on the output Colossus provides, while others give it less weight; in either case, it is important to understand how it works.

Preliminary Considerations

Before any data regarding your specific injury is entered into Colossus, information concerning who your lawyer is, his or her track record of taking cases to trial or settling for the insurance company’s best offer and statistics for the jurisdiction the case is in are entered.

Severity Points

Information from your medical report is then entered into the program. Specific types of injuries have what is considered a base rating, which is the starting point, and additional factors can increase or decrease the points in your case. Factors that are considered include:

  • Hospitalization
  • Type and length of treatment
  • Physical therapy
  • Delay or gaps in treatment
  • Medicine Colossus calculates the points and arrives at a dollar amount for your case.

Damages that are Difficult to Quantify

Injuries that tend to be more subjective than objective are disfavored by the Colossus program. Consequently, soft tissue injuries, which statistically constitute the majority of auto accident claims, are undervalued compared to broken bones and herniated discs, for example. The settlement offered typically is not fully contemplative of damages for pain and suffering, stress, loss of enjoyment of life and loss of consortium.

Contact a Seattle Injury Lawyer for Legal Advice

Insurance is a business that sees increased profits from low-ball settlement offers. Be certain you receive fair compensation for all that you have lost. Call Chris Thayer, Seattle personal injury lawyer, at (866) 884-2417.

Psychological Testing

Posted Monday, December 14, 2015 by Chris Thayer

Our Seattle injury lawyer often receives questions about psychological testing when the defense requests it in a personal injury case. Your attorney should understand the different types of tests and know how they are scored so that they can protect your rights.

  1. Learn about test. Your lawyer should know what tests might be used and should research them. They will know if the test is a proper screening device and if he or she followed protocol.
  2. Read up on mental health issues and conditions in the DSM–IV, the main reference book for understanding these.
  3. Obtain raw data from the test instead of relying on the defense report.Seek a second option from your own expert.

You can reach Chris Thayer, our Seattle injury lawyer, at (866) 884-2417 for help in understanding your rights and how to deal with psychological testing.