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.

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Understanding Summary Judgment Motions

Posted Friday, August 17, 2018 by Chris Thayer

Alternative Text17-year-old Hayden Simmons died in 2015 when the helicopter he was piloting hit two power lines over Ayers Canyon. Hayden was a certified pilot. His 16-year-old cousin also died in the crash.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife manages the canyon, and the power lines are operated by Clearwater Power. Hayden’s parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the department and the power company, alleging that the power lines and utility poles “constituted an unsafe and dangerous condition to aircraft in flight over Ayers Canyon” because they were unmarked and difficult to see.

The parties are currently debating whether they are entitled to summary judgment.

*What is Summary Judgment?*Summary judgment is a court decision for one party without a full trial. If a party believes there are no factual disputes requiring jury input, he can ask the judge to decide the case. Parties make this request by filing a motion for summary judgment.

*Filing a Summary Judgment Motion*Here are a few things you need to know about filing a summary judgment motion in your personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit:

*Filing a Wrongful Death Lawsuit in Washington*Grieving family members can file a wrongful death lawsuit against the person whose negligence or wrongful act results in their loved one’s death. But only certain family members are eligible:

The deadline for filing a wrongful death claim in Washington is three years from the date of the death.

Eligible survivors may seek compensation for:

*Contact Us Today*Contact one of our personal injury attorneys today for a free consultation if you or a loved one was injured or killed by an act of negligence. Our experienced attorneys will guide you through the litigation process, including a summary judgment motion if that is relevant in your case.

(image courtesy of Joseph Pearson)