If you suffered injuries in a car accident, the Lakewood, WA, injury attorneys at The Law Offices of Briggs & Briggs can help you recover maximum compensation. We offer free initial consultations, and you don’t pay anything unless we win!
Every day, Washingtonians sustain severe injuries in car accidents, yet few people think they could be next. With medical bills draining your bank account, injuries keeping you from work, and pain making every day a struggle, an accident can destroy your life. Moreover, injured drivers are often in this predicament because of someone else’s negligence.
At The Law Offices of Briggs & Briggs, our Lakewood car accident attorneys believe careless drivers should pay for the damage they cause. Since 1952, our experienced car accident lawyers have helped people like you win the compensation they need and deserve. We serve clients all over Washington State, including
Call (253) 588-6696 today for a free consultation with one of our compassionate injury attorneys.
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We will get you the compensation you deserve.
Many factors on the road can lead to deadly accidents, and driver error is one of the most common causes of collisions. Below are some of the most common types of car accident claims we handle:
No matter what type of accident your case involves, our Lakewood car accident lawyers have the experience and know-how to fight for full compensation.
Car accidents can be violent and frightening events. The Washington State Department of Transportation estimates that more than 103,000 crashes occurred statewide in 2022. That total includes 686 fatal crashes and 2,650 crashes with suspected serious injuries. Injuries from a car accident can have a lifelong impact and may dramatically alter someone’s quality of life. Some common injuries from car accidents include:
In addition to the physical hurdles a victim must overcome, they are often left with outstanding medical bills forcing them to choose between their medical care and everyday necessities. Financial instability after a serious car accident is a real issue that many people involved in collisions must face.
You focus on your recovery, we'll focus on your case
There are a variety of reasons that car accidents happen. However, the most common cause of car accidents tends to be a driver error or a basic lack of awareness by a negligent driver. Traffic patterns change, lights turn red, animals dart out into the street, and there is no shortage of things that can happen on the road. Responsible drivers understand this and try to use due caution, paying attention to their surroundings and watching for hazards along the way. On the other hand, negligent drivers may find themselves distracted, daydreaming, or pulled in another direction. Accidents can happen without their full attention on the road, and you can be caught in the crossfire. Some of the most common causes of car accidents on Washington roads include:
There are a variety of reasons that car accidents happen. Traffic patterns change, lights turn red, and animals dart into the street – no shortage of things can happen on the road. However, driver error or a basic lack of awareness causes many collisions.
Responsible drivers understand this and exercise caution, paying attention to their surroundings and watching for hazards along the way. On the other hand, a negligent driver may get distracted, start daydreaming, or drift in their lane. Accidents can happen when drivers don’t give the road their full attention, and you can wind up in the crossfire. Some of the most common causes of car accidents on Washington roads include:
Alcohol slows down both your physical coordination and mental cognition. This combination of impairments makes it difficult, sometimes impossible, to assess a situation and respond accordingly.
Fatigued driving or driving while drowsy is very similar to driving while drunk. Sleep deprivation impacts the body much like alcohol, resulting in problems with coordination, memory, and cognition. Truck drivers, shift workers, business travelers, and those with undiagnosed sleep disorders are at greater risk for driving while fatigued.
Aggressive driving is a relatively new term that describes deliberate and reckless behavior. Aggressive driving includes speeding, unsafe lane changes, failing to yield, tailgating, cutting off other drivers, and blocking cars trying to pass. Road rage is often referred to as an extreme form of aggressive driving.
Construction zones are dangerous places for both workers and drivers. Drivers not mindful of warning signs, changes in the speed limit, or pedestrians are at risk of causing a serious accident.
Poor weather conditions are often blamed for collisions, especially pile-up accidents. When bad weather strikes, drivers must exercise due caution, which means slowing down and leaving extra space between vehicles.
Some drivers can take all the safety precautions worldwide and still be involved in a serious accident. Vehicle and manufacturing defects in cars and trucks can result in significant accidents. While not as common as driver error, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration estimates defects play a role in at least two percent of vehicle collisions.
Car accidents are often extremely disorienting and confusing. Knowing what to do from one moment to the next can be difficult in the immediate aftermath of a crash. Here are some steps you can take to ensure your safety and make your claim easier down the road:
Once you have taken all these steps, you should consider taking legal action if you believe the other driver was responsible. You may win significant compensation for your injuries in a settlement or a judgment at trial. An experienced Washington personal injury lawyer can evaluate what happened and tell you if you might have a case. For a free consultation, contact The Law Offices of Briggs & Briggs now.
Serving car accident victims of Washington state.
Washington State applies a legal doctrine called pure comparative negligence in determining fault for a car accident. This means that even if you share part of the fault for the accident, you can still recover some portion of the damages in a personal injury suit. This portion will be reduced according to your amount of fault.
The amount of fault that each driver shares will be determined based on their negligence. In the legal world, negligence is the failure to do something that could reasonably be expected of you, such as looking both ways before making a left turn. When a driver breaches their duty of care in such a way and causes another driver injury in the process, they can be held liable in a lawsuit.
While many car accident injury claims settle long before a lawsuit needs to be filed, there are times where it is appropriate and necessary to file a personal injury lawsuit to get the full and fair compensation you’re owed. However, there is not an unlimited amount of time to go through this process. The state of Washington gives victims three years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. Trying to file a lawsuit after this statute has expired can result in the suit being dismissed, leaving the victim with no other legal recourse for seeking compensation.
While three years sounds like plenty of time to file a lawsuit, many people are often caught by surprise at how quickly time passes. In some instances, they are even more surprised at the length of time it can take to resolve an insurance claim. The more time you give yourself, the better the position you are in to negotiate with an insurance company. If it becomes obvious that the company is not negotiating in good faith this allows you the time to begin filing a lawsuit without running into the statute of limitations.
By securing an experienced attorney at the very beginning of your ordeal you are strengthening your position two-fold. First, you have a seasoned professional on your side that can conduct an investigation, strengthen your insurance claim, and negotiate on your behalf for a full and fair compensation package. Secondly, if an insurance company is unwilling to negotiate or is refusing to put a fair value on your claim, an attorney will already be well prepared to begin court proceedings to seek the compensation you deserve.
Whether you are dealing with an insurance company or filing a lawsuit, having a resourceful and experienced attorney on your side is a wise way to maximize your compensation and protect your rights. Not all companies are looking out for your best interests, some may use borderline predatory tactics to take advantage of you in your vulnerable state. Let a skilled attorney take the lead and handle the heavy lifting while you focus on what matters, your recovery.
Injured in a car accident in the Lakewood area?
Car accidents can have a far-reaching impact on victims’ lives, including financially, physically, and emotionally. Luckily, it is possible to recover compensation for many of these losses. If you sustained injuries in a car accident, here are some of the losses for which you might claim compensation:
Whether you proceed with your case in or out of court, your lawyer will work with you to determine the damages you should seek and help you aggressively pursue them. If your case goes to trial and you win, the full award you would have received will be reduced according to your comparative negligence as determined by the jury. For example, if you would be awarded $100,000, but the jury determines that you were 10 percent at fault, your award will be reduced to $90,000. Regardless, this is significantly more than you could expect in a claim through your insurance without taking legal action.
Recovering from injuries after a car accident is a trying time. The accident can take a toll on your physical health, finances, relationships, and more. You don’t have to face this alone. An experienced personal injury lawyer can help you fight for compensation for your injuries.
At The Law Offices of Briggs & Briggs, we have been helping car accident victims secure fair compensation for their injuries for over sixty years. Over this time, our lawyers have built the experience that will be invaluable to your case, and our firm has become an ingrained part of the Lakewood community. Call us if you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident in:
Don’t hesitate the sooner you call, the sooner we can begin fighting to win the compensation you deserve. Call us now at (253) 588-6696 for more information on how we can help.
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Don’t wait to contact us if$5.1 Million
Negligent Police Pursuit:
$275,000
Retail Negligence: Back/Shoulder Injury
$280,000
Fishing Boat: Shoulder Injury
$750,000
Maritime Accident: Brain Injury
$1.3
MillionPolice Negligence: Wrongful Death
$1.3
MillionSale of Alcohol to Minor: Spine Injury
$2.1
MillionConstruction Site Injury: Wall Collapse
$250,000
Ankle Injury
$300,000
Foot Injury
$500,000
Wrist Injury
$2.1
Million Dangerous Intersection: Highway Defect
$500,000
Head Injury
$400,000
Shoulder Injury
$400,000
Back Injury
$500,000
Back Injury
$600,000
Back Injury
$1.1
MillionWrongful Death
$1
MillionWrongful Death
$230,000
Multiple Collisions: Neck, Back, Shoulder
$300,000
Multiple Freeway Collision: Back, PTSD
$335,000
Traumatic Brain Injury: Full Recovery
$350,000
Rear-end Collision Neck Injury
$450,000
Failure to Yield: Back Injury
$227,000
Single Car Lost Control: Face Trauma
$400,000
Head-on Collision: Multiple Fractures
$203,000
Head-on Collision: Foot Injury
$500,000
Intersection Collision: Ankle Injury
$420,000
Rear-end Collision
$700,000
Rear-end Collision: Back Injury