Washington Accident Attorney
Injury Law
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions
)
Q: What type of Washington personal injury claims do you handle?
A: I handle all types of Vancouver and Southwest Washington personal injury claims, airline aviation accidents, private aviation accidents, commercial aviation accidents, auto injury accidents, motorcycle injury accidents, bicycle injury accidents, dog bite injuries, ATV injury accidents, boating injury accidents, and any other case where someone else causes you personal injury.
Q: How soon after my personal injury accident should I call you?
A: Call me immediately. Do not give the other person’s insurance company a statement until you have consulted with a lawyer. I make a point of returning all calls and e-mails promptly. If you have suffered a personal injury, you need to know right away what insurance coverage is in place to cover your medical expenses and lost wages.
Q: What is my claim worth?
A: The value of your car accident injury claim depends on the severity and permanency of your injuries. Contact me now for a free consultation so I can assess your claim and tell you what I think it is worth.
Q: Should I accept the offer that the insurance company has given me?
A: Oftentimes I can get insurance companies to substantially increase the amount of their personal injury settlement offer. If you have already received an offer for your injuries, contact me and I will let you know if I think it is a fair offer. I will not charge you for this consultation. If I do not beat their original offer to you, I will not charge you an attorney fee.
Q: Can I recover if the other driver had no insurance, or not enough insurance?
A: Yes. With your uninsured motorist coverage, you can recover money for your medical bills and pain and suffering even if the other driver had no insurance. Your underinsured motorist coverage also covers any loss above the other driver's insurance.
Q: Does my auto insurance cover accidents when I am on my bike?
A: Many auto insurance policies will cover you if you are injured in a bicycle accident or while on foot.
Q: How do I know if I have a good auto accident or personal injury case?
A: You need to contact me and we can discuss your case. My consultation on a personal injury case is always free.
Q: How long does it take to settle most personal injury cases?
A: It depends on the nature of your personal injury claim. I have settled smaller personal injury claims for the full amount my client wanted within 10 days and I have settled policy limits cases in as little as a few months. Larger personal injury cases typically take longer to settle.
Q: Will pursuing my personal injury case take up a lot of my time?
A: No. Oftentimes I only meet with clients for the initial interview and then we can just talk over the phone. If we do have to go to court, it will take more time. I realize your time is important, so I don’t waste it.
Q: Will I have to go to trial?
A: The vast majority of Washington personal injury cases don’st go to trial. However, I treat each case as if it is going to be a trial, because you have to be willing and prepared to go to trial to maximize your settlement.
Q: Why is it so important to hire an experienced Vancouver and Southwest Washington trial attorney?
A: Most personal injury cases settle before trial, but you want to maximize your settlement. If you hire a Southwest Washington personal injury attorney who has little trial experience, oftentimes they will be afraid to go to trial. Insurance companies know who these lawyers are, and they oftentimes offer them less than the case is worth. When I used to represent insurance companies, we knew who these lawyers were, as they would often settle personal injury cases for pennies on the dollar rather than go to trial. I have 10 years of courtroom experience and I have tried well over 100 cases. I have had much success in the courtroom and I will not advise you to settle for less than I believe your case is worth.
Q: Do I need a Washington personal injury lawyer for my accident claim?
A: In order to settle your personal injury and auto accident cases you will have to deal with insurance companies. Their goal is to pay you as little as you will take. It is tough for someone who is not familiar with personal injury cases to know what a fair settlement amount is. An experienced Washington personal injury attorney can help you to determine that amount and reach a fair settlement.
Q: How do I pay your legal fees?
A: I handle auto accident, dog bites and all of my other personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. This means YOU DO NOT OWE ME A LEGAL FEE UNLESS I RECOVER MONEY FOR YOU. I do not ask for any attorney fees upfront. If there is no recovery there is no fee.
Q: What parts of Washington do you handle cases in?
A: Although I am located in Vancouver, Washington, I will handle cases throughout the state of Washington including the following counties and cities:
Counties:
Adams County, Asotin County, Benton County, Clallam County, Clark County, Columbia County, Cowlitz County, Franklin County, Garfield County, Grant County, Grays Harbor County, Jefferson County, King County, Kittitas County, Klickitat County, Lewis County, Lincoln County, Mason County, Pacific County, Pierce County, Skamania County, Thurston County, Wahkiakum County, Walla Walla County, Yakima County.
Cities:
Aberdeen, Battle Ground, Benton City, Bingen, Bucoda, Burton, Calama, Camas, Campbell Lake, Castle Rock, Cathlamet, Centralia, Charter Oak, Chehalis, Cosmopolis, Crawford, Curtis Lake, Eatonville, Ellsworth, Ellsworth, Felida, Fern Prairie, Fisher, Gig Harbor, Goldendale, Good Hope, Grandview, Granger, Green Lake, Hazel Dell, Hoquiam, Ilwaco, Ireland, Kalama, Kelso, Kennewick, King Corner, La Center, Lake Shore, Lewisville, Little Elkhorn, Livingston, Long Beach, Longview, Lucia, Mabton, Montesano, Moxee, Naches, Napavine, Ocean Shores, Olympia, Pasco, Pioneer, Proebstel, Prosser, Ranier, Raymond, Richland, Ridgefield, Rye, Sacajawea, Salmon Creek, Sara, Scotton Corner, Seattle, Selah, South Bend, Stevenson, Sunnyside, Tacoma, Tenino, Toledo, Toppenish, Tumwater, Twin Harbors, Union, Vader, Vancouver, Venersborg, Wapato, Washougal, West Richland, Westport, White Salmon, Winlock, Woodland, Yacolt, Yakima, Zillah.
Admitted to the Bar in Washington and Oregon.