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When you have been injured in an auto accident, you need an experienced and dedicated car accident attorney on your side. The auto accident attorneys at Ritchie Reiersen Law are passionate about helping victims who have been injured due to the negligent actions of others. We will help you pursue your claim to the fullest extent of the law. It can be very overwhelming to try to handle an insurance company on your own, especially when you’re injured.
According to the Department of Transportation, in 2017 there were 6.4 million police-reported auto accidents – averaging out to about 12 crashes per minute across the United States. In 2019, an estimated 38,800 people died in car crashes; an additional 4.4 million people were injured severely enough to require medical attention. Car crashes happen far too often, and can have devastating financial consequences on the injured party if they don’t receive the compensation they deserve.
At Ritchie Reiersen Law, we want you to know you don’t have to face an uncertain future alone. Ritchie Reiersen Law personal injury attorneys have offices across the state of Washington in Tacoma, Auburn, Yakima, and Kennewick, and service the entire Seattle area.
We also have an office in Portland, Oregon and have local attorneys who serve the Portland/Vancouver area. Call us today to connect with a local car crash attorney for a free consultation.
The claims process surrounding personal injury car accidents is often complicated and burdensome, especially when you are dealing with the stress of being injured. Having an experienced auto accident attorney makes the process easier. Studies have shown, as well, that settlement offers are significantly higher when you have an attorney at your side.
When you have been hurt due to the negligent driving of another individual, it is important to consult with an experienced auto accident attorney as soon as possible. This will allow you to focus on healing; your attorney will take care of the hard work.
The auto accident attorneys at Ritchie Reiersen Law want you to know that you don’t have to face the insurance company alone. We are here to stand up for your rights and we will help you receive the compensation you deserve.
We have offices with local lawyers in Portland, Yakima, Kennewick, Tacoma and Auburn for your convenience. Call us at (888) 884-7337 for a free consultation with an experienced accident attorney.
When you find yourself involved in an auto accident, it is important you take some steps to protect yourself and decrease the possibility of complications with your claim process.
Sometimes the violation of one of the traffic laws is obvious – such as in the case of running a red light and hitting someone – and it is easy to determine the fault. Other situations are not so easy to determine fault, and the laws of negligence will come into play. A driver who is found to be acting negligent (acting in a thoughtless or careless manner) will be assigned at least some of the fault for the accident.
To help with a rear-end accident claim, take photos of the damage of both vehicles. If the back of your vehicle and the front of the other vehicle are damaged, that shows that the other driver would be at fault for hitting your vehicle.
There are extreme cases where the car being rear ended could be found to be negligent, but those cases are much more.
A driver who is turning left is almost always going to be found liable in the case of a collision with a vehicle that is coming straight toward them from the other direction. There are a few exceptions, however, to this “almost always liable” rule:
Since the law states that a driver should not attempt to turn into oncoming traffic unless it can safely complete the turn, the liability in this type of collision will almost always be placed upon the left-turn driver.
In order to be completely sure you don’t inadvertently harm your case, we recommend that you turn off social media accounts after an accident. However, if you choose not to do that, we recommend that at the very minimum you take the following steps to protect yourself and your case:
After your car accident, If you receive a call from the other insurance company, kindly refer them either to your own insurance company or your attorney. Most times when an adjuster calls you directly, they are trying to settle with you – usually for a low amount. Don’t entertain any settlement offers until you have completed all your medical treatment and have been able to come up with a comprehensive list of damages. An experienced auto accident attorney can help determine what a fair settlement amount would be.
For example, let’s say John and Susan are both drivers in a collision. The police determine that John is 20% at-fault and Susan is 80% at fault. In Washington, which uses a pure comparative negligence rule, Susan may recover 20% of the damages as that was how much John was determined to be liable for. John, on the other hand, will be able to recover 80% of his damages from Susan.
With the same situation happening in Oregon, John can recover 80% of the damages against Susan. Susan, however, cannot recover any damages because John is not over that 49% threshold for fault.
Because of the nuances in determining fault and liability, having an experienced auto accident attorney on your team can make a huge difference in the outcome of your claim.
With a contingency fee, the attorney knows that he isn’t going to get paid unless your case is settled to your satisfaction. This gives the attorney extra incentive to work hard and ensure you receive the highest reasonable settlement figure. In this type of billing situation, there are no up-front costs to the clients, and at the end of the time working together, there will be no surprise hidden fees.
When the case is settled, the attorney will keep an agreed-upon percentage of the full settlement amount. Most personal injury attornys charge a 33% of total settlement fee. Having an attorney on your side will help ensure you receive the compensation you deserve and in most circumstances the settlement will be higher than if you were to proceed on your own.
You have questions. We have answers.
Figuring out the best course of action after a car accident can be intimidating. Without taking the correct steps to protect your rights, you could miss out on a significant sum of money. Our attorneys will go the extra mile to secure the maximum compensation you deserve. To discuss the specifics of your case during a free consultation, get in touch with our office.
Get help after an accident from accident injury lawyers. This book is full of easy to understand action steps so you can protect yourself or your family.
I wish I would have had this book when I was hit 10 years ago. I made so many mistakes and ended up paying for it with long term injuries that weren’t covered, and the regret of looking back at the compensation I should have received for my car, my pain and my time.”
Question 2:
How to open a claim?
Question 3:
What If I am Injured in Car Accident?
Question 4:
How Will I Pay For My Medical Bills?
Question 5:
What Happens If I Miss Work?
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