Washington State recognizes joint and several liability in certain circumstances. This doctrine can have a significant impact on how defendants share responsibility for a personal injury claimant’s injuries. Personal injury lawsuits do not always involve just one defendant. Multiple drivers may potentially be at fault in a car accident. Where the defendant driver is working … Read more
Washington is a pure comparative fault state. Under RCW 4.22.005, any contributory fault of the claimant reduces the amount awarded to them by their share of the total fault for the accident. For example, if a plaintiff’s total damages are $100,000 and the plaintiff is 25% at fault, the award to the plaintiff is reduced … Read more
In Washington, specific rules apply to accidents at self-service stores. A self-service store is a retail business where customers help themselves to the products they wish to purchase. Examples include most grocery stores, convenience stores, department stores, home improvement stores, and food buffets. Frequent causes of injuries in self-service stores include slip and falls resulting … Read more
Your own insurance company will usually have a right to reimbursement of the benefits they pay out of your recovery from the at-fault party. But Washington law recognizes significant restrictions on this right of reimbursement. Even though you are injured as a result of someone else’s fault, the at-fault party’s insurance company will not pay … Read more
In Washington State, there are two levels of trial courts that both have jurisdiction in personal injury claims. Washington District Courts are courts of limited jurisdiction and can hear personal injury cases where the total amount claimed is up to $100,000. Washington State Superior Courts also have jurisdiction in personal injury cases, but there is … Read more
Alternative dispute resolution is a procedure used to hopefully resolve a dispute without a trial. There are two primary methods of dispute resolution, mediation and arbitration. Mediation If the parties are not able to reach an agreement between themselves, mediation is sometimes used in an attempt to resolve the case. Mediation is a process of … Read more
A property owner’s responsibility for injuries on their premises depends on the status of the person injured while on the property. Property owners and non-owner residents (renters) can be found responsible for accidents and injuries that occur on their property due to unsafe conditions. The general rule is that a person who occupies property with … Read more
It will come as no surprise that when there is a crash between a cyclist and a vehicle, the cyclist is the most likely to be injured. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2015 over 1,000 bicyclist died and there were almost 467,000 bicycle-related injuries in traffic crashes. Common Types of Bicycle … Read more
A study by the Automobile Association of America (AAA) Foundation for Traffic Safety reports that aggressive driving is a growing problem and that 9 in 10 drivers feel that people driving aggressively pose a threat to their personal safety. This concern is justified, a recent study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic safety found that … Read more
Medical negligence is a significant problem in the United States. According to research performed by John Hopkins Hospital in 2016, medical errors result in an estimated 250,000 deaths each year. This estimate makes medical malpractice the third leading cause of death in the United States behind heart disease and cancer. Types of Medical Malpractice Claims … Read more