Automobile Injuries

What You Should Know About Auto Accidents

According to the Washington State Patrol, more than one out of every 36 Washington residents is involved in an automobile collision each year. You or a family member may become-or already have become-the next victim of such a collision. Besides property damage, an automobile collision can cause you physical injury, medical expenses, wage loss, permanent disability, pain, emotional distress, and a host of other problems.

If you are in an automobile collision, your rights depend on a number of factors: who is at fault, who has insurance, how much insurance coverage is available, whether any of those involved were on the job at the time of the collision, the nature and extent of your injuries, who is responsible to pay your medical expenses and whether there is a source available to compensate you for your wage loss. Although no one can tell you exactly what your rights are without knowing the facts of your particular case, we hope this information will help. Please call us if you have any specific questions.

Do you know exactly what benefits you are entitled to for the payment of your automobile insurance premium? It is important that you understand your coverage so that you can obtain all benefits to which you are entitled under your policy. You should also know what rights you may have against the negligent driver who caused the injuries.

Who Pays My Medical Bills?

The Personal Injury Protection (PIP) or Medical Payments coverage contained in most policies will pay all necessary and reasonable medical expenses for a covered person suffering bodily injury in an accident (usually up to $10,000 or $35,000 and for a specified time period, usually one to three years). The insurer who covers the vehicle you are occupying (whether as a driver or a passenger) at the time of the collision will be primarily responsible for payment of these medical expenses. If there is no PIP or Medical Payments coverage available through existing auto policies, health insurance may cover your medical expenses.

What About My Lost Wages?

PIP coverage may provide time loss benefits while you are off work due to the accident. This coverage typically expires one year after the accident and is usually limited to no more than a set amount each week.

What About My Pain And Suffering?

"General damages" such as pain and suffering, disability and loss of enjoyment of life are recoverable against the negligent driver who caused your injuries, or his or her insurer. You may also recover damages for past and future medical expenses, wage loss, and any impairment of future earning capacity.

What If I Cannot Reach a Settlement With the Insurance Company?

If you and the negligent driver's insurance company cannot agree on a settlement, you are entitled to file a lawsuit to have a jury or judge decide your case. The insurance company does not have the final word on the amount of your compensation. Under our system, you have the right to have a jury or judge decide your case.

What if the Negligent Driver Is Uninsured, or Has Insufficient Insurance to Fully Compensate Me?

State law requires insurance companies to include in every policy (unless expressly rejected by the policy holder) coverage intended to compensate an injured person where the negligent driver either has no insurance at all or has a policy with insufficient limits to fully compensate the victim for his or her damages. This is called "underinsured motorist coverage." When you purchase automobile insurance, you should purchase enough underinsured motorist coverage to protect you in the event that the other driver has no insurance or has insufficient insurance. We recommend that drivers carry at least $300,000 in underinsured motorist coverage

What Automobile Insurance Coverage Should I Have?

You should carry liability coverage and underinsured motorist coverage in an amount sufficient to protect you and your family from claims against you, or in the event you or family members are injured by an uninsured or underinsured driver. Underinsured motorist coverage is perhaps most important of all, since up to 20% of drivers in Washington are uninsured. Furthermore, these are apt to be the worst and least responsible drivers and the ones most likely to cause automobile collisions. Finally, depending on the value of your car, you may want to carry collision and comprehensive coverage.

Every person operating a motor vehicle in this state must be insured under a motor vehicle liability policy or bond with limits of not less than $25,000 for injury or death to one person, and not less than $50,000 for bodily injury or death to two or more persons in one accident. Because serious injuries can easily drive the value of these claims in excess of these minimum limits, we recommend that you carry ample insurance to protect you assets in the event that you cause injuries to another person in an automobile collision. Sufficient insurance will protect you against personal liability and will help compensate the injured person for injuries you cause. The minimum limits are not sufficient.