If you have been injured, the most important priority is getting medical attention - and then following your physician’s subsequent care plan to the letter.

Assuming that you are not taken to the emergency room immediately, you should take photos or videos of the scene and get the contact information of any and all witnesses. If possible, construct a written narrative of the event (the sooner, the better).

Do not admit fault or apologize to anyone else who was involved, even if it seems like a polite thing to do. Anything that you say in the aftermath of an injury can be used against you.

If you believe that someone else may have been at fault, set up an evaluation with the professionals at LKLG. The meeting is free.

In most situations, you will have a case if someone acted carelessly under the circumstances and caused your injuries. Applying this standard is more complicated than it sounds, however, which is why it is important to consult the professionals at LKLG. We will review your situation in detail and begin a thorough investigation.

In a personal injury lawsuit, the victim makes a demand for compensation called a complaint. The defense has time to file an answer. Both of the parties build their evidence in the case using things like depositions, interrogatories, and subpoenas. There may be preliminary rulings on gathering and presenting evidence.

The parties have opportunities to reach an agreement in the case through mediation and informal settlement negotiations. If they’re unable to reach an agreement, the injury lawsuit goes to trial for a jury to decide.

Insurance adjusters may seem friendly and sympathetic, but they are almost certainly trying to coax statements from you that will reduce or eliminate the liability of their insured. Tell the insurance adjuster to contact your attorneys at LKLG. The same advice applies if an attorney for the other party contacts you.

The main type of damages is known as compensatory damages, which is further divided into economic damages and non-economic damages.

Economic damages are based on tangible, relatively objective costs and losses, such as medical bills, lost income and earning capacity, property damage, and the costs of future treatment. Non-economic damages are more subjective, covering items such as pain and suffering, mental anguish, and lost enjoyment of life. Damages must be reasonably quantifiable to be awarded, rather than being speculative.

Very few personal injury cases actually go to trial. The overwhelming majority end in a settlement. However, the time that it takes to reach a settlement is difficult to predict and can vary dramatically.

At LKLG, we obtain settlements at a much quicker rate because we file as soon as we know the full nature and extent of your injuries. Also, LKLG has a reputation for preparing each case as it was going to trial. Insurance companies don’t like this. We get results - and they know it.

At LKLG, we accept cases at no charge, collecting our fee as a percentage of any settlement or judgment that we obtain for you. If you get nothing from the case, neither do we. This is known as a contingency fee arrangement.

The statute of limitations for filing in the State of Washington is three years.