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Writer's pictureKia Hohaia

Understanding Personal Injury

Updated: Jul 5, 2022


Personal injury lawsuits can be quite daunting and overwhelming to understand. Despite this, it is important to never let your injuries go unresolved after a car accident. With the help of a personal injury attorney, you can get the support you need to rightly recover after a car accident. Here are the biggest things to remember with any personal injury claim.


You have up to 3 years to file your personal injury claim.


In Washington state, you do have quite a bit of time to file your claim. Even if you are not sure of who is at fault or what injuries you have, you should never wait too long to file your personal injury claim. By working with a personal injury attorney right away, you will be able to get help and guidance while collecting any evidence needed for your claim. When you wait to file, your injuries become more distant from the accident and can be dismissed due to questions of cause.


The 3-year mark starts at age 18 for minors.


That’s right, if your child is 17 or younger at the time of the accident, the statute of limitations will be put on hold until they turn 18. This can help protect children that have long-term injuries that may affect their working or academic lives. Claims can and should still be filed for minors well before then if they have medical bills or other expenses related to the accident, but it is worth noting that any associated fees or costs up to age 21 can be counted in their personal injury claim if needed.


You can settle during your personal injury claim without having to go to court.


Most times, lawsuits paint a picture of a courthouse and a judge with a room full of jurors and witnesses. In reality, many personal injury claims can be handled out of court by simply obtaining legal representation and coordinating with the responsible insurance company. Insurance companies don’t want to spend time and money in court any more than you do, so they are often motivated to resolve claims without going to trial.


Once a claim is closed, it cannot be reopened later.


This is why it is so important to get legal representation and support while you are actively working through a recent personal injury claim. A personal injury attorney can help you provide evidence of long-term expenses and lifelong costs that may not be seen in the initial years after a car accident. This can ensure you get the compensation you are entitled to before you get stuck with medical bills down the road related to the accident.


There is no set deadline on when you have to settle a personal injury claim.


The 3-year mark only applies to the act of filing a claim, so in reality a personal injury claim can last much longer. Some claims may take only a few months while others can take years to settle, but this is all dependent on how clear the case is and how quickly evidence of injuries can be presented and justified to the responsible insurance company. This is why filing sooner than later is a good idea so you can make sure you get that much closer to your deserved payout.


It’s all a lot to think about and process, but at the end of the day the most important thing to remember is that you should never settle for less. If you find yourself the victim of a car accident, the best thing you can do is get started right away with a personal injury attorney so you can file your claim as soon as possible. With the support of legal professionals such as Hohaia Law, you can get the help you need to recover physically and financially from your accident. If you or someone you know has been injured in a car accident, talk to Kia today to learn how Hohaia Law can help.


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