What do you have to know about auto accident laws in Seattle, WA? Being involved in an auto accident in this state is a stressful situation whether you’re the one at fault or not and if you were not guided correctly.
First, Washington implements pure comparative negligence policy. What does it mean? Any person found to be at fault in an auto accident, which damages another person, is liable for that damage. But then if the person claiming it shared that fault, any lawsuit involving damage recovery is deducted to his/her fault.
Let’s take an example:
You and a certain John (the at-fault driver) is involved in an accident, being 50 percent of the fault is yours, while the other 50 percent is John’s. If you sustained $50,000 following an auto accident, you can file a lawsuit to claim $50,000, but then 50 percent of it, which is $25,000, will be reduced by your share of the fault in the accident, as simple as that.
Now, you may be asking, “How does this whole thing work if auto insurance would be involved?” Whether or not you will be able to claim for the damages from your insurance provider will all depend on the type of insurance you have, but if yours is a no-fault insurance, the auto accident will still be covered by insurance to its policy maximum, no matter who is at fault. It’s different for a traditional policy though because you have to file a claim with the insurance company of the driver at fault, whether you or John is at the at-fault driver.
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Going back, you may or may not proceed with the insurance claim and head straight to the lawsuit to recover damage from John. So if you’re filing a lawsuit, consider an attorney in Seattle, not just any lawyer of sorts but an auto accident lawyer in the state to help in clarifying your objectives as well as everything you need to know about the case.
You probably know by now a glimpse of auto accident in Seattle and the reasons of hiring an accident lawyer. Study your options well and file a lawsuit only with help from an experienced and knowledgeable auto accident lawyer in Seattle today!