What Is a Personal Injury Attorney in Spokane?
As you go about your daily routine, it's likely you will come across scenarios where you could suffer an injury. Maybe you are grocery shopping, dining at your favorite restaurant, or driving in your car. A personal injury lawyer in Spokane represents those who have been injured because of another party's carelessness, negligence, or willful disregard of others. These wrongful acts are more formally referred to as torts. When you suffer harm as a result of another party, you shouldn't have to shoulder the financial burden which often accompanies an injury because of medical expenses and lost wages. A licensed Spokane personal injury attorney can help you seek the compensation you deserve in civil court.
Although personal injury attorneys in Spokane deal with tort law, they often specialize in one or more areas. The following list is not exhaustive but includes several broad types of cases personal injury lawyers handle on a day-to-day basis.
Traffic Accident Injury Cases
Each year, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates more than six million traffic collisions are reported to law enforcement, including more than 35,000 fatal crashes, and about 2.5 million injuries. A skilled attorney can help investigate your accident and build a strong case against the defense to hold at-fault drivers accountable. Traffic accidents can include car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, and pedestrian accidents. When high speeds are involved, victims who are lucky enough to live through an accident, potentially face lifelong complications.
Car Accidents
Over 2.5 million Americans, some right here in Spokane, find themselves in an emergency room annually because of car accidents. In fact, crash injuries account for $18 billion in lifetime medical expenses. Injuries can range from minor scrapes and bruises to permanent disability such as a spinal cord injury (SCI), traumatic brain injury (TBI), or even death. Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of personal injury claims in Spokane, Washington, and throughout the U.S. Injured parties in Spokane have the right to expect fair compensation for their medical expenses, lost income and wages, and their physical and emotional pain and suffering. An experienced Spokane car accident attorney can help them gather the evidence needed to prove their claim, file legal documents, attempt to negotiate a fair settlement and represent them in court if necessary. Being injured in a car accident can be an extremely difficult and overwhelming experience. However, with the guidance of a top Spokane personal injury lawyer, victims can ensure the best possible outcome in their claim.
Serious Personal Injury
The National Center for Health Statistics reports that around 31 million individuals are injured in Spokane, Washington, and across the country each year, requiring some type of medical treatment. Of these injuries, two million are severe enough to require hospitalization, and 162,000 are fatal. Serious personal injuries in Spokane can arise from many different situations and accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports approximately 5.5 million car accidents in the U.S. every year, resulting in three million injuries, 40,000 deaths. Truck accidents account for another 60,000 injuries and 5,000 deaths annually. Construction accidents injure around 300,000 people and kill another 1,000 every year. Medical malpractice is another type of personal injury that takes the lives of nearly 100,000 Americans annually. No matter the cause, serious Spokane personal injuries can change victims' lives in an instant. They may be left with life-altering injuries and insurmountable medical bills. They need a skilled Spokane personal injury attorney to advocate for their rights to compensation.
Premises Liability Injury Cases
In all 50 U.S. states, property owners have the legal obligation to maintain a safe environment for those who visit their business and home. Although exact laws vary from state to state, when a property owner fails to uphold his legal obligation and someone suffers an injury, courts often find the owner liable for damages in civil court. Premises liability accidents include a wide variety of accidents based on location and the type of injury. Victims might get injured at a swimming pool, a theme park, on an elevator, at a shopping mall, and many other locations. The most common type of premises liability accident is a slip-and-fall injury or a trip-and-fall injury. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries, besides traffic accidents, is unintentional falls.
Product Liability Injury Cases
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) records and maintains millions of complaints of injuries caused by defective products each year. A defective product might have a manufacturing defect, a design defect, or a marketing defect, which occurs when companies don't warn consumers of dangerous products or provide proper instructions. When a known or unknown defect causes injury to a consumer, courts can hold any party in the product's chain of distribution liable for damages. The CPSC is concerned with all types of household items, sports equipment, toxic and flammable chemicals, toys, and much more, but they do not serve as a watchdog for the automotive industry or the pharmaceutical. Defective airbags and defective tires have been a common cause of injury or death, as well as dangerous drugs.
Finding the best Spokane personal injury lawyer can be tough, but lucky for you we did the legwork and found the top personal injury lawyer in Spokane.