Washington Car Accident Legal Questions

It's unclear whether you have an attorney to represent you in this matter. Insurance companies do not take unrepresented party seriously. If you want to maximize your recovery, retain an attorney on contingency fee, which means you pay nothing unless you win. If you cannot find an attorney to take your case, then you can reach out to one of us privately on this website to help you find an attorney who will.     ... Read More

Yes, if you can prove that the bar establishment was negligent in not having security and that if they had security that this could've been prevented. You should retain a personal injury attorney in your jurisdiction for representation on contingency fee. Most taverns and bars have what's called limited coverage for bar fights. This means that there is only a certain amount usually $25,000 or $50,000 maximum that covers these types of injuries.   ... Read More

Your insurance company has a duty to defend you. This includes hiring an attorney to give you advice if necessary. I would imagine the opposing attorney is asking for your policy limits info to determine if they should settle the case for policy limits. If you refuse to provide this info it is more likely you would be sued than if you didn't.... Read More

You have a right to use your uninsured motorist coverage but I would check to make sure the amount you are stating is accurace. Here in WA state UM coverage is usually the same as your liability coverage and the minimal amount of liability coverage is $25,000. You may be looking at your Personal Injury Protection coverage (PIP) rather than your UM coverage. PIP is usually $10,000. PIP is a no-fault coverage that will pay for you medical bills. You should use PIP if you intend to get treatment.... Read More

You have a few options. I would submit the claim to your insurance carrier to confirm what your mechanic has told you. It may be he is wrong and they will fix the damage. If they do, they will go after your neighbor for what they paid out. If they determine you car is totalled they will have to pay you the market value of the car. You can still keep the car but your insurance company will deduct the salvage value from the market value. If the damage is at least $1000 you can file a Motor Vehicle Collision Claim for Damages with the Department of Motor Vehicles. If they determine your claim is valid they will suspend your neighbor's license until the damage is paid for. You can do that here:http://www.dol.wa.gov/driverslicense/collision.html  If the damage is under $1000 you can file a claim for damages in Small Claims Court. You might want to advise your neighbor you will be forced to pursue legal action if he/she does not take care of the problem.... Read More

The key here is to find out what the insurance company's policy limits are. They are only obligated to pay those limits. After that you would have to use your own Underinsured Motorist coverage if you have it, if not you would have to pursue the at fault party for more than the limits. The $100K they are offering is for pain and suffering and any future costs. You can talk to your surgeon's office and have them give you and estimate of the future costs then present that to the insurance company. From what you are telling me, the amount they are offering you is not sufficient to fully compensate you wife. Once you find out what the policy limits are, you can decide if those limits are enough to compensate her. If not, you will need to pursue an underinsured motorist claim (presuming you have UIM). Another important issue is the medical bills? Were they paid and if so, by whom? If they were paid by your auto carrier or private insurance these companies will be wanting to get reimbursed from the $50K the at fault party's insurance company is offering. Depending on whether there is enough insurance to fully compensate you wife, these companies may or may not have a legal right to reimbursement. There are many complicated issues to consider when settling a claim like this. I would highly recommend speaking with an attorney before making any settlement decisions. Most attorney's will not charge for consultation such as this.... Read More

More info is needed to properly answer this question. If you are asking if the lessee is liable to a third party the answer is yes. If you are asking if the lessee is liable for the damage to the leased vehicle the answer is also yes. The driver of the vehicle is required to carry insurance regardless of whether the vehicle is owned or leased.... Read More