Washington Personal Injury Legal Questions

Unless there was a latent unreasonably dangerous condition  that caused your daughter to fall it is unlikely she has a claim. The fact the retailer was closing and you daughter was in a hurry is not sufficient. This response is general in nature and is not legal advice. No attorney client relationship is formed by it. Further, the response does not represent the opinions or views of LexisNexis or its affiliated companies.  ... Read More

As long as you don't provide legal advice and have her permission, you or someone else can talk to the insurance company on her behalf. Unless you or someone else has legal experience, I would highly recommend she hire an attorney to properly evaluate her claim. She should not be concerned about appearing litigious. If liability is clear, the neighbors would not be involved in the process. Their insurance company would handle everything. That's what insurance is for.... Read More

Libel and slander are both forms of defamation. Defamation is a common law tort, governed by state law, in which an individual makes a "publication" of a defamatory statement of and concerning the plaintiff that damages the reputation of the plaintiff. The distinction between slander and libel comes in the form of the publication. Slander involves the oral "publication" of a defamatory remark that is heard by another, which injures the subject's reputation or character. Slander can occur through the use of a hand gesture or verbal communication that is not recorded. Libel, on the other hand, is the written "publication" of a defamatory remark that has the tendency to injure another's reputation or character. Libel also includes a publication on radio, audio or video. Even though this would be considered oral, or verbal, communication to someone it is actually considered to be libel because it is published in a transfixed form.... Read More

Most attorneys take a 331/3 % contingency fee on most personal injury cases in WA. The exception is a medical malpractice case where most attorneys take 40%. Some attorneys also increase their fee if a lawsuit is filed and/or the case goes to trial. The contingency fee is on the gross settlement or judgment. Costs are the obligation of the client and are not included in the attorney fee.... Read More

If the statute of limitations has run (3 years from the date of the accident) you have 90 days to serve. If the statute has not run you have a year. This response is general in nature and is not legal advice. No attorney client relationship is formed by it. Further, the response does not represent the opinions or views of LexisNexis or its affiliated companies.  ... Read More

If your case was tried to a conclusion, you can't reopen it at this late date. If your case was not tried, but instead you settled the claim and signed a release, then you can't go back after the responsible party. If your attorney told you to waive a valid claim for your injuries, then perhaps you would have a claim against him or her.... Read More

I'm afraid the statute of limitations has long run on any claim you might have had. This response is general in nature and is not legal advice. No attorney client relationship is formed by it. Further, the response does not represent the opinions or views of LexisNexis or its affiliated companies.  ... Read More