Crush injuries are among the most terrifying, painful, and catastrophic of all injury types. Accident victims who endure these horrific injuries in the workplace or in car accidents are often left suffering permanent damage that completely alters their lives.
When you have endured a crush injury due to someone else’s negligence, you need a personal injury lawyer for crush injuries in Washington. Turn to Jacobs and Jacobs Personal Injury Law, where we are committed to helping victims with crush injuries fight for their legal rights to fair compensation. With a long-standing reputation and a combined experience of over 100 years, we are your ultimate advocate in the legal process. Contact us today to engage our Washington State crush injury legal services.
What Are Crush Injuries and How Do They Occur
Crush injuries are among the most devastating, created by excessive force or pressure exerted onto a body part. This typically occurs when part of the body is compressed between two large objects, such as machinery or a heavy object falling on a worksite. It can also occur in traffic accidents, especially those involving large trucks or when pedestrians or bicyclists are pinned between two vehicles.
The damage that these injuries can cause is usually permanent, and recovery is a lengthy process. Victims who suffer from crushing injuries will have extensive medical bills and lose income from being unable to work, either until they recover or over the long term. There are often more complexities involved in these types of cases, making it more difficult to obtain a suitable resolution. If you or a loved one have suffered a crush injury, it is in your best interests to discuss your circumstances with a personal injury lawyer for crush injuries in Washington to learn more about your legal options.
Legal Implications of Sustaining Crush Injuries in Washington State
The laws in Washington State allow you certain rights after enduring a crush injury. You may be able to seek compensation for your injuries and all damages associated with them.
Crush Injuries in the Workplace
If your crush injury occurred while performing the duties of your job, your employer’s workers’ compensation coverage should take care of your medical treatments, provide partial wage replacement, and even give you disability payments for permanent injuries. However, if your employer does not have this coverage as mandated by the law with few exceptions, or the workers’ comp insurance coverage keeps rejecting your claims, you will want legal representation.
It’s also important to note that if a workplace injury occurs due to the negligence of a third party, you can file a lawsuit against them for your crush injuries.
Crush Injuries from Car Accidents or Premises Liability Incidents
When crush injuries are caused by another person’s negligent actions on the road or as a property owner, you can file a personal injury claim to recover compensation. You may be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, mental anguish, and other damages.
It will require proving the four elements of negligence to hold the responsible party liable. Since crush injury cases are incredibly complicated, make sure you contact a personal injury lawyer or a car accident attorney to get the legal support you need.
Understanding the Rule of Comparative Negligence
Washington State, like other states, provides rules for comparative negligence that allow for shared blame. In this state, pure comparative negligence is the rule, which allows a victim to seek compensation even if they are 99% at fault. However, you may be held responsible for damages to the other party, and your percentage of fault will significantly diminish your compensation.
Insurance companies love to find ways to blame victims to reduce their payout or issue a denial on the claim. They have many tactics they employ to skirt around these issues, but with a crush injury lawyer in Washington from our law firm, you will have someone to fight back on your behalf.
Filing in Accordance with Time Limits
While you may have the legal right to hold the at-fault party accountable for causing you serious harm, you must take action before the statute of limitations runs out. This time limit is set for how long you have to file a lawsuit, giving you only three years from the date of your injuries. If you do not file in enough time, you will lose your chance to recover the compensation you deserve.
With both the intricacies of relevant laws and the complexities of crush injuries, make sure you promptly seek Washington State crush injury legal services from Jacobs and Jacobs Injury Law Group.
How Jacobs and Jacobs Personal Injury Law Assists with Washington State Crush Injury Legal Services
At Jacobs and Jacobs Injury Law Group, we understand how traumatic crush injuries can bend and how it can be a struggle for victims to move forward and adjust to the changes these injuries cause. Our extensive experience in representing these types of cases allows us to be well-versed in relevant laws and familiar with the local legal landscape, and also have complete compassion for your plight.
Here is how we can help you in the aftermath of a crush injury:
Free Initial Consultation and Case Evaluation
As you pick up the pieces and try to find your way back to what feels normal for you, it can be very difficult to try to understand all aspects of your legal situation. At Jacobs and Jacobs Injury Law Group, you can schedule a free consultation to learn more about our Washington State crush injury legal services.
During this consultation, we’ll review the factors of your case and inform you about your legal options. We will never pressure you, and you are not obligated to proceed, allowing you to make the best decision for your needs.
Investigation and Evidence Gathering
Since crush injuries are catastrophic, victims are typically transported to the hospital from the accident scene. This means you were likely unable to take photos or videos of the car crash or the hazard that caused you to sustain a crushing injury.
When you engage our legal services, we will investigate to determine what happened and who caused it. We will then take steps to hold all responsible parties liable for your injuries and damages. We will gather accident reports, medical records, witness statements, and surveillance footage, and hire experts in their fields to provide testimony on this traumatic event to help build a strong case.
Negotiating for Your Fair Compensation
Crush injuries cause extensive damage that may result in permanent disability. Even if you are expected to make a full recovery, it will be a long road until you get to that point. Our crush injury lawyer in Washington will calculate the full extent of your damages to get you what is fair for compensation.
You’ll likely have medical expenses that include the ambulance ride to the hospital, your hospital stay, surgery, physical therapy, and medications, not to mention assistive medical devices. You’ll have lost wages from being unable to work and property damage from your motor vehicle crash.
Along with all of the economic damages, you can seek non-economic damages for the mental impacts you’ve endured. Crush injuries can cause extreme pain and suffering, mental anguish, disfigurement, permanent scarring, and permanent disability. We will seek the full amount of what you deserve for this catastrophic event.
Why It’s Important to Seek Legal Help Quickly After a Crush Injury
Crush injury cases are complex and often face greater challenges. For example, if you suffered crush injuries in a truck accident, there will be multiple liable parties beyond the truck driver. The trucking company could be held liable for failing to abide by federal trucking regulations. The cargo loading company may be liable for not correctly securing the load. Even truck mechanics could be liable for their negligence in proper repairs.
Workplace accidents with crush injuries certainly require a crush injury lawyer in Washington to help navigate the process when workers’ comp denies benefits or an employer or third party is grossly negligent. Car accidents between several vehicles may also cause victims to sustain these types of catastrophic injuries.
Proving negligence and liability will require someone with full knowledge of applicable laws. It will also require the need to file before the statute of limitations runs out. You may think that the three-year time limit is enough, but you’ll be in the hospital at the start of it. Depending on where you were crushed and the severity, you may spend several months receiving round-the-clock medical care.
You may be trying to file your injury claim with the insurer for the at-fault party all while getting the runaround. By the time you realize that your efforts aren’t going anywhere and a lawsuit is your only option, you will have little time to act, and much of the evidence will have faded.
Contact Jacobs and Jacobs Injury Law Group today and discuss your crush injuries with an attorney.