If you or someone you love was hurt in an auto accident in Tacoma, you have a right to pursue a compensation claim. Washington is a fault state, so you can recover compensation from the driver who harmed you.
The Tacoma personal injury lawyers at Jacobs and Jacobs can help. Our firm has been fighting for injured victims since 1893, and we’ll bring our experience and commitment to justice to your claim. Give us a call or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with a Tacoma car accident lawyer to find out how we can fight for you.
Why Choose Jacobs and Jacobs
There is one clear choice for where to turn after your car accident: Jacobs and Jacobs. You should place your trust in our team because:
- Our firm has been helping Tacoma car accident victims for over 130 years
- We have recovered $113 million for clients in just the past five years, and have a proven track record of success
- Our many five-star Google reviews show that we are serious about client service, as well as fighting for justice
- We are skilled trial lawyers, ready to go the distance when settlement negotiations fail.
Why You Should Avoid Direct Negotiations
Insurance companies want to pay you as little as they can get away with. They have a team of legal experts and investigators working for them, and they are not on your side.
Insurers use all kinds of tactics, from trying to trick you into saying something to hurt your claim to making a low offer and putting pressure on you to accept. You don’t want to leave money on the table due to these tricks, so you should not talk to the insurer at all. Let your Tacoma car accident lawyer do it for you.
Types of Car Accidents in Tacoma
At Jacobs and Jacobs, our personal injury lawyers have handled thousands of car accident claims, including:
Rear-End Collisions
Frequent in stop-and-go traffic areas like I-5, Tacoma Mall Blvd, and near school zones, rear-end accidents often result in whiplash, neck and back injuries, and head trauma. These accidents typically occur when one driver is distracted or following too closely, violating RCW 46.61.145.
T-Bone (Side-Impact) Accidents
These crashes are common at intersections such as South 38th Street and Pacific Avenue, where one driver fails to yield or runs a red light. T-bone collisions may lead to severe spinal injuries, pelvic fractures, and internal organ trauma due to the side of the vehicle absorbing the full impact.
Head-On Collisions
Though less frequent, head-on collisions are often catastrophic. These occur on undivided roads like River Road or in rural parts of Pierce County due to fatigue, impaired driving, or unsafe passing. Victims may suffer multiple fractures, brain injuries, or even wrongful death.
Sideswipe Collisions
Sideswipe collisions occur when two cars are traveling in the same direction, and one moves into the lane of the other, swiping the side of the vehicle. These types of accidents often occur when lanes are too narrow or when vehicles merge improperly.
Sideswipe accidents can happen anywhere, but the risk is especially high on SR 16. This busy highway carries heavy commuter traffic between the Kitsap Peninsula and Pierce County.
Unfortunately, the SR 16/I-5 interchange is one of the most dangerous traffic chokepoints in the region because multiple lanes of traffic merge, diverge, and change position within a short distance.
When sideswipe accidents occur here, or elsewhere, they are often referred to as “minor” crashes, but can cause serious injuries if one of the vehicles is forced off the road or into another car.
Rollover Accidents
Tacoma’s wet and winding roads, combined with top-heavy vehicles like SUVs or trucks, make rollover accidents a serious concern, particularly on roads like Marine View Drive or Puyallup Avenue. These crashes often cause spinal cord injuries or traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).
Intersection Accidents
Intersection accidents are common because vehicles come together from multiple areas, and drivers must ensure they are yielding the right-of-way when required — as well as paying careful attention to oncoming traffic.
There are a few high-risk areas for intersection accidents in and near Tahoma, including Portland Avenue and E. 38th Street, where there are high volumes of traffic navigating multiple lanes.
Portland Avenue also serves as a major freight corridor that connects neighborhoods in Tacoma with the Port of Tacoma. Commercial truck traffic is heavy, with trucks sharing the roads with passenger vehicles in a congested area. This creates an added risk of visibility issues and other problems at intersections that lead to accidents.
Hit-and-Run Accidents
Sadly, hit-and-run accidents are common in Tacoma. Whether it’s a minor fender-bender or a serious pedestrian injury, fleeing the scene is a criminal offense under RCW 46.52.020. Even if the at-fault driver is unidentified, we help victims pursue claims through uninsured motorist (UM) coverage and other civil avenues.
Laws Against Texting and Driving in Tacoma
Washington’s Distracted Driving Law
Texting while driving is not only dangerous but also illegal in Tacoma and across Washington. Under RCW 46.61.672, it’s unlawful to hold, use, or interact with a mobile electronic device while operating a vehicle, unless using hands-free functionality. This includes:
- Texting
- Calling
- Browsing the internet
- Checking GPS apps without voice-activated commands
Even holding your phone at a red light is illegal under the statute.
Primary Enforcement
Distracted driving is a primary offense in Washington, meaning law enforcement can stop and cite a driver for using a phone without needing any other traffic violation. Tacoma Police and Washington State Patrol actively enforce these laws, especially near school zones and high-traffic areas.
Legal Impact in Injury Claims
From a legal perspective, texting while driving is often considered negligence per se, a legal doctrine meaning the act itself violates the law and automatically implies fault. If the driver who caused your accident was cited for texting, we can use that evidence to bolster your injury claim and maximize compensation.
To prove distracted driving, our auto accident attorneys obtain:
- Cell phone records
- Dashcam footage
- Witness statements
- Traffic camera evidence
Statute of Limitations for Tacoma Car Accidents
Time Limits to File a Claim in Washington State
In Washington, the statute of limitations for most car accident claims is three years from the date of the accident, as outlined in RCW 4.16.080. This means you must file a lawsuit in civil court within three years to preserve your right to compensation. If you miss this deadline, your case may be permanently barred.
Exceptions to the Rule
Some exceptions may pause or extend the statute of limitations, allowing you to seek compensation beyond the deadline, such as:
- The injured party is a minor (the clock doesn’t start until they turn 18)
- The defendant is out of state and cannot be served
- The injury wasn’t immediately discoverable (rare in car crash cases)
Why Early Action Matters
At Jacobs and Jacobs Personal Injury Law Group, we recommend the earliest possible legal intervention. Our Tacoma car accident lawyer begins collecting evidence, investigating the crash, and building your case long before the statute of limitations expires. This not only strengthens your claim but also places pressure on insurers to settle fairly.
What if the Other Driver Didn’t Have Insurance?
If another driver did not have insurance, you can pursue a claim against them directly. This is likely going to be useful only if they have assets to take or wages to garnish. You can also pursue an uninsured or underinsured motorist claim with your own insurer. Your insurance company can cover your losses up to policy limits.
Police Report Isn’t the Golden Ticket to Prove Liability in Tacoma Car Accidents
It’s common for car accident victims in Tacoma to believe that a favorable police report assures success in their injury claim. Unfortunately, that’s a misconception. While police reports can be helpful, they aren’t definitive proof of liability and nor are they admissible in court as conclusive evidence in every personal injury claim.
Police officers may arrive after the collision has occurred and must quickly assess the scene, talk to available parties, and complete their report under time pressure. If you were seriously injured and transported to the hospital, you likely had no opportunity to provide your version of the events, allowing the at-fault driver’s story to dominate the initial narrative.
Even worse, officers may rely on incomplete witness statements or overlook key evidence. They aren’t accident reconstruction experts, and their interpretations can be challenged in civil litigation. At Jacobs and Jacobs, we handle cases where the police report was incorrect, incomplete, or even misleading, and yet we were still able to recover compensation for our clients.
That’s why our Tacoma car accident lawyer will go far beyond the police report. We build independent, evidence-based cases that stand up to scrutiny from insurance defense teams and juries. Our team knows how to prove liability through thorough investigation, expert testimony, and real-world facts and not assumptions.
How Our Tacoma Car Accident Lawyers Will Prove Liability
At Jacobs and Jacobs, we understand that insurance companies don’t pay fair compensation based on claims; they pay based on proof. Our lawyers act swiftly to gather, preserve, and analyze all available evidence to construct a rock-solid claim to recover compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Here’s what we look for:
Crash Scene Documentation
We obtain photos and videos of the scene, including skid marks, vehicle damage, road debris, traffic signs, and road conditions. In many cases, we visit the crash site personally or deploy investigators to document critical details before they disappear.
Vehicle Damage and Black Box Data
Modern vehicles contain Event Data Recorders (EDRs) that record speed, braking, impact angle, and more. We work with engineers and accident reconstruction experts to extract and interpret this data.
Surveillance and Dashcam Footage
Many businesses and homes have cameras, and there are also city-owned traffic cameras in Tacoma. These cameras often capture accidents, but you must act quickly to capture footage before it is deleted or overwritten.
Footage from businesses, home security cameras, and even traffic cameras often gets overridden within as little as 24 to 72 hours, while law enforcement body camera footage is purged after 90 days unless there is an incident. So, don’t hesitate to get legal help to obtain this footage ASAP.
Collect evidence from the scene
We obtain photos and videos of the scene, including skid marks, vehicle damage, road debris, traffic signs, and road conditions. In many cases, we visit the crash site personally or deploy investigators to document critical details before they disappear.
Vehicle Damage and Black Box Data
Modern vehicles contain Event Data Recorders (EDRs) that record speed, braking, impact angle, and more. We work with engineers and accident reconstruction experts to extract and interpret this data.
Surveillance and Dashcam Footage
Nearby businesses, homes, or even city-owned traffic cameras may have captured the collision that resulted in your severe injuries. We act fast to secure this footage before it’s deleted or overwritten.
Eyewitness Statements
Insurance companies discount vague statements. In car accident cases, we interview witnesses thoroughly, capturing detailed, signed declarations that support your side of the story.
Medical Records and Expert Reports
We document the full scope of your injuries, including future medical needs, by coordinating with your doctors and obtaining expert opinions. This is essential for quantifying damages related to pain, suffering, loss of function, and long-term disability.
Cell Phone and Distraction Evidence
If we suspect the other driver was texting, on the phone, or otherwise distracted, we may subpoena their cell phone records, obtain crash data, and prove negligence in a personal injury lawsuit.
Our Tacoma Car Accident Lawyer Will Fight to Maximize Your Compensation
For more than a century, Jacobs and Jacobs has proudly served communities across Washington State. Our legacy spans generations, beginning in the late 1800s and continuing through decades of legal service in the Puget Sound region.
We understand the local legal environment for driver negligence claims, whether it involves a serious injury or a fatal crash. From litigating complex claims in the courtroom to engaging in settlement negotiations with local and national insurers, we fight tooth and nail in every case to recover maximum compensation for our clients.
With a proven track record of over $113 million recovered for clients in just the past five years, we’re known for aggressive representation, compassionate support, and client-focused legal strategy.
When you work with our Tacoma car accident attorneys, you gain an experienced lawyer who takes on insurance adjusters to advocate for maximum financial recovery for your medical treatment, lost income, and pain and suffering. To schedule your free consultation with our legal team, call us 24/7 at 253-447-5481 or contact us online.