Rear-End Accident Injury Lawyers in Federal Way
Rear-End Auto Accident Injury Lawyers in Federal Way
Around 2.5 million rear-end car accidents occur every year in the U.S. That’s over 6,800 per day, accounting for 30 percent of all collisions and making it the most common type of motor vehicle accident in the country.
While some of these are small prangs where, fortunately, both drivers can drive away uninjured, others can cause serious and long-term injuries.
If you are the victim of a rear-end auto accident injury due to the negligence of another driver here in Washington, the lawyers at Park Chenaur & Associates are committed to providing you with the legal assistance you need to get the compensation you are due.
Why do you need a rear-end auto accident injury lawyer?
Rear-end accidents that cause injury may appear straightforward but claiming for losses can be challenging.
Insurance companies are out to protect their own interests and will not generally volunteer adequate compensation unless you fight for it.
A rear-end auto accident injury attorney can liaise with the third-party insurance company of the at-fault party and, if no settlement is reached, pursue damages through the Washington courts.
An experienced attorney from Park Chenaur can help you:
- Prepare your case and negotiate with the insurance company
- Go to trial if full compensation is not forthcoming
- Recover your losses without having to pay a retainer upfront – we work on a contingency basis for personal injury cases (you only pay us if we win your case)
What are the most common rear-end auto accident injuries?
You can sustain a rear-end auto accident injury whether you are hit by a vehicle from behind or the actions of the vehicle in front caused you to unavoidably hit them.
During these types of collisions, we see a pattern of common injuries, owing to the abrupt “whipping” back and forth of the vehicle occupants.
Injuries may occur even at very low speeds because drivers are unable to brace for impact from behind.
Typical injuries include:
- Damaged ligaments or muscles in the back and neck (soft tissue injuries)
- Bone fractures and other impact injuries
- Herniated discs
- Whiplash
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Seatbelt injuries
- Joint pain
- Wrist and arm injuries
Whatever your injury, it is important to get prompt medical attention and for medical professionals to fully document the nature and extent of injury to support your claim.
Even if you think your injuries are minor, you need to be checked for internal injuries that may not be immediately apparent.
What are the most common causes of rear-end auto accidents?
The most common cause of rear-end accidents in Washington is drivers not keeping an adequate distance between their vehicles and others.
A good yardstick is to leave one car length for every 10mph of speed. Another way that some drivers like to judge this is by leaving enough space between you and the vehicle in front to count “one, two, three”.
Driving any closer than that may mean that you do not have enough room to brake. These honest but avoidable mistakes are the most common reason for rear-end accidents but speeding, road rage, alcohol/drug impairment, and drowsy drivers are other possible causes.
How is fault determined in rear-end auto accidents?
As a motorist, you are expected to drive with a basic duty of care for others on the road. Part of this duty of care is maintaining an adequate distance from the vehicle in front to give you time to brake.
Failure to do this will typically mean that you’re liable if you drive into the back of the vehicle in front. In most cases, this still applies even if the vehicle in front stops suddenly or without good reason.
There are some exceptions. For instance:
- If the driver in front changes lanes recklessly, cutting you off and then slamming on the brakes, he or she may be liable – not you.
- If the tail lights on the vehicle in front are not functional, the driver may be liable.
- If you are stopped in traffic and hit from behind and, as a result, your vehicle hits the car in front, you shouldn’t be held liable.
- If a vehicle reverses quickly for no apparent reason and collides with your vehicle, you cannot be held liable.
Liability will usually be determined by police officers, lawyers or judges. It is not always as straightforward as it seems and it is best to seek advice from experienced rear-end auto accident attorneys.
What is comparative negligence in Washington state?
Washington is a “comparative negligence” state.
This allows victims of injuries in accidents to recover compensation for their injuries even if they are partly at fault for the accident that caused them.
If you are found to be 25 percent responsible for the accident and are awarded $100,000, you can only claim $75,000 of the total from the party or parties responsible for the other 75 percent.
What is negligence?
Negligence in personal injury law is failing to provide reasonable care to prevent harm to others. It does not need to be intentional, reckless, or malicious.
Good examples are overworked doctors in hospitals prescribing the wrong medication for a patient by mistake or a driver failing to take rest stops and putting other drivers on the road at risk of harm. Both constitute negligence because they do not exercise the appropriate duty of care even though the harm caused is not intentional.
In a personal injury lawsuit, you must generally prove that:
- There was a duty of care
- The defendant breached that duty of care (negligence)
- The breach caused your injury, and
- You suffered damages from the injury
Are you the victim of rear-end auto accident injury in Washington?
Contact Park Chenaur & Associates today so we can get to work on your personal injury case. Your initial consultation is free and we can come to you if you can’t make it into our office.
After that, you won’t pay anything in attorney fees unless and until we settle your case. This allows you to get the representation you need to protect you from the insurance companies without incurring out-of-pocket expenses when you can least afford it.
