Personal Injury Lawyers in Tacoma, WA 

tacoma personal injury lawyer

Tacoma is a vibrant city, from the ever-busy I-5 and the intricate web of SR-16 and SR-512, to the popular Sixth Avenue and the historic Stadium District. The city draws crowds of pedestrians and locals alike. Unfortunately, this also means an increased risk of motor vehicle and pedestrian accidents that can result in life-altering injuries.

Accidents can happen in the blink of an eye, leaving individuals and families grappling with the physical, emotional, and financial aftermath.

If you or a loved one suffered injuries due to someone else’s negligence, you need an experienced Tacoma personal injury lawyer from Park Chenaur & Associates by your side to help you navigate the legal complexities and pursue the compensation you deserve.

Why Choose Park Chenaur & Associates for Your Tacoma Personal Injury Claim?

Two trusted Washington lawyers with over 20 years of experience practicing personal injury law founded Park Chenaur & Associates to provide accident victims with personalized legal representation. In that time, we have handled thousands of personal injury cases and recovered more than $100 million in settlements and verdicts for our clients in Tacoma and across Washington State. Our results speak for themself:

Tacoma personal injury lawyer
  • $1 million for a car accident victim who suffered injuries that required multiple surgeries
  • $600,000 for a patient sickened by misprescribed medication
  • $350,000 for a pedestrian struck by a taxi
  • $230,000 for a worker injured on the job
  • $140,000 for a woman injured in a slip-and-fall accident at a local casino

You can trust the law office of Park Chenaur & Associates to handle your personal injury case professionally and thoroughly in pursuit of a fair settlement. Contact us today for a free consultation and case evaluation.

Tacoma Personal Injury Practice Areas

Any type of accident can be life-altering for the victim, resulting in long recovery, pain and suffering, lost earnings, and mounting medical bills. Over the past two decades, our Tacoma personal injury attorneys have helped individuals injured in the following types of accidents:

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Accidents have the potential to severely disrupt a person’s life—either temporarily or permanently. We believe that you shouldn’t have to pay for someone else’s negligent acts.

Types of Tacoma Personal Injury Cases We Handle

Here is a closer look at some of the Tacoma personal injury cases we handle:

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Tacoma is made up of a network of roadways and interstates that facilitate both local and interstate travel. From I-5 connecting the city to major destinations, to SR-16 and SR-512. Tacoma roadways witness a constant flow of traffic. Unfortunately, this also means there is a risk for motor vehicle accidents, including car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, and pedestrian accidents. When these accidents occur, injured victims may be entitled to compensation for their medical bills and other losses.

Nursing Home Abuse

The decision to place a loved one in a nursing home is never an easy one to make. But when a family member needs 24-hour skilled nursing care, a nursing home may be the only option. We trust nursing home staff to take good care of our loved ones. But sometimes, elderly and vulnerable nursing home residents become victims of nursing home abuse and neglect. If your loved one was harmed by nursing home staff, you may be able to seek justice and compensation through a nursing home abuse claim.

Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice refers to professional negligence by a healthcare provider that leads to substandard treatment, causing harm, injury, or death to a patient. This form of negligence occurs when a medical professional fails to meet the accepted standard of care, deviating from what a reasonable competent healthcare provider in the same field would do under similar circumstances.

Personal Injury Cases

Medical malpractice cases may arise in various healthcare settings, involving doctors, nurses, surgeons, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals. Examples include misdiagnosis, surgical errors, medication errors, birth injuries, failure to diagnose, and inadequate communication about treatment options.

Premises Liability

Premises liability refers to the legal responsibility of a property owner or occupier to ensure the safety of individuals on their premises. If someone is injured or suffers harm while on another person’s property due to unsafe conditions or negligence, the property owner may be held liable for damages through a premises liability claim. Examples of premises liability cases include slip and fall accidents, dog bite attacks, and swimming pool accidents.

Wrongful Death

Wrongful death is a death caused by negligent, reckless, or intentional actions of another person or party. These deaths often involve accidents or incidents, such as motor vehicle accidents or medical malpractice. Surviving family members or beneficiaries of wrongful death victims may be able to pursue compensation for the damages resulting from their loved one’s death through a wrongful death claim.

How to Find a Tacoma Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me?

Tacoma Office

3517 6th Ave
Tacoma, WA 98406


Contact : (253) 465-8733

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Tacoma Accident Statistics

Tacoma isn’t immune to accidents. Last year, the city experienced a 10-year high in traffic fatalities. Motorcycle, bicycle, and pedestrian accidents continue to be a problem on Tacoma roadways.

Car Accidents

  • 4,586 accidents
  • 1,366 injuries
  • 24 fatalities

Motorcycle Accidents

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  • 102 accidents
  • 87 injuries
  • 8 fatalities

Heavy Truck and Bus Accidents

  • 239 accidents
  • 55 injuries
  • 3 fatalities

Pedestrian Accidents

  • 101 accidents
  • 93 injuries
  • 5 fatalities

Bicycle Accidents

  • 27 accidents
  • 22 injuries
  • 0 fatalities

If you or a loved one suffered injuries in an accident in Tacoma, you are likely facing a long road to recovery. You may be eligible for compensation for your medical bills and other losses. Contact a Tacoma personal injury Lawyer at Park Chenaur & Associates to discuss your options.

Types of Injuries in Tacoma Personal Injury Accidents

Motor vehicle accidents, truck accidents, and even dog bite attacks can result in serious and catastrophic injuries, often leaving victims with temporary or permanent disabilities. Injuries we often see in accident victims include:

  • Broken bones: usually temporary injuries that heal with appropriate medical care but which can be highly restrictive.
  • Traumatic brain injuries: from a mild concussion to injuries requiring permanent medical care.
  • Spinal cord injuries: painful injuries requiring long-term treatment or even resulting in paralysis.
  • Facial injuries: scarring, disfiguration, long-term physical and emotional suffering.
  • Amputation: may occur in a serious accident or be required medically.
  • Sensory damage: problems with vision or hearing may require significant life changes.

Many symptoms don’t present immediately after an accident. It is important to always get a thorough medical checkup after an accident.

Physical injuries are only part of the story. The psychological and emotional effects of an accident should not be underestimated and can be just as debilitating as physical injuries. Furthermore, the injured person isn’t the only one to suffer. Their family members can experience a loss of companionship and financial hardship, especially if the injured victim contributed to the household income.

What Should I Do if I’m Offered a Settlement from the Insurance Company?

If you are involved in an accident, the insurance company may offer compensation to quickly settle your claim. Before you accept an offer, consider consulting with a personal injury lawyer. Insurance companies often use tactics to devalue your claim. For example, they may claim you were partly or wholly to blame for the accident or say your injuries aren’t as serious as you claim.

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At Park Chenaur & Associates, we investigate accident claims to understand the full scope of your damages, including your current and future medical expenses, lost income and earning capacity, and how the accident has affected you emotionally. If you retain our services, we will negotiate with the insurance adjuster to get you maximum compensation for your injuries. And if the insurance company refuses to make a fair offer, we will file your personal injury lawsuit in civil court and represent you in front of a judge and jury.

Do I Have a Tacoma Personal Injury Case?

In a personal injury claim based on negligence, four elements generally need to be established to prove that the defendant was legally responsible for the plaintiff’s injuries. These elements are: 

  1. Duty of Care: The first element involves demonstrating that the defendant owed a duty of care to the plaintiff. This means that the defendant had a legal obligation to act in a reasonably prudent manner to prevent foreseeable harm to others. The specific standard of care can vary based on the circumstances and the relationship between the parties involved.
  2. Breach of Duty: The second element requires showing that the defendant breached the duty of care owed to the plaintiff. This means that the defendant’s actions (or failure to act) did not meet the required standard of care. It must be proven that a reasonable person in the defendant’s position would have acted differently under similar circumstances.
  3. Causation: The third element involves establishing a causal connection between the defendant’s breach of duty and the plaintiff’s injuries. There are two aspects to causation: “cause in fact” (also known as “but-for” causation) and “proximate cause.” But-for causation means that the injury would not have occurred if the defendant had not breached their duty. Proximate cause refers to whether the defendant’s actions were directly related to the plaintiff’s injuries in a foreseeable manner.
  4. Damages: The fourth element requires demonstrating that the plaintiff suffered actual harm or damages as a result of the defendant’s breach of duty. Damages can include physical injuries, emotional distress, medical expenses, loss of income, and other financial losses. It’s essential to show that the harm suffered by the plaintiff was a direct result of the defendant’s negligence.

In a successful personal injury claim, all four of these elements must be proven by the plaintiff. If any of these elements is lacking, the claim might not succeed. The specific requirements and standards for establishing negligence can vary based on the specific circumstances of your case. Legal advice from a qualified personal injury attorney is recommended if you’re involved in a personal injury case.

What if I am Partly at Fault for My Accident?

Washington State follows the principle of “pure comparative negligence” when it comes to determining liability and damages in personal injury cases. Pure comparative negligence is a legal doctrine that addresses cases where both the plaintiff (injured party) and the defendant (allegedly at-fault party) share some degree of fault for the accident or incident that caused the injuries.

Under the pure comparative negligence rule in Washington, the court determines the percentage of fault attributed to each party involved in the accident, including both the plaintiff and the defendant. This percentage reflects the extent to which each party’s actions contributed to the incident.

Experience Handling Tacoma Personal Injury Case

The damages (compensation) that the plaintiff is entitled to receive are then adjusted based on their assigned percentage of fault. In other words, the plaintiff’s total damages award is reduced by their percentage of fault. For example, if the plaintiff is found 30% at fault and is awarded $100,000 in damages, their final award would be reduced to $70,000 (70% of the original amount).

Importantly, even if the plaintiff is found to be primarily at fault (e.g., 80% at fault), they can still recover damages from the defendant. The amount they can recover is reduced by their percentage of fault. This is a distinguishing feature of pure comparative negligence as compared to other negligence systems.

If there are multiple defendants in a case, each defendant’s liability and the plaintiff’s comparative fault are evaluated separately. Each defendant is responsible for the percentage of the damages that correspond to their assigned share of fault.

What Damages Does Personal Injury Law Provide Accident Victims?

Under Washington law, you can claim “just compensation” for your losses if you are injured as a result of another party’s actions.

To start with, any medical treatment in Tacoma is likely to result in substantial medical expenses. Costs for emergency treatment in a hospital, diagnosis, surgery, physical therapy, medication, rehabilitation, and follow-up care all mount up quickly.

Personal Injury Claims

In many cases, this is only the start of a personal injury claim. In addition to present and future medical costs, our lawyers will consider claiming compensation for the following:

  • Lost income: salary, wages, tips, bonuses, etc. if you have had to miss work
  • Future lost income: if your injuries will require time off work in the future
  • Pain and suffering: damages for the physical and psychological effects of your injury
  • Loss of quality of life: if your injuries have reduced your quality of life or resulted in “loss of consortium”
  • Property damage: if you have suffered damage to a car, motorbike, or other property

Is There a Deadline for Filing Tacoma Personal Injury Claims?

Individuals who suffered a personal injury due to someone else’s negligence or intentional actions have a limited period within which they can file a lawsuit seeking compensation for their injuries. This deadline is called a statute of limitations. If you miss this filing deadline, you won’t be able to recover compensation through the Washington civil court system.

The statute of limitations for personal injury cases in Washington state is generally three years starting on the date the injury occurred. This includes injuries resulting from car accidents, slip and fall incidents, medical malpractice, and other personal injury situations.

Exceptions to Washington’s Statute of Limitations for Tacoma Personal Injury Lawsuits

There are situations where the exact date of the injury might not be immediately apparent. In such cases, Washington follows the “discovery rule,” which allows the statute of limitations to start running from the date the injury was discovered or reasonably should have been discovered.

For individuals who were minors (under the age of 18) at the time of the injury, the three-year statute of limitations doesn’t start until they turn 18. This means they have until their 21st birthday to file a lawsuit.

Tacoma personal injury lawyer

If the defendant is a government entity or employee, there may be specific notice requirements and shorter timeframes within which to provide notice of the intent to sue. These requirements can be complex and vary depending on the circumstances.

There are certain circumstances under which the statute of limitations might be extended or paused. For example, if the injured person is mentally incapacitated, the statute of limitations might be “tolled” (paused) until they regain capacity.

If you are considering filing a personal injury lawsuit in Washington state, it’s recommended to consult with an attorney who handles personal injury claims.

How Much Does an Experienced Tacoma Personal Injury Attorney Cost?

At Park Chenaur & Associates, we offer free consultations, during which we will evaluate your case and discuss your legal options. We will also explain that we work on a contingency fee basis. This means that our fee is contingent on winning your case and obtaining fair compensation for you, our client. In other words, we don’t get paid unless we successfully recover compensation for you.

How Our Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help

The experienced and compassionate advocacy you will receive from our Tacoma personal injury attorneys allows you to focus on recovery from injury while we handle the paperwork and communications with the insurance company. The claims process can be stressful and intimidating and it helps to have an experienced advocate looking after your interests.

Our lawyers in Tacoma are intimately familiar with tort law and the complex legal processes associated with personal injury claims, making the claims procedure as quick and rewarding as possible for victims.

Park Chenaur staff and attorneys taking photo

We will assess your case based on our experience of similar cases in Washington, with the aim of maximizing your claim against the liable party—be it another driver, a government entity, or a medical facility.

While physical injuries are the most visible, the psychological, emotional, and economic consequences must be considered too. We will hold the at-fault party responsible for any damages caused and attempt to negotiate an out-of-court settlement. If no settlement is possible, we can pursue litigation on your behalf through a personal injury lawsuit.

Any party that causes you injury through a reckless, malicious, or negligent act should be held liable to the full extent allowed by Washington law.

Contact the Tacoma Personal Injury Lawyers at Park Chenaur & Associates Today

If you suffered an injury in Tacoma because of another party’s negligence, why should you have to pay the price? The experienced personal injury lawyers at Park Chenaur & Associates in Tacoma, have helped Washingtonians recover damages for a wide variety of accident-related injuries since 1999.

You are entitled to “just compensation” according to Washington law. Unfortunately, insurance companies tend to offer less-than-fair settlements and legal intervention is required to secure what you are due.

Our Attorneys

It can be difficult to navigate a personal injury claim alone. Our law firm is committed to fighting for your best interests in your time of need, regardless of the type of injury you have suffered. It is best to proceed as soon as you can if you have been injured in an accident in Tacoma. Mistakes at the beginning of the claim process can be costly.

Start with a free consultation by calling (253) 600-2408 or filling out our online form today. We work on a contingency basis and only get paid if you win compensation.

Resources

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