Statute of limitations for car accidents in Washington

Virtually everyone will end up in a car accident at some point in their lives. You hope for something relatively minor, but unfortunately, many people end up sustaining serious injuries. That was the recent case for four teenagers who suffered serious injuries and required hospitalization in Whatcom County.

You should inform your insurance company about the car crash immediately. Ideally, you will get compensation from your insurance company, but if the agency drags its feet, then you may need to take the company or the other driver to court. You have a limited amount of time in which to do this, so you need to be aware of Washington’s statute of limitations for car accidents.

Three years

The statute of limitations for auto accidents is the same as most personal injuries. You have three years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit. You also have three years if you only want to file a lawsuit over property damage that still has no resolution. In the event a wrongful death occurred as a result of the crash, then the three years start at the time of death. This may differ from the date of the crash, so the surviving loved ones may have more time.

Longer

A lot of people wonder if they can file after the three years’ mark. While you can still file a lawsuit, the opposing side will undoubtedly point out the statute of limitations has already passed. Unless there are extenuating circumstances that give you a reason for filing after the statute date, then the court will inevitably side with the other party. This is why it is so vital to understand how the statute of limitations applies to your case. You do not want to delay the proceedings if you can help it. Get in touch with a doctor and an attorney posthaste.