Traffic accidents on busy Washington interstates, highways and roads can completely alter your day in the blink of an eye. Hopefully, if you’re in a vehicle accident, you and your passengers don’t suffer injuries, but the costly damage to your vehicle may be a different story.

Your car, truck or SUV could be severely damaged and perhaps undrivable. It may be completely totaled. You may wonder who will pay for expensive repair bills, especially if you weren’t to blame for the collision. Accident victims must know their rights so they don’t end up paying to fix someone else’s mistake.

Hagens Berman fights for the rights of accident victims in Seattle and across Washington every day. If you were involved in a vehicle accident that resulted in serious damage to your body and your car, you should know the benefits that are available to you, your family and your wallet. We go after insurance companies who teach their adjusters to rob victims of as much money as possible, and not cover repair bills. Allow Hagens Berman to demand what’s fair for you and earn you the compensation you’ll need to make a full recovery. Our legal team works to bring you the compensation you deserve.

WHAT TO DO AT THE SCENE OF A WASHINGTON ACCIDENT TO PROVE YOUR INNOCENCE

The first thing we recommend to victims who have just experienced an automobile crash or accident is to call 911 and have an officer and, when needed, paramedics, respond to the scene of the wreck. This is a good idea no matter how minor an accident may appear. Never question the severity, because damages to you or your vehicle could be unseen, or not yet problematic.

A police officer or a Washington State Patrol trooper will create an accident report to document what happened in the accident. This report provides valuable evidence when it comes time to seek support from the at-fault driver’s insurance provider for damages to you or your vehicle. An officer will also secure and verify insurance information from the responsible driver. They will be able to identify anyone lying about their coverage much faster and easier than you would be able to.

There are a few other valuable details you can collect on the scene of your accident if you are able. This evidence makes for a powerful argument when it comes time to prove your innocence and demonstrate why you should receive compensation for damages to your car, truck or SUV or any injuries you sustained.

  • Give a full report to officers. Detail any reckless or careless behavior you witnessed the responsible driver engage in either prior, during or after the accident.
  • Use your cellphone to take photos and/or video when safe to do so. Document the damage to vehicles. Show the routes each vehicle took by taking photos or video of lane markings, traffic signs, traffic patterns and street signs. Take photos of any damage to your personal property inside the vehicle. Accurate evidence now will help yoru case for covering repair bills later.
  • Talk to any witnesses. Find out what they saw and how your personal injury lawyer can contact them later.
  • Exchange information with everyone involved. Get driver’s license and insurance information if possible from all parties. Usually, a law enforcement officer will also gather this information.
  • Don’t post to social media. You may feel inclined to vent online about what happened, but beware: insurance companies can use the photos you post and the words you use against you later. Personal injury attorneys suggest withholding from posting anything about your accident on any social media platform. Doing so could risk your ability to get car repair bills paid after your accident.

With an accident report from an officer and the evidence you manage to collect on the scene, your personal injury lawyer should have a much easier time establishing your innocence in an accident. This will make it harder for an insurance adjuster to later try to get you to accept blame in a crash and avoid paying repair bills or replacement for your car.

REPORTING  YOUR ACCIDENT TO WASHINGTON STATE AUTHORITIES

If an officer does not respond to your accident, you may end up responsible for reporting the incident to state authorities.

Here are a few guidelines for when you must report your accident in Washington:

  • When you are a driver, pedestrian, pedal cyclist or property owner involved in a collision within the state, you must report the accident.
  • When the accident involves $1000 or more in damage to any one vehicle, you must report the accident.
  • When the accident involves an injury, you must report the accident.
  • When an officer is present but does not indicate they will submit a report, you must report the accident.

You only have four days to file your accident report with the Washington State Patrol. You will find that online form here. You may also be able to obtain printed forms from your local police or Sheriff's department. This is the first step in ensuring whether your repair bills can get paid by at-fault parties following the accident.

CONTACT INSURANCE COMPANIES

Next, you need to report your accident to your own insurance company. Even if you are not at fault for an accident, your insurance company might require you to report the accident to them so that they have the option to open an investigation. They can also help guide you through the next steps of contacting the at-fault driver’s insurance company to expedite the claims process, to help you get repair bills paid for.

If an uninsured driver or a hit-and-run driver caused your accident, you might also be able to get support from your own uninsured/underinsured motorist portion of your coverage.

HAGENS BERMAN HELPS AUTO DEFENDS ACCIDENT VICTIMS SEEK REPAIR BILL PAYMENT IN WASHINGTON STATE

After an accident involving only property damage and no injuries or only bumps and bruises, you may not need the assistance of a personal injury attorney. The car accident repairs and replacement claims process can be frustrating but they’ve also become fairly standardized.

However, if you have questions about your claim or if an insurance company is unfairly trying to place the blame for an accident on you, please contact us and take advantage of a free consultation session.