Car Accident Attorneys
An auto accident may result in you being injured and/or unable to work. You are likely to be dealing with car repairs and frustrated while trying to sort it all out with insurance companies, medical offices, and employers. Along with physical headaches, you may also suffer logistical headaches pertaining to getting kids to school, getting a rental car, or dealing with your general household obligations. All of these added burdens are tough enough as it is, but when you add the physical pain and discomfort of your injuries to the equation, the situation can become unbearable. At Becker Franklin Rovang, our firm has successfully represented thousands of auto accident victims.
We offer free consultations and meet our clients in our office or at a location convenient for them. We have met clients in hospitals when necessary and will do whatever is necessary to ensure that our clients are treated with respect and compensated fairly for their damages.
Common defenses employed by insurance companies include credibility attacks against you, attacks against your medical providers, and claims that all your symptoms are imagined or stem from something other than the motor vehicle accident. At Becker Franklin Rovang, all attorneys have significant prior experience defending personal injury lawsuits on behalf of insurance companies, so we are very familiar with how these defenses are utilized and how to effectively fight them.
If you or a loved one were injured in a car accident in Kitsap County today, schedule a free initial consultation with a member of our team by calling us at (360) 800-3009 or filling out our online contact form.
Common Causes of Car Accidents & Types of Injuries
The most common automobile accident is a rear-end accident involving minimal to moderate property damage, in which the vehicle occupant sustains a “soft tissue” injury. The visible property damage in these accidents is often minimal and out of sync with what the accident felt like.
In addition to the rear-end accident, other common auto accidents requiring legal representation include:
- Failure to yield incidents where someone fails to yield when turning. Most commonly it is the failure to yield while making a left turn.
- Failure to stop at a stop sign or red light.
- Parking lot accidents are frequently hotly contested because regular statutes do not apply
- Distracted driving accidents where someone was talking on their phone, texting, or doing anything other than keeping their eyes on the road.
- Impaired drivers who are either drunk or high and have no business being on the roadway.
- Both controlled and uncontrolled intersection accidents.
- Accidents where there are disputes about who has the right of way. These include lane change accidents and accidents in traffic circles or roundabouts.
- Road rage incidents escalating into injury.
- Snow and ice accidents where it is claimed that roadway conditions were to blame for the accident.
- Vehicle defects where it is claimed brake failure, sudden acceleration, inoperable brake lights, or other mechanical issues caused the crash.
- Single-car accidents where a driver left the roadway or struck an object.
- “Phantom vehicle” accidents where the crash was caused by a vehicle that left the scene and nobody can identify who it was.
- No insurance car accidents where the victim or the at-fault party doesn’t have any insurance.
Typical injuries sustained are sprains and strains to the head, neck, back, and shoulders. These injuries might be treated with physical therapy, chiropractic, and/or massage treatment, and typically x-rays are taken. Frequently, victims will be prescribed muscle relaxers and/or painkillers at an emergency room or urgent care facility and are told to follow up if their problems do not otherwise resolve. These cases are referred to in the industry as MIST cases (minor impact soft tissue) and are the most aggressively defended claims in the insurance industry. Some people can manage these injuries and get back to work and activities with some limitations, while others might be knocked out of their normal routine for weeks or even months and, in some cases, years. We have had many cases where one person in the car is severely injured, and another person in the same car might not be injured at all.
Settlement & Timing
Timing in a case can be a critical factor. Insurance companies often want to settle your claim soon after an accident. This is because once you sign a release, you can no longer pursue your claim, even if your injuries and treatment continue. Your case is effectively closed.
There are far too many cases where injured people settle their cases early in exchange for a few hundred or a few thousand dollars, only to realize the nature and extent of their injuries were far worse than originally thought. Even worse, the money they obtained as compensation for their damages was not reasonable for their case to begin with.
It is vital to be cognizant of timing issues and not consider settlement until your case is “ripe” and also not wait so long that your claims are “stale.” We discuss these issues with you during your free case evaluation.
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“Steve Franklin was caring and extremely helpful during the traumatic time.”
- KCI never left a review after the incredible services this law firm provided me. I was in a car accident. Steve Franklin was caring and extremely helpful during the traumatic time. I was new to living in the area and felt so comfortable and supported by him. Five years later…. They still send me birthday cards. I know, I know…. It may seem silly, but this is such a sweet gesture! 10/10 Recommend.
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“The team I got to work with was fantastic!”
- Stephanie W.The team I got to work with was fantastic! They are very responsive, kind, and understanding. I was lucky enough to get their help for a complicated situation and am very glad I found them and chose to work with them on my case. Highly recommend!
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“Set realistic expectations and delivered.”
The whole team helped resolve my suit as expeditiously as possible with an ultimately acceptable outcome. Good communication and wonderful people to work with, set realistic expectations and delivered. 10/10 would not advise getting in a car wreck, but if you do these are the people to call!- Colin S. -
“They handled my case so meticulously and didn’t miss a thing!”
I worked with Steve for over a year and him and his team are absolutely amazing! They handled my case so meticulously and didn’t miss a thing! When he explained things to me he always broke it down so I understood exactly what was happening and of- Lauren R.
Washington’s Pure Comparative Fault Rules*
A car accident case in Washington is pretty straightforward, at least in theory: You are injured in an accident, you file an insurance claim or lawsuit, and you’re awarded compensation for your damages. But what happens when an insurance adjuster or the court decides that you are also partly at fault for a car accident?
Washington uses a “pure comparative fault” rule to sort out injury cases in which the person filing the lawsuit also bears part of the blame for the accident. Here’s how it works: suppose your total damages — medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses — come to $10,000. However, at trial, the jury decides that the other driver involved in the accident was 90 percent at fault, and you were 10 percent at fault. What happens to your $10,000 damages award?
Under the “pure comparative fault” rule, you receive the damages award minus an amount equal to the percentage of your fault. In the example above, this means you’ll walk away with $9,000: The $10,000 total minus $1,000 that represents your 10 percent share of the fault.
Washington State statutes outline the rules of the road. There are also many laws and rules developed via case law. To fully evaluate fault issues, one must have a thorough understanding of the applicable laws and the experience of having argued these issues in our courts. If you were involved in a Port Orchard car accident, do not hesitate to reach out to Becker Franklin Rovang for a comprehensive consultation.
* Injured passengers are typically never at fault and should seek legal advice immediately to fully understand their situation and options.
Liability: Who Is at Fault?
In an automobile crash involving a drunk driver who crosses the center lane and causes the crash, there is usually no question that the drunk driver is at fault and the victim is not. However, the inquiry does not end there. If the drunk driver was “over-served” in violation of legal guidelines at a bar or restaurant, there may be some shared legal responsibility on behalf of that commercial establishment. It may be the case that the bar or restaurant is ultimately deemed to be only 1 percent at fault, but this can have huge ramifications upon the personal injury claim.
For all auto accidents, and all personal injury claims in general, being able to investigate and evaluate all the relevant factors is essential to obtaining a just result for an injured person. Knowing what to investigate and how to go about doing so comes from experience and training. We have handled thousands of auto accident claims and are equipped to cover all the necessary bases.
Similarly, the fact that one party got a citation from the police does not conclusively establish the question of fault. In other words, whether or not someone got a traffic ticket is not binding on the question of fault. We have had numerous clients who actually received a traffic citation in relation to an automobile accident when they were not the cause of the accident and have helped resolve many of these cases in their favor.
There are many issues that may not be relevant to your case that insurance companies will try to argue with you when you are negotiating your claims. When it comes to fault, these issues may include things like the speed you were traveling, or contentions that you stopped too fast, followed too close, or that you “should have” or could have seen someone else blow a stop sign or run a red light. The law does not require you to have a crystal ball and foresee everything that might happen despite the arguments you might hear from an insurance adjuster.
our case results Our Clients Always Come First
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$4,700,000 Recovery - Negligence
Recovery for disabled man neglected in Kitsap County Jail who suffered brain damage and quadriplegia.
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$3,500,000 Pedestrians / Premises Liability
Our clients, a father and toddler son, were hit by a Park’s Department vehicle in Seattle while walking to the restroom. Father sustained an arm fracture and fractured vertebrae, toddler sustained a head injury. Settlement obtained after litigation.
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$2,025,000 Pedestrian Collision
Client was catastrophically injured whenstruck by a delivery driver in Port Orchard while attempting to cross the street. Insurance company for the driver blamed our client for stepping out into the roadway in the dark and did not take any responsibility. After litigation the matter was settled before trial.
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$1,500,000 Motor Vehicle Collision
Our client was a passenger on a shuttle bus in Kitsap County. The shuttle was struck by a drunk driver. Client sustained significant spinal injuries.
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$1,300,000 Pedestrian Collision
Our client, in her 60’s, was hit by vehicle while crossing a street in Kitsap County. Extensive injuries, liability was disputed.
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$1,050,000 Motor Vehicle Collision
Clients, husband and wife, were rear- ended by an RV while waiting in line for the ferry in Edmonds. Wife had prior lumbar spine issues that were severely aggravated requiring surgery. Defense argued that the incident did not aggravate the injuries. Policy limits obtained before trial.
Award-Winning Advocacy
