A Personal Injury Lawyer Proudly Serving Vancouver, Washington
Count on Colin to get results
An accident can happen at any time, and it can change your life in an instant. Suddenly, you are injured. Your medical expenses go up, while your income goes down if you can't work. Many people aren't sure what to do next. If you were hurt by the negligence of another, the law may entitle you to compensation. The Scott Law Firm, PLLC can help you recover.
Vancouver, WA personal injury attorney Colin Scott founded his law firm to help injury victims get their lives back on track. He is committed to making a difference in the community and helping his clients receive the compensation they deserve. One hundred percent of Colin's practice is dedicated to representing personal injury victims and families in Southwest Washington.
A personal injury can happen anywhere in Clark County, at any time. If the negligence of another party caused an accident that left you hurt, you may be entitled to compensation. Taking legal action is one way to hold that party accountable and recover compensation for the damages you have suffered.
With extensive knowledge of Washington’s legal system, Attorney Colin Scott knows how to take on the insurance companies and win, whether through negotiations or in the courtroom. To find out how he can help you, contact us online or call our Vancouver law office for a free consultation.
"If you are in the unpleasant position of having to deal with a personal injury claim, I would like you to know that Colin Scott will make it all better for you." – Bernie, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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FAQs About Personal Injury Accidents in Vancouver
- What personal injury cases does your firm handle?
- What qualifies as a personal injury case?
- What if my injuries don’t show symptoms until days after the accident?
- What damages can I recover in a personal injury case?
- How much time do I have to file a personal injury lawsuit?
- Do I need to report my accident to my insurance company?
- What happens if the at-fault party doesn’t have insurance?
- Can I still recover compensation if I was partially at fault?
- Do I really need a personal injury lawyer?
- Should I accept the insurance company’s settlement offer?
- How do I consult a Vancouver personal injury lawyer?
What personal injury cases does your firm handle?
At The Scott Law Firm, we handle a wide variety of personal injury cases in Vancouver, Washington, and throughout Clark County. Our goal is to hold responsible parties accountable and maximize compensation for our clients. The most common cases we handle include:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Slip and falls
- Work injuries
- Construction accidents
- Dog bites
- Wrongful death
What qualifies as a personal injury case?
Not every accidental injury is grounds for a personal injury claim or lawsuit. To have a case, there are generally four criteria that must be met:
- Another person (or legal entity such as a business) must have owed you a duty of care; that is, they must have a legal responsibility to obey the law and/or take proper steps to protect your well-being and safety.
- That duty of care must have been breached; that is, the other party did something or failed to act in such a way that their actions constituted negligence.
- The other party’s negligence or carelessness must be the proximate cause of your injury. Another way of saying this is “but for” the other party’s negligence or carelessness, you would not have been injured. For a definition of “proximate cause” as used in most personal injury cases in the state of Washington, see WPI 15.01.
- You must have incurred or suffered damages (harms and/or losses that may be economic or non-economic in nature).
For example, if you were hurt in a slip and fall on someone else’s property due to a hidden or dangerous condition on the premises, you may have a case against the property owner or those entities who had a legal duty to properly maintain the premises. Or, if you were injured by a careless driver, you might have a claim against them and anyone else who bears responsibility for causing or contributing towards the accident.
Many situations can qualify as personal injury cases. However, the laws regarding negligence and liability for personal injuries are complex and can vary depending on the circumstances. For example, the laws regarding liability for dog bites can be quite different from other types of personal injury claims. The same is true of work-related injuries and injuries caused by dangerous products. Ultimately, it is important that you consult with a qualified personal injury attorney who can advise you on whether you have a case.
What if my injuries don’t show symptoms until days after the accident?
It’s common for injuries such as whiplash, concussions, or internal injuries to show delayed symptoms. That is why it is almost always a good idea to seek medical attention after an accident, even if you feel fine or that your injuries aren’t that bad. A doctor can identify hidden injuries, such as internal bleeding, and take proper steps to ensure you aren’t further injured (provided you see them in a timely manner). It is also important to get medical treatment for purposes of documenting your symptoms and injuries if you end up needing to take legal action in the future.
Delaying medical treatment could allow the insurance company to argue that your injuries weren’t caused by their insured, or that you didn’t take proper steps to mitigate your injuries (by timely getting appropriate medical care), which could weaken your personal injury claim. That’s why it’s important to follow your doctor’s advice in order to protect your health and your case.
What damages can I recover in a personal injury case?
Depending on the extent of your injury and the effect it has had on your life, you can pursue damages (which may include both economic and non-economic losses.) Some common examples of the kind of damages that are recovered in personal injury cases include but are not limited to:
- Past and future medical expenses – medication, surgery, medical procedures, physical therapy, medical devices, and so on.
- Past and future lost income and loss of earning capacity if your injury somehow affects or impairs your ability to work in the future.
- Modifications to your home or vehicle to accommodate a disability.
- Pain and suffering, emotional distress and mental anguish.
- Loss of enjoyment of life, if your injury affects your ability to do the things you love.
- Loss of consortium, a legal claim that the spouse of an injured person can make in certain cases if the injury affects their intimate relationship.
- Disfigurement, if you have scarring, burning, or other significant damage to your body.
- Property damage associated with the accident including damage to your car (if you were in a car accident, for example) and other personal property that may have been damaged during the event.
This is not an exhaustive list. Remember that a personal injury claim is supposed to cover all the losses you have incurred, and will incur in the future, as a result of the injury. Most people, including attorneys who don’t focus on personal injury cases don’t know how to do this properly. That’s why you need an experienced personal injury lawyer to review your situation and calculate the full amount of damages you deserve and are entitled to recover under Washington law.
How much time do I have to file a personal injury lawsuit?
In Washington state, the statute of limitations (i.e., the legal time limit within which you must either resolve your claim or file a lawsuit in order to preserve your ability to make a claim in the future against those entities you feel are responsible for causing and/or contributing to your injuries and damages) for most personal injury claims is three years from the date of the accident. Likewise, if you lost a loved one in a fatal accident, the statute of limitations to file a wrongful death lawsuit is generally three years from the date of death. However, this time limit may vary depending on the facts in your situation. It may be shorter or longer, and only an attorney can advise you as to which statute of limitations applies in your case.
There are also practical time constraints. In order to win your case, you need evidence proving that a careless party caused your injury, and that evidence can disappear fast. Security camera footage is often overwritten within days. Witnesses may forget what they saw or move away. Documents related to your case can be lost or destroyed. You may have up to three years to file a claim, but you may need to get started much sooner if you want your case to be successful.
That’s one of the reasons why you should talk to a Washington personal injury attorney as soon as possible after you’re injured. The sooner you have legal representation, the better in most cases.
Do I need to report my accident to my insurance company?
Yes, you should report the accident to your insurance company as soon as possible, even if you weren’t at fault. Most insurance policies require prompt notification. Failing to inform your insurance company that you were involved in an accident could limit or even nullify insurance benefits to which you are normally entitled. Provide basic information about the incident, such as the date, time, location, and people involved, but avoid admitting fault or making assumptions about what caused the accident. State the facts and tell the truth, and ideally speak with a lawyer first.
Your insurance company will need this information to coordinate repairs and pay for your medical care (if you have PIP/Personal Injury Protection), especially if the other party’s insurance is being uncooperative.
Generally speaking, we do not recommend speaking with the other driver’s insurance company until after you have consulted with an attorney.
What happens if the at-fault party doesn’t have insurance?
If the at-fault party lacks insurance or doesn’t have enough coverage, you may still recover compensation through your own policy in some instances. For example, if you were involved in a car accident, you may carry uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, which steps in when the responsible party either doesn’t have insurance or doesn’t have enough insurance to pay for all your damages. You may also be able to pursue compensation through personal injury protection (PIP) or medical payments coverage, depending on your policy.
There may also be additional sources of recovery in an accident, besides the drivers involved, if there were other causes of the accident. For example, a dangerous roadway or intersection can give rise to liability for various local or statewide government agencies. Vancouver personal injury attorney Colin Scott can help you explore your options for seeking compensation, so you don’t have to pay for someone else’s negligence.
Can I still recover compensation if I was partially at fault?
Yes. Washington follows a pure comparative fault rule. This means you can recover compensation even if you were partially responsible for the incident that resulted in your injury. However, your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault.
For example, if you’re found 30% responsible for a car accident, your total award will be reduced by 30%. Insurance companies may try to assign a higher percentage of fault to reduce their financial obligation, but Attorney Colin Scott will fight to protect your claim and maximize your compensation. He’ll thoroughly investigate your injury accident and gather the facts to establish clear liability.
Do I really need a personal injury lawyer?
There is no law that says you must get an attorney, but it’s almost always in your best interest to at least consult with a personal injury lawyer first. Personal injury claims are often complex and adversarial, and you can’t fight the insurance companies without having an attorney at your side. The insurance company is often looking for ways to reduce or deny your claim, and they know how the system works because they engage with it every day. If you go it alone, it’s not a fair fight. Hiring an experienced personal injury attorney is the only way you can level the playing field.
The insurance industry’s own data says that even after taking attorney’s fees into account, people who hire a lawyer – and for that matter, people who talk to a lawyer – recover more money than those who don’t. Remember, you only get one shot at compensation; once your case settles, that’s it and you generally cannot go back for more. Hiring an experienced attorney is the best option to make that shot count.
That's why you need a Vancouver, WA personal injury attorney who is dedicated to helping his clients obtain the justice they deserve. Colin knows the obstacles that insurance companies put up in personal injury cases. He also knows how to overcome those obstacles and can help you recover the compensation you need and deserve.
Colin begins his investigation in every case by meeting with his clients and reviewing the facts. He can obtain documents related to the accident - including accident reports, photographs, witness statements, medical records and other documents that are needed to support each claim. He can also identify witnesses and often interviews them himself, or hires a private investigator. If needed, he can also consult with one or more experts and other specialists who can analyze what caused the accident to help support your claim. All this work allows Colin to build strong cases that insurance companies can't ignore. For many of our past clients, this has resulted in a significant recovery that is many times more than what the insurance company was originally willing to offer.
Should I accept the insurance company’s settlement offer?
When insurance companies realize their usual defense tactics won't work, they usually make a settlement offer. But ultimately the decision to accept or reject any settlement offer is up to our clients.
It’s important to have an attorney review any settlement offer before accepting it. Insurance companies often make low initial offers to resolve claims quickly and cheaply. Once you accept and sign a release, you are likely waiving your right to pursue additional compensation, even if your injuries get worse and your accident expenses climb higher. Vancouver personal injury lawyer Colin Scott can fight the insurance companies on your behalf and demand the full amount you deserve.
How do I consult a Vancouver personal injury lawyer?
If you were injured in an accident, you may not be sure if you have a case. We encourage you to consult an attorney as soon as possible. You have a limited amount of time to seek compensation for your injuries and the clock is ticking. Once this time limit expires, it's too late and you could lose your ability to obtain financial recovery forever. That is why it's important to consult with a personal injury attorney following your accident as soon as possible.
The Scott Law Firm, PLLC in Vancouver, Washington offers a free consultation to all potential clients who call about a personal injury matter. Contact us online or call 360-295-2217 to schedule an appointment with attorney Colin Scott. He can review the details of your case, explain your options and answer any question you have in a friendly, candid, no-nonsense kind of way.