A crash takes seconds. Sorting out the medical bills, the missed work, and the insurance companies can take months, and the decisions you make in the first few weeks often shape what you recover. Corey M. Kane represents people hurt in car, truck, and motorcycle crashes throughout Washington State from Lacy Kane & Kube, P.S. in East Wenatchee.
The first days after a crash
See a doctor, even if you feel all right. Concussions and back and neck injuries often show up days later. Report the crash, photograph the vehicles and the scene, and get the names and phone numbers of witnesses. Keep every bill and every record of missed work. Before you give a recorded statement to any insurance company, including your own, talk to a lawyer.
How fault works in Washington
Washington follows pure comparative fault. If you were partly to blame, you can still recover, but your damages are reduced by your share of the fault. Insurers know the rule and often try to push as much blame as they can onto the injured driver. Evidence gathered early, such as photographs, vehicle data, witness accounts, and the police report, is what answers those arguments.
Coverage you may not know you have
Many Washington auto policies include personal injury protection (PIP), which pays medical bills and some lost wages regardless of fault, and underinsured motorist coverage, which can pay when the at-fault driver has too little insurance or none. Corey reviews every policy that might apply, including other policies in your household, so no source of coverage is missed.
Truck and commercial vehicle crashes
Crashes involving semi-trucks, delivery vans, and company vehicles bring more insurance and more parties: the driver, the employer, and sometimes the company that loaded or maintained the vehicle. The trucking company’s insurer often starts investigating within hours. Driver logs and onboard data can be lost if no one asks for them.
What a claim can include
Medical expenses now and in the future, lost wages and reduced earning ability, damage to your vehicle, and compensation for pain and for the ways the injury limits your daily life. Settling too early can leave future care unpaid, because a signed release ends the claim.
Talk to Corey
Corey also handles pedestrian, bicycle, and other personal injury cases. Your first consultation is free. Most injury and employment cases are handled on a contingent fee, so there is no attorney fee unless we recover; costs are explained in your fee agreement. Call (509) 884-9541 or use the contact form.