If another person’s carelessness left you injured in Fircrest, you have the legal right to seek payment for your losses.
But what does that really mean? It means Washington law is on your side, but it doesn’t mean the money you need to cover medical bills, lost paychecks, and your physical pain will just show up.
Getting fair compensation requires dealing with paperwork, tight deadlines, and insurance adjusters who are protecting their company's bottom line. It's a system with its own rules, and trying to handle it while you're recovering from an injury is a tall order, which is why many injured people reach out to a Fircrest Personal Injury Lawyer who can manage the process and keep their case moving in the right direction.
This is where we come in. For decades, the personal injury lawyers at Pendergast Law have helped people in Fircrest get their lives back on track. We manage the entire legal process, from investigation to negotiation, so your only job is to focus on your health.
Wondering what your next step should be? Let's talk. Call us for a straightforward, no-cost discussion about your situation at (425) 228-3860.
Why Choose Pendergast Law?
- Decades of Dedicated Experience: For over 30 years, our firm, previously known as Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S., has focused exclusively on one thing: representing Washington residents who have been seriously or catastrophically injured.
- Led by a Proven Advocate: J.P. Pendergast, a Seattle native and former King County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, has dedicated his entire legal career to personal injury law. His work has helped secure more than $100 million for thousands of clients across the state.
- A Record of Taking on Big Insurers: We have a long and successful history of negotiating with and, when necessary, litigating against insurance companies to get fair results for our clients. This work has earned us consistent recognition, including membership in the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum and a spot on the "Best Law Firms" list by U.S. News & World Report.
- Deep Pierce County Knowledge: We actively work in the trenches of the Pierce County legal system. We represent clients from Fircrest to Puyallup and collaborate with local accident investigators and reconstruction specialists who know the area’s roads and courts.
Our Commitment to You
Access to good legal help shouldn't depend on your bank account. Here is our promise:
- A Free, Honest Case Review: We’ll listen to what happened and give you a clear assessment of your legal options. No sugarcoating, no pressure, and no cost.
- The "No Fee" Promise: We operate on a contingency fee basis. Simply put, you will never pay us a legal fee unless we win compensation for you.
- Direct & Personal Service: You work directly with our legal team. We make ourselves available, and if you can't come to us, we will meet you wherever is most convenient.
- Bilingual Services: To serve the entire community, our bilingual staff offers complete legal services in Spanish, ensuring nothing gets lost in translation.
What Is the Goal of a Personal Injury Claim?
The purpose of a personal injury claim is to get you the financial resources needed to cover every single loss the accident caused. This isn’t about winning a prize. It’s about making you "whole" again by balancing the scales—providing money to account for the physical, financial, and emotional damage you've suffered. When we evaluate a personal injury case to settle, we look at these losses in full. In Washington, these losses are separated into two distinct categories.
Economic Damages: The Hard Numbers
These are the concrete, measurable financial hits you’ve taken. We build your case by meticulously tracking every bill, receipt, and pay stub to calculate the exact cost of your injury. These damages include:
- All present and future medical bills (from the ambulance ride and hospital stay to physical therapy and future surgeries).
- Lost wages from the time you couldn't work.
- Loss of future earning capacity if the injury permanently changes your career path.
- Property damage, such as the full cost of repairing or replacing your car.
Non-Economic Damages: The Human Cost
Some losses don’t come with a price tag, but they are just as real. These damages are meant to compensate you for the ways the injury has disrupted your life. They cover things like:
- Pain and suffering.
- Emotional distress and mental anguish.
- Loss of enjoyment of life (being unable to play with your kids, hike, or engage in hobbies).
- Permanent scarring or disfigurement.
How Is "Pain and Suffering" Actually Calculated?
This is one of the most common questions we hear. How do you put a number on pain? There's no single, official formula, but insurance companies and courts typically use one of two methods as a starting point.
- The Multiplier Method: This approach involves taking the total amount of your economic damages (medical bills and lost wages) and multiplying it by a number between 1.5 and 5. The multiplier is determined by the severity of your injuries, the length of your recovery, and the long-term impact on your life. A minor injury with a quick recovery might get a 1.5 multiplier, while a catastrophic injury resulting in permanent disability could warrant a 5.
- The Per Diem Method: "Per diem" is Latin for "per day." This method assigns a dollar amount for each day you experience pain and suffering, starting from the day of the accident until you reach what doctors call "maximum medical improvement." The daily rate is usually based on your daily earnings, working from the idea that living with pain is at least as demanding as going to work every day.
These methods are just a framework. Arguing for a fair amount requires a skilled attorney who can build a compelling story backed by medical records and expert testimony that demonstrates the true human cost of your injuries. When you file a personal injury claim, that evidence becomes the backbone of your case. We have the experience to present this side of your case effectively.
How Washington's "Comparative Fault" Rule Impacts Your Compensation
What happens if you were partly responsible for the accident? Washington uses a legal rule called "pure comparative fault." In simple terms, this rule says you can still be compensated for your injuries even if you were partially at fault. You can find the specifics in the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 4.22.005.
Here’s how it works: your final compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if a jury determines you were 10% to blame for a collision, your total award would be cut by 10%. Because of this rule, insurance companies investigate every accident for evidence they can use to shift more blame onto you, which reduces the amount they have to pay. Our job is to protect you from unfair blame and make sure the other party is held responsible for their share of the fault.
Where Do the Worst Accidents Happen Around Fircrest?
An injury can occur anywhere, but some spots are more hazardous than others because of high traffic, poor design, or speeding. Based on local traffic data and our case experience, we see a pattern of serious accidents in these areas, which is why it matters to choose the right personal injury lawyer who understands how these local factors shape a case.
- State Route 16 (SR 16): As the main highway linking Fircrest to Tacoma and beyond, SR 16 is a hotspot for high-speed car and motorcycle wrecks. The constant flow of commuter traffic, especially around choke points like the Center Street exit, creates a risky environment.
- 19th Street West: This road serves as a major east-west route along the north side of Fircrest. Its intersections, particularly at Mildred Street and Orchard Street, are common locations for T-bone and rear-end crashes.
- Alameda Avenue & Regents Boulevard: These central roads are filled with a mix of residential traffic, pedestrians, and cyclists. A moment of distraction here is all it takes to cause a serious injury.
- Near the Fircrest Golf Club: Local landmarks draw in extra traffic. Drivers who are unfamiliar with the entrances and exits around places like the golf club sometimes make unpredictable moves, leading to accidents.
- Pierce County Weather: It's no secret that it rains here. A lot. Wet, slick roads are a year-round problem, reducing tire grip and visibility. This leads to hydroplaning and collisions, a frequent danger during fall and winter.
What Types of Injury Cases Do You Handle?
Our firm is built to help people who have been seriously hurt because of someone else's poor decisions. We have deep experience across a range of injury claims common in the Fircrest area.
Accident Types:
- Car Accidents: The most common type of claim, typically caused by distracted driving, speeding, or intoxication.
- Motorcycle Accidents: We know the biases riders face and fight to ensure their rights are protected.
- Truck Accidents: These cases are different, involving powerful corporations and a unique set of federal safety regulations.
- Bicycle & Pedestrian Accidents: We stand up for cyclists and walkers who have been hit by cars and left with devastating injuries.
- Slip and Fall (Premises Liability): Holding property owners responsible for injuries caused by unsafe conditions like unmarked wet floors or crumbling stairs.
- Dog Bites: Enforcing owner accountability when an animal attacks and injures someone.
Injury Types:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs): Ranging from concussions with lasting symptoms to severe, life-altering brain damage.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: Damage that may lead to permanent partial or full paralysis.
- Broken Bones: Severe fractures that often require surgery, hardware, and months of rehabilitation.
- Soft Tissue Injuries: Serious cases of whiplash or torn ligaments that can result in chronic pain.
- Wrongful Death: Providing legal support for families who have tragically lost a loved one due to someone else's negligence.
The Clock is Ticking: Washington's Statute of Limitations
In Washington, you generally have just three years from the date you were injured to file a personal injury lawsuit, as mandated by RCW 4.16.080.
Three years may seem like a generous amount of time, but there's a more pressing deadline: the one for collecting evidence. With each passing week, witness memories fade, video surveillance gets erased, and physical evidence degrades. The sooner you act, the stronger your foundation for building a successful claim.
What to Expect from the At-Fault Party's Insurance Company
Soon after an accident, an insurance adjuster will probably call you. When they do, it's helpful to remember that an insurance company is a business. Its primary duty is to its shareholders, which requires it to manage costs. This means they must balance paying legitimate claims with protecting their own financial interests, which is exactly how an accident affect your personal injury claim when they start looking for ways to reduce what they owe.
Be Aware of These Common Tactics:
- The Quick Settlement Offer: An insurer might offer you a settlement right away, sometimes before you even know how serious your injuries are. This might seem like a lot of money at first, but it may not be enough to cover future medical treatments or lost income.
- Asking for a Recorded Statement: You are not legally required to provide a recorded statement. Adjusters are skilled interviewers who know how to ask questions that might lead you to unintentionally say something that could harm your claim.
- Requesting a Blanket Medical Authorization: They may ask you to sign a form granting them access to your entire medical history. This allows them to search for pre-existing conditions they can use to argue your injuries weren't caused by the accident.
- Shifting the Blame: As we mentioned with the comparative fault rule, the insurer’s investigation will look for any piece of evidence that suggests you were partially responsible for what happened. This is a direct strategy to reduce the value of your claim. Our role is to counter this by presenting the facts accurately and holding them accountable.
What Can You Do to Strengthen Your Case?
While we handle the legal work, there are a few simple things you can do that make a big difference.
- Follow Your Doctor's Orders: Make it to every follow-up appointment, attend all physical therapy sessions, and take your medications as prescribed. This creates a clear medical record and shows you are committed to your recovery.
- Keep a Simple Journal: You don't need to write a novel. Just jot down a few notes every couple of days about your pain levels, any physical challenges you're facing, and how the injuries are affecting your daily routines. This journal becomes a powerful tool for demonstrating your non-economic damages.
- Save All Your Paperwork: Create a folder and keep everything related to the accident: receipts for prescriptions, mileage logs for trips to the doctor, and any bills you pay out-of-pocket.
- Go Dark on Social Media: This is a big one. Do not post photos, videos, or even status updates about your accident or your recovery. An innocent picture of you smiling at a family barbecue can be taken out of context by an insurance company and used to argue your injuries aren't as severe as you claim.
Frequently Asked Questions About Personal Injury Claims
Do I really have to go to court to get paid?
Probably not. The vast majority of personal injury cases are resolved through a negotiated settlement without ever seeing a courtroom. However, we prepare every single case as if it is going to trial. This thorough preparation sends a strong message to the insurance company and is a key reason why they typically offer better settlements.
What if my injuries didn't show up for a few days?
This is very common. Adrenaline from the accident often masks pain, and some injuries, like whiplash or certain back problems, take time to fully develop. It is important to seek medical attention as soon as you feel any symptoms and to document when they started. This delay does not invalidate your claim.
What if the person who hit me has no insurance?
If the at-fault driver is uninsured or doesn't have enough insurance to cover your losses (underinsured), you may still have options. We can review your own auto insurance policy to see if you have Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UIM) coverage. This is a type of coverage specifically for this situation.
How long is my case going to take?
Every case is different. A straightforward claim might be resolved in a few months, while a more complicated case that requires a lawsuit could take a year or longer. A major factor is your medical treatment—we can't begin to negotiate a final settlement until you have recovered or we have a clear prognosis from your doctors about your future medical needs.
How much does it cost to hire your firm?
You pay us nothing out of your own pocket. As mentioned earlier, we handle all personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. This is our "No Fee" promise. Our fee is a percentage of the compensation we successfully recover for you. If we don't win your case, you owe us nothing.
The Most Important Move Is Your Next One
You don't have to face a billion-dollar insurance company by yourself, and you don’t have to guess whether you are making the right decisions for your future.
The single most powerful step you can take right now is to get clear, honest answers from a legal team with a long track record of success.
At Pendergast Law, we are ready to hear what happened and show you how we can help. The call is free, the advice is free, and there is zero obligation. Get the guidance you need to move forward.
Contact a Fircrest personal injury lawyer today to start the conversation at (425) 228-3860.