Legal Rights of Personal Injury Accident Victims in Washington State
There are a number of laws in Washington state that can have an impact on your personal injury claim after being involved in an car accident. These laws - from the Revised Code of Washington, or RCW - can impact who is at fault for your injuries and whether or not that person can be held accountable in a court of law.
Check out the list below to learn more about the various laws in Washington state that can have an impact on your personal injury case. If you have questions about your legal rights after an accident, feel free to call our office at 206-727-4000 today.
Washington State Drunk Driving Law
Washington law provides that the drivers on the road have the duty to not operate a motor vehicle when under the influence of alcohol. See RCW 46.61.502.
Washington State Texting While Driving Law
(1) A person operating a moving motor vehicle who, by means of an electronic wireless communications device, sends, reads, or writes a text message, is guilty of a traffic infraction. A person does not send, read, or write a text message when he or she reads, selects, or enters a phone number or name in a wireless communications device for the purpose of making a phone call. See RCW 46.61.668.
Washington State Talking On A Cell Phone While Driving Law
Except as provided in subsection (2) a person operating a moving motor vehicle while holding a wireless communications device to his or her ear is guilty of a traffic infraction. (2) Subsection (1) of this section does not apply to a person operating: (b) A moving motor vehicle using a wireless communications device in hands-free mode; (4) For purposes of this section, "hands-free mode" means the use of a wireless communications device with a speaker phone, headset, or earpiece. See RCW 46.61.667.
Washington State Hit-And-Run Law
Washington law provides that in case of personal injury or death or damage the driver of a vehicle has a duty to attended vehicle or other property. If a driver fails to remain at the scene of an accident then that person could be criminally charged with a hit-and-run. See RCW 46.52.020.
Washington State Wrongful Death Law
The wrongful death statute provides compensation for a decedent's surviving family members for financial losses they sustain as a result of the death. See RCW 4.20.010.
Washington State Wrongful Death Law
When someone is wrongfully killed in Washington State the law preserves a cause of action for the benefit of the decedent's estate. The laws spell out who can make a claim when someone's death is caused by the wrongful act of an individual or entity. The laws also spell out what elements of damages can be recovered based on the claimants relationship to the deceased. See RCW 4.20.046.
Washington State Crosswalk Law
Washington State law specifies that the operator of an approaching vehicle shall stop and remain stopped to allow a pedestrian or bicycle to cross the roadway within an unmarked or marked crosswalk. See RCW 46.61.235.
Washington State Brain Injury Law
According to Washington State law the legal definition of brain injury is as follows: A traumatic brain injury shall be of sufficient severity to result in impairments in one or more of the following areas: cognition; language; memory; attention; reasoning; abstract thinking; judgment; problem solving; sensory, perceptual, and motor abilities; psychosocial behavior; physical functions; or information processing. The term does not apply to brain injuries that are congenital or degenerative, or to brain injuries induced by birth trauma. See RCW 74.31.010(4).
Washington State Dog Bite Law
According to Washington State law the owner of any dog which shall bite any person while such person is in or on a public place or lawfully in or on a private place including the property of the owner of such dog, shall be liable for such damages as may be suffered by the person bitten, regardless of the former viciousness of such dog or the owner's knowledge of such viciousness. See RCW 16.08.040.
Washington State School Bus Passing Law
According to Washington State law the driver of a vehicle upon overtaking or meeting from either direction any school bus which has stopped on the roadway for the purpose of receiving or discharging any school children shall stop the vehicle before reaching such school bus when there is in operation on said school bus a visual sign and the driver shall not proceed until such school bus resumes motion or the visual signals are no longer activated. See RCW 46.61.370 and RCW 46.37.190.
According to Washington State law the driver of a vehicle upon a highway divided into separate roadways need not stop upon meeting a school bus which is proceeding in the opposite direction and is stopped for the purpose of receiving or discharging school children. See RCW 46.61.150.