A serious injury case isn’t determined by how dramatic the accident looked. A crash can leave a vehicle with little visible damage and still send someone to the ER, require imaging or surgery, or keep them away from work for weeks.
Our practical threshold is straightforward: If you needed an ER visit, surgery, imaging, ongoing care, or you missed work, call us. You don’t need to know the legal value of your claim before asking for a review.
What usually makes an injury case serious?
The diagnosis matters, but so does what happens after it. A broken bone requiring surgery is clearly different from soreness that resolves quickly, but some injuries aren’t obvious on day one. Brain injuries, spinal problems, and other conditions can require continued evaluation before the long-term impact becomes clear.
Some of the signs we look at include:
- Emergency room treatment or hospitalization
- Surgery or a recommendation for surgery
- CT scans, MRIs, or other significant imaging
- Specialist care, rehabilitation, or ongoing treatment
- Time missed from work or reduced ability to earn
- Permanent limitations, disability, or serious scarring
- A brain, spinal cord, or other catastrophic injury
- A death caused by another person or entity’s negligence
Our Vancouver practice focuses on serious injury, catastrophic harm, and wrongful death rather than trying to take every available claim.
Your case doesn’t need to fit neatly into a label before you call. If your injury required substantial medical care or is affecting your work and daily life, we can review what happened.
Call (360) 253-3667 for a free case evaluation.
What kinds of accidents can lead to serious injury claims?
Serious injuries can come from many kinds of negligence. We handle major auto and truck crashes, motorcycle injuries, bicycle and pedestrian collisions, DUI crashes, brain and spinal cord injuries, child injuries, serious dog bites and scarring, premises liability, sexual abuse claims, and wrongful death matters.
We also review claims involving school districts and other public entities. Medical malpractice is more limited: we consider select cases involving severe harm, such as extended hospitalization or death, rather than general medical-malpractice intake.
Some cases have unusual legal complications too. For example, an injury that occurred during an activity after signing a waiver can raise separate questions about enforceability and responsibility. Our liability waiver practice page explains that issue in more detail.
When should you call a lawyer instead of waiting?
Earlier is usually better when substantial injuries are involved. Medical records begin documenting the injury immediately, physical evidence can disappear, witnesses become harder to locate, and insurers can start asking questions before you know the full medical picture.
It’s especially worth calling when liability is disputed, an insurer requests a recorded statement, you’ve received an early settlement offer, several parties may share responsibility, or your doctors still don’t know how fully you’ll recover.
Insurance coverage can become important early as well. Washington Personal Injury Protection, or PIP, can help with certain medical costs and lost wages regardless of fault if you have the coverage. Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage can also matter when the responsible driver lacks enough insurance.
How long do you have to act in Washington?
Many Washington personal injury claims fall under a 3-year statute of limitations, but that isn’t a universal deadline for every type of claim. The correct time limit depends on the facts and legal theory involved.
Cases involving children can follow different timing rules. Washington law generally pauses certain limitation periods while an injured person is under 18, although special statutes can create exceptions.
Claims against a city, county, school district, or other local public entity add another layer. Washington requires a formal tort claim to be presented before a lawsuit can begin, and the statute generally requires waiting 60 calendar days after presentment before filing suit.
Was a government agency or school district involved? Don’t assume the ordinary personal injury timeline is the only deadline that matters. Request a free case evaluation.
What if you were partly at fault?
Partial responsibility doesn’t automatically eliminate a Washington injury claim. Under Washington’s comparative fault rule, damages can be reduced in proportion to the injured person’s share of fault rather than recovery being completely barred.
That issue comes up frequently after vehicle crashes and premises liability incidents. Insurers may argue that the injured person contributed to what happened, so photographs, witness information, medical records, and other early evidence can become important.
If someone is already blaming you for part of the accident, that’s a good reason to get the facts reviewed before making assumptions about whether you still have a case.
Why does a serious injury case need more preparation?
The larger the medical and financial impact, the more there is to document. A serious claim can involve months of medical records, specialist opinions, future treatment, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, and evidence showing how the injury changed day-to-day life.
Grant Gehrmann has handled serious injury matters in Vancouver since 1992. He served as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in Clark County, graduated cum laude from Seattle University School of Law, and is admitted to practice in both Washington and Oregon.
You also work directly with Grant on the major decisions in your case instead of being routed through a call center or layers of case managers. The firm intentionally keeps a focused caseload so serious claims receive detailed preparation.
That local and cross-border experience can be useful for people in Vancouver and Southwest Washington, where an accident or insurance issue can sometimes involve Oregon as well.
What does it cost to have your case reviewed?
The initial case evaluation is free. If the firm accepts your case, attorney fees are handled on a contingency basis and come from a recovery, so you don’t pay attorney fees upfront.
If you’re dealing with a serious injury case in Vancouver, WA, call (360) 253-3667 or contact us online for a free case evaluation. We’ll listen to what happened, identify the issues that need attention, and tell you whether the matter fits our practice.
Contacting Gehrmann Injury Law does not create an attorney-client relationship.