Washington Statute of Limitations

Statute of limitations varies from state to state regarding the many types of fatal accidents. The last thing you want to do as the family of a victim of an accidental fatality is miss your opportunity to file a lawsuit.

Here are some important facts to know about Washington’s statute of limitations and time limits for filing a lawsuit:

• Negligence - 3 years after injury
  
• Medical Malpractice – Against health care providers = within 3 yrs. of date of act giving rise to injury OR within 1 yr. from date of when injury was or should have been discovered (whichever is later); may not file more than 8 yrs. after act giving rise to injury. Parent’s knowledge of injury to minor child is imputed on the parent.
  
• Product Liability – 3 yrs after suffering injury or date injury was or should’ve been found
  
• Wrongful Death – 3 years after date of death
  
• Survival – 2 years

Caps on Lawyers Awards – Court to determine reasonableness of each party’s attorney fees
Caps on Damage Awards
Medical Malpractice – Damages for noneconomic damages may not exceed an amount determined by formula, based upon the plaintiff's average annual wage and life expectancy
Product Liability – Formula limitation on noneconomic damages based on life expectancy and average annual wages
Pharmaceutical cases - Formula limitation on noneconomic damages based on life expectancy and average annual wages
Minors tolling: Except in cases or wrongful death or where a parent has knowledge of a medical malpractice injury, the statute of limitations begins to run on the minor’s 18th birthday

Washington State Police
General Administration Building
PO Box 42600
Olympia, WA 98504-2600
360-753-6540
http://www.wsp.wa.gov/index.htm

Washington Trial Lawyers
1 Convention Center Place
701 Pike St., Suite 200
Seattle, WA 98101
206-749-0139
http://www.wdtl.org

 

Please fill out the form below to see if you have a wrongful death case.

* Required Fields. * Click on the Disclaimer, below, for Terms PERSONAL INFORMATION
First Name:
Last Name:
E-mail Address:
Address:
City:
State:	-Please Select- Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
Zipcode:
Phone:	() - ext.
INCIDENT INFORMATION
Date of Accident:	January February March April May June July August September October November December 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1948 1947 1946 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941 1940 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1932 1931 1930 1929 1928 1927 1926 1925 1924 1923 1922 1921 1920 1919 1918 1917 1916 1915 1914 1913 1912 1911 1910 1909 1908 1907 1906 1905 1904 1903 1902
Date of Death:	January February March April May June July August September October November December 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1948 1947 1946 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941 1940 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1932 1931 1930 1929 1928 1927 1926 1925 1924 1923 1922 1921 1920 1919 1918 1917 1916 1915 1914 1913 1912 1911 1910 1909 1908 1907 1906 1905 1904 1903 1902
Name of Deceased:
Location of Accident:	-Please Select- Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
Please describe what happened (cause of accident):
Comments/Questions: