Car Accident Attorney

WEBVTT 00:00:03.378 --> 00:00:04.622 Here at Cochran Douglas, 00:00:04.712 --> 00:00:07.214 one of our specialties is motor vehicle accidents. 00:00:07.320 --> 00:00:11.259 If you've been injured on the roadway, we've dealt with that case. 00:00:11.343 --> 00:00:16.120 Whether it be your personal vehicle, a commercial vehicle, a work vehicle, 00:00:16.472 --> 00:00:19.933 a motorcycle, for example, we've handled those types of things. 00:00:20.017 --> 00:00:22.519 One of the first things that we do is we reach out 00:00:22.602 --> 00:00:25.680 to the at-fault driver's insurance company for you. 00:00:25.920 --> 00:00:28.597 We know how to navigate those conversations. 00:00:28.680 --> 00:00:29.983 We know the pitfalls. 00:00:30.080 --> 00:00:33.120 We can take care of that while you focus on your recovery. 00:00:33.736 --> 00:00:37.740 The second thing that we do is we work with your healthcare providers 00:00:37.823 --> 00:00:41.243 to obtain your medical records and to obtain your bills 00:00:41.410 --> 00:00:44.287 and to provide the at-fault insurance company 00:00:44.370 --> 00:00:45.705 with that information 00:00:45.788 --> 00:00:48.640 so again, that you don't have to take the time to do that. 00:00:48.749 --> 00:00:52.877 Should your claim not resolve, we will work with you to determine 00:00:52.961 --> 00:00:55.296 whether or not you want to file a lawsuit. 00:00:55.379 --> 00:00:59.174 Rest assured that if that is the direction that your case is taken, 00:00:59.299 --> 00:01:03.053 that we will fight for you, that we know how to handle those lawsuits, 00:01:03.261 --> 00:01:05.847 that we resolve cases by way of trial 00:01:05.930 --> 00:01:08.349 and other forms of resolution all the time, 00:01:08.515 --> 00:01:10.309 and that if that meets your goals 00:01:10.392 --> 00:01:12.060 and that's the route that you want to take, 00:01:12.143 --> 00:01:13.561 that we are well-equipped to help. 00:01:13.645 --> 00:01:17.148 When you're dealing with being involved in a car accident, 00:01:17.314 --> 00:01:21.200 there are really four main areas of insurance coverage 00:01:21.283 --> 00:01:22.694 that you should be aware of. 00:01:23.570 --> 00:01:26.822 The first is third-party liability coverage. 00:01:27.156 --> 00:01:31.284 Say when you're rear-ended by someone, and the person behind you is at fault, 00:01:31.451 --> 00:01:35.288 that person should hopefully have liability coverage. 00:01:35.413 --> 00:01:37.665 They're the third party involved in the accident. 00:01:37.748 --> 00:01:39.875 They should hopefully have insurance limits 00:01:40.083 --> 00:01:41.209 that should you need them, 00:01:41.293 --> 00:01:44.003 could be available to compensate you for your injuries. 00:01:44.087 --> 00:01:48.257 In Washington state, the minimum third-party injury limits 00:01:48.340 --> 00:01:54.971 that someone can carry is $25,000 per person, $50,000 per collision. 00:01:55.160 --> 00:01:58.849 What that means for you is that someone could only have 00:01:58.932 --> 00:02:02.269 a $25,000 third-party policy 00:02:02.352 --> 00:02:04.709 that could compensate you for your injuries, 00:02:04.909 --> 00:02:08.023 which is why it's important and leads me to my next point. 00:02:08.120 --> 00:02:11.776 In Washington, there are different first-party coverages 00:02:11.860 --> 00:02:14.237 that are available to you and that I recommend 00:02:14.320 --> 00:02:16.405 each and every one of my clients have. 00:02:17.040 --> 00:02:18.782 The first being PIP. 00:02:18.960 --> 00:02:22.786 That's the shorthand version. It stands for personal injury protection. 00:02:22.869 --> 00:02:26.914 What PIP does for you, if you're ever involved in a car accident, 00:02:26.997 --> 00:02:30.920 whether that be you are at fault or through no fault of your own, 00:02:31.003 --> 00:02:35.004 usually they will pay up to a certain value of your medical bills 00:02:35.088 --> 00:02:38.632 so that you can go seek care, your focus can be on getting better, 00:02:38.716 --> 00:02:40.717 and you don't have to worry about who's going to pay for it. 00:02:41.426 --> 00:02:45.721 The second first-party coverage is called UM, 00:02:45.805 --> 00:02:48.265 or Uninsured Motorist coverage. 00:02:48.432 --> 00:02:50.309 Let's say you're involved in an accident, 00:02:50.392 --> 00:02:52.936 and unfortunately, the person who hit you was uninsured. 00:02:53.019 --> 00:02:55.271 They didn't do the right thing, and they didn't have insurance. 00:02:55.563 --> 00:02:58.524 If you have uninsured motorist coverage, you can actually go 00:02:58.607 --> 00:03:00.150 to your own insurance company and say, 00:03:00.234 --> 00:03:02.861 "Hey, I was hurt by someone who was uninsured." 00:03:03.153 --> 00:03:05.571 Because you have that coverage, you can seek compensation 00:03:05.655 --> 00:03:07.448 from your own insurance company. 00:03:07.531 --> 00:03:10.701 The other form of coverage that's available to you in Washington 00:03:10.784 --> 00:03:13.383 is called UIM Insurance Coverage, 00:03:13.536 --> 00:03:16.997 which stands for Under Insured Motorist Coverage. 00:03:17.164 --> 00:03:21.418 What that means is, say, for example, you were hit on the road 00:03:21.501 --> 00:03:26.714 by someone who carried a state minimum policy of 25,000 bucks. 00:03:27.590 --> 00:03:30.342 If your injuries exceed that amount of coverage, 00:03:30.592 --> 00:03:34.387 you have additional coverage available to you through your own insurance company. 00:03:34.470 --> 00:03:36.931 You can say, "Hey, this person had insurance, 00:03:37.014 --> 00:03:40.183 but it wasn't nearly enough to compensate me for what I went through." 00:03:40.559 --> 00:03:43.877 You can seek coverage or compensation through your own carrier that way. 00:03:43.960 --> 00:03:47.481 Know that if you file a lawsuit, that we will fight for you. 00:03:47.565 --> 00:03:50.192 We will fight for your rights, and we will fight with you 00:03:50.275 --> 00:03:53.319 to obtain fair compensation for everything that you've gone through 00:03:53.403 --> 00:03:54.987 and your injuries.