Tacoma Personal Injury Lawyers

How can a personal injury lawyer help after an accident? A Tacoma personal injury lawyer proves who was at fault under Washington’s pure comparative fault rule (RCW 4.22.005), preserves your medical records, and handles the insurance company for you. Crashes on the I-5 corridor or reports held by the Washington State Patrol often need quick action to secure the collision record.

A serious injury in Tacoma brings sudden medical bills and pressure from insurance adjusters at the worst possible time. When another person’s carelessness caused your harm, Washington law (RCW 4.22.005) gives you the right to seek compensation. As part of the wider team of Washington personal injury lawyers at Bernard Law Group, we take over the paperwork, filings, and insurer contact so you can focus on getting better.

Here is what sets the firm apart for injured people in Tacoma and Pierce County:

• More than 30 years of Washington experience. Founder Kirk Bernard has litigated injury claims since 1981, and you can meet our attorneys who would work on your case.
• Over $500 million recovered. You can review our verdicts and settlements to see the kinds of results the firm pursues. Past results depend on the facts of each case and do not guarantee a future outcome.
• Backed by client feedback. Read client reviews from people the firm has represented.
• Full focus on your type of case. If your injury came from a collision, our Tacoma car accident lawyer page covers that area in more detail, and our Seattle car accident lawyer team supports the same cases for Pierce County drivers who commute along I-5.
• No fee unless we recover. The firm works on contingency, so you owe no attorney fee unless it recovers money for you. You can contact us any time, day or night, for a free case review.

What should you do after an injury in Tacoma?

Get medical care first, then protect the record of what happened. Your health matters most, and prompt treatment also creates the medical proof that ties your injury to the crash. 

Follow these steps as soon as you safely can:

1. See a doctor right away. Accept treatment at the scene and follow up, even if you feel “okay.” Many Tacoma crash victims are first seen at MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital or a nearby urgent care.
2. Get the crash report. If an officer from the Tacoma Police Department or the Washington State Patrol responds, they will usually write a report. You can request it later through the Washington State Patrol’s collision records system.
3. File your own report if needed. If no officer responds and there was an injury or at least $1,000 in damage, you are reqired to file a collision report yourself.
4. Photograph everything. Capture vehicle damage, the scene, road conditions, and your visible injuries.
5. Be careful with adjusters. You do not have to give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer before speaking with a lawyer.

   
   

Local Reality: The Tacoma Crash-Report Wait

Here is what most people do not expect. A collision report is rarely ready the same day. The Washington State Patrol is the central office that holds these reports, and it can take about two to four weeks for one to appear in the system after a Tacoma crash. During that wait, the other driver’s insurer may already be building its side of the story. Securing dashcam or business camera footage near busy points like the I-5 interchanges or Pacific Avenue needs to happen quickly, before that video is recorded over.

What types of personal injury cases does Bernard Law Group handle in Tacoma?

Bernard Law Group handles most types of personal injury cases in Tacoma, including car, truck, and motorcycle crashes, pedestrian and bicycle accidents, rideshare collisions, dog bites, slip-and-fall claims, and wrongful death. The common thread is an injury caused by someone else’s careless or unsafe conduct.

Case types the firm takes on include:

• Car accidents on the I-5 corridor, SR-16 toward the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, and busy arterials like Pacific Avenue.
• Truck and commercial vehicle accidents, including crashes near the Port of Tacoma that involve freight carriers or improperly loaded cargo. Our Seattle truck accident lawyer team handles the same freight corridor cases statewide.
• Motorcycle accidents, where riders often suffer severe injuries even at lower speeds.
• Pedestrian and bicycle accidents along high-traffic corridors such as Portland Avenue and South Tacoma Way.
• Rideshare accidents involving Uber and Lyft drivers, where more than one insurance policy may apply.
• Slip, trip, and fall accidents in Tacoma stores, apartment complexes, and parking lots.
• Dog bites, including claims for children bitten by another person’s animal.
• Wrongful death claims when a crash or an unsafe condition takes a life.

What causes personal injury claims in Tacoma?

Most Tacoma personal injury claims are caused by a driver, property owner, or company that failed to use reasonable care. That failure is what turns an ordinary trip into a serious crash or fall. The cause also matters to your case, because linking a specific unsafe act to your injury is how fault gets proven.

The causes we see most often in Tacoma include:

• Distracted driving. Phone use on busy arterials like South Tacoma Way and Pacific Avenue leaves drivers unable to stop in time.
• Speeding. High speeds on I-5 and SR-509 near the Port of Tacoma turn small mistakes into severe collisions.
• Impaired driving. Alcohol and drugs slow reaction time, and these crashes often happen at night.
• Running red lights and failing to yield. Crash-prone intersections such as 56th Street and Pacific Avenue near the Tacoma Mall see frequent side-impact wrecks.
• Unsafe commercial trucks. Freight traffic around the Port of Tacoma brings wide turns, large blind spots, and improperly loaded cargo, and our Federal Way truck accident lawyer team covers the same freight route further north on I-5.
• Neglected property. Wet floors, broken stairs, and dark parking lots at stores and apartment complexes lead to falls.
• Weather and road conditions. Puget Sound rain and standing water lengthen stopping distances, especially where traffic suddenly backs up near the I-5 interchanges.

What injuries are common in Tacoma personal injury claims?

Common injuries in Tacoma claims range from soft-tissue strains to catastrophic, life-changing harm. The severity of the injury, backed by medical records and imaging, usually shapes how an insurer values the claim. That is one reason prompt, steady treatment matters for both your health and your case.

The injuries we see most often include:

• Whiplash and neck strains. Common in rear-end crashes, these can cause weeks or months of muscle, ligament, and nerve pain even when they do not show on an X-ray.
• Concussions and traumatic brain injuries. A blow to the head in a crash or fall can affect memory, mood, sleep, and concentration, sometimes long after the accident.
• Broken bones. Fractured arms, legs, ribs, or hips often require surgery, hardware, and months of rehabilitation before a person can return to work.
• Spinal cord and back injuries. Herniated discs, chronic back pain, and, in the most serious crashes, partial or full paralysis can follow a high-impact collision.
• Burns. Fires, chemicals, and vehicle crashes can cause deep burns that need specialized care and leave lasting scars.
• Cuts and scarring. Broken glass and torn metal can cause deep lacerations, permanent disfigurement, and a risk of infection.

Many Tacoma crash victims are first treated at MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital or St. Joseph Medical Center. Keeping every follow-up appointment builds a clear medical record, which helps connect your injury to the crash and supports the full value of your claim.

Who is legally responsible for your injuries?

Anyone whose carelessness caused your injury can be held responsible. Proving it means showing that the at-fault party owed you a duty of care, broke that duty, and caused your harm. Parties that may be liable in a Tacoma claim include:

• Other drivers who speed, drive distracted, or failed to yield
• Trucking and delivery companies whose drivers or loaders act unsafely
• Employers, when a worker caused the crash while on the job
• Property owners and managers who ignore a known hazard
• Product makers, when a defective part causes injury
• Government bodies, such as a transit agency or the entity that maintains the road, subject to special claim rules

Washington uses pure comparative fault under RCW 4.22.005. This means you can still recover money even if you were partly to blame. Your award is reduced by your share of the fault. When several parties share fault, the percentages must add up to 100% (RCW 4.22.070).

What damages may be available in a Tacoma personal injury claim?

You can seek compensation for both your financial losses and the personal toll of the injury. These usually fall into two groups:

Economic damages:

• Past and future medical bills
• Lost wages and reduced earning ability
• Property damage, such as vehicle repairs
• Out-of-pocket costs like medical travel and equipment

Non-economic damages:

• Physical pain and suffering
• Emotional distress and anxiety
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Permanent impairment, scarring, or disfigurement

No lawyer can promise a number. Two claims from the same Tacoma intersection can settle for very different amounts based on injury severity, insurance limits, and how fault is divided.

How long do you have to file a personal injury claim in Tacoma?

You generally have three years from the date of injury. Washington’s deadline for most personal injury lawsuits is set by RCW 4.16.080. If you miss it, a Pierce County court will likely dismiss your case, and you can lose your right to compensation. Claims for children are usually paused until the child turns 18.

Pitfall Alert: The shorter deadline for transit and city claims

Here is a trap that catches many injured people, and it has nothing to do with the three-year rule. If your injury involves a government body, that timeline changes. A crash with a Pierce Transit bus or a Sound Transit train, or a fall caused by a poorly maintained CIty of Tacoma street, requires a formal administrative claim under RCW 4.96.020 before you can sue. You must file that written claim and then wait 60 days, and the process has strict timing. Assuming you have the full three years in these cases can quietly end your claim.

Why do you need a Tacoma personal injury lawyer?

A Tacoma personal injury lawyer protects your claim from common insurer tactics and makes sure the evidence, paperwork, and deadlines are handled correctly while you recover. Insurance companies process claims every day and know how to limit what they pay. Most injured people do not, and that gap is where money gets lost. A lawyer helps most when your injury is serious or when the other side disputes fault.

A personal injury lawyer can:

1. Manage all insurer contact. Your lawyer speaks with the adjuster for you, so you are not pushed into a recorded statement or a quick, low offer before the full extent of your injuries is known.
2. Value the whole claim. A lawyer accounts for future medical care and lost earning ability, not just for today’s bills, so a settlement does not leave you short a year from now.
3. Handle the legal paperwork. Court filings and Pierce County procedures follow strict rules, and a technical error can weaken or end a claim.
4. Track every deadline. From the three-year rule to the shorter transit and city claim windows, one missed date can close your case.
5. Provide leverage. When an insurer will not offer a fair amount, a firm that is ready to file in Pierce County Superior Court often gets a better response.

The Opponent Playbook: Blaming an Old Injury

Soon after a Tacoma crash, an adjuster may ask you to sign a broad medical release. It sounds routine, but a wide release lets the insurer dig through years of your medical history. The goal is to find an old ache or a prior injury and argue that your current pain came from that, not from the crash. A lawyer can limit the release to what is relevant and use your treating doctor’s opinion to connect your injury directly to the collision.

What does a personal injury claim process look like?

A Tacoma personal injury claim moves through six main phases: consultation, investigation, medical treatment, a settlement demand, negotiation and if needed, a lawsuit. At Bernard Law Group, we manage each state, so you can focus on healing.

1. Consultation and Intake. You explain what happened, and the firm reviews your options for free. There is no cost and no obligation to hire.
2. Investigation. We gather the collision report, medical records, photos, and witness statements, and identify every insurance policy that may apply, including your own coverage.
3. Medical Treatment. You continue care until your doctors agree your condition has stabilized. Settling before that point risks leaving future costs uncovered.
4. Settlement Demand. We package your medical bills, lost wages, and proof of fault into a written demand to the insurer.
5. Negotiation. The firm answers the insurer’s arguments about fault and treatment and works toward a fair out-of-court settlement.
6. Litigation. If the offer falls short of your long-term losses, the firm can file a lawsuit in Pierce County Superior Court and prepare your case for a jury.

How do you choose the right Tacoma injury lawyer?

Choose a Tacoma injury lawyer based on four things: real experience with your type of case, a record of results, knowledge of the local court and agencies, and a willingness to go to trial. A few questions make it easier to compare firms.

Does the firm handle your type of injury? 

Personal injury covers very different areas. A truck crash near the Port of Tacoma turns on federal trucking rules and cargo records, while a brain injury turns on medical proof. Bernard Law Group has focused only on personal injury for more than 30 years and understands these differences.

Can the firm show real results? 

Ask about past verdicts and settlements. The firm has recovered over $500 million for injured people across Washington. Results vary and depend on the facts of each case, but a track record shows a firm can stand up to large insurers.

Does the firm know the local system? 

Local knowledge moves a case along. Filing in Pierce County Superior Court, requesting records from the Washington State Patrol, and following the transit-claim rules all involve local timelines and procedures.

Is the firm ready for trial? 

Ask whether the firm actually tries cases. Insurers tend to offer more when they know a firm will litigate rather than push a client to accept a low settlement just to avoid court.

Is the fee clear? 

Confirm the firm works on contingency, meaning you owe no attorney fee unless it recovers money for you, with the percentage agreed in writing up front.

Why choose Bernard Law Group for a Tacoma personal injury claim?

You get a firm that prepares every claim as if it will go to trial, backed by decades of work in Washington’s civil courts. The firm manages the insurer’s tactics and the court deadlines so you can focus on your recovery.

For each Tacoma case, the firm works to:

• Lock down evidence early. Photos, vehicle data, and nearby business camera footage can disappear within days, so the firm moves fast to preserve it.
• Bring in the right experts. Accident reconstruction and medical experts help explain how the crash caused your injuries.
• Build a trial-ready file. A well-documented case gives you stronger footing when it is time to negotiate.

Client Success Stories

The firm shares client feedback so you know what to expect from its communication and support.

“We were stopped at a red light, and a gentlemen came off and hit us. I had back surgery in January of 2008 and that alone was a hundred and seven thousand dollars. Bernard Law Group was there with me every step of the way. I just felt really at ease going with someone that I thought would really help us and I feel like Bernard Law Group helped us fantastically.”

– Lashalle Jones

“I was in a head-on car accident, and the person that hit me had no car insurance. I had uninsured motorist insurance, but my insurance company didn’t return my phone calls, didn’t seem to care, so I called Kirk Bernard. Kirk Bernard did more than get justice for me. He hit a home run!”

– James Parshall

“I was stopped and a lady rear-ended me. When I called Bernard Law Group, they took care of everything. I never had to deal with the insurance company again. I didn’t have to deal with any of my medical bills again. I would highly recommend Bernard Law Group.”

– Lonnie Humpal

You can read more client reviews directly from people the firm has helped. These voluntary statements are for information only and are not a promise about your own case.

Case Results

Bernard Law Group has recovered a wide range of verdicts and settlements for injured people, including results in the Tacoma and Pierce County area. 

• $27 million jury award — municipal transit truck crash. A municipal railway truck collision killed a 4-year-old girl and severely injured and traumatized three other people.
• $20.5 million verdict — toxic exposure. A 47-year-old man developed Parkinson’s disease linked to welding rod fumes.
• $7.9 million settlement — big-rig collision. A commercial truck driver fell asleep at the wheel and caused a crash that left our client with quadriplegia.
• $425,500 settlement — Puyallup motorcycle passenger. A car pulled out from a stop sign into a motorcycle’s path; the passenger, a Puyallup woman, suffered a pelvic fracture, multiple rib fractures, and a spinal fracture that required fusion surgery.

These outcomes came from cases with their own specific facts, and several were handled outside Tacoma. Past results do not guarantee, warrant, or predict a future outcome.

Areas we serve in and around Tacoma

Bernard Law Group represents injured people throughout these locations:

• Seattle
• Bellevue
• Bellingham
• Everett
• Federal Way
• Kent
• Kirkland
• Olympia
• Redmond
• Renton
• Spokane
• Tacoma
• Vancouver
• Wenatchee 
• Yakima

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer?

When you pursue a third-party claim in Washington, you generally do not have to give the other driver’s insurance company a recorded statement. Anything you say can be used to question fault later, so it helps to understand your rights, or speak with a lawyer, before any interview.

Will my own insurance pay my medical bills after a Tacoma crash?

Many Washington auto policies include Personal Injury Protection, or PIP, and insurers must offer it unless you rejected it in writing. PIP pays your medical bills after a crash no matter who was at fault, and using it generally does not raise your rates the way an at-fault claim would. Many injured people leave this coverage unused simply because no one told them it was there.

What if the driver who hit me had no insurance?

You may still have coverage through your own policy. Many Washington drivers carry underinsured or uninsured motorist coverage, which can pay when the at-fault driver cannot. After a hit-and-run on a road like South Tacoma Way, this coverage often becomes an important source of recovery. A lawyer can review your policy to find the available sources of coverage.

What is the minimum car insurance required in Washington?

Under RCW 46.29.090, Washington drivers must carry at least $25,000 in bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 per accident, and $10,000 for property damage. These limits can run out quickly after a serious Tacoma crash, which is one reason your own underinsured motorist coverage can matter so much.

Helpful Local resources

These public resources may help after a Tacoma injury. Bernard Law Group does not endorse, control, or profit from any outside agency listed here.

Report or request a crash report

• Washington State Patrol Collision Records — the statewide office that holds collision reports
• Tacoma Police Department — request a vehicle collision report — for crashes handled by TPD inside the city
• Pierce County — File a Police Report — for crashes in unincorporated Pierce County

Emergency and trauma care in Tacoma

• MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital — 315 Martin Luther King Jr Way, Tacoma, WA 98405 (Level II trauma center)
• St. Joseph Medical Center — 1717 S J St, Tacoma, WA 98405 (Level II trauma center)
• Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital — 305 S L St, Tacoma, WA 98405 (Level II pediatric trauma center)
• Franciscan Urgent Care (Tacoma) — 1608 S J St, Tacoma, WA 98405

Court

• Pierce County Superior Court — 930 Tacoma Ave S, Room 110, Tacoma, WA 98402 

Get a free evaluation from our legal team today

When you are dealing with medical bills, lost income, and insurance adjusters, time matters. Bernard Law Group works on contingency, so you pay nothing upfront and owe no attorney fee unless the firm recovers money for you. Contact us online to map out your next steps.

Attorney review and office information

This page reflects the work of Bernard Law Group, founded by Kirk Bernard, who has practiced personal injury law in Washington and California since 1981. Every case the firm accepts is handled by attorneys licensed and in good standing with the Washington State Bar Association. 

Main office: 900 Aurora Ave N, Suite 100, Seattle, WA 98109

Phone: 206-590-5359

Consultations are free and available 24/7. 

Other practice areas we handle

• Car accident
• Truck accident
• Motorcycle accident
• Bicycle accident
• Slip and fall
• Uber accident