Pasco & Tri-Cities
Car Accident Lawyer
A car accident in the Tri-Cities can throw your whole life off track. Suddenly, you may be juggling doctor visits, time away from work, and the stress of trying to figure out what comes next. The Pasco & Tri-Cities car accident lawyers with Calbom & Schwab Law Group, PLLC have been helping families in Central Washington since 1954. We know how to step in when you need support.
Your Pasco & Tri-Cities personal injury lawyer will sit down with you to discuss how the crash has affected your health and finances, then guide you toward the options available under Washington law. If you were hurt in a car accident in the Tri-Cities, contact us today to get the help you and your family have been looking for.
Dangerous Roads and Highways in Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland, WA
If you drive around the Tri-Cities, you know how stressful traffic can get. In Pasco, WA, I-182 often clogs up, and one driver’s bad decision can cause a chain-reaction crash. The constant stop-and-go on busy highways and surface streets makes it harder to stay safe behind the wheel. Some of the most crash-prone areas include:
- I-182 corridor through Pasco
- George Washington Way in Richland
- SR-240 in Kennewick
- Columbia Drive through Pasco
- Clearwater Avenue in Kennewick
- Jadwin Avenue in Richland
- SR-395 interchanges
- Busy intersections near Columbia Center Mall
If you spend time on the roads in Kennewick, Pasco, or Richland, you already know how fast traffic conditions can change. Reckless drivers and congested routes combine to make these areas some of the most dangerous places to drive. Reckless driving is a criminal offense in Washington, according to RCW 46.61.500, and our car accident lawyers in Pasco with Calbom & Schwab Law Group, PLLC will use that law to hold drivers accountable when their actions put you at risk.
Types of Car Accidents in Pasco and the Tri-Cities
Car accidents in Pasco and the Tri-Cities happen in many different ways, and each one can throw your life off balance. The type of crash you are in often affects the seriousness of your injuries, how insurance companies respond, and the steps you need to take right away. Knowing what sets these accidents apart can help you feel more prepared for what lies ahead.
Collisions Involving Passenger Vehicles
Crashes between passenger vehicles are the most common on local roads. Rear-end accidents at stoplights happen often, while head-on collisions on two-lane highways and rideshare accidents usually cause severe injuries. Side-impact wrecks at intersections are another frequent cause, and even low-speed bumps in parking lots can create medical bills and repair costs you did not expect. When these accidents happen, our car accident attorneys in Pasco piece together the evidence to show what really occurred.
You may be juggling ER visits, phone calls from insurers, or the stress of having no reliable transportation. Having the team at Calbom & Schwab Law Group, PLLC on your side helps you avoid mistakes that could cost you later. We review your situation closely and make sure responsibility falls where it belongs.
Accidents Involving Large Commercial Vehicles
Sharing the road with large vehicles adds risks that smaller cars cannot absorb. When a semi-truck collides with a passenger car, the injuries are often catastrophic. Crashes involving buses, construction vehicles, or farm equipment on rural roads often involve several different parties.
We dig into the driver’s background, the company’s safety practices, and the condition of the vehicle itself. If safety rules were ignored, that evidence becomes critical for your truck accident claim. Your accident attorney in the Tri-Cities makes sure you do not pay the price for mistakes you did not cause.
Complex Accidents Involving Other Kinds of Vehicles
Motorcycle accidents bring especially high risks because riders have so little protection. Even low-speed motorcycle accidents can cause broken bones, while highway accidents often cause head or spinal cord injuries. Rideshare collisions create another set of challenges, since insurers argue about whether the driver, the rideshare company, or another motorist should cover your losses.
Your car accident lawyer in Pasco can determine how Washington’s comparative fault law under RCW 4.22.005 may affect your case. This law divides fault among everyone involved, which changes how compensation is calculated. Our team will focus on showing exactly how the crash happened, which may make it harder for the insurance company to pin the blame on you.
Common Injuries Seen in Tri-Cities Car Accidents
A crash can change your life and livelihood in countless ways. A major crash means that you might be out of work, sitting through doctor visits, or trying to figure out how to cover the bills piling up at home. Our car accident attorneys in the Tri-Cities know how hard this can be for you and your family, and we want you to feel supported as you deal with these injuries. Some of the injuries we often see after car accidents in the Tri-Cities include:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
- Spinal cord injuries
- Fractures
- Amputations or loss of limb function
- Internal bleeding
- Chronic pain
- Burns
- Facial injuries and dental damage
- Lacerations
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Whiplash
- Permanent disability
- Soft tissue injuries such as sprains or strains
- Broken ribs or chest injuries from seatbelts or airbags
- Organ damage
Any of these injuries can make simple things, like driving your kids to school or sleeping through the night, much more difficult. You may need ongoing treatments, surgeries, or medications just to get through the day. If negligent medical care made your condition worse, you have the right to bring a personal injury action under RCW 7.70.030. Calbom & Schwab Law Group, PLLC can explain what that means for your case during a free consultation.
The Expenses Car Accident Victims Face in the Tri-Cities
A car accident doesn’t just cause physical injuries. It also brings a wave of unexpected bills, constant calls from insurers, and the stress of keeping your household running when everything feels out of balance. Our car accident attorneys in Pasco & Tri-Cities know these financial strains can weigh just as heavily as the physical injuries.
Immediate Medical Bills After a Crash
The first bills usually arrive within days of the accident. An ambulance and an ER visit can be expensive, especially when surgery is required. Prescriptions and rehab often continue long after you leave the hospital, and physical therapy can stretch out for months or even years.
Washington law under RCW 46.29.090 requires drivers to carry minimum financial coverage, but those limits often fall short after a serious crash. Our car accident lawyers in the Tri-Cities will focus on identifying every source of coverage available so you do not get stuck paying expenses that should not be yours.
Vehicle Repairs and Transportation Costs
When a crash damages your car beyond safe operation, the costs reach far beyond body shop invoices. You may need a rental car just to get to work. Rideshares and other temporary options add up quickly, and replacing a vehicle entirely creates a separate financial burden.
Calbom & Schwab Law Group, PLLC reviews repair estimates, rental agreements, and insurance policies to document the actual cost of what you lost. Our car accident lawyers serving Pasco & Tri-Cities will focus on presenting this evidence so the insurance company cannot dismiss or minimize your losses.
How Lost Wages Add Financial Pressure
Being hurt in a crash often means you cannot work the way you did before. Some people must take weeks away from their jobs to heal. Others return on limited schedules, and those restrictions reduce their paychecks and make it harder to keep up with household expenses.
Our firm documents the wages you missed and the income you could lose in the future. We connect your medical records with employer statements to show exactly how the accident changed your ability to work. Our car accident attorneys will focus on presenting your financial reality clearly, not the version an insurer wants to accept.
Damages You Can Recover in a Car Accident Claim
The costs of a car accident go far beyond the first hospital bill. You might be missing paychecks while you heal. At the same time, you could be worrying about getting your car fixed and coping with the emotional strain of the accident. Our car accident lawyers in Pasco and the Tri-Cities will look at every part of your situation so the full impact of the crash is clear. Here are some of the damages you may recover after a car accident in Washington:
- Economic Damages: These cover your financial losses, such as medical expenses for hospital stays, therapy, or medications, as well as lost wages and the cost of repairing or replacing your car.
- Non-Economic Damages: These account for what money cannot measure, like the pain you feel each day, the loss of activities you once enjoyed, and the emotional stress of living with injuries.
Our team of attorneys will calculate these damages by reviewing your bills and pay stubs. We also use your medical records and testimony to show how the accident changed your daily life. With Calbom & Schwab Law Group, PLLC on your side, you will know that every loss you suffered is being counted.
How Car Insurance Claims Work After a Crash in the Tri-Cities
After a car accident, one of the first things you may face is a call to the insurance company. What happens next depends on who is found at fault, what type of coverage is available, and how adjusters choose to handle your claim. Your car accident lawyer at Calbom & Schwab Law Group, PLLC wants you to know what to expect so you are not caught off guard.
Washington’s Fault Laws and Insurance Coverage
Washington is a fault-based state, which means the driver responsible for the crash usually pays for the damages. Insurance companies look at police reports, witness statements, and the circumstances of the accident to decide who should cover the losses.
If you are blamed unfairly, your car accident attorney here in Pasco can push back against an insurer that tries to reduce or deny what you are owed. We examine how the crash happened and use the evidence to hold the right party accountable.
What to Expect From Insurance Adjusters
Insurance adjusters work for the company, not for you. They may use delay tactics, send a low settlement offer, or ask for a recorded statement that can later be used against you. Each of these strategies is designed to reduce what the insurer pays.
Your car accident lawyer in the Tri-Cities can step in before you feel pressured to sign or agree to something that hurts your claim. We know the methods adjusters rely on and can deal with them directly, so you can stay focused on your recovery.
When Coverage Disputes Delay Recovery
Sometimes insurance companies do not agree on who should pay or how much the damages are worth. These disputes can drag out the process, making it harder for you to cover bills while you wait for your case to finally settle.
Our Pasco & Tri-Cities car accident lawyers will focus on moving your claim forward when insurers argue. The RCW 4.16.080 typically limits the time you have to bring a personal injury case in Washington to just three years, so our car accident attorneys act quickly to make sure your case moves forward before the deadline passes.
Contact Your Car Accident Attorneys in Pasco and the Tri-Cities
After a crash, it can feel like your life changes in an instant. Doctor visits, insurance calls, and the strain of missed work all stack up quickly, and it helps to have someone experienced on your side who knows what comes next.
When you reach out to a car accident lawyer with Calbom & Schwab Law Group, PLLC, you connect with a team that has helped families across the Tri-Cities recover after serious collisions. Our focus will be on your needs, not a generic process. To set up a free consultation with experienced car accident attorneys serving Central Washington, contact our law firm today.