Gross Negligence in PI Cases

You may be entitled to pursue a gross negligence claim against the person who injured you. Washington has created a gross negligence statute for severely injured claimants to recover under. A Seattle personal injury attorney experienced in gross negligence cases can help you build a case to present at trial.

Fang Law Firm Can Help

• We win. We have a 98% success rate across 10,000 litigated cases.
• No up-front costs. We work on contingency which means that you don’t pay unless we win.
• 24/7 attorney support. We won’t pass you off to our support staff like other gross negligence personal injury firms.

What is Gross Negligence?

Gross negligence is different from ordinary negligence; it is the extreme indifference to or reckless disregard for the safety of others. Ordinary negligence is careless actions that cause someone else harm. Whereas gross negligence is intentional and willful acts that are likely to cause harm.

In addition to private citizens, city, county, or municipal officers can be held accountable for gross negligence. Under RCW 77.15.098 state, county, or municipal officers may be subject to civil liability for willful misconduct or gross negligence in the performance of his or her duties.

How Can an Attorney Help My Case?

An attorney can help you maximize the damage award handed down by the jury at trial.

• An attorney can help you draft and submit pleadings to the court
• An attorney can gather evidence to prove your gross negligence claim
• including gathering witness statements.
• An attorney can recreate the accident scene for the jury.
• An attorney can represent you in litigation and negotiate with opposing counsel on your behalf.

Examples of Gross Negligence

• Speeding in a heavily trafficked pedestrian zone
• Nursing home staff failing to provide care for a resident
• A doctor that prescribes a patient a drug that their records clearly indicate they are allergic to
• Drunk driving

How to Recover Financially from a Grossly Negligent Party

You can pursue a gross negligence claim through a personal injury lawsuit in Washington state court. A Seattle gross negligence attorney can help you establish all the elements of a negligence claim, such as:

• Duty
• Breach of duty
• Causation
• Damages

Your attorney will also help you establish that the actions of the at-fault person went beyond that of pure negligent conduct in order to establish the gross negligence claim.

If you and your Seattle gross negligence lawyer successfully present your case and win at trial, the jury can award you economic and non-economic damages.

• Economic damages are related to medical bills, rehabilitative bills, and other bills related to the injury.
• Non-economic damages are damages for pain and suffering related to the injury.

Combatting Gross Negligence

The state of Washington recognizes assumption of risk as a defense to a gross negligence claim. That means the opposing party can present evidence that you knew about the risks associated with the activity, and therefore, the at-fault party did not act intentionally to cause you harm. A gross negligence attorney will present evidence to refute these claims.

Contact Fang Law Firm Today

Fang Law Firm has decades of experience in accident litigation. We are skilled in defending gross negligence cases at trial. We will walk you through the entire litigation process including helping you gather evidence to present at trial. Call us at (206) 489-5140 for a free case consultation. One of our knowledgeable gross negligence attorneys is standing by to review your case and chart a path for a successful win at trial.