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Washingtonbikelaw.com is the bicycle law site of Anderton Law Office, headed by Bob Anderton. Bob Anderton is a bicyclist, a bicycle advocate, and an experienced and effective attorney.
If you were injured in a bicycle accident in Washington State, hire an attorney who is also a cyclist. For a free consultation, call Bob Anderton at (206) 262-9290.
While all lawyers will say they are good at what they do, there is an objective, peer-reviewed rating system administered by Martindale-Hubbell. Martindale-Hubbell has a database of over one million lawyers. Bob Anderton has an AV rating, the highest possible rating for both legal ability and ethical standards.
Bob has been licensed to practice law in Washington State since 1992 and has represented hundreds of injured people since that time.
The Anderton Law Office motto is "representing people, not corporations." Bob Anderton has never worked as an attorney for an insurance company or any other corporation, and Bob is proud of helping regular people get back to being regular people.
Seattle Washington Bicycle Attorneys
Scroll down the page to view the questions and answers in order.
Basic
Questions
Q: Why should I use Anderton Law Office?
Q: How
soon after a bike accident should I contact a lawyer?
Q: Can
you provide any representative settlements or verdicts?
Q: What
about expenses?
Q: How
do I know if I have a good bicycle accident claim?
Q: Do
I need a Washington State bicycle attorney?
Q: What
types of cases do you accept?
Q: In
what areas of Washington State will Anderton Law Office accept cases?
Q: What
if I had a bicycle accident outside Washington State?
Q: Why are there so many lawyer jokes?
Insurance Questions
Q: Can I make a claim for a bike collision if the driver had no insurance?
Q: Does my homeowner’s or renter’s insurance cover accidents when I am on my bike?
Q: Does my car insurance cover accidents when I am on my bike?
Q: What does PIP mean?
Q: What does UIM mean?
Q: If I make a claim with my own insurance company for PIP or UIM benefits, will my rates go up?
Negotiation and Trial
Q: Should I accept an insurance company’s offer to settle my bike crash claim?
Q: Should I first try to settle my bicycle claim myself and get a lawyer if I don’t like the insurance company’s offer?
Q: How long does it take to settle most bicycle accident and personal injury cases?
Q: Will pursuing a bicycle claim be time consuming?
Q: Will I have to go to trial?
Q: Should I go to trial?
Other Questions
Q: Should I call the police after a bicycle accident?
Q: I was “doored” on my bcycle. Is it my fault for riding too close to a parked car?
Q: Do I have a claim even if a vehicle never hit me or my bike?
Q: Can I make a claim if I was hit by a car while riding my bike on the sidewalk?
Q: What if a bike accident is my fault?
Q: Can a bicycle accident be partially my fault?
Basic Questions
Q: Why should I use Anderton Law Office?
A: Bob Anderton is bicyclist, a bicycle advocate, and
an experienced and effective attorney.
Associate attorney Stacie Bain is a former bike messenger, daily rider and motivated advocate for bicyclists and bicycling.
You can call Anderton Law Office any time at (206)
262-9290. There is no charge to discuss your claim
and we return all calls promptly. While all lawyers will say they are
good at what they do, there is an objective, peer-reviewed rating system
administered by Martindale-Hubbell.
Martindale-Hubble has a database of over one million lawyers. Bob Anderton
has an AV
rating rating,the highest
possible rating for both legal ability and ethical
standards. Bob has been licensed to practice law in Washington State since
1992 and has successfully represented hundreds of injured people since
that time. The Anderton Law Office motto is “representing people,
not corporations.” Bob Anderton has never worked as an attorney
for an insurance company or any other corporation, and is proud of helping
regular people get back to being regular people.
[Return to Question Index]
Q: How soon after a bike accident should I contact a lawyer?
A: As soon as possible. You may be contacted by an insurance
adjuster and should not make a statement before you have consulted a bike
lawyer. What you say can and will be used against you by the insurance
company. Even if the Bike Lawyers at Anderton Law Office do not represent you, conversations
with any lawyer you consult are generally protected by the attorney-client
privilege. An experienced bicycle attorney can help you understand the
rules of the road for bikes and what insurance may be available to cover
your medical expenses, lost wages or income, property damage, as well
as your non-economic damages (sometimes called pain and suffering).
[Return Question Index]
Q: Can you provide any representative settlements or verdicts?
A: Yes, but at Anderton Law Office we prefer not to focus on other
people’s claims. Many offices list large settlements to entice new
clients. This can create unwarranted expectations. The value of your claim
is based upon many factors, primarily the severity of your individual
injury and its effects on your life. Bike Lawyer Bob Anderton has assisted
hundreds of injured people since 1992 in obtaining settlements and verdicts
ranging from a few thousand dollars up to 6.6 million dollars.
[Return to Question Index]
Q: What about expenses?
A: Anderton Law Office generally advances all costs associated with a
bicycle case. Unlike some lawyers, we charge only the actual
cost of expenses directly related to your claim and they can deducted from a settlement or verdict.
[Return to Question Index]
Q:
How do I know if I have a good bicycle accident claim?
A: It may be more complicated than you think. Since it
is free to discuss your case, it makes sense to call a Bike Lawyer at Anderton Law Office for bike crashes in Washington State. Bob or Stacie can provide
you with self-help strategies or other referrals if we think that using
a lawyer would not be in your best interest. We can also provide referrals
to other experienced bicycle lawyers in other states.
[Return
to Question Index]
Q:
Do I need a Washington State bicycle attorney?
A: You probably want one if you were injured in Washington
State. In order to settle a claim, you will have to deal with insurance
adjusters. They are trained to close your claim by paying you as little
as possible. It is difficult for someone who is not familiar with bicycle
accident cases and the legal climate of Washington State (and King County
in particular) to know what a fair settlement amount is. If your case
requires litigation, your lawyer must be admitted to practice in the state
where you file suit, and you will likely fair better with an experienced
local bicycle attorney on your side.
[Return
to Question Index]
Q:
What types of cases do you accept?
A: The Bike Lawyers at Anderton Law Office focus on
bicycle injuries, but we handle all types of personal injury claims in
Washington State. These personal injury, wrongful death and products liability
cases include: accidents, crashes and collisions involving bikes, scooters,
skateboards, pedestrians, wheelchairs, mopeds, motor scooters, motorcycles,
cars, trucks, and even the dreaded SUV. We also take cases involving
unsafe places and unfair insurance practices, sometimes called “bad
faith.” Bike lawyer Bob Anderton is a court-approved settlement guardian ad litem in
King County. This means that he is appointed by the Superior Court to
review proposed settlements involving minors or people with disabilities
to ensure that they are fair. Bob is also a volunteer attorney with the
Housing Justice Project. Stacie is a volunteer at the Elder Law Clinic.
[Return
to Question Index]
Q:
In what areas of Washington State will Anderton Law Office accept cases?
A: While the Bike Lawyers at Anderton Law Office are
based in Seattle and King County, for cases involving catastrophic injuries
or death, we will represent bicyclists and their families throughout
the state of Washington, including the following counties and cities:
Counties:
Adams,
Asotin, Benton, Chelan, Clallam, Clark, Columbia, Cowlitz, Douglas, Ferry,
Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap,
Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Lincoln, Mason, Okanogan. Pacific, Pend Oreille,
Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Spokane, Stevens, Thurston,
Wahkiakum, Walla Walla, Whatcom, Whitman, and Yakima.
Cities and Towns:
Aberdeen, Airway Heights, Albion, Algona, Almira, Anacortes,
Arlington, Asotin, Auburn, Bainbridge Island, Battle Ground, Beaux Arts
Village, Bellevue, Bellingham, Benton City, Bingen, Black Diamond, Blaine,
Bonney Lake, Bothell, Bremerton, Brewster, Bridgeport, Brier, Buckley,
Bucoda, Burien, Burlington, Camas, Carbonado, Carnation, Cashmere, Castle
Rock, Cathlamet, Centralia, Chehalis, Chelan, Cheney, Chewelah, Clarkston,
Cle Elum, Clyde Hill, Colfax, College Place, Colton, Colville, Conconully,
Concrete, Connell, Cosmopolis, Coulee City, Coulee Dam, Coupeville, Covington,
Creston, Cusick, Darrington, Davenport, Dayton, Deer Park, Des Moines,
DuPont, Duvall, East Wenatchee, Eatonville, Edgewood, Edmonds, Electric
City, Ellensburg, Elma, Elmer City, Endicott, Entiat, Enumclaw, Ephrata,
Everett, Everson, Fairfield, Farmington, Federal Way, Ferndale, Fife,
Fircrest, Forks, Friday Harbor, Garfield, George, Gig Harbor, Gold Bar,
Goldendale, Grand Coulee, Grandview, Granger, Granite Falls, Hamilton,
Harrah, Harrington, Hartline, Hatton, Hoquiam, Hunts Point, Ilwaco, Index,
Ione, Issaquah, Kahlotus, Kalama, Kelso, Kenmore, Kennewick, Kent, Kettle
Falls, Kirkland, Kittitas, Krupp, La Center, La Conner, Lacey, LaCrosse,
Lake Forest Park, Lake Stevens, Lakewood, Lamont, Langley, Latah, Leavenworth,
Liberty Lake, Lind, Long Beach, Longview, Lyman, Lynden, Lynnwood, Mabton,
Malden, Mansfield, Maple Valley, Marcus, Marysville, Mattawa, McCleary,
Medical Lake, Medina, Mercer Island, Mesa, Metaline, Metaline Falls, Mill
Creek, Millwood, Milton, Monroe, Montesano, Morton, Moses Lake, Mossyrock,
Mount Vernon, Mountlake Terrace, Moxee, Mukilteo, Naches, Napavine, Nespelem,
Newcastle, Newport, Nooksack, Normandy Park, North Bend, North Bonneville,
Northport, Oak Harbor, Oakesdale, Oakville, Ocean Shores, Odessa, Okanogan,
Olympia, Omak, Oroville, Orting, Othello, Pacific, Palouse, Pasco, Pateros,
Pe Ell, Pomeroy, Port Angeles, Port Orchard, Port Townsend, Poulsbo, Prescott,
Prosser, Pullman, Puyallup, Quincy, Rainier, Raymond, Reardan, Redmond,
Renton, Republic, Richland, Ridgefield, Ritzville, Riverside, Rock Island,
Rockford, Rosalia, Roslyn, Roy, Royal City, Ruston, Sammamish, SeaTac,
Seattle, Sedro-Woolley, Selah, Sequim, Shelton, Shoreline, Skykomish,
Snohomish, Snoqualmie, Soap Lake, South Bend, South Cle Elum, South Prairie,
Spangle, Spokane, Spokane Valley, Sprague, Springdale, St. John, Stanwood,
Starbuck, Steilacoom, Stevenson, Sultan, Sumas, Sumner, Sunnyside, Tacoma,
Tekoa, Tenino, Tieton, Toledo, Tonasket, Toppenish, Tukwila, Tumwater,
Twisp, Union Gap, Uniontown, University Place, Vader, Vancouver, Waitsburg,
Walla Walla, Wapato, Warden, Washougal, Washtucna, Waterville, Waverly,
Wenatchee, West Richland, Westport, White Salmon, Wilbur, Wilkeson, Wilson
Creek, Winlock, Winthrop, Woodinville, Woodland, Woodway, Yacolt, Yakima,
Yarrow Point, Yelm, Zillah, and perhaps a few others.
For
smaller claims outside of King County, the Bike Lawyers at Anderton Law Office may be
able to recommend an experienced bicycle attorney for your area.
[Return to Question Index]
Q: What if I had a bicycle accident outside Washington State?
A. If you are looking for an Oregon, Colorado, Arizona, Alabama, Idaho, New York, Nevada or Pennsylvania Bicycle Attorney, please see these linked pages.
If you are looking for a Bicycle Attorney in any other state, you are
welcome to call or e-mail
Bike Lawyer Bob Anderton, as
he may be able to help you find an experienced bicycle lawyer there.
[Return to Question Index]
Q: Why are there so many lawyer jokes?
A:
Lawyers are sometimes uncomfortable with jokes about their profession.
The King County Bar Association even had a campaign to “just say
no to lawyer jokes.” Unlike some attorneys, Bob Anderton is willing
to acknowledge that there is often a grain of truth in lawyer jokes. In
fact, he collects them.
[Return to Question Index]
Q: Can I make a claim for a bike collision if the driver had no insurance?
A: Yes. If you have car insurance with UIM coverage,
you can recover money for your medical bills, lost wages, damage to your
bike, and your non-economic damages, even if the other driver had no insurance.
There may also be other sources of recovery that an experienced bicycle
attorney may find based upon the unique facts of your bike crash.
[Return
to Question Index]
Q: Does my homeowner’s or renter’s insurance
cover accidents when I am on my bike?
A: It depends. Typically, there would not be coverage
in a bike crash unless the crash is determined to be your fault, and,
in that situation, it would generally pay for the damages you caused to
someone else. But this would depend on the facts of your bike accident
and on the terms of your insurance policy.
[Return to Question Index]
Q: Does my car insurance cover accidents when I am
on my bike?
A: It depends. If you have PIP coverage on your automobile
insurance, it may pay your medical bills from a bike versus car crash.
Automobile UIM coverage may cover your medical bills, lost wages, damage
to your bike, and your non-economic damages, if the driver had no insurance
or not enough insurance to fully compensate you.
[Return to Question Index]
Q: What does PIP mean?
A: PIP is Personal Injury Protection. It provides no-fault
coverage for medical bills and limited wage loss. Typically, coverage
is a maximum of $10,000, but higher limits are available. In Washington
State, PIP is an optional coverage. However, the insurance company needs
to prove you rejected PIP in writing or you are assumed to have it on
your automobile insurance.
[Return to Question Index]
Q: What does UIM mean?
A: UIM stands for Under-Insured Motorist coverage. It
pays if the at-fault person has no insurance, or not enough insurance
to pay your damages. In Washington State, UIM is an optional coverage,
meaning that you don’t have to purchase it. UIM is an especially
important form of coverage, since the most reckless people who cause the
most accidents are also the most likely to be uninsured.
[Return to Question Index]
Q: If I make a claim with my own insurance company
for PIP or UIM benefits, will my rates go up?
A: It depends. Generally speaking, if an accident was not your fault, your rates should not increase
if you make a claim. On the other hand, if you are at fault for a collision,
most insurance companies will raise your rates, even if you do not make
a claim. In Washington State, if your rates increase for any reason, you
are entitled to a written explanation from your insurance company. If
you are paying premiums for UIM and/or PIP coverage, you are entitled
to use it and, in most instances, you should. If you are concerned about
this, the Washington Bicycle Lawyers at Anderton Law Office are happy to discuss your options.
[Return to Question Index]
Q:
Should I accept an insurance company’s offer to settle my bike crash
claim?
A: Unless you were not injured or have fully recovered
from minor injuries, the answer is no. Insurance companies often offer
quick settlements, but an early settlement can be disastrous if your injuries
turn out to be worse than you first thought. Insurance companies have
access to sophisticated databases for valuing claims and do so day in
and day out. The playing field is not level. It makes sense to at least
consult with an experienced Washington bicycle attorney before accepting an offer.
[Return to Question Index]
Q: Should I first try to settle my bicycle claim myself
and get a lawyer if I don’t like the insurance company’s offer?
A: Usually not. Unless you have very minor injuries,
using an experienced bicycle attorney frequently results in a higher net
settlement than you would obtain on your own. By waiting to get a lawyer
on your side, you may create problems with your claim that are difficult
or impossible to undo. Remember, the Bike Lawyers at Anderton Law Office work on a contingency
fee, not an hourly rate. If you think that you may ultimately use an attorney,
you owe it to yourself to make the attorneys “earn their keep.”
It won’t cost you more to have legal representation from the beginning
and it may keep you from damaging an otherwise solid case.
[Return to Question Index]
Q: How long does it take to settle most bicycle
accident and personal injury cases?
A: It depends. The key is knowing that you
are fully healed (or that your injuries are permanent) before settling
the case. The truth is, you can probably settle your case faster without
an attorney, but that settlement may also be far less than the fair value
of your claim. The Anderton Law Office Washington Bike Lawyers work with injured bicyclists
and their doctors to determine the best time to begin settlement negotiations.
The
statute of limitations for negligence in the State of Washington is three
years. This means that you must settle your Washington State claim or
file a lawsuit within three years from the day of your collision or you
will lose any right you might have had to recover. There are circumstances
where the statute of limitations may be shorter, and each state sets its
own time limits, so it makes sense to consult with a bicycle attorney
licensed in the state where the crash occurred as soon as possible.
[Return to Question Index]
Q:
Will pursuing a bicycle claim be time consuming?
A: Usually not. The vast majority of bicycle claims settle
before a lawsuit is ever filed. If you use the Bike Lawyers at Anderton Law Office they can work on the legal aspects of your claim and you can focus
on recovering from your injuries. Much of what the Anderton Law Office Bi Attorneyss need from you can
be accomplished over the phone or by e-mail. We have represented clients
who were injured in Washington State but lived in Asia, Europe and South
America. Their cases settled without them ever making a special trip to
Seattle. While Bob and Stacie like to meet with clients in person, we realize your
time is important, and won’t waste it. On the other hand, if you
file a lawsuit, you will need to be more involved in your case. Your Bike Lawyers at Anderton
Law Office will take the time to ensure that you are prepared and understand the
process each step of the way. We will also work to schedule events to
minimize the intrusion in your life.
[Return
to Question Index]
Q:
Will I have to go to trial?
A: It depends. The Anderton Law Office Bike Lawyers estimate that
90% of the bicycle cases we handle settle without filing
a lawsuit. Anderton Law Office and our bicycling clients also participate in alternative
dispute resolution including mediation and arbitration. King County has
a system called Mandatory Arbitration. If your claim is less than $50,000,
you can arbitrate it rather than having a jury trial. Arbitration is,
in our experience, faster, much less expensive, and the verdicts
are often higher than those of a jury. However, if your claim is potentially
worth more than $50,000, it may be better to wait for a trial date where
there is no arbitrary limit on the amount that you can recover.
[Return
to Question Index]
Q: Should I go to trial?
A: It depends. Bicycle Lawyer Bob Anderton recently tried
a case where the other side refused to pay more than $50,000 at a formal
mediation. They offered $75,000 just before trial, but the jury awarded
our client $850,000. Obviously, our client was glad to
have gone to trial. Of course, Anderton Law Office can’t guarantee this kind of
result. Often, people do not want to take the risk of a trial. Even if
you are willing to try your case, it usually makes sense to try and settle
the claim before filing a lawsuit. If we areunable to reach a reasonable
settlement with the other side, the Bike Lawyers at Anderton Law Office have the skills and the motivation to
make an arbitrator or a jury fully compensate you for your injuries.
[Return
to Question Index]
Q: Should I call the police after a bicycle accident?
A: It depends on the situation. If you think a driver
might be intoxicated, yes. Otherwise, it’s hard to say. Some police
in Washington State are openly hostile to bicyclists, while others are
genuine bicycle advocates. Unlike a lawyer, you cannot select the responding
officer. Having a police report can be helpful if the officer believes
the driver is at fault. But the Anderton Law Office Bike Lawyers have represented more
than one bicyclist who was given a ticket by police then later recovered
100% from the un-cited driver.
[Return to Question Index]
Q: I was “doored” on my bike. Is it my fault
for riding too close to a parked car?
A: The Bike Lawyers at Anderton Law Office would argue that it was not.
While it’s always a good idea to leave room for vehicle doors to
open, we have a law in Washington State that says, “No person shall
open the door of a motor vehicle on the side adjacent to moving traffic
unless and until it is reasonably safe to do so, and can be done without
interfering with the movement of other traffic, nor shall any person leave
a door open on the side of a vehicle adjacent to moving traffic for a
period of time longer than necessary to load or unload passengers.”
(RCW 46.61.620)
While
there is a general duty to keep a “proper lookout,” a driver
should look before opening a vehicle door and not create hazardous condition
for a bicyclist.
[Return to Question Index]
Q: Do I have a claim even if a vehicle never hit me
or my bicycle?
A: Quite possibly. Many people mistakenly believe that
there has to be physical contact between a bicyclist and a motor vehicle
for the driver to be liable. This is not true. Drivers can still be held
liable when cyclists crash if the driver’s negligence was a cause
of the crash. Anderton Law Office Bike Lawyers have also successfully represented
bicyclists injured on unsafe roadways where no other vehicle was involved.
For instance, we
represented numerous bicyclists who were injured along the Burke-Gilman
Trail’s “missing link” in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood. We have also been working to eliminate dangerous old sewer grates with wide openings that regularly swallow bike wheels throughout Seattle.
[Return to Question Index]
Q: Can I make a claim if I was hit by a car while riding
my bicycle on the sidewalk?
A: Almost certainly. Bicyclists are allowed to ride on
the sidewalk in Seattle. The rules vary in other cities, but there is
likely some negligence on the part of a driver when a crash occurs on
the sidewalk.
[Return to Question Index]
Q:
What if a bike accident is my fault?
A: You still may have some protection against loss. Your
homeowner’s or renter’s insurance may protect you against
the claims of another person in the case of a bike crash. If you are injured,
your health insurance should pay your medical bills, though you may need
to show that there is no other insurance available. If you are involved
in a collision with a motor vehicle while on your bike, there may be coverage
through the driver’s PIP coverage, even if you are at fault for
the crash.
[Return
to Question Index]
Q:
Can a bicycle accident be partially my fault?
A: Yes. Washington is a comparative fault state. This
means that, even if a bicycle crash is partially your fault, you can recover
the portion of your damages you prove are the fault of the driver or other
defendant.
[Return
to Question Index]
The Seattle bicycle accident attorney Washington bike law web page is a resource containing general information that is intended, but not guaranteed, to be correct and current. Information on this page does not constitute legal advice. You should not consider web page information, or e-mail from Andeton Law Office, to be an agreement for an attorney-client relationship. Anderton Law office cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information or services on linked pages. The Anderton Law Office Bicycle Attorneys Lawyers are not engaged in your representation until you sign a contract with Anderton Law Office.
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