How to Get More Money from a Car Accident Settlement in Washington

Content Legally Reviewed By Matt Conner

A serious car accident can leave you with painful injuries, mounting medical bills, lost income, and constant stress about the future. While the insurance company may act helpful at first, its goal is often simple: Pay as little as possible. That leaves many injury victims asking how to get more money from a car accident settlement.

The good news is that Washington law gives injured victims important rights. If you take the right steps early, you can strengthen your claim, prove the full value of your losses, and improve your chances of recovering fair compensation. And taking these steps with the guidance of an experienced Washington car crash attorney is even better for your recovery. At Brett McCandlis Brown & Conner PLLC, we have broken records and recovered tens of millions of dollars for personal injury victims across Washington.

What You Must Prove in a Washington Car Accident Case

To recover compensation after a crash, you must prove the other driver was negligent. In Washington, negligence means someone failed to drive safely and caused harm to another person.

Most car accident claims involve proving four key elements: duty of care, breach, causation, and damages.

Duty of Care

Every driver has a legal duty to operate a vehicle safely and follow traffic laws. Drivers must pay attention, obey speed limits, yield when required, and avoid dangerous behavior, such as distracted or impaired driving.

Breach of Duty

Next, you must show that the other driver violated that duty. Common examples include:

• Speeding,
• Running a red light,
• Tailgating,
• Texting while driving,
• Driving under the influence, and
• Failing to yield.

You do not have to make this determination on your own. We have multiple decades of combined experience and can identify all the ways an at-fault driver failed to drive safely.

Causation

Third, you must connect the driver’s actions to the accident and your injuries. Medical records, crash reports, witness statements, and expert opinions often help establish this connection.

Damages

Finally, you must show that you suffered damages and losses as a result of the crash. These may include: 

• Physical injuries, 
• Financial losses, 
• Emotional suffering, or 
• Damage to your vehicle.

In civil injury cases, your evidence must show it is more likely than not that the other driver caused your injuries.

Types of Damages You May Recover

One of the most important parts of learning how to get more money from a car accident settlement is understanding the full value of your claim. Many injury victims focus only on immediate medical bills. However, Washington law allows victims to pursue compensation for many different losses, including:

• Economic damages, which compensate you for measurable financial losses, such as lost wages, property damage, and medical expenses; and
• Noneconomic damages for your pain and suffering and changes to your quality of life.

Insurance companies usually fight hard to minimize these damages. However, detailed documentation and strong legal representation can make a major difference.

How to Get the Most Money from a Car Accident

Getting the most out of a car accident settlement usually comes down to preparation, evidence, and patience. The following are some of the most important steps you can take.

Seek Medical Care Immediately

One of the biggest mistakes injury victims make is waiting too long to see a doctor. Prompt medical treatment helps:

• Protect your health,
• Connect all your related injuries to the crash,
• Create medical documentation, and
• Prevent the insurance company from arguing that you were not seriously hurt.

Even if you feel “mostly okay,” some injuries take time to fully appear. You should also follow your doctor’s treatment recommendations. Missing appointments or stopping treatment early may hurt your case.

Hire an Attorney

Insurance companies handle claims every day. Most injury victims do not. So, having an experienced attorney who knows how to deal with insurance companies and get the most out of a claim is crucial.

Our experienced legal team can help:

• Investigate the crash,
• Preserve evidence,
• Identify all available insurance coverage,
• Calculate long-term damages,
• Negotiate aggressively,
• Protect you from insurance tactics, and
• File a lawsuit if necessary.

Most importantly, an attorney helps level the playing field.

Report the Accident Right Away

Washington law requires drivers to report certain accidents involving injury, death, or at least $1,000 in property damage within four days. Additionally, the insurance company may require an accident report before paying on your claim. 

Important details in the report include:

• Driver statements,
• Witness information,
• Officer observations,
• Road conditions, and
• Preliminary fault findings.

You should obtain a copy of the collision report as soon as possible. The Washington State Patrol provides interested parties access to collision records online and by mail.

Gather Strong Evidence

Strong evidence often leads to stronger settlements. Insurance companies look closely at documentation. Detailed and organized records can significantly improve your credibility and strengthen your claim.

Helpful evidence may include:

• Photos of the accident scene,
• Vehicle damage photos,
• Medical records,
• Surveillance footage,
• Witness statements,
• Cell phone records,
• Prescription receipts,
• Repair estimates,
• Wage loss documentation,
• Mileage logs for medical visits, and
• Expert accident reconstruction opinions.

The sooner evidence is collected, the better. 

Washington follows a pure comparative fault rule, which states that while you can be partially at fault for the accident and still receive payment, your compensation may be reduced by your percentage of fault. Because insurance companies often try to shift blame to injured victims, strong evidence is critical. The better your evidence, the harder it is for the insurance to deny or reduce payment.

Look for Multiple Sources of Compensation

Many people assume the at-fault driver’s insurance is the only source of recovery. That is not always true. Our knowledgeable car accident attorneys may identify additional coverage options to help you obtain the maximum compensation.

The At-Fault Driver’s Liability Insurance

Washington drivers must carry minimum liability insurance coverage that pays for at least:

• $25,000 for bodily injury for one person in one accident,
• $50,000 for bodily injury for multiple people in one accident, and 
• $10,000 for property damage.

However, minimum policies are often not enough to fully compensate serious injury victims. When determining how to get more money from a car accident settlement, you may have to seek compensation in more ways than one.

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Coverage

Your auto insurer must offer you Personal Injury Protection coverage, although you may opt to reject it. If you have PIP coverage, it can help pay for:

• Medical expenses,
• Lost wages, 
• Funeral costs, and
• Essential services.

Importantly, PIP benefits may apply regardless of fault.

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage

Some drivers carry little or no insurance. Uninsured motorist (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage may provide additional compensation from your own auto policy if:

• The at-fault driver lacks insurance,
• The driver’s policy limits are too low, or
• The driver flees the scene.

Many victims do not realize their own policy may provide substantial protection.

File a Lawsuit

Sometimes, insurance companies simply refuse to offer fair compensation. In those cases, filing a lawsuit may be necessary to obtain the compensation you deserve. And while litigation is pending, the insurance company may be more motivated to offer a fair settlement. 

Give Yourself Time to Heal

Insurance companies often pressure victims into accepting quick settlements. That can be dangerous.

Early settlement offers may not account for:

• Future surgeries,
• Long-term pain,
• Permanent disability, and
• Ongoing therapy
• Reduced earning capacity.

Once you accept a settlement, you usually cannot ask for more money later.

It is often important to wait until you better understand your long-term medical condition and financial losses before resolving your case.

Do Not Miss the Statute of Limitations

Washington law typically gives injury victims three years to file a personal injury lawsuit.

Missing this deadline can destroy your ability to recover compensation.

If you wait too long to file your claim, important evidence can also disappear over time. Witness memories can fade. Surveillance footage may be erased. Medical documentation may become harder to connect to the accident.

Speaking with an attorney early can help you file on time and protect your rights.

We Can Show You How to Get More Money from a Car Accident Settlement

At Brett McCandlis Brown & Conner, we understand how overwhelming life can feel after a serious crash. And we know you shouldn’t have to bear the financial burden of someone else’s negligence.

Our award-winning team fights for injured victims throughout Washington and works to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and future losses. If you or someone you love was injured in a crash, reach out to us right away for help. You can call us or contact us online to schedule a consultation.

Legal References Used to Inform This Page

To ensure the accuracy and clarity of this page, we referenced official legal and other resources during the content development process:

• Comparative fault, RCW § 4.22.005 (1981).
• Accident reports, RCW § 46.52.030 (2005).
• Accident-Reporting Threshold, WAC § 446-85-010 (2014).
• Washington State Patrol, “Collision Reports.”
• Washington State Department of Licensing, “Mandatory Insurance.” 
• Office of the Insurance Commissioner of Washington State, “Personal injury protection (PIP).”
• Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, § RCW 48.22.030 (1983).
• Statute of limitations, § RCW 4.16.080 (2011).

About the Author

Matt Conner

Matt Conner has a proven track record of success. Following his graduation from Willamette University with a double major in mathematics and economics, Matt worked as an economist for the Office of Economic Analysis for the State of Oregon before moving onto working in mortgage banking and real estate. Although Matt would move on to law school shortly thereafter, his experience in the financial sector has provided him with valuable experience in how to achieve maximum compensation for his clients.

Learn More About Matt