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Washington injury rights, deadlines, and help

If you were hurt in Washington, you probably want to know two things. How long do you have to act, and what should you do right now?

This page answers both. The deadlines below come straight from Washington law, with links to the official statutes so you can check them yourself.

The deadlines that matter in Washington

Personal injury lawsuit: 3 years. Washington gives you three years from the date of injury to file most personal injury lawsuits. This is called the statute of limitations (the legal deadline to file a lawsuit). The rule is RCW (Revised Code of Washington) 4.16.080. Read the statute.

Work injury, telling your employer: right away. Washington does not set a day count for the worker. The law says report the accident to your employer forthwith, which means immediately, and the employer must then report it to the Department of Labor and Industries at once. Treat "forthwith" as today, in writing. The rule is RCW 51.28.010. Read the statute.

Work injury, filing the formal claim: 1 year. File your workers' compensation claim within one year of the date of injury. Telling your boss is not the same as filing the claim. Occupational disease claims run on a different clock, generally two years from written notice of the disease. The rule is RCW 51.28.050. Read the statute.

Injured by a government entity: present the claim, then wait 60 days. Washington does not add a short notice deadline the way many states do. Instead, you must present your claim to the right office first (for the state, the Office of Risk Management; for local governments, their designated agent) within the ordinary three-year period, and then wait 60 calendar days before filing suit. The three-year clock pauses during that wait. Miss the presentment step and a lawsuit can be thrown out. The rules are RCW 4.92.110 for the state and RCW 4.96.020 for local governments. Read the state rule and the local rule.

One more caution. Medical claims can have different, often shorter deadlines and extra requirements. If a doctor or hospital hurt you, treat the clock as shorter until a licensed lawyer tells you otherwise.

What to do first

  1. Get medical care now. Your health comes first, and the records also prove when and how you were hurt.
  2. Report the injury the same day. At work, tell your supervisor immediately and follow up in writing.
  3. If it is a work injury, file the claim with the Department of Labor and Industries well inside the one-year window.
  4. Write down what happened. Date, time, place, names of witnesses, and photos if you can take them.
  5. If a government entity was involved, remember the two-step: present the claim, then wait 60 days before suit. Build that wait into your timeline.
  6. Do not sign anything from an insurance company before you get advice. A quick release can end your claim forever.

If this feels like a lot, you are not alone. Tell us what happened at /start/ and we will help you sort out what applies to you. Our help is always free to you.

Common situations in Washington

Hurt at work

Washington runs its own state workers' compensation fund through the Department of Labor and Industries, so most claims go through the state rather than a private insurer. The two steps still matter. Step one is reporting to your employer immediately. Step two is the formal claim, due within one year. Doctors' offices in Washington often help file the claim at your first visit, so tell every provider the injury is work related from the start.

Hurt on the road

Car crash claims follow the three-year lawsuit deadline. Washington uses pure comparative fault, which is friendlier to injured people than most states. Your own carelessness does not bar your claim. It only reduces your recovery by your percentage of fault. The rule is RCW 4.22.005. Read the statute. Even so, fault percentages are argued dollar by dollar, so be careful with recorded statements and get advice first.

Hurt on someone's property, including dog bites

Washington has a strict liability dog bite statute. The owner is liable if the dog bites you while you are in a public place or lawfully on private property, including the owner's, regardless of whether the dog ever showed viciousness before or the owner knew of any danger. The rule is RCW 16.08.040. Read the statute. For falls and other property injuries, the three-year deadline and pure comparative fault apply.

A story worth knowing

Hiring a lawyer is a strong move, but it is not the finish line. On December 23, 1995, Teresa Schmidt slipped and fell at a grocery store in Tacoma. Two weeks later she did the right thing and hired a lawyer, Timothy Coogan, to bring her injury case. He never properly filed her lawsuit before the statute of limitations ran out. Her case against the store died, not because of anything she did, but because of her own attorney. Her only path left was to sue him for malpractice. That fight dragged through a 2003 jury verdict, a 2010 retrial, and a 2012 appellate reversal before the Washington Supreme Court finally ruled in her favor in October 2014, almost 19 years after her fall. Read the decision.

The lesson is direct. Ask your lawyer, in writing, when your lawsuit will be filed, and get proof. If the deadline is blown, you inherit a much harder second case. An advocate who tracks the calendar with you helps prevent exactly this.

What we can help with

We are on your side, and only your side. We help injured people in Washington:

We do not charge injured people anything. Ever. We explain your rights and options in general terms and connect you with licensed professionals for legal or medical advice.

Tell us what happened. Share your story in a few sentences and we will help you understand your next step. It is free, private, and there is no pressure. Start here.

Sources

Last reviewed: 2026-08-16

This is general information, not legal advice. Deadlines can change or vary with the facts. A licensed attorney can confirm the rule for your situation.