WINTER 2013
Your Rights To Recovery and Compensation Following a Motor Vehicle Accident When injured in a tort accident (motor vehicle accident), the injured party is entitled to damages from the at fault party or tort feasor. Some people never fully recover from a motor vehicle accident and live with permanent injuries. The law says that an injured party can be made “whole” by the tort feasor, but obviously they will never be the same in some cases. Damages are how injured people are made “whole” in an auto accident. You are fully entitled to be put back into the position you were in prior to your injury, to the extent that can be done with money. The following are some different damages that are allowed:
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Property Damage You are entitled to the full repair or replacement cost of your vehicle, as well as diminished value if applicable.
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Medical Expenses When your case settles, you are entitled to have your medical bills to date paid in full if they are related to the auto accident.
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Future Medical Expenses You are entitled to a sum of money which will be sufficient to pay future medical bills, if any. This is part of the evaluation stage in your injury case.
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Lost Wages To Date This is just a matter of data collection and relatively easy to prove.
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Lost Future Earning Capacity If you are temporarily or permanently, partially or completely unable to work, you are entitled to a lump sum settlement representing the difference between the amount you could have earned before the injury and the amount you can earn presently. This is simple if you have a long term, full time job that you can no longer do; however, if you are self-employed, a fisherman, or a realtor, it is more difficult. It is also more difficult if you suffer only a partial loss.
» Teen Driving Tips » Client testimonies
Page 3 » Upcoming Local Events » Helping Hands
Page 4 » Pocket reference for auto accidents, tear out put it into your glovebox
When handling your claim, we will take your medical records to experts in physical capacity evaluation and vocational rehabilitation, quantify the impact of the injury on employment, and then obtain a written opinion from an expert in economic loss. To recap, you are entitled to a lump sum of money representing the difference between the amount you could have had the capacity to earn prior to the injury and the amount you can currently make. •
General Damages For Pain, Suffering, Disability, and Disfigurement This is often the most difficult damage to evaluate, but you are entitled to be compensated for the injury you have sustained. At Jacobs & Jacobs, we use our expertise as well as past jury verdicts and arbitration awards to evaluate the general damages portion of your bodily injury claim.
Jacobs & Jacobs | (253) 845-0577 | (253) 845-9060 fax | www.jacobsandjacobs.net
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Driving Tips for Teens:
“I highly recommend Jacobs & Jacobs who recently handled my accident case. They kept
Not many people enjoy being told what to do, especially teen drivers; however, you shouldn’t disregard the advice you receive from more experienced drivers. They’ve been in your shoes before, and they know what they’re talking about.
the stress off me, treated me with kindness and respect, and allowed me to treat and heal
Take these tips into consideration when practicing to become a responsible, safe driver: •
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from my accident.” A. Miller
Pay attention to safety belt laws. Most often you can’t have more passengers than your vehicle has safety belts. Make sure you and your passengers always wear safety belts. Inspect your vehicle before you get into the car, and adjust your seat and mirror before you take off. Always remember to check your gas gauge, too. Follow the rules. This includes speed limits, traffic lights, traffic signs, and signaling to the vehicle behind you when you plan to make a turn. This also includes never drinking and driving, and never riding with anyone who has been drinking or using any kind of drugs. Expect the unexpected. Always have some way to contact your parents in the event of an emergency, i.e., carry a cell phone, calling card, or extra money for payphones. Keep extra money for gas, and make sure you have directions to your destination. Pay attention to others. This includes the vehicles behind, beside, and in front of you, as well as motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
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You all know the saying, “referrals are the best form of flattery.” Well, we really mean •
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Pay attention to weather and road conditions. Don’t be ashamed to pull over if it’s raining too hard for you to properly see the road. Keep your vehicle up-to-date with regular maintenance. If you can’t do this by yourself, enlist the help of your dad, your older brother, your sister, your neighbor, or the local garage. Remember, when the car is in motion it’s time to concentrate. It’s not time to put on makeup, fix your hair, talk on the phone, eat, or pretend you’re in the middle of an American Idol audition. Put everything away and turn the music down.
Driving is a privilege, and like all privileges it can be taken away if you abuse it. If you drive responsibly and safely, you can hang on to your driving privilege—and your life. (courtesy of the Department of Motor Vehicles)
it when we say that. Without your referrals, we would not have the opportunity to help those deserving individuals get fair and honest legal representation. We sincerely thank you for continuing to trust our family firm to serve as your legal advocates.
You are entitled by law to compensation if you have suffered an injury that was not your fault within the last three years. Whether the injury was whiplash, bruising, minor cuts or burns or more serious long term injuries, we will help you claim compensation.
Local Upcoming Events With times being as tough as they are and jobs are scarce, the City of Puyallup will be hosting a 3 (three) part “Expert Interview” workshop. The first one will be taking place on March 19th from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The second workshop will be held in April and the third will be held in May.
Location: South Meeting Room Puyallup Public Library 324 S Meridian Puyallup, Washington 98371 Space is limited! To reserve your seat call or visit the Library’s 2nd floor Reference desk at 253.841.5454.
Helping Hands The team at Jacobs & Jacobs loves to give back to the community and this year we chose to volunteer with a local organization called the Helping Hands House. We had the wonderful privilege of working together to do yard clean-up for one of the Helping Hands homes. The programs at Helping Hand House enable families living in poverty in Pierce County to overcome challenges and obstacles that have kept them financially vulnerable. To be eligible for their programs, families must reside in Pierce County, have one child (age 17 or under) living with them and be homeless or nearly homeless. Each of their programs is tailored to the specific needs, barriers, culture, and location of the families. •
Diversion/Rapid Re-housing provides housing relocation and stabilization services and short-term and medium-term rental assistance from 3-12 months to assist families with children who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness to quickly regain stability in permanent housing after experiencing a housing crisis or homelessness.
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Emergency/Interim Housing stabilizes families with children under the age of 18 who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness, and help them obtain permanent housing as quickly as possible.
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Transition-In-Place provides single-family housing and intensive, individualized case management for up to with a strong emphasis on financial literacy (budgeting and saving money), life-skills, and workforce training. Leases are in the client family’s name, to support continuity in that location. Program locations throughout eastern Pierce County.
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Permanent Supportive Housing provides single-family housing support, life-skills training, and intensive case management that decreases gradually as financial resources and skills improve to enable independence. Strong emphasis on workforce training and financial literacy. Program locations in Sumner.
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The Employment Program benefits families in their Rapid Re-Housing and Emergency, Transitional, and Permanent Supportive Housing programs. Employment, wage progression and financial literacy are key elements of their mission to end family homelessness. Helping Hand House has a full time Employment Specialist who works with adult family members who are unemployed and underemployed.
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The Women In Nature (WIN) Program benefits women in the Transition in Place, and Permanent Supportive Housing programs by providing monthly opportunities for outdoor experiences in nature, including hikes, beach clean-ups, and snowshoeing. Studies have demonstrated the positive effects of such programs in addressing PTSD and other traumatic experiences experienced by many of the clients in their programs.
This is a great organization that provides wonderful opportunities for homeless families in our community. Consider donating your time or resources to help their cause! Helping Hands House: Mailing Address: PO Box 710 Puyallup, WA 98371 Physical Address: 4321 2nd St SW Puyallup, WA 98373 Phone: (253) 848-6096
March 9th 8:00am – 10:30am Northwest Trek Wildlife Park Photo Tour Northwest Trek Wildlife Park 11610 Trek Dr. E., Eatonville WA, 98328 (360) 832-6117 Enjoy the perfect opportunity for photographers of all levels, on an amazing tour that allows you to go where others cannot. This tour will provide optimal conditions for you to take action shots of the animals in the freeroaming area. From the tram you may see moose, mountain goats, bison, bighorn sheep and more in their natural habitats. Finish with a continental breakfast at the Hellyer Natural History Center. Ages 18 and up, so go to ww.nwtrek.org or call Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, (360) 832-6117 to reserve your spot today.
March 16th 9:00am – 12:00pm Point Defiance Marina Beach Clean Up Point Defiance Marina 5912 N. Waterfront Dr., Tacoma WA, 98402 (253) 591-5325 Free Get hooked on helping! Join the Point Defiance Marina and help with the beach clean up event. Keep our beaches beautiful.
March 23rd 10:00am – 4:00pm Celtic Faire Downtown Puyallup Downtown Puyallup 107 N. Meridian, Puyallup WA 98371 (253) 840-2631 Free Come to downtown Puyallup and share your Celtic heritage. The faire will have a new twist on the tradition of wearing green. The Celtic tradition is celebrated by music, good food and community... all of our favorite things. Featured events: clan uprising, pet parade, musical performances, “Great Kilt” demonstration and plenty of great Irish and Scottish dishes.
April 13th 10:15am 80th Annual Daffodil Festival Grand Floral Street Parade Downtown Tacoma 1516 Pacific Ave., Tacoma WA, 98402 (253) 840-4194 Free The Annual Grand Floral Street Parade is the highlight of the Daffodil Festival Week. The parade travels through the four cities of Tacoma, Puyallup, Sumner and Orting. It consists of approximately 40 float entries and more than 80 other entries, including bands, marching and mounted units. The floats are decorated with thousands of freshcut daffodils.
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P.O. Box 513 114 East Meeker Puyallup, WA 98372 Phone: 253-845-0577 Toll free 1-866-289-HELP Fax: 253-845-9060 E-mail: lkroupa@seanet.com Free Consultation No Recovery- No Fee
Refer a friend or family member and you will receive a FREE simple will. Value at $1200! (limitations Apply: One per family and coupon is not transferable into another person’s name. Your appointment may be set after your friend/family member has hired Jacobs & Jacobs to handle their claim. Your WILL must be scheduled and complete prior to the referred person’s case settling).
Pocket Guide for Auto Accidents The Three Most Important Steps to Follow After an Accident 1.
Contact your insurance company to report the accident. If you don’t report the accident to the company in a timely manner, it may try to deny you coverage.
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Call 9-1-1 and file a police report. You should file a police report if you are injured or if damages to either your vehicle or the other party’s exceed $200.
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Get follow-up medical care. Be sure you continue to be treated for all your injuries and all medical conditions.
After the accident it is also a good idea to consult with a personal injury attorney who can advise you on your possible claims, analyze your coverages and guide you through the next steps. The highly qualified personal injury attorneys at Jacobs & Jacobs Law Firm will provide you with a FREE consultation, at no obligation to you. Simply contact us about your injury or call toll free at 1-866-289-HELP.
Put this reference sheet in your glovebox Get These Facts
Diagram the Accident
Street or highway name
Indicate the direction your vehicle was travelling and the direction Other Driver’s Name & DL#: ________________________________________ the other driver was travelling before the incident. Identify what Address: _______________________________________________________ cross street you were on or near, and write a description of what Phone Number: __________________________________________________ happened. Other Driver’s Insurance Name & Number: _____________________________ Policy Number: __________________________________________________ Other Car Owner’s Name: _________________________________________ Address: _______________________________________________________ Phone Number: __________________________________________________ INDICATE NORTH BY Other Car’s Make/Model/Year/License Number: ________________________ ARROW Diagram The Accident: Date and Time of Accident: ________________________________________ Weather Conditions: ______________________________________________ Road Conditions: _________________________________________________ Location: _____________________________________________
Notes: Street or highway name
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