Filing a Claim Against a Government Entity in the City of Spokane Valley, WA
When involved in an accident involving a government employee or one that arises on government property in Spokane Valley, you can file a claim to collect damages for your injuries by following a specific process. Filing a claim against a government entity or person in the state of Washington differs from filing a personal injury claim against a civilian who injured you. How does the process differ? We will explain that below so you better understand what is required of you to ensure your claim is filed properly and correctly.
- The first thing you need to be sure of is that you have a valid claim. If a Spokane Valley, WA officer or employee of the government engaged in an act considered to be of “tortious conduct,” then you may have a viable claim. Tortious conduct could be a car accident caused by a distracted government worker or a hazardous premise that wasn’t maintained by the workers employed there. Basically, the individual or entity that is responsible for your accident occurring should have displayed some sign of negligent behavior which led up to your accident occurring.
- Once you have determined that the incident qualifies you to file a claim, you will need to submit what is known as a written notice of the claim with the government. The notice is to be filed on the standard tort claim form that is provided by the state’s Department of Enterprise Services, Office of Risk Management. You can access a copy of this form by clicking here.
- When filling out the tort claim form, there is specific information that needs to be provided which includes:
- Your name, date of birth, and contact information.
- A description of the conduct and the circumstances that brought about the injury or damage.
- A description of the injury or damage.
- A statement of the time and place that the injury or damage occurred.
- A listing of the names of all persons involved and contact information, if known.
- A statement highlighting the amount of the damages being claimed.
- A statement of the actual residence of the claimant at the time of presenting the claim and at the time the claim arose.
[Source: Washington State Legislature].
More information may be required which is why you will want to hire a Spokane Valley, Washington accident lawyer to assist with the claims process to ensure all documentation is submitted in a timely manner. Something else to keep in mind is that a claim is considered to be “presented” when it is delivered in person or is received by the agent by regular mail, registered mail, or certified mail, with return receipt requested, to the agent or other person designated to accept delivery at the agent’s office.
You can file a claim against a:
- City
- Town
- County
- Special district
- Municipal corporation
- Public hospital
If you are under the impression that a government employee or entity is responsible for causing you to engage in an accident and you want to hold them accountable, speak with one of our reliable accident and injury lawyers in Spokane Valley today. They will provide a free consultation where you will be given the opportunity to explain your matter and they can inform you on things like the statute of limitations and how long you must wait before you can file a lawsuit in court.
