Tacoma Car Accident Lawyer
Reviewed by Michael Gustafson, founding attorney, Emerald Law Group. Seattle University School of Law, J.D. 2004 (magna cum laude). Last updated September 28, 2026.
Emerald Law Group’s Tacoma office at 524 Tacoma Ave S sits a few blocks from the Pierce County Superior Court, and our attorneys handle car accident claims for people hurt on I-5, SR-16, Pacific Avenue and the neighborhood streets of Tacoma, Lakewood, Puyallup, University Place and the rest of Pierce County. We are former insurance defense lawyers, the consultation is free, and there is no fee unless we win. Call a Tacoma car accident lawyer at 253-367-0967.
Where car accidents happen in Tacoma
Pierce County’s crash pattern is driven by a handful of corridors. Interstate 5 through Tacoma, from the Puyallup River bridge to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, carries commuter, port and military traffic and produces chain-reaction rear-end collisions whenever it backs up. SR-16 and the Tacoma Narrows Bridge approaches see high-speed merge crashes. Pacific Avenue (SR-7), South Tacoma Way, Portland Avenue, 6th Avenue and Bridgeport Way are the city’s highest-injury arterials, with left-turn and pedestrian collisions at signalized intersections. Port of Tacoma Road and the tideflats add heavy truck traffic to the mix; see our Tacoma truck accident lawyer page for those cases.
Tacoma has adopted a Vision Zero plan targeting its high-injury network, and Tacoma Police Department collision reports for crashes inside city limits, or Washington State Patrol reports for I-5 and SR-16, are the first documents we obtain.
What should I do after a car accident in Tacoma?
- Call 911 and get a police report number. In Tacoma, crashes with injury or more than $1,000 in damage must be reported to the state within four days if police do not respond.
- Get medical care the same day. MultiCare Tacoma General, St. Joseph Medical Center and Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital are the main emergency departments; urgent care is fine for lesser injuries. Gaps in treatment are the first thing an adjuster uses against you.
- Photograph the vehicles, the scene, skid marks and your injuries, and get witness phone numbers.
- Open a PIP claim with your own insurer. Washington insurers must offer Personal Injury Protection under RCW 48.22.085; it pays medical bills regardless of fault.
- Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer, and do not accept an early offer.
- Call a lawyer before evidence such as intersection camera footage and vehicle data is lost.
Who pays after a Tacoma car accident?
Washington is a fault state. The at-fault driver’s liability insurance pays your damages, but the state minimum is only $25,000 per person and $50,000 per crash (RCW 46.29.090), which serious injuries exceed quickly. That is when your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage under RCW 48.22.030 matters. We identify every policy that applies, including household and umbrella policies, and we negotiate PIP and health-insurance reimbursement claims down at the end.
What if I was partly at fault?
You can still recover. Washington uses pure comparative fault under RCW 4.22.005: your recovery is reduced by your share of fault but not eliminated. Insurers assign fault aggressively in rear-end, lane-change and left-turn crashes; we use the police report, witness statements, vehicle event-data recorders and, where needed, accident reconstruction to push back.
How long do I have to file a car accident claim in Washington?
Three years from the date of the crash under RCW 4.16.080. If the at-fault vehicle belonged to the City of Tacoma, Pierce County, Pierce Transit, Sound Transit or another public agency, a pre-suit claim and a 60-day waiting period under RCW 4.96.020 come first; claims involving state vehicles or JBLM personnel have their own procedures. Do not wait for the deadline to get close.
What is my Tacoma car accident case worth?
It depends on the injuries, the medical costs and lost income, the clarity of fault and the insurance available. Recoverable damages include medical expenses and future care, lost wages and earning capacity, vehicle damage, and non-economic damages for pain, suffering and loss of enjoyment of life, which Washington does not cap. Nobody can quote a number at the first call, but we can tell you which factors will drive your case.
How much does a Tacoma car accident lawyer cost?
Nothing up front. The consultation is free, we advance case costs, and our fee is a percentage of the recovery. No recovery, no attorney fee.
Car accident case results
Past results do not guarantee a future outcome.
- $2.4 Million – Insurance bad-faith verdict arising from a T-bone collision
- $781,000 – Car accident
- $1.74 Million – Pedestrian accident
- $420,000 – Drunk driving injury
- $450,000 – Motorcycle accident
Why choose Emerald Law Group in Tacoma?
- Former insurance defense attorneys. We know how adjusters value Pierce County claims.
- Attorneys, not case managers. Michael Gustafson, Donna Mack and Justin Dale handle your case personally.
- Trial-ready in Pierce County Superior Court, which is a short walk from our office.
- Two offices. Tacoma at 524 Tacoma Ave S and downtown Seattle at 605 First Avenue, Suite 325.
Frequently asked questions
The other driver was uninsured. What now?
Your own UM/UIM coverage stands in for the missing insurance. We check every policy in your household.
Should I talk to the other driver’s insurance company?
No. Refer them to us. See why you should not give the other insurer a statement.
I was hit by a drunk driver in Tacoma. Does that change the case?
It strengthens it, and it can add claims against a bar or restaurant that overserved the driver. See our drunk driving accident page.
Do you handle Uber and Lyft crashes in Tacoma?
Yes. Rideshare policies carry up to $1 million in coverage while a ride is in progress. See rideshare accident claims.
Talk to a Tacoma car accident lawyer
Call Emerald Law Group at 253-367-0967 or request a free consultation online. Related Tacoma pages: Tacoma personal injury lawyer, Tacoma truck accident lawyer, Tacoma slip and fall lawyer, Tacoma dog bite lawyer. Seattle: Seattle car accident lawyer.
Emerald Law Group – Tacoma
524 Tacoma Ave S, Tacoma, WA 98402
253-367-0967
