Washington Motor Vehicle Accident Settlement Calculator

Washington gives you 3 years from the date of the incident to file a lawsuit, which is in line with the national average of 2.8 years. This is a standard timeframe, but acting sooner preserves evidence and strengthens your position. Washington applies a discovery rule, meaning the clock may start when you discover (or should have discovered) the injury rather than when the incident occurred.

Washington requires all drivers to carry minimum liability insurance of $25K per person / $50K per accident in bodily injury coverage and $10K in property damage coverage (commonly written as 25/50/10). These minimums are below the national average, meaning many drivers in Washington may carry only enough insurance to cover a fraction of the costs from a serious accident. Washington does not require uninsured motorist coverage, leaving you potentially unprotected if the at-fault driver has no insurance. Purchasing UM/UIM coverage is strongly recommended.

If your car accident involved a government vehicle or occurred due to a government-maintained road defect in Washington, you face a significantly shorter deadline. Washington requires you to file a notice of claim within 60 days of the incident — far shorter than the standard statute of limitations. Missing this notice deadline can permanently bar your claim against the government entity, even if the regular filing deadline has not yet passed.