Anyone who has been involved in a serious car accident in Seattle, Tacoma, Everett, Bellevue, or anywhere in Western Washington, knows how scary and surreal the experience can be. The slow-motion nature of the crash itself, the sense of helplessness and fear during the event, and those awful moments following the crash when the extent of injury is unknown and the wait for help seems to take forever. And for a fatality collision, the shock and trauma for all people involved can be unimaginable. As the shock of the accident wears off, reality sets in. Pain from injuries, missed work, lost wages, medical bills, and endless doctor appointments are often the new reality for a car accident victim. In 2013 there were 524 serious injuries and 84 fatalities from accidents in King County alone. Read more about these statistics at the Washington Traffic Safety Commission site. Any accident victim in Seattle, Tacoma, or across Western Washington needs information on what to expect and what to do after a car accident, as they move toward physical and emotional recovery.Get Informed: Look at your insurance policy to see if it includes Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage. This coverage is meant to immediately begin paying for medical bills, wage loss, loss of services, and funeral expenses. This coverage is also available for immediate family members of the insured person, and unrelated passengers in your car during the accident.Understand the terms that relate to your accident: While every accident is different, insurance companies use similar terms to describe them all:

• Adjuster - A person who investigates claims and recommends settlement options based on estimates of damage and insurance policies held.
• Automobile Liability Insurance - Coverage for bodily injury and property damage incurred through ownership or operation of a vehicle.
• Claim - A request made by the insured for insurer remittance of payment due to loss incurred and covered under the policy agreement.
• Disability Income - A policy designed to compensate insured individuals for a portion of the income they lose because of a disabling injury or illness.             
• Negligence - Failure to exercise reasonable consideration resulting in loss or damage to oneself or others.

Get insurance information from the other driver: Regardless of who was at fault, it is crucial to get the insurance information of the other driver. This information is usually included on the Police Traffic Collision Report as well. If an accident is very serious, this information will need to be acquired once the initial emergency is over. If the collision results in criminal prosecution, law enforcement agencies often delay the release of this information.Contact your insurance adjuster: It is important to let your insurance company know immediately after an accident. Your adjuster can only assist you and protect you if they are aware of the situation.Get appropriate medical treatment immediately: Often people wait to get treatment in hopes that the injury is temporary, or wait for insurance money to avoid paying out-of-pocket. But it is in your best interest to seek medical treatment immediately, to begin recovery and to document your injuries for a potential insurance claim.For serious or fatal collisions, contact a personal injury attorney: Many minor insurance claims can be handled without the assistance of an attorney. But for serious injury or fatal accidents, a lawyer is necessary. The process to effectively manage a major insurance claim is challenging and best left in the hands of an experienced attorney. Most Seattle personal injury attorneys offer a free initial consultation and work on a contingency-fee basis, so there is usually no initial cost, and all fees are paid at the end of the claim from the settlement or verdict funds.