WA · Legal research desk

Washington personal injury law research

Use this page to frame research—not to calculate a deadline or predict how a court would apply the law.

Primary sources firstReviewed September 24, 2026No legal advice

01 · Time

General deadline orientation

RCW 4.16.080 places several actions involving injury to a person or another person’s rights in a three-year category.

02 · Responsibility

Fault-rule orientation

RCW 4.22.005 states that contributory fault diminishes compensatory damages in proportion to fault but does not bar recovery.

03 · Exceptions

What requires separate review

Medical negligence, public bodies, minors, accrual questions, and other circumstances can invoke separate statutes or procedures.

Issue checklist

Questions to resolve before relying on a rule

What is the claim?Negligence, wrongful death, medical negligence, product liability, and other claims may use different provisions.
Who is the defendant?Government bodies, employers, health providers, and other parties may trigger notice or pre-suit requirements.
When did time begin?Occurrence, discovery, disability, minority, tolling, and repose questions can change the analysis.
Which law controls?Location, court, conflicts rules, contracts, and the parties can matter.

Source register

Continue with official and institutional sources

Open the source, confirm its effective date, follow cross-references, and preserve the version reviewed.

Official code starting pointRevised Code of WashingtonOpen source ↗Reviewed sourceRCW 4.16.080Open source ↗Reviewed sourceRCW 4.22.005Open source ↗Reviewed sourceWashington State Bar legal directoryOpen source ↗National starting pointFind state and local courtsOpen resource ↗National starting pointFind state bar directories and lawyer findersOpen resource ↗

Local directory

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Use the directory to build a shortlist, then verify licensing, relevant experience, current practice, and written engagement terms directly.

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Educational information only. This page does not state the deadline for a particular matter, describe every exception, or replace jurisdiction-specific legal advice. Reviewed September 24, 2026.

A clearer path to accurate injury-law information.

Our mission is to make public information about personal injury law firms easier to find, understand, and verify. We organize factual directory records, practical legal education, and links to official sources so people can begin their research with greater clarity.

Our philosophy is accuracy before promotion, clarity before complexity, and corrections whenever reliable evidence shows that a listing has changed. Directory inclusion is informational and is never presented as a legal recommendation.