How Soon Should My Personal Injury Attorney File A Lawsuit?

Ray Hrdlicka – Host – Attorneys.Media

“Somebody walks in your office and the first question they say is…’I want to sue somebody. How soon can you file the lawsuit’? So, what’s your answer to them? Because, of course, they want it done yesterday. But that’s not how things work. I know that, so I want you to explain that.”

Spencer Freeman – Personal Injury Attorney – Pierce County, WA

“You know, it depends on the scenario. If somebody comes in to my office and says…’statute of limitations runs tomorrow. I need to get this filed’. I can, for sure, accomplish that. I can throw together a complaint and get it filed within a day, or within a couple of hours. If that’s what’s necessary to solve that problem. But that’s not necessarily the best way to go about it.”

Ray Hrdlicka – Host – Attorneys.Media

“Right. I would assume somebody gets injured, within a week or two they decide to come into your office and they ask that same question. Then, what do you say?”

Spencer Freeman – Personal Injury Attorney – Pierce County, WA

“Well, usually I would advise people to not file a lawsuit until you’ve healed. Or, you know how far your healing is going to go. Because you don’t really know the full value of a case or really what the issues are. When you file a lawsuit, you want to have as much knowledge as you can, about the issues that you’re going to face. Now, that doesn’t mean I haven’t done it. There’s been scenarios where an order to protect the client, we needed to file while they were still in the hospital and they weren’t even close to done recovering. But every case is a little bit different.

For me, when I file a lawsuit, I want to know that I’ve had enough time with the case, and with the file, to know what the issues are, so that I front-load my knowledge. And I’m not trying to learn the case as we are going through litigation. So, if you come in and say ‘I want to file a case tomorrow’, and you don’t have a statute of limitations problem, I’m going to do my best to calm you down and say ‘okay, let’s spend some time and talk about what the issues are, and get this put together correctly’. So that our litigation strategy is driven, based off knowledge, and not just off the emotion of wanting to file.”

YOUR PERSONAL INJURY IS OUR PERSONAL BUSINESS

Freeman Law Firm, Inc. is one of the most reputable and reliable attorney enterprises with two locations in Tacoma and Olympia, WA. When an injury happens, one is often so overcome with shock and pain that thinking about the legal course and taking the next steps may feel like an overwhelming task. This is where our team of experts comes in. We’re here to safely guide you through the seemingly puzzling maze of who’s, what’s, where’s and when’s of the legal recourse. Our skilled lawyers, each of whom is equipped with top qualifications and years of experience in the field, will represent your case and stand by your side for what is right.

Life is all about the unexpected – and the unexpected can come as pleasant surprises or non-so- pleasant accidents. We’re here to help you out when life takes a turn for the worst, to get you back on your feet again.

After practicing with a downtown Seattle firm, Spencer Freeman opened the Freeman Law Firm, Inc. in Tacoma, WA in 2005 after the birth of his first son. Over the course of time, the Freeman Law Firm, Inc. has adhered to the needs of its community, both locally and with contacts nationally. These needs have included litigation in several different areas, including Business Litigation, Copyright Infringement Litigation, Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice, First Party Bad Faith Litigation, Criminal Law, as well as Administrative Law. Mr. Freeman’s intent was and is to make those skills he has learned in his career and his passion for trials accessible.

Mr. Freeman’s connections locally and nationally nourished his practice over time. He has served the local community as well as handling cases in federal courts across the country. Locally, Mr. Freeman has assisted local businesses in such matters as contentious shareholder disputes and individuals in matters ranging from catastrophic injuries to class A felonies as well as lawsuits against insurance companies for bad faith claims practices. He tried a Whatcom County Superior Court case for a bail bond company that resulted in the first appellate law in Washington truly outlining the rights of fugitive recovery agents. He has tried cases in many counties throughout the State of Washington, argued before the Court of Appeals Division I and Division II and the Washington State Supreme Court.

Mr. Freeman’s practice has taken him beyond Washington State, where he has handled cases for national Internet multi-media companies enforcing copyrights in states such as Florida, Nevada, Arizona, and California. In those cases, he has successfully argued for jurisdiction in the United States against individuals that reside in other countries. Mr. Freeman also represented a publisher against sheriffs regarding First Amendment Rights to distribute a magazine in county jails, resulting in arguments before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the first case law of its kind. He has argued before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals five times and submitted a briefing to the United States Supreme Court.

On more than several occasions, Mr. Freeman has been retained by parties on the near eve of a trial solely for purpose of being lead trial counsel. One such successful case was against the U.S. Department of Justice in their first trial attempting to enforce the CAN-SPAM Act for the actions of independent contractors.

Mr. Freeman’s passion and strength lay in front of a jury. He finds a beautiful balance between fact witnesses, statutes, case law, rules of evidence, and the different contexts of each jury. Most cases find a resolution before trial, but the best resolution occurs when counsel is prepared to try the case. And, when a case cannot find resolution, Mr. Freeman loves to go to work.