Erik Halvorsen
Attorney
Erik works mostly on car and truck crash cases. He meets each new client himself and explains every step before it happens.
Personal injury law in Tacoma
Hurt in a crash? Start with a straight answer.
We're a two-attorney injury firm in downtown Tacoma. Tell us what happened, and we'll explain your options, what the insurer is likely to do next, and how our fee works, before you decide anything.
- Hablamos español
- Fees agreed in writing
- (253) 555-0147Mon–Fri, 8:30am–5:30pm
- 1120 Pacific Ave, Suite 400Downtown Tacoma
- English and SpanishMeetings in either language
- Contingency feeAgreed in writing before we start
Case costs are separate from the fee. Your agreement says how they are handled if nothing is recovered.
After a crash
What to do after a crash
In the first days, a few steps protect your health and your claim. Do what you can; we can help with the rest.
- 01
Get safe, and call 911 if anyone is hurt
Move out of traffic if you can. Police can make a report at the scene, and that report helps later.
- 02
Get checked by a doctor
Some injuries show up a day or two later. A visit in the first days puts them on the record.
- 03
Write down what you can
The other driver's name, phone, plate and insurer, and any witnesses. Photos of the vehicles, the road and your injuries.
- 04
Report it to your own insurer
Tell them the crash happened. You don't have to give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurer: take their number and say you'll call back.
- 05
Keep every bill and letter
Medical bills, receipts, pay stubs for missed work, letters from insurers. A folder or a phone album is enough.
- 06
Call us when you're ready
We'll listen, tell you plainly whether we think we can help, and explain how the fee would work. Then you decide.
Practice areas
The injuries we handle
We take injury cases only, from across Pierce County and South King County.
Rear-end collisions, intersections, and crashes on I-5 and SR 16. We work with your PIP coverage and the other driver's insurer.
Semis, delivery vans and work vehicles. These claims often involve the company and its insurer as well as the driver.
Hit while walking or riding: in a crosswalk, a bike lane, a parking lot or on a trail crossing.
In Washington, an injury at work goes through L&I. When someone other than your employer caused it, there may also be a third-party claim.
Fees
How our fees work
Most injury cases are on a contingency fee. You don't get an hourly bill.
The fee is an agreed share of any money recovered for you, by settlement or at trial. The percentage is set in a written agreement, and we go through it with you before any work starts.
Case costs are separate from the fee: medical records, filing fees, expert reports. We usually pay them as the case goes, and they're repaid from any recovery. The agreement spells out how costs are handled, including what happens to them if nothing is recovered.
What you get from us
The percentage, in writing, before we start
Costs listed apart from the fee
A written breakdown before any money is paid out
Who you'll work with
Two attorneys and a case manager
A small firm: the attorney you meet first stays on your case, and Tess keeps you up to date.
Marisol Diaz
Attorney
Marisol works on pedestrian, bicycle and workplace injury cases, including L&I claims. She meets clients in English or Spanish.
Tess Nguyen
Case manager
Tess is your first call for updates. She gathers records and bills, tracks appointments and deadlines, and returns your calls.
Clients
In our clients' words
“Erik told me at our first meeting what the fee would be and what costs might come up. Nothing changed later.”
Sharon M.Car crash, Lakewood
“Marisol explained everything in Spanish to my mother and me. Tess called every couple of weeks, even when the update was that we were still waiting.”
Ana R.Pedestrian injury, Tacoma
“My L&I claim and the claim against the contractor's insurer were two different things. They kept them straight so I didn't have to.”
Luis P.Workplace injury, Puyallup
Every case is different, and past results don't guarantee a similar outcome.
Questions
What people ask us first
The other driver's insurer keeps calling. Do I have to talk to them?
You don't have to give them a recorded statement. Take the adjuster's name and number and say you'll call back. Once we're working together, they talk to us.
Can I afford a lawyer?
Most injury cases are on a contingency fee: a share of any recovery, agreed in writing at the start. There's no hourly bill. We explain case costs before you sign anything.
What is PIP, and should I use it?
Personal injury protection is part of most Washington auto policies unless it was turned down in writing. It can pay medical bills and some lost wages no matter who caused the crash. We can help you set up the claim.
Is there a deadline to make a claim?
Yes. Washington has time limits for injury claims, and a claim against a city, county or the state needs written notice first. Call early so we can tell you which limits apply to you.
Do you speak Spanish?
Yes. Marisol Diaz speaks Spanish, and we can meet, write and go through your case in Spanish.
Talk to us about what happened
Call during office hours, or send a few lines and we'll call you back. It's fine if you don't have every detail yet.