Accidents are a broad category of incidents that may result in personal injuries or property damage. Personal injury refers to an injury to a person’s body—also known as bodily injury—or to their mind or emotional well-being—also referred to as emotional distress or pain and suffering. Property damage refers to damage to any kind of real property (real estate) or personal property (all property that is not real estate).

Accidents usually refer to incidents caused by someone else’s negligence rather than by their intentional act. Claims for personal injuries or property damage resulting from an accident or negligent act of another person or entity may create legal liability if the person injured in the accident can prove another person or entity breached their duty of ordinary care in the activity that led to the accident (driving a motor vehicle, for example) and that negligence or breach of the duty of ordinary care caused personal injuries or property damage to the claimant.

Legal claims for personal injuries and property damage resulting from accidents are primarily a matter of state law and may be located (1) in the state’s court opinions—also known as cases, case law, or common law—such as for the elements of a negligence claim; or (2) in the state’s statutes when the state legislature has defined a certain type of claim or recovery for personal injury or property damages caused by a certain type of negligent act or negligent person or entity—such as an accident caused by the negligence of a governmental official or entity.

In Washington State, accidents that cause personal injuries or property damage due to someone else's negligence can lead to legal liability. To establish a claim, the injured party must demonstrate that the other person or entity failed to exercise ordinary care, which is the standard expected in activities such as driving. This breach of duty must be shown to have directly caused the harm suffered. Legal claims for personal injuries and property damage are governed by state law, which includes both case law (court opinions) and statutes enacted by the state legislature. Case law in Washington will outline the elements required to prove a negligence claim, while state statutes may specify particular claims or remedies for injuries or damages caused by specific types of negligent acts, including those involving government officials or entities. An attorney can help navigate these laws to determine the appropriate course of action for those affected by such accidents.