Three years is the big deadline in Washington: most personal injury claims must be filed within 3 years from the injury date under RCW 4.16.080.

That sounds like plenty of time. In real life, it is not.

If you were hurt in Tacoma near a school zone, bus stop, crosswalk, or a business entrance, waiting even a week can cost you useful proof. Nearby video from a car wash, grocery store, school, Pierce Transit bus, or traffic cameras on roads like 6th Avenue, Pacific Avenue, or South Tacoma Way may be erased quickly. A property owner can fix the hazard. Witnesses forget details.

Whether it is "worth it" usually comes down to medical bills, lost income, and future care. For someone living on Social Security or Medicare, even a "moderate" injury can become expensive fast. A fall, a struck-by incident, or exposure to sewage contamination can lead to ER bills, imaging, follow-up visits, prescriptions, mobility help, and unpaid time getting to appointments. If another party caused it, a claim may be the only realistic way to cover those costs.

Washington also uses pure comparative fault. If you were partly at fault, you can still recover money, but your payout is reduced by your share of fault. That makes early evidence especially valuable.

A few timing issues matter right away:

• 3 years to file most injury lawsuits
• Much shorter notice rules can apply if a city, county, or state agency is involved, such as the City of Tacoma or Washington State Department of Transportation
• Medicare payment records should be tracked early, because reimbursement issues can affect what you keep

So yes, it can be worth the hassle if your injury caused real costs. The mistake is not filing late; it is starting late, after the proof and leverage are gone.