You generally have 3 years from the crash date in Washington to file a lawsuit, but waiting even days can wreck the proof your claim depends on.

That 3-year statute of limitations usually applies to injury claims from a car wreck, including a summer highway crash caused by a heat-related tire blowout or a tourist driver on unfamiliar roads near Renton. If you miss that deadline, the court can throw the case out completely.

But the real emergency is earlier than that.

If your old back problem got dramatically worse today, get medical care now and make sure the chart says this crash aggravated a pre-existing condition. Washington law does not bar a claim just because your back was already bad. The insurer still has to pay for the worsening the crash caused. If you wait a week, the other side will argue your pain came from the old injury, not the wreck.

Act fast on evidence too. In the first 24 to 72 hours, try to preserve:

• the police report from Renton Police Department or Washington State Patrol
• photos of vehicle damage, seat position, and bruising
• names of witnesses before they disappear
• dash-cam or business video before it is overwritten
• the damaged tire or vehicle if a blowout caused the crash

Also notify your own insurer right away. Washington drivers only have to carry 25/50/10 liability coverage, and that $10,000 property damage minimum is often nowhere near enough. Your PIP or UIM coverage may matter, and some policies require prompt notice.

If a government vehicle or dangerous road condition was involved, special claim notice rules can kick in even sooner than the 3 years, including a 60-day waiting period after filing a claim form with the government entity before suit can start.