Filing a Claim for Damages

 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING AND FILING A CLAIM FOR DAMAGES 

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY AND FOLLOW THE STEPS BELOW FOR FASTER PROCESSING OF YOUR CLAIM! 

 

  1. 1.     Complete the claim form. Please provide as much detail as possible in the description section regarding the incident that you are claiming damages for. If requested information cannot be supplied in the space provided, please use additional blank sheets.  

  1. 2.     You must sign and date this official claim form.  State law requires that the form be signed by the claimant, the claimant’s attorney (or attorney-in-fact as authorized by a written power of attorney), or a court-approved guardian or guardian-ad-litem on behalf of the claimant. State law requires an original signature on the Claim for Damages form; therefore, claim forms cannot be submitted by fax or email. While not required by law, we ask that the form be notarized which can be accomplished with no fee at our office at the time of claim submission.

  2.        3.     It is to your advantage to attach relevant supporting documents (copies of any receipts, bills, invoices, estimates) or additional evidence (photos, diagrams, and such). Your claim can be resolved faster when all relevant information is provided for consideration. All documents are subject to the Washington State public disclosure statutes. 

    1. 4.    You must file your claim with the City Clerk in order for it to be valid.  Return the original, signed claim form and supporting documentation in person or via mail to: 

    City of Puyallup 

    Attn: City Clerk 

    Puyallup City Hall 

    333 S Meridian 

    Puyallup, WA  98371 

    Once you file your claim with the City Clerk, the Clerk will log it in and provide a copy to the Risk & Safety Coordinator, who forwards the claim to Washington Cities Insurance Authority (WCIA). WCIA will assign the claim to an adjuster who will conduct an investigation that includes input from the involved City department. The length of the investigation varies greatly depending on the complexity of the issues and availability of evidence to support the claim. The adjuster will evaluate your claim and recommend a reasonable resolution, which will be one of three alternatives: 

    1. 1.     Accept/settle the claim; 

    1. 2.     Tender the claim (transfer it to another party); 

    1. 3.     Deny the claim (where there is no evidence of negligence by the City). 


    If you have any questions regarding the claim form, please contact the City’s Risk & Safety Coordinator at (253) 841-5594.