Washington law requires that the county be notified of a claim prior to a lawsuit being commenced against the county. RCW 4.96.020 states that the county has sixty days after a claim is submitted to accept or reject the claim. The decision to accept or reject a claim is made by the Douglas County Board of County Commissioners. If the Board of County Commissioners takes no action, then the claim is deemed rejected.
Receiving Claims
Douglas County has designated the Prosecuting Attorney as the official to initially receive all claims directed to the county. Claims are forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners for review. When submitting a claim, it is important to provide as much information as possible, including copies of all repair bills or estimates, medical bills, photographs, and any other documents supporting your claim. The Prosecuting Attorney has developed a Notice of Claim form (PDF) which may be used to submit your claim.