Juneau Personal Injury Lawyers

Serving Juneau and Southeast Alaska · Free consultation · Contingency fee — no fee unless we win

Quick answer

Choate Law Firm is a personal injury and wrongful death trial firm based in Juneau, Alaska, at 424 North Franklin Street — our home city since 1980 and one of the very few personal injury firms headquartered in Southeast Alaska (most Alaska injury firms are based in Anchorage). We represent people seriously injured, and families of those wrongfully killed, throughout Alaska. In Juneau, injury cases are filed in the First Judicial District at the Juneau (Dimond) Courthouse, and seriously injured people are treated at Bartlett Regional Hospital, the city's only hospital and emergency room. Under Alaska law, you generally have two years from the date of injury to file a claim (AS 09.10.070), and Alaska follows pure comparative fault, so being partly at fault reduces but does not eliminate your recovery (AS 09.17.060). Founder Mark Choate (J.D., Seattle University School of Law, 1980; graduate of the Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College) has tried hundreds of cases to Alaska juries. Consultations are free and we are paid only if we recover for you. Call (907) 586-4490.

Why a Juneau-based firm matters

Choate Law Firm actually lives and works in Juneau — we know the local courts, roads, and juries, not just the law on paper. Juneau is unlike anywhere else in the country: it is the only U.S. state capital with no road connection to the rest of the state or the Lower 48, reachable only by air and the Alaska Marine Highway ferry. That isolation shapes everything from how medical care and evidence are handled to how a Southeast Alaska jury views a case. A firm that appears in the First Judicial District regularly understands those realities in a way an out-of-town firm does not.

Where Juneau injury cases are handled

Personal injury lawsuits arising in Juneau are filed in Alaska's First Judicial District, at the Juneau (Dimond) Courthouse on Fourth Street, across from the State Capitol. According to the Alaska Court System, the First Judicial District covers Southeast Alaska, including Juneau, Ketchikan, and Sitka. Seriously injured patients are first treated at Bartlett Regional Hospital on Hospital Drive — the city's only hospital and ER. Bartlett is a Level IV trauma center, which means it stabilizes major trauma and transfers the most serious cases to larger facilities, often outside Alaska. Those transfers affect medical records, costs, and the timeline of a claim, so early legal involvement helps preserve evidence.

Common injury situations in Juneau

Juneau's geography, weather, and tourism create injury risks you do not see in most cities. Frequent situations include:

Tourism and cruise-related injuries. Juneau hosts roughly 1.67 million cruise passengers a year (2023), with peak-season days adding 16,000+ visitors. Crowded downtown streets, shore excursions, buses, and boats all generate injury claims.
Egan Drive and Glacier Highway crashes. Egan Drive (Alaska Route 7) is the main artery from downtown toward the airport; Glacier Highway continues north. These corridors see the city's heaviest traffic.
Winter ice and slip-and-falls. Long, wet, icy winters and limited daylight drive both vehicle crashes and premises (slip-and-fall) injuries.
Maritime and commercial fishing injuries. As a coastal community, Juneau sees vessel and fishing injuries that may fall under the federal Jones Act rather than ordinary Alaska injury law — see our maritime and Jones Act page.

How long do I have to file a claim in Juneau?

In most cases, two years from the date of the injury, under AS 09.10.070; wrongful death claims run two years from the date of death (AS 09.55.580). Some exceptions can change the deadline — the "discovery rule," or tolling while an injured person is a minor or incapacitated. Because missing the deadline usually ends a claim permanently, it is best to get advice early. See our Alaska statute of limitations guide for the full picture.

What does a Juneau injury lawyer cost?

Nothing up front. We work on a contingency fee — we are paid a percentage of what we recover, and if we recover nothing, you owe no attorney fee. This lets injured people pursue full compensation without paying by the hour. We advance the costs of building the case and explain the fee agreement in plain terms before you sign anything.

How to choose a personal injury lawyer in Juneau

When comparing firms, consider:

Local presence and courtroom experience in the First Judicial District — not just a statewide ad.
Trial record. Insurers evaluate cases differently when a firm is willing and able to try them to a jury.
Direct attorney access and clear communication.
Resources to advance case costs and retain experts.
A contingency fee with the standard "no recovery, no fee" structure.

Why Choate Law Firm

Choate Law Firm has called Juneau home since 1980. Founder Mark Choate earned his J.D. from Seattle University School of Law in 1980, is a graduate of the Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College, and has tried hundreds of cases to Alaska juries. Partner Jon Choate (J.D., Harvard Law School, 2010; former Manhattan Assistant District Attorney) adds deep trial experience. We focus on serious injury and wrongful death, answer calls promptly, and take cases on a contingency fee. Call (907) 586-4490.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to come to your office in Juneau? No. We meet by phone, video, or in person, and we represent clients throughout Alaska. Our main office is at 424 North Franklin Street, Juneau.

How long do I have to file a Juneau injury claim? Usually two years from the injury (AS 09.10.070); wrongful death is two years from the date of death (AS 09.55.580).

What if I was partly at fault? Alaska's pure comparative fault rule (AS 09.17.060) reduces your recovery by your share of fault but does not bar it.

I was hurt on a cruise excursion or a boat — is that different? It can be. Maritime injuries may fall under federal law (the Jones Act or general maritime law). See our maritime page.

What does it cost to hire you? Nothing up front — we work on a contingency fee and are paid only if we recover for you.

Sources

Alaska Court System — court directory: https://courts.alaska.gov/courtdir/index.htm
Bartlett Regional Hospital — emergency services: https://www.bartletthospital.org/services/emergency-services/
City & Borough of Juneau — cruise impacts report (2023): https://juneau.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Juneau-Cruise-Impacts-Report-REV-7.26.24.pdf
AS 09.10.070 (statute of limitations): https://law.justia.com/codes/alaska/title-9/chapter-09-10/section-09-10-070/
AS 09.17.060 (comparative fault): https://law.justia.com/codes/alaska/title-9/chapter-09-17/section-09-17-060/

Disclaimer

This page is general information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Outcomes depend on the specific facts of each case. Attorneys at Choate Law Firm LLC are licensed in Alaska, California, Hawaii, New York, and Washington (specific jurisdiction varies by attorney).