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Terry Abeyta

Terry Abeyta

Abeyta Nelson Injury Law
  • Personal Injury
  • Washington
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Biography

Although practicing in the most conservative area of the state, Terry Abeyta has earned recognition as one of the top plaintiff’s personal injury attorneys in Washington. He recovered $6.9 million on a bleacher fall case (the largest settlement in the history of Yakima County), $4.1 million on a car crash case (the largest settlement in the history of Kittitas County), $3.5 million on a school playground case, the highest settlements in the history of Grant and Klickitat counties, the largest recovery on an uninsured motorist case in Yakima County history, the largest jury verdict on a cervical soft-tissue case in the history of Yakima County, and obtained a $700,000 settlement for the children of a 39-year-old Native American man who committed suicide in the Yakima Tribal Jail. Terry Abeyta has tried 50 jury trials and arbitrated hundreds of cases.

Terry was the first plaintiff’s attorney from Central Washington chosen for The Best Lawyers in America, the first in Central Washington named to the Super Lawyer list, has been named a Super Lawyer every year since 1999, and has been named to Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Plaintiffs’ Lawyers in America.

He is one of only three members from Eastern Washington in the Damages Attorney Round Table, is past president of the Washington Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, has served in many leadership roles for the Washington State Association for Justice, and is a past president of the Yakima County Bar Association. He has received WSAJ’s Alvin Anderson award for outstanding contribution to building WSAJ’s Eagle membership.

Mr. Abeyta was born and raised in Yakima. He graduated at the top of his class from Yakima Valley College, at the top of his class from Whitman College, and in the top 15 percent of his class at University of Washington School of Law. He worked his way through college as a reporter for the Yakima Herald-Republic, Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Education
University of Washington School of Law
J.D. (1976) | Juris Doctor
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Honors: Top 15% of graduating class
Activities: University of Washington Law School Moot Court Honor Board; American Jurisprudence Award in Legal Research and Writing
University of Washington School of Law Logo
Whitman College
B.A. (1973) | Bachelor of Arts
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Honors: Graduated first in class, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa; Honors in Political Science
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Yakima Valley College
A.A. (1971)
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Honors: Graduated first in class with honors, Phi Theta Kappa; Top Male English Student Award
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Professional Experience
Managing Partner
Abeyta Nelson Injury Law
- Current
Publications
Articles & Publications
WSAJ's Motor Vehicle Litigation Deskbook, 2nd Edition
Washington State Association for Justice
Washington Motor Vehicle Accident Litigation Deskbook, 2nd Edition
Washington State Bar Association
Speaking Engagements
Tort Law Update - Keep Your Case in the Game: Defending Against the Recreational Use Immunity Statute, 2015 WSAJ Annual Convention, Cle Elum, Washington
Washington State Association for Justic
Allocation of Fault Issues to Parent of Injured Child, 2010 DART Convention, Rome, Italy
Damage Attorneys Round Table
Division 1 Makes Bad Law in Laguna v. Washington DOT: A Personal Perspective, 2009 DART Convention, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Damage Attorneys Round Table
Awards
Reader's Choice Award - Best Law Firm
Yakima Herald-Republic
The Yakima Herald-Republic newspaper hosted its first ever Reader's Choice Awards, voted by more than 10,000 readers from the Greater Yakima Valley.
Reader's Choice Award - Best Personal Injury Law Firm
Yakima Herald-Republic
The Yakima Herald-Republic newspaper hosted its first ever Reader's Choice Awards, voted by more than 10,000 readers from the Greater Yakima Valley.
The Best of the Valley Award - Best Attorney
Yakima Valley Business Times
The Yakima Valley Business Times newspaper released the results of its 15th annual "Best of the Valley" reader's poll, voted by more than 20,000 readers from the Greater Yakima Valley.
Super Lawyer 1999-2017
Super Lawyers - Washington State
Terry Abeyta has been named a Super Lawyer consecutively from 1999 to present.
The Best Lawyers in America 2009-2017
The Best Lawyers in America
Terry Abeyta has been named to The Best Lawyers in America list every year from 2009 to present.
Best Law Firm
U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers
Abeyta Nelson Injury Law has been granted the Best Law Firm award in 2016 and 2017.
Best Lawyer in Yakima County, WA
Yakima Valley Business Times
Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiffs' Lawyers in America
Lawdragon
Top 100 Lawyers
Washington Law & Politics Magazine
Alvin Anderson Award
Washington State Trial Lawyers Association
Superb Ranking - AVVO rating 10 out of 10
Avvo
Professional Associations
Million Dollar Advocates Forum
Member
- Current
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Damage Attorneys Round Table
Member
- Current
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American Board of Trial Advocates
Member
- Current
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Washington State Trial Lawyers Association
Officer
- Current
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Washington State Bar  # 7165
Member
- Current
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American Board of Trial Advocates - Washington Chapter
President
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United Way of Central Washington
Associate Campaign Chair
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Yakima County Bar Association
Past President
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John Gavin Inn of Court
Member
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Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
Washington
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Fees
  • Free Consultation
  • Contingent Fees
    33%
Practice Area
Personal Injury
Animal & Dog Bites, Brain Injury, Car Accidents, Construction Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Premises Liability, Truck Accidents, Wrongful Death
Additional Practice Area
  • Car Accidents
Languages
  • English: Spoken, Written
Websites & Blogs
Website
Abeyta Nelson Injury Law Website
Blog
Abeyta Nelson Injury Law Blog
Contact & Map
Yakima Office
1102 W. Yakima Avenue
Yakima, WA 98902
Telephone: (509) 575-1588
Ellensburg Office
605 N. Main Street, Suite 1
Ellensburg, WA 98926
Telephone: (509) 925-1588
Sunnyside Office
2590 Yakima Valley Highway, Suite 2
Sunnyside, WA 98944
Telephone: (509) 839-1588