Hawaii Personal Injury Attorneys

At DearLegal, we connect you with experienced Hawaii personal injury attorneys who understand the state’s 51% comparative fault bar, the $375,000 cap on pain and suffering under HRS § 663-8.7, and the State Tort Liability Act.

Free to use — no fee unless you win
Matched with a Hawaii attorney in 24 hours
30,000+ plaintiffs served nationwide

Free Hawaii personal injury case review

A Hawaii attorney will take a look. Or call 1-833-WELEGAL.

How we match your Hawaii personal injury case

When you submit a Hawaii personal injury matter, we route it through a national network of independent partner firms and put it in front of the one that fits best — based on the kind of case it is, what it is likely to involve, where it has to be handled, and who has capacity to take it on now.

Case type

A personal injury matter needs someone who handles personal injury work day to day, not a generalist. Practice area is the first filter.

Size and complexity

Some firms are built for catastrophic injury and multi-party litigation; others resolve straightforward claims quickly. We weigh what your matter is likely to involve against how each firm actually works.

Jurisdiction and licensing

Your matter is decided under Hawaii law, so it goes to an attorney licensed in Hawaii who regularly appears where your case would be heard.

Capacity and fit

Availability, conflicts of interest and language all matter. If the best-fit firm cannot take your case, we route it to the next one that can — or tell you plainly when no one in the network is the right answer.

Every partner reviews your case for free. Injury and workers’ compensation matters are handled on contingency — no fee unless you win. Other matters are quoted upfront, before you commit to anything.

Get started How DearLegal works

DearLegal provides marketing and matching services and is not a law firm. Submitting a case does not create an attorney-client relationship. Matches depend on case type, jurisdiction and firm availability.

Exhibit A

What happens with a personal injury claim in Hawaii

Day 0
It happens.
Get medical care and keep every record — photos, names, the report number. In Hawaii, what you document now is what your claim is built on.
Within 24 hours
Tell us what happened.
Two minutes on this page. A Hawaii personal injury attorney reviews it for free and, if it’s a fit, you’re matched within 24 hours.
Weeks 1–4
Your attorney builds the file.
Reports, medical records, witnesses, camera footage, insurance policies. This is the part insurers hope you skip.
Months 1–6
Demand and negotiation.
Your attorney sends a demand and negotiates with the insurer. Hawaii’s fault rule matters here — Modified comparative fault, 51% bar (HRS § 663-31) — no recovery if your fault is greater than the combined fault of all defendants.
Before the 2-year deadline
Suit is filed if it has to be.
Hawaii gives 2 years from the date it happened. Filing keeps your leverage; missing it ends the claim.
Resolution
Settlement or verdict.
You pay nothing along the way. The fee — typically 33% — comes only out of what’s recovered. If nothing is recovered, you owe nothing.

Statute of Limitations: 2 years
2 years from the date of injury (HRS § 657-7)
Fault Rule: 51%
Modified comparative fault, 51% bar (HRS § 663-31) — no recovery if your fault is greater than the combined fault of all defendants
Damages Cap: $375k
Pain and suffering capped at $375,000 under HRS § 663-8.7 (with exceptions for serious injury, intentional torts, drug- and alcohol-related conduct, products liability, and others).
Government-Claim Notice: State Tort
State Tort Liability Act (HRS Ch. 662) — written notice and procedural requirements; county claims also subject to charter-specific notice rules.
Joint and Several Liability: Modified
Modified — joint and several liability retained for economic damages and intentional torts; several liability for non-economic damages in most cases (HRS § 663-10.9).
Typical attorney fee: 33%
33%–40% contingency — no fee unless you win

Hawaii applies modified comparative fault with a 51% bar under HRS § 663-31 — recovery is barred if your fault is greater than the combined fault of all defendants. The standard PI SOL is two years under HRS § 657-7. Hawaii is unusual in capping pain-and-suffering damages at $375,000 under HRS § 663-8.7 (with exceptions). Claims against the State of Hawaii fall under the State Tort Liability Act (HRS Ch. 662), and Hawaii is also a no-fault auto state under HRS § 431:10C-301, with a serious-injury threshold for tort recovery. Tourism volume drives a substantial portion of Hawaii PI cases — visitor injuries at resorts, on tours, and in rental vehicles.

Exhibit B

When to call a personal injury attorney in Hawaii

Does any of this sound like you? Tap what applies.

Exhibit C

Personal Injury cases we take in Hawaii

Which one is closest to yours?

Slip and fall on premises

Hawaii premises liability turns on actual or constructive notice of the hazard. Resort lobbies, restaurants, and pool decks are frequent venues, and Hawaii’s plaintiff/business invitee framework drives the duty analysis.

Sound like yours? A Hawaii attorney reviews it free — no fee unless they win.

Start my free review

Exhibit D

How much do Hawaii personal injury attorneys cost?

Sample settlement statement

Hawaii · Personal Injury

Recovery$100,000

Attorney fee · 33%− $33,000

Case costs (advanced by firm)repaid at the end

To you$67,000

Due today$0

Try a different recovery$100,000

$5,000$3,000,000

Illustrative only. Your fee terms are set in a written agreement with your attorney and may include costs and expenses regardless of outcome.

Most Hawaii personal injury attorneys work on contingency: the fee is a share of what they recover, and nothing if they don’t.

Personal injury attorneys in Hawaii work on a contingency fee basis — typically 33% to 40% of the total recovery. Given the pain-and-suffering cap and the practical realities of litigating from the Mainland (if you’re a visitor), having experienced local counsel is critical. Case expenses are typically advanced by the firm and deducted from the final recovery.

A good attorney walks through every number at your free consultation — before you sign anything.

Get startedTakes about two minutes. No obligation.

Exhibit E

What your Hawaii personal injury compensation can include

A Hawaii personal injury recovery is built from several parts. Tap one to see what it covers.

Economic Damages (No Cap)

Past and future medical bills, lost wages, lost earning capacity, and out-of-pocket costs — uncapped under Hawaii law.

DearLegal is a legal referral service, not a law firm. We connect individuals with licensed attorneys who can evaluate their case. Nothing on this page constitutes legal advice. Results vary based on individual circumstances.

Exhibit F

Hawaii personal injury questions, answered

Still unsure? Tell us what happened and a Hawaii attorney will review it for free.

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Two years from the date of injury under HRS § 657-7. Wrongful death is also two years under § 663-3. Medical torts have a 2-year-from-discovery / 6-year repose under § 657-7.3. Claims against the State follow the State Tort Liability Act (HRS Ch. 662) procedures; county claims follow county charter notice rules.

Under HRS § 663-31, your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault, but if your fault is greater than the combined fault of all defendants you recover nothing. Hawaii also retains joint and several liability for economic damages and certain other categories — a more plaintiff-friendly framework than most states.

Auto, truck, motorcycle, and rental-vehicle crashes; tour and excursion injuries (including snorkeling, hiking, helicopter); resort and hotel premises liability; dog bites; defective products; medical malpractice; nursing home neglect; negligent security; workplace third-party claims; and wrongful death. Many cases involve visitor plaintiffs and Mainland insurers.

You look at your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (or your rental car’s coverage), homeowner’s or commercial policies, and any vicarious-liability defendants. Hawaii is a no-fault auto state — PIP under HRS § 431:10C-301 pays medical/wage benefits regardless of fault, with the serious-injury threshold gating tort recovery.

Most settle, but Honolulu and neighbor-island juries return real verdicts when liability is clear. Defense insurers — many on the Mainland — know which Hawaii firms try cases.

State claims follow the State Tort Liability Act (HRS Ch. 662) with strict procedural rules. Honolulu and other county claims follow charter-specific notice requirements that vary by county. These are unforgiving traps.

Hawaii personal injury attorneys typically take cases on a contingency basis — no upfront cost, and they’re paid a percentage of the recovery only if they win. Typical fees range from 33% to 40% depending on whether the case settles or goes to trial. Case expenses are normally advanced by the firm.