Most crashes aren’t dramatic. A driver looks down at a phone at the wrong moment, or rolls a red light. But a sore back, a missed paycheck, and a stack of forms can follow even a “small” crash. As an Everett car accident lawyer, Rich Martin has helped people through more than 2,000 injury cases over 28 years. He can tell you on a free call whether you need a lawyer at all.
Everett: local facts
- County
- Snohomish County
- Court
- Snohomish County Superior Court, 3000 Rockefeller Avenue, Everett
- Major roads
- I-5, US 2 (Hewitt Avenue Trestle), SR 526, Evergreen Way, Broadway
- Hospitals
- Providence Regional Medical Center Everett (Level II trauma center)
- Population
- 114,900 (Washington OFM estimate, April 1, 2026)
- Our office
- Our Bellevue office is about 29 miles away (about 39 minutes without traffic).
Why call an Everett car accident lawyer
The other driver’s insurer has trained adjusters on its side from day one. Having your own advocate changes the conversation.
- No more adjuster calls. They talk to us.
- Evidence gathered early, including traffic and business video that can be erased within days.
- Your PIP claim opened so treatment isn’t delayed.
- A claim that counts the future: care, missed work, and lasting limits.
- No fee unless we win, with no case costs either.
Everett traffic safety by the numbers
Everett’s Vision Zero Safety Action Plan found that 65 people were killed and 342 seriously injured on Everett streets from 2019 to 2024. Those numbers don’t even include I-5 or SR 526, which the city didn’t study.
People killed or seriously injured on Everett streets
The city says most of these crashes happened on major roads with higher speeds, especially Broadway, Evergreen Way, and SE Everett Mall Way. From 2019 to 2023, almost half of the fatal crashes, 49%, involved someone walking, rolling, or riding a bike.
Where Everett crashes happen
- Broadway, Evergreen Way, and SE Everett Mall Way, where the city found most fatal and serious crashes.
- Casino Road, Airport Road, and 19th Avenue SE, also on the city’s high-injury network.
- SR 526, the route to the Paine Field and Boeing industrial areas, which WSDOT says carries more traffic as Everett grows (WSDOT).
- The US 2 trestle, the only direct highway route across the Snohomish River to I-5 (WSDOT).
- I-5, which runs through the middle of the city.
The city’s high-injury network is the set of roads where half of Everett’s fatal and serious crashes happened (Vision Zero technical memo). The final plan names 12 priority segments for safety work, including 112th Street, Pacific Avenue, Marine View Drive, 41st Street, and Everett Avenue. Federal law generally keeps this kind of safety-planning data out of injury lawsuits, so your case is built on the evidence from your own crash.
Police reports in Everett
On city streets, Everett Police usually take the report. On I-5, US 2, SR 526, and other state highways, it’s usually the State Patrol. We get the report for you. If it’s wrong, we don’t panic. Reports are one piece of evidence, not the final word, and photos, damage patterns, video, and witnesses can correct them.
At the scene and in the days after
- Call 911 for police and medical help.
- Use your phone camera: cars, plates, the intersection, skid marks, and injuries.
- Exchange insurance information and get witnesses’ phone numbers.
- Be seen by a doctor within a day, even if you feel fine.
- Notify your insurer to open PIP.
- Refer the other insurer to us instead of giving a statement.
Serious injuries in Everett are often treated at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett, a Level II trauma center for adults and Level III for children, according to the state Department of Health.
Insurance, in the order it usually pays
Washington is an at-fault state, so the driver who caused the crash is responsible in the end. In the meantime, your own coverage carries the load.
Your PIP coverage pays medical bills right away, whoever was at fault (RCW 48.22.085). Basic PIP includes at least $10,000 for medical costs (RCW 48.22.095). Health insurance picks up what’s left. The at-fault driver’s liability insurance pays when the claim resolves (RCW 46.30.020). And if that driver carries too little insurance, none, or can’t be found, your UIM coverage can make up the difference (RCW 48.22.030).
Learn more: who pays in a Washington car crash and crashes with uninsured drivers.
Hit-and-run crashes
Washington’s UIM law sets two conditions for a hit-and-run claim. Police must get a report within 72 hours, and someone or something other than you has to back up the facts, like a bystander or a camera (RCW 48.22.030, subsection 8). See hit-and-run claims in Washington.
Seventy-two hours. That’s the window to report a hit-and-run and keep a UIM claim alive.
Transit, city, and Navy vehicles
Two bus systems serve Everett. Community Transit’s Swift Blue Line runs between Everett Station and Shoreline, and the Swift Green Line runs between the Seaway Transit Center near Boeing-Everett and Canyon Park in Bothell (Community Transit). Everett Transit is a department of the City of Everett. Light rail isn’t here yet: Sound Transit expects the Everett Link extension to open between 2037 and 2041 (Sound Transit).
Everett is home to a Navy base. Naval Station Everett has been a homeport since its first ships arrived in 1994 (U.S. Navy). A claim against the federal government works differently from a normal insurance claim. It must be filed in writing with the right federal agency within two years (28 U.S.C. § 2401(b)). The agency then has six months to decide before you can sue (28 U.S.C. § 2675).
Claims against government follow special rules. A claim against the City of Everett must be signed by hand and filed with the City Clerk by mail or in person. The city doesn’t accept electronic signatures. Snohomish County claims go to its Risk Management office, and Community Transit takes claim forms by email or mail. After filing, state law requires a 60-day wait before a lawsuit (RCW 4.96.020).
Car crash injuries
Whiplash and other soft tissue injuries are the most familiar, but they’re far from the only ones. Herniated discs, concussions, broken ribs and wrists, and anxiety about driving all show up after crashes. Pain often builds over a few days. Read about delayed neck pain, disc injuries, brain injuries, and PTSD after a crash.
Sharing the blame
How shared fault changes a recovery
Insurers often try to push more blame onto you. Each percentage point they win lowers your recovery. See pure comparative negligence explained.
Uber, Lyft, and work vehicles
If you were riding in or hit by an Uber or Lyft, several insurance policies may apply, depending on whether the driver had the app on, was heading to a pickup, or had a passenger. See our rideshare accident page. If a company vehicle hit you, the employer’s commercial policy may be involved, which often carries higher limits.
Your car and getting around
The claim covers your vehicle too: the repair bill, or the car’s value if it’s totaled. It can also cover the cost of being without a car while it’s fixed or replaced. Get your own repair estimate so you have something to compare with the insurer’s number. If a child’s car seat was in the car, ask about replacing it.
Read when to replace a car seat after a crash.
Filing in Snohomish County
Few injury claims ever reach a courtroom. When one does, Washington lets the injured person sue in the county where the harm happened (RCW 4.12.020). For Everett, that’s Snohomish County Superior Court at 3000 Rockefeller Avenue in downtown Everett. You won’t need to travel to Seattle for hearings.
In most cases, a lawsuit must be filed within three years of the crash (RCW 4.16.080). See deadlines for car accident cases.
Case value
We can’t value a case until we’ve seen your records. The main factors are the injury, the strength of the fault evidence, and the insurance available, plus the damage to your car.
Some of our car crash results: a jury awarded $1.55 million for a brain injury; an insurer paid its $800,000 policy limits for a disc injury; and a broken-leg case settled for $530,000 in mediation. Past results can’t promise future ones. See our case results and typical settlement ranges.
Working with us from Everett
We don’t have an office in Everett. Our Bellevue office, at 11811 NE 1st Street, Suite 303, is about 29 miles away. Many Everett clients never need to make the drive. We can handle most of your case by phone, email, and mail, and meet in person when it helps.
Talk to an Everett car accident lawyer today
Call (425) 635-2000 or reach us online. Crashed farther south? See our Seattle car crash page or our statewide car accident page.
Car Accidents: results for our clients
Past results don't guarantee future results. Every case is different. See all results →
Your attorney: Rich Martin
28 years. More than 2,000 injury cases. More than 30 jury trials. When you call, you talk to Rich, and he handles your case himself.
About Rich Martin →Questions about Everett car accidents
What does No Win, No Fee mean?
You pay nothing up front. Our fee comes out of the money we win for you. No hourly bills. No retainer. If we don't win, you owe us nothing. Not even the case costs.
Who takes the report for a crash on I-5 through Everett?
Usually the State Patrol. On city streets, it's usually Everett Police.
Is my Everett case heard in Seattle?
No. If it goes to court, it's usually filed in Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett.
Do I need to drive to your office?
No. Most of the work can happen by phone and email. Our Bellevue office is about 29 miles away if you'd like to meet.
What if the driver fled?
Report it to police within 72 hours and find proof beyond your own account. Your UIM coverage may then pay.
Which insurance pays my doctor first?
Your PIP coverage, regardless of fault.
Is there a deadline to sue?
Usually three years (RCW 4.16.080). Government and federal claims have earlier steps.
Talk to a lawyer today. The call is free. Call (425) 635-2000.
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