Ask any rider in the Kent Valley and they’ll tell you: drivers don’t see motorcycles. When that blind spot turns into a crash, the rider often ends up defending themselves to an insurance company that assumes the worst about bikers. A Kent motorcycle accident lawyer flips that around. Rich Martin has worked injury cases for 28 years, and talking to him costs nothing.
Kent: local facts
- County
- King County
- Court
- King County Superior Court, Maleng Regional Justice Center, 401 Fourth Avenue North, Kent (crashes in the Kent case area)
- Major roads
- SR 167, SR 516 (Kent-Des Moines Road and Kent-Kangley Road), West Valley Highway, Central Avenue, I-5 on the west side
- Hospitals
- Valley Medical Center in Renton (Level III trauma center) and MultiCare Auburn Medical Center
- Population
- 140,400 (Washington OFM estimate, April 1, 2026)
- Our office
- Our Bellevue office is about 18 miles away (about 26 minutes without traffic).
A rider’s claim, handled the right way
We start with the facts of the crash, not the stereotype. Then we build the claim around everything the crash cost you.
- Scene, damage, and video to show what the driver did.
- A full insurance search, including coverage you may not know you have.
- Your medical care, lost income, bike, and gear, all counted.
- Zero upfront cost. If there’s no recovery, there’s no fee and no bill for costs.
Kent’s own numbers show how exposed riders are. From 2018 to 2022, motorcyclists were involved in less than 1% of crashes on city streets, but 6% of the crashes that killed or seriously injured someone (City of Kent).
Across Washington, 104 motorcyclists died on the roads in 2025, down from 113 in 2024 and 142 in 2023 (Washington Traffic Safety Commission). Fewer deaths is progress. It’s still about two riders every week.
What insurers say about riders, and what’s true
| What you may hear | The facts |
|---|---|
| “Motorcycles are just dangerous. You took the risk.” | Riding is legal. Drivers must watch for motorcycles like any other vehicle. |
| “Our driver never saw you.” | Not seeing a rider who was there to be seen is the driver’s mistake, not an excuse. |
| “You must have been speeding.” | Speed has to be proven. Damage, skid marks, video, and witnesses tell the real story. |
| “No helmet, no claim.” | Washington requires helmets (RCW 46.37.530), but going without one doesn’t cancel the driver’s fault. |
| “You were partly to blame, so we owe nothing.” | Shared fault reduces a recovery. It doesn’t erase it (RCW 4.22.005). |
Hearing any of these from an adjuster is a sign to stop talking and call a lawyer.
Kent roads and riders
- SR 167, which cuts through Kent and carries both commuters and freight. Its express toll lanes run between Renton and Sumner (WSDOT).
- SR 516, known locally as Kent-Des Moines Road and Kent-Kangley Road.
- SE 248th Street at 116th Avenue SE, which the city says ranks high for crashes.
- Central Avenue, Meeker Street, and Kent-Kangley Road, which residents raised as safety concerns in the city’s planning.
- West Valley Highway and the industrial streets of the Kent Valley.
- I-5, along Kent’s west side.
WSDOT counted 24 deaths and 120 serious injuries along the SR 167 corridor from 2015 to 2019, including a stretch of northbound SR 167 in Kent between the 84th Avenue South on-ramp and the South 212th Street exit (WSDOT). Agencies use this data to plan safety fixes. Federal law generally keeps it out of injury lawsuits, so your case is built on the evidence from your own crash.
The turn, the merge, the pull-out
Many rider crashes happen in one of three moments. A driver turning left across your lane misjudges your speed. A driver merging or changing lanes doesn’t check the blind spot. A driver pulling out of a lot or side street is scanning for cars. Each one leaves evidence: where the vehicles ended up, what the damage looks like, and what nearby cameras caught.
Lane sharing in Washington
Washington doesn’t allow riding between lanes or rows of traffic (RCW 46.61.608). Two motorcycles may ride side by side in a single lane. If you were splitting lanes when a driver caused the crash, you may still recover, with your amount reduced by any share of fault.
Who pays a rider’s medical bills
This surprises many riders: the PIP coverage that comes with car insurance often isn’t on a motorcycle policy. Insurers must offer PIP with car policies (RCW 48.22.085), but the law defines an automobile as a passenger car (RCW 48.22.005).
- Medical payments coverage on your motorcycle policy, if you have it.
- Health insurance for ongoing treatment.
- The at-fault driver’s liability insurance at settlement.
- UIM coverage if the driver had too little insurance or left the scene (RCW 48.22.030).
Injuries
A rider’s body takes the force a car frame would absorb. Fractures of the legs, wrists, collarbone, and pelvis are common, along with road rash and head injuries even under a helmet. Some riders face months of rehab or permanent limits. More on brain injuries and spinal cord injuries.
Nearby Valley Medical Center in Renton and MultiCare Auburn Medical Center are both Level III trauma centers, and the most serious injuries go to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, the state’s Level I center, according to the state Department of Health.
What to do now
- Follow up with a doctor about every symptom.
- Keep the helmet, jacket, and gloves just as they are.
- Keep the bike until it’s photographed and inspected.
- Write down what you remember while it’s fresh.
- Send the driver’s insurer to us. No recorded statement.
Related: how to choose a motorcycle attorney and finding a motorcycle lawyer near you.
Potholes, gravel, and road work
Loose gravel or a broken patch can drop a bike in an instant. If a city street was to blame, a claim must be filed with the city first, and state law requires a 60-day wait before a lawsuit (RCW 4.96.020). A contractor who left a work zone in bad shape may also be responsible.
Government claims have their own steps. A claim against the City of Kent goes by mail to the Kent City Clerk at 220 Fourth Avenue South. Claims against King County, including Metro buses, go to its Office of Risk Management Services. Sound Transit takes claims online, by email, or by mail. State law then requires a 60-day wait before a lawsuit (RCW 4.96.020).
Debris, loads, and trucks
Riders are especially exposed to things that fall off other vehicles: loose cargo, gravel, tire pieces, and trash. If debris came from an unsecured load, the driver or company that loaded it may be responsible. Note anything you can about the vehicle it came from, and look for cameras along the road.
Your bike and riding gear
A motorcycle claim should cover the bike at its real value, including upgrades and custom parts, plus your helmet, jacket, pants, gloves, boots, and electronics. Keep receipts if you have them. Don’t let a tow yard scrap the bike until it’s photographed and inspected.
Recovering from a serious injury
Many rider injuries need surgery and months of physical therapy. Some riders can’t return to the same work. We wait until your doctors understand your long-term outlook before we put a number on the claim, so future care and lost earning power are part of it. If the insurer won’t be fair, we’re ready to file suit.
Value of a motorcycle claim
The value depends on your injuries, recovery time, lost income, lasting effects, and the available insurance. Your motorcycle, custom parts, and riding gear belong in the claim too. Every case is different, and past results don’t predict yours. See our results.
Where a Kent case is filed
King County Superior Court sits in two places. Its local rule sends an injury case to the area where the injury happened, and Kent falls in the court’s Kent case area (LCR 82). That means a Kent case is usually handled at the Maleng Regional Justice Center, 401 Fourth Avenue North in Kent, not the downtown Seattle courthouse.
The general deadline to sue is three years from the crash (RCW 4.16.080).
Meeting with us
Kent clients don’t have far to go. Our Bellevue office, at 11811 NE 1st Street, Suite 303, is about 18 miles from Kent city hall, roughly 26 minutes without traffic. If the drive is hard, much of the work can happen by phone and email instead.
Talk to a Kent motorcycle accident lawyer
Call (425) 635-2000 or message us. Also see our Seattle and Tacoma motorcycle pages.
Motorcycle 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 Kent motorcycle 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.
The adjuster says riders accept the risk. Is that true?
No. Riding is legal, and drivers must watch for motorcycles. The driver who caused the crash is responsible.
I wasn't wearing a helmet. What happens to my claim?
You can still bring it. The insurer may argue a helmet would have reduced a head injury, but that doesn't erase the driver's fault.
Why is there no PIP on my motorcycle policy?
Washington's PIP law is written for passenger cars. Check for medical payments coverage, and use health insurance and UIM.
Where would my Kent case be heard?
If it goes to court, usually at the King County courthouse in Kent, the Maleng Regional Justice Center.
Do I have to come to your office?
No. Our Bellevue office is about 18 miles away, but much of the work can happen by phone and email.
My passenger was hurt too. Can they make a claim?
Yes, against the driver who caused the crash.
Talk to a lawyer today. The call is free. Call (425) 635-2000.
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