Walking should be the safest way to get around. On busy arterials, it isn’t always. If a driver hit you while you were on foot in Kent, you may be dealing with serious injuries and an insurer that’s already questioning your story. A Kent pedestrian accident lawyer can help. Rich Martin’s pedestrian results include a $1.05 million jury verdict for a brain injury.
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).
Your case depends on where it happened
The rules are a little different in each situation. Here’s how the law looks at the most common ones.
In a crosswalk
Under Washington law, an intersection can have a crosswalk even without paint (RCW 46.04.160). A driver must stop and stay stopped when you’re in the driver’s half of the road or within one lane of it (RCW 46.61.235). A driver who turns into you in a crosswalk has a hard time explaining it away.
Crossing mid-block
Outside a crosswalk, you’re supposed to yield to vehicles (RCW 46.61.240). But drivers still have a legal duty to use due care to avoid hitting anyone on foot (RCW 46.61.245). A driver who was speeding, distracted, or not looking can still be mostly or fully at fault.
In a parking lot or driveway
Lots at shopping centers, warehouses, and apartment complexes mix backing cars with people walking. Drivers backing out must make sure the path is clear. Store and building cameras often record these crashes, but the footage may be kept only briefly.
At a bus stop or station
Transit in Kent is growing. Sound Transit opened Kent Des Moines Station, next to I-5 at the SR 516 exit, on December 6, 2025 (Sound Transit). Sounder trains stop at Kent Station downtown, and King County Metro buses also serve Kent. More riders means more people walking to and from stops.
When the driver didn’t stop
Report a hit-and-run to police within 72 hours. Your UIM coverage may still pay, but only with a timely report and proof beyond your own account, like a witness or video (RCW 48.22.030, subsection 8).
Walking in Kent: the numbers
People on foot were involved in just 2% of crashes on Kent city streets from 2018 to 2022, but 33% of the crashes that killed or seriously injured someone, according to the city’s Target Zero Action Plan. An earlier city safety plan found that hitting a pedestrian was the most common type of fatal and serious crash in Kent.
People walking or rolling killed in King County
Who pays your medical bills
You might not expect car insurance to help when you were walking, but it often does. PIP covers a pedestrian struck by an insured car, and PIP on your own household’s car policy may cover you as well (RCW 48.22.005).
- PIP pays medical bills early, regardless of fault.
- Health insurance covers what PIP doesn’t.
- The driver’s liability insurance pays the full claim at settlement.
- UIM helps when the driver has too little insurance or fled (RCW 48.22.030).
Injuries we help with
Being struck by a car often means leg and knee fractures, hip and pelvic injuries, shoulder and arm injuries, and head trauma. Recovery can involve surgery, months of therapy, and time off work. Fear of crossing streets can linger too. One of our pedestrian clients with PTSD resolved the case for $600,000 in mediation. Read about brain injuries and common pedestrian 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.
Steps to take now
- Keep up with medical care.
- Write down the driver’s plate, the time, and the exact spot.
- Photograph the crosswalk or lot, signals, and lighting.
- List nearby cameras: stores, buses, homes.
- Keep your clothes and shoes unwashed.
- Send insurance calls to us.
Read what to do after a pedestrian accident and Washington jaywalking rules.
Shared fault
Even if you were partly at fault, you can recover the rest of your losses (RCW 4.22.005). Insurers often try to stretch a pedestrian’s share. We push back with the evidence.
Value and results
Value depends on the injury, the recovery, lost income, and the insurance available. Our pedestrian results include a $9 million mediated settlement for a person struck by a semi-truck and a $750,000 policy-limits settlement for broken bones. No two cases are the same, and past results don’t predict yours. See our results.
Court and deadlines
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.
Most cases must be filed within three years (RCW 4.16.080). Claims against a city, county, or transit agency start with a claim form and a 60-day wait (RCW 4.96.020).
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).
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 pedestrian accident lawyer
Call (425) 635-2000 or send us a note. A family member can call for you. See also our Seattle and Tacoma pedestrian pages.
Pedestrian 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 pedestrian 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.
Do crosswalks need painted lines?
No. Washington recognizes unmarked crosswalks at intersections (RCW 46.04.160). Drivers must stop for you when you're in their half of the road or one lane away (RCW 46.61.235).
I was hit in a parking lot. Do I have a claim?
Possibly. Drivers must make sure their path is clear, especially when backing up.
Will car insurance cover me as a pedestrian?
Often, yes. PIP can cover you through the car that hit you or your own household policy.
Where is a Kent case heard?
If it goes to court, usually at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent.
Can someone call you for me?
Yes. A family member or friend can call and we'll take it from there.
Talk to a lawyer today. The call is free. Call (425) 635-2000.
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