Losing someone to another person’s carelessness is a shock no family is ready for. In the middle of it, it can help to know that Washington law gives your family real rights. Kirkland wrongful death lawyer Rich Martin works from Bellevue, about 6 miles away. This page walks through those rights one at a time. Whenever you’re ready to talk, the call is free.
Kirkland: local facts
- County
- King County
- Court
- King County Superior Court, King County Courthouse, 516 Third Avenue, Seattle (crashes in the Seattle case area)
- Major roads
- I-405, NE 85th Street, NE 116th Street, NE 124th Street, Market Street
- Hospitals
- EvergreenHealth Medical Center (Level III trauma center)
- Population
- 98,860 (Washington OFM estimate, April 1, 2026)
- Our office
- Our Bellevue office is about 6 miles away (about 12 minutes without traffic).
How we work with families
- No pressure. You decide when to start.
- Clear explanations at every step.
- We handle the insurers so they don’t contact you.
- Free to start. We’re paid only from a recovery.
Kirkland’s safety plan counted 12 fatal crashes and 103 serious-injury crashes on city streets from 2014 to 2023 (City of Kirkland). Countywide, the state’s traffic safety agency tallied roughly 140 to 150 fatal crashes a year in King County from 2022 through 2024 (WTSC; 2024 preliminary).
How these losses happen in Kirkland
Kirkland’s safety plan shows who is most at risk. From 2019 to 2023, people walking or biking were involved in only 6% of crashes but 46% of those that killed or seriously injured someone (City of Kirkland). Motorcyclists show a similar gap. Deaths also follow truck crashes, unsafe property, and work-site incidents.
Each type of case has its own evidence and insurance. Our Kirkland pages explain more about car crashes, truck crashes, and motorcycle crashes.
Right 1: To bring a claim
When a death is caused by someone’s wrongful act or carelessness, Washington allows a claim on behalf of the family (RCW 4.20.010). One person, the estate’s personal representative, files for everyone. A will usually names that person; otherwise a judge picks. Because estates open where the person lived, a Kirkland family usually starts in King County Superior Court (RCW 11.96A.050).
Right 2: To share in the recovery
The recovery goes to close family. A spouse or state-registered domestic partner and children, including stepchildren, come first. If there are none, parents and siblings share (RCW 4.20.020). A 2019 change means parents and siblings no longer have to prove they depended on the person financially (SSB 5163).
Parents may also have their own claim when a child dies, if they supported a minor child or were closely involved in an adult child’s life (RCW 4.24.010).
Right 3: To be paid for more than lost income
| What can be recovered | Examples |
|---|---|
| Financial support | The income and benefits your loved one would have provided |
| Household help | Childcare, home repairs, driving, caregiving |
| Love and guidance | The relationship a spouse, child, or parent lost |
| Final costs | Funeral, burial, and final medical bills |
| Your loved one’s own losses | Their medical bills and pain before death, through the estate (RCW 4.20.046, RCW 4.20.060) |
Right 4: To take your time, within limits
The general deadline is three years from the death (RCW 4.16.080), as the state Supreme Court confirmed in Deggs v. Asbestos Corp. (2016). Some cases move faster. A claim against a city, county, or transit agency needs a claim form and a 60-day wait first (RCW 4.96.020). A claim against a federal agency must be filed in writing within two years (28 U.S.C. § 2401(b)).
A claim against the City of Kirkland has specific rules. The city’s Claim for Damages form must be notarized (city staff will notarize it for free) and mailed or placed in the drop box at City Hall. Electronic and faxed copies aren’t accepted. State law then requires a 60-day wait before a lawsuit (RCW 4.96.020).
Right 5: To say no to the insurance company
You don’t have to talk to an adjuster, give a recorded statement, or sign anything. A fast offer can hide a release that permanently closes the family’s case. Point them our way instead.
You can say no to an adjuster. You can say not yet. Either answer protects your family.
Right 6: To pursue every responsible party
Sometimes more than one person or company played a part: a driver and their employer, a property owner and a contractor. If the death happened at work, L&I survivor benefits may apply, and the family may also have a claim against an outside party who caused it (RCW 51.24.030).
If your loved one was partly at fault
Families sometimes worry that a claim is impossible because their loved one made a mistake too. Washington’s comparative fault rule reduces the recovery by any share of fault, but it doesn’t erase the claim (RCW 4.22.005). Insurers often overstate that share. The evidence decides it.
Questions to ask any wrongful death lawyer
- Will you personally handle our family’s case?
- Have you taken injury or death cases to trial?
- How will you keep us informed, and how often?
- What do we owe if the case doesn’t succeed?
Our answers: yes, Rich handles it himself; yes, more than 30 jury trials; regular updates and whenever you call; and nothing.
How a case moves forward
- A private conversation about your loved one and what happened.
- Opening the estate and appointing the personal representative.
- Investigation of records, video, and witnesses.
- Measuring the loss, sometimes with an economist.
- Negotiation, and a lawsuit if needed.
Lawsuits from Kirkland injuries belong to King County Superior Court’s Seattle case area, which covers the county north of I-90 (LCR 82). Expect the case to be managed from the downtown Seattle courthouse, though most never get that far.
Paying for the funeral
The funeral home will want to be paid soon. The case will take longer. That gap is hard. Keep every receipt for the funeral, the burial, travel for family, and any final medical bills. All of it can be part of the claim. If a car crash caused the death, an auto policy may cover some costs early. We check every policy we can find.
If there’s a criminal case
Police may charge the driver or company that caused the death. That case is run by prosecutors, not the family. Your family’s claim for money is a separate case. It can go forward on its own. It doesn’t need a guilty verdict, and the proof needed is lower. Still, the criminal file can hold useful evidence, so we keep an eye on it.
When young children share in a settlement
If minor children are part of the family’s recovery, a court will usually review the settlement to make sure their share is fair and protected until they’re adults. We take care of that process so the family doesn’t have to.
Meeting with us
Kirkland is one of our closest neighbors. You’ll find us in Bellevue’s Eastridge Corporate Center (11811 NE 1st Street, Suite 303), roughly 6 miles and a 12-minute drive from Kirkland city hall. Meet us there, or keep things simple by phone and email.
EvergreenHealth Medical Center, right in Kirkland, is a state-designated Level III adult trauma center. Patients with the gravest injuries are often taken to Harborview in Seattle, which holds the Level I designation (Washington DOH).
Talk to a Kirkland wrongful death lawyer
When your family wants to talk, reach Rich at (425) 635-2000 or through the contact form. Related: choosing a wrongful death attorney, average settlements in Washington, and our Bellevue and Redmond pages.
Wrongful Death: 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 Kirkland wrongful death
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.
What rights does our family have?
To bring a claim through the estate, to share in the recovery, to be paid for more than lost income, and to say no to insurers.
Who files the claim?
The personal representative of the estate (RCW 4.20.010).
Where is the estate opened for a Kirkland resident?
Usually King County Superior Court (RCW 11.96A.050).
Is your office nearby?
Yes. Our Bellevue office is about 6 miles from Kirkland.
What does it cost to talk?
Nothing. And no fee unless money is recovered.
Talk to a lawyer today. The call is free. Call (425) 635-2000.
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