When a car hits someone on foot, the person walking always loses. Broken bones, head injuries, and long recoveries are common. Rich Martin is a Seattle pedestrian accident lawyer with 28 years of experience. He has won a $1.05 million jury verdict for a pedestrian with a brain injury.
Seattle: 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-5, I-90, SR 520, SR 99 (Aurora Avenue North), Mercer Street
- Hospitals
- Harborview Medical Center (Level I trauma center for adults and children)
- Population
- 823,400 (Washington OFM estimate, April 1, 2026)
- Our office
- Our Bellevue office is about 11 miles away (about 17 minutes without traffic).
Hit by a car while walking in Seattle?
You may be dealing with surgery, time off work, and a lot of fear about going outside again. The driver’s insurance company may already be calling.
Let us take it from here. We deal with the insurer, gather the proof, and add up everything you’ve lost. You focus on getting better.
Pedestrian deaths in Seattle and Washington
In 2025, 30 people died and 221 were seriously injured in traffic crashes on Seattle streets, according to the City of Seattle. Most of those killed were pedestrians.
Pedestrians killed in Washington
Those are people who were walking to work, to the bus, or home from school. Many more were hurt and lived with the results.
Your rights as a pedestrian in Washington
The law protects people on foot. Here are the rules that matter most in a crash case.
| Rule | What it means for you | Law |
|---|---|---|
| Drivers must stop for you in a crosswalk | If you’re in the driver’s half of the road, or one lane away, they must stop and stay stopped | RCW 46.61.235 |
| Most corners are crosswalks, even without paint | An unmarked crosswalk exists where the sidewalk lines meet the street at an intersection | RCW 46.04.160 |
| Crossing outside a crosswalk | You must yield to cars. Between two traffic lights, cross only in a marked crosswalk | RCW 46.61.240 |
| Shared fault | Even if you crossed in the wrong place, the driver may still be mostly at fault. Your payment goes down by your share | RCW 4.22.005 |
Crossed mid-block or against the light? Call us anyway. Drivers still have to watch for people in the road.
Who pays your medical bills
If you have car insurance with PIP, it may cover you even when you’re hit while walking. PIP can also cover a pedestrian hit by the insured car (RCW 48.22.005). That money comes fast, no matter who was at fault.
- PIP pays first. Your own, or the PIP on the car that hit you.
- Your health insurance covers what PIP doesn’t.
- The driver’s liability insurance pays when your case settles.
- Your UIM coverage pays if the driver has too little insurance or drove away (RCW 48.22.030).
Where pedestrians get hurt in Seattle
- Crosswalks at busy intersections, especially when drivers turn right or left.
- Wide, fast streets like Aurora Avenue North and Rainier Avenue South.
- Bus stops, where people cross to catch a bus.
- Parking lots and driveways, where drivers back up without looking.
- Dark, rainy evenings, when drivers don’t slow down for poor visibility.
Seattle is working to make these streets safer through its Vision Zero plan. If a bus, a city vehicle, or a dangerous road design was involved, a claim against the city or county has its own steps (RCW 4.96.020).
Common pedestrian injuries
- Head and brain injuries. Read about traumatic brain injuries.
- Broken legs, hips, and pelvis. The bumper often hits at leg height.
- Spine injuries. See spinal cord injury claims.
- Fear and stress. Many people are afraid to cross the street again. That harm counts too.
What to do after you’re hit
- Call 911. Get medical care and a police report.
- Get the driver’s name, plate, and insurance.
- Take photos of the crosswalk, signals, the car, and your injuries.
- Find witnesses. Bus riders and nearby workers often see what happened.
- Keep your shoes and clothes. They can show where and how you were hit.
- Call a lawyer before you talk to the driver’s insurer.
More help: what to do after a pedestrian accident and jaywalking rules in Washington.
What your Seattle pedestrian accident case may be worth
Pedestrian injuries are often serious, so these cases can be large. The value depends on your injuries, the proof, and the insurance available.
- $9.0 million settlement in mediation after a semi-truck hit a pedestrian.
- $1.05 million jury verdict for a pedestrian with a brain injury.
- $750,000 policy-limits settlement for a pedestrian with broken bones.
Past results don’t guarantee future results. See all results or read about pedestrian injuries.
How pedestrian crashes happen
- Left turns. A driver turning left looks for cars, not people, and hits someone in the crosswalk.
- Right turns. A driver turning right watches traffic to the left and rolls into the crosswalk.
- Backing up. In parking lots and driveways, drivers back out without seeing someone behind them.
- Speeding. The faster a car goes, the less time it has to stop, and the worse the injuries.
- Distraction. A driver looking at a phone misses a person crossing.
- Poor lighting. Dark, wet nights make people on foot harder to see.
Each of these points to the driver’s choices. We use video, the police report, and witnesses to show what the driver should have seen.
Children and older adults
Kids and older adults are often hurt the worst. Kids are small and hard to see. Older adults may cross more slowly and heal more slowly. Washington doubles crosswalk fines in school and playground zones (RCW 46.61.235).
If your child was hurt, the claim works a little differently. A parent usually brings it on the child’s behalf, and a court often has to approve a settlement for a child. We’ll walk you through it.
Hit-and-run crashes
Sometimes the driver doesn’t stop. That’s frightening, and it makes things harder. But you may still have options.
- Call 911 right away and give every detail you remember.
- Look for cameras. Buses, stores, and doorbells often record the street.
- Check your own insurance. UIM coverage can pay when the driver is never found.
- Call us quickly. Video can be erased within days.
How long a pedestrian case takes
Most pedestrian injuries are serious, so these cases often take longer than a simple car crash. We wait until your doctors know how much you’ll recover. Then we push the insurer for a fair settlement. If they won’t be fair, we’re ready to go to court.
Getting back on your feet
Recovering from a pedestrian crash can take a long time. Many people need surgery, then months of physical therapy to walk normally again. Some need help at home, or changes to their home and car.
A fair settlement has to cover all of that. We work with your doctors and therapists to understand your recovery, and we don’t settle until we know the full picture.
The experts behind a strong pedestrian case
- Crash reconstruction experts to show where you were and how fast the car was going.
- Lighting and visibility experts when the crash happened at night.
- Your doctors and therapists to explain your injuries and future care.
You don’t pay for experts up front. If we don’t win, you owe us nothing. Not even the case costs.
Why people choose Rich Martin
- One lawyer, start to finish. Rich handles your case himself.
- Trial-ready. More than 30 jury trials, including pedestrian cases.
- Close by. Our Bellevue office is about 11 miles from downtown Seattle.
- No Win, No Fee. If we don’t win, you owe us nothing. Not even the case costs.
Meet Rich Martin or read client reviews. One client, Kevin, wrote that Rich “kept me informed” and “efficiently resolved” his pedestrian claim.
Talk to a Seattle pedestrian accident lawyer today
The call is free. Call (425) 635-2000 or send us a message. You can also see our Seattle personal injury lawyer and Seattle car accident lawyer 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 Seattle 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.
Who is at fault when a car hits a pedestrian?
Often the driver, because drivers must stop for people in crosswalks and watch for people in the road. But fault depends on the facts, and it can be shared.
Can I get paid if I wasn't in a crosswalk?
Yes, often. Washington lets you recover even if you share the blame. Your payment goes down by your share (RCW 4.22.005).
The driver drove off. What now?
Call police right away. Your own UIM coverage may pay for a hit-and-run. Call us so we can start looking for video.
Does my car insurance cover me if I was walking?
It may. PIP on your own policy can cover you as a pedestrian. Send us your policy and we'll check.
How long do I have to file?
Usually three years from the crash (RCW 4.16.080). If a city or county vehicle hit you, a claim form comes first, so start sooner.
What if I was hit in a parking lot?
You may still have a claim. Drivers in parking lots must watch for people walking. The store or lot owner may also share the blame if the lot was poorly designed or lit.
Should I talk to the driver's insurance company?
Not before you talk to us. Don't give a recorded statement. What you say can be used to pay you less.
Will my case go to court?
Most cases settle. If yours doesn't, it's usually heard at the King County Courthouse in downtown Seattle.
Talk to a lawyer today. The call is free. Call (425) 635-2000.
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