An injury can upend work, family, and finances all at once. If someone else’s carelessness caused it, Washington law gives you a way to recover. For 28 years, Rich Martin has worked as an injury lawyer, with more than 2,000 cases behind him. As a Kent personal injury lawyer, he handles each case himself, and the first conversation is free.
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).
What we handle for Kent clients
Most injury cases start on the road. Learn more on our pages for Kent car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, and pedestrian accidents.
We also take slip and fall cases, Uber and Lyft crashes, and wrongful death claims for families who lost someone.
Kent traffic safety by the numbers
Kent’s Target Zero Action Plan found that from 2018 to 2022, an average of 8 people were killed and 39 seriously injured each year on city-run streets. In 2019 to 2023, the average rose to 13 deaths a year. Those numbers leave out I-5, SR 167, and SR 516.
Fatal crashes on Kent city streets
The plan found that 51% of the crashes that killed or seriously injured someone happened on just 7.5% of Kent’s streets. Crashes involving alcohol or drugs doubled, from 23 fatal crashes in 2014 to 2018 to 47 in 2019 to 2023.
Five things to know after an injury in Kent
1. Your case stays in Kent
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.
2. Your own insurance helps first
Following a crash, PIP on your own auto policy starts paying medical bills without waiting to decide fault (RCW 48.22.085). If the other driver doesn’t have enough insurance, your UIM coverage can make up the difference (RCW 48.22.030).
3. Shared blame doesn’t end a claim
Washington uses pure comparative fault. If you were 25% at fault, you can still recover 75% of your losses (RCW 4.22.005). Read how comparative fault works.
4. The clock is running
Most injury lawsuits 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). A claim against a federal agency must be filed within two years (28 U.S.C. § 2401(b)).
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).
5. What you say to insurers matters
The other side’s adjuster may sound helpful, but a recorded statement can be used to pay you less. You can politely decline and give them our number.
Bike crashes in Kent
Kent sits at the center of some of the region’s best-known trails. The Green River Trail runs 19 paved miles from the south edge of Seattle to Kent (King County Parks), and the Interurban Trail links Tukwila, Kent, Auburn, Algona, and Pacific (King County Parks). Kent Parks manages 54.7 miles of trails. On city streets, riders were 1% of crashes but 4% of crashes that killed or seriously injured someone from 2018 to 2022 (City of Kent).
Washington law protects riders. Drivers must give a safe passing distance (RCW 46.61.110), and car doors may only be opened when it’s safe (RCW 46.61.620). PIP on a household car policy can cover a rider, since the law treats anyone outside a motor vehicle as a pedestrian (RCW 48.22.005). See our Seattle bicycle accident page and the stop-as-yield rule.
How a typical case unfolds
- A free call. You tell us what happened. We tell you honestly whether we can help.
- Investigation. Reports, photos, video, records, and witnesses.
- Treatment. You focus on recovery while we track bills and records.
- Demand. We present the full claim to the insurer.
- Negotiation. Most cases resolve here.
- Lawsuit, if needed. Filed in King County Superior Court, usually in Kent.
Questions to ask any injury lawyer
- Will you handle my case yourself, or hand it off?
- Have you taken cases to trial?
- Do I owe anything if we lose, including costs?
- How will you keep me updated?
Our answers: Rich handles it himself. Yes, more than 30 jury trials. No, nothing. And you’ll hear from us whenever something changes, plus whenever you call.
What a claim can pay for
A personal injury claim can include medical care now and in the future, lost wages and earning power, property damage, and help you need at home. It also covers losses that don’t come with a bill: pain, stress, scarring, and the things you can no longer do. See our results and typical settlement ranges.
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.
Fees
No Win, No Fee. You pay nothing up front, and our fee comes from the recovery. If there’s no recovery, you owe nothing, including case costs. More: how injury lawyer fees work.
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.
Learn about Rich Martin, read client reviews, or see our Seattle and Tacoma injury pages.
Talk to a Kent personal injury lawyer
Have a question about your injury? Phone (425) 635-2000 or use our online form. There’s no charge to ask.
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 →Injury cases we handle in Kent
Car Accidents
Rear-ended on I-405 or hit at a light? We take over the calls with the insurance company.
Truck Accidents
Trucking companies call their lawyers the same day. We start working on your case just as fast.
Motorcycle Accidents
Insurers often assume the rider was speeding. We find the proof of what really happened.
Pedestrian Accidents
Hit in a crosswalk or a parking lot? These injuries are serious. So is the way we handle them.
Bicycle Accidents
Hit by a car or a car door? We know Washington's bike laws and use them for you.
Uber & Lyft Accidents
Several insurance policies may cover you. We find every one of them.
Wrongful Death
Lost someone you love? We hold the people responsible to account, so your family doesn't have to.
Slip & Fall
Fell because a store or landlord ignored a hazard? They may owe you for your injuries.
Questions about Kent injury cases
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.
Is your office in Kent?
No. We have offices in Bellevue and Tacoma. The Bellevue office is about 18 miles from Kent, and much of the work can happen by phone and email.
Would my Kent case be heard in Seattle?
Usually not. Under King County's rules, a case from an injury in the Kent area is heard at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent.
I was hit while riding my bike in Kent. Can you help?
Yes. Washington law protects riders, and PIP on a household car policy may cover you.
Can I recover if I was partly at fault?
Yes. Your recovery goes down by your share of fault (RCW 4.22.005).
What does a case review cost?
Nothing. And there's no fee unless we win.
Talk to a lawyer today. The call is free. Call (425) 635-2000.
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