If you’re reading this after losing someone, please take your time. There’s nothing here you need to act on today. Rich Martin is a Kent wrongful death lawyer who has spent 28 years helping people through injury and loss. This page explains, in plain words, what Washington law allows and what the process looks like, so you can decide what’s right for your family.
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 note to families
A legal claim won’t fill the space your loved one left. But when a death was caused by someone’s carelessness, the law gives families a way to be heard, to get answers, and to secure their future. For many families, the hardest part is not knowing what comes next. That’s the part we can help with.
Our approach is simple. We listen first. We explain your options. We never pressure anyone. And the family pays nothing unless we recover money.
Kent’s Target Zero Action Plan reports an average of 13 traffic deaths a year on city streets from 2019 to 2023, and 22 fatal crashes in 2023 alone. Across King County, there were 146 fatal crashes in 2022, 151 in 2023, and 140 in 2024, according to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission (2024 is preliminary).
How these losses happen in Kent
WSDOT counted 24 deaths along the SR 167 corridor from 2015 to 2019, and Kent’s own plan shows people walking face outsized risk on city streets. Deaths also follow truck crashes, unsafe property, and work-site incidents. Each type has its own evidence. Learn more on our Kent pages for car crashes, truck crashes, pedestrian crashes, and motorcycle crashes.
Washington’s wrongful death law, in plain words
- One person files for the family. That’s the estate’s personal representative (RCW 4.20.010).
- The money goes to close family. A spouse or registered domestic partner and children first, including stepchildren. Parents and siblings when there’s no spouse, partner, or child (RCW 4.20.020).
- Dependency isn’t required. Since 2019, parents and siblings don’t have to prove financial dependence (SSB 5163).
- The estate has its own claim. It covers what your loved one could have claimed, like medical bills and their pain before death (RCW 4.20.046, RCW 4.20.060).
- Parents of a child who died may have their own claim in many cases (RCW 4.24.010).
What the family’s claim can cover
| Financial losses | Personal losses |
|---|---|
| The income and support your loved one would have provided | Love, companionship, and care |
| Household services they did | Guidance and support for children |
| Funeral and burial costs | The grief of losing a parent, partner, or child |
| Medical bills before death | Your loved one’s own pain and suffering (estate claim) |
What happens next, stage by stage
Opening the estate
The estate is usually opened in the county where your loved one lived (RCW 11.96A.050). For a Kent resident, that’s King County Superior Court. The court confirms a personal representative, who can then bring the claim.
Finding out what happened
We gather the police report, medical records, video, witness accounts, and any company or government records. In a crash case, we may work with a reconstruction expert.
Measuring the loss
We document your loved one’s work, income, and role in the family. Sometimes an economist helps put a value on lost support over many years.
Negotiating, and court if needed
We present the claim to the insurers. If they won’t be fair, we file a lawsuit. Many cases still settle along the way. Some take a year or more. We’ll keep you informed.
Deadlines
The general rule is three years from the date of death (RCW 4.16.080), as the Washington Supreme Court confirmed in Deggs v. Asbestos Corp. (2016). If a city, county, or transit agency is involved, a claim form and a 60-day wait come first (RCW 4.96.020). If a federal vehicle or worker caused the death, a written claim must reach the federal agency 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).
You don’t have to sort out deadlines on your own. One call can tell you which ones apply.
When the death was work-related
Families of workers who die on the job may receive L&I survivor benefits. If someone other than the employer caused the death, such as a trucking company, a property owner, or another contractor, the family may also have a claim against them (RCW 51.24.030). Planning both together protects the family.
Insurance companies
Don’t be surprised if an insurance representative reaches out within days. A quick payment offer may come bundled with a release that permanently closes the family’s case. You can politely decline to talk and give them our number. Please don’t sign anything before someone you trust has read it.
If criminal charges were filed
Sometimes the driver or company that caused a death also faces criminal charges. The family’s civil claim is separate. It doesn’t have to wait for the criminal case, and it doesn’t depend on a conviction. A civil case also uses a lower standard of proof. Still, a criminal case can produce evidence that helps the family, so we follow it closely.
When the children are minors
When young children are part of a settlement, a court usually reviews it to make sure the terms are fair to them and that their share is protected until they’re adults. We handle that process, so the family doesn’t have to navigate it alone.
Taking care of each other
Grief isn’t something to rush, and the legal process shouldn’t get in its way. We schedule calls around your family’s needs and keep meetings short. If you need us to pause for a while, say so. Many deadlines leave room for that, and we’ll tell you when they don’t.
Why Kent families call Rich Martin
- Experience: 28 years of injury and death cases.
- One lawyer: Rich works on your family’s case himself.
- No pressure: you set the pace.
- No upfront cost: no fee unless we recover money.
Where a case would be heard
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.
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.
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 wrongful death lawyer
When you’re ready, call (425) 635-2000 or send a message. You can also read who can file a wrongful death lawsuit, how wrongful death settlements work, or visit our Seattle and Tacoma 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 Kent 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.
Who files a wrongful death case for a Kent family?
The personal representative of the estate (RCW 4.20.010). The recovery goes to the relatives the law names (RCW 4.20.020).
Where does probate happen for a Kent resident?
Usually the superior court of the county where your loved one lived. For a Kent resident, that's King County Superior Court.
What is the filing deadline?
Three years from the death is the general rule. Claims involving a government or federal agency require earlier steps.
Do we need to come to your office?
No. Our Bellevue office is about 18 miles from Kent, and we can start by phone.
Does it cost anything to talk?
No. And there's no fee unless we recover money for your family.
Talk to a lawyer today. The call is free. Call (425) 635-2000.
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