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Your Kent Personal Injury Attorney
The short answer. In Washington most injury claims must be filed within three years (RCW 4.16.080(2)). The trial court for King County sits in Seattle, at 516 3rd Ave, Rm C-203, Seattle, WA 98104-2361. To talk it through, send the form on this page and we will work to connect you with an attorney in our network.
Nobody plans for the call that follows an accident. Whether you were hurt in a crash, a fall or something else in Kent, the weeks afterward bring decisions that feel bigger than they should. Here is what Washington law says, in plain terms, so you can ask better questions.
A quick note on what this page is: general information about Washington injury law, written from the statutes, from a matching service that does not practice law. It is meant to help you ask good questions, not to decide your case.
Questions Worth Asking In Kent
A short list of questions can sort out who is right for you:
- The date. Ask for the specific last day to file in your case. The general rule is three years (RCW 4.16.080(2)).
- Your share of fault. Ask how a finding that you were partly responsible would change the numbers (RCW 4.22.005).
- Limits on damages. Ask whether any rule restricts the amount you could recover in Washington.
- The money terms. Ask how fees are calculated and which costs come out of a recovery.
- Who will work on it. Ask who handles your file day to day and how fast messages are answered.
Personal Injury Types of Cases
Motor Vehicle Accidents
As long as the person that was operating the vehicle that injured you was negligent in some way, you can could have a claim for compensation. This can include.
- Car Accidents
- Truck Accidents
- Bicycle Accidents
- 18 wheeler Accidents
- Motorcycle crashes
- Drunk Driving
- Distracted Driving
- Aggressive Driving
- and other types of motor vehicle accidents
Work Place Accidents
These types of personal injury lawsuits involve more that just a employee and employer. If you feel like your place of employment was negligent in some way, you might have a claim for compensation. These types of accidents can include.
- Slip and Fall
- Unsafe working conditions
- Unmaintained equipment
- Auto Accidents
- Death
- Electrical Hazards
- Occupational illnesses like COPD, contagious diseases, and asbestosis
- personal injuries at work
Premises Liability
Many premises liability claims are from a property owner’s duty to maintain a property in the way that does not endanger others. There are may ways a property owner can violate this duty.
- Broken Stairs
- Unlit alleyways
- Slippery Floors
- Surfaces that are uneven
- Places to receive burns
- Places to receive chemical exposure
- Dog bites
- and other dangerous conditions
Wrongful Death
When negligence leads to fatal injuries, a wrongful death suit can help the surviving family members hold the negligent company, persons, and or person accountable for what was done. A wrongful death case can involve different types of compensation from other personal injury claims. After a fatal accident, family members can ask an attorney to review what compensation the surviving loved ones may have a right to. These types of accidents can include.
- Auto Accident
- Maritime Accident
- Drowning
- Electrocution
- Falls
- Helicopter Accident
- Fire
- Firearm
- and other types of wrongful deaths
Injured in Kent? Get matched with an attorney now.
What Shared Blame Means For You
Fault is rarely all on one side, and Washington law accounts for that. The source is RCW 4.22.005.
Your own share of the fault reduces your award in proportion to that share, and no fixed percentage ends the claim by itself, though a few narrow statutory exceptions can still bar a claim (RCW 4.22.005). Insurers often press this point first, so keep notes about how the injury happened.
When The Clock Starts And Stops
A lawsuit for most injuries in Washington must be started within three years (RCW 4.16.080(2)). Extra time can be available for a child and in some other limited situations (RCW 4.16.190).
A claim against a government body usually has its own claim or notice steps that must be followed before you sue, so ask early (RCW 4.92.090, 4.92.100, 4.92.110). If someone died, the personal representative brings the claim and the general three year period of RCW 4.16.080(2) applies (RCW 4.16.080(2)). Ask in your first conversation which date applies to your claim.
Courts and Hospitals Near Kent
Kent lies in King County, according to Census Bureau place and county names. King County’s superior court is listed in Seattle, at 516 3rd Ave, Rm C-203, Seattle, WA 98104-2361. The state list of trauma centers names Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, in King County as well, as a Level I trauma center. Another facility on that list, MultiCare Auburn Medical Center in Auburn, is also in King County; it is listed as a Level III trauma center. In King County, that list shows Overlake Medical Center & Clinics in Bellevue as a Level III trauma center.
Measured in a straight line from Kent, the nearest hospitals in the federal Hospital General Information file are Valley Medical Center in Renton, 3.7 miles, an acute care hospital, then Multicare Covington Medical Center in Covington, 5.4 miles, an acute care hospital, then Multicare Auburn Medical Center in Auburn, 5.5 miles, an acute care hospital. Valley Medical Center is at 400 S 43rd St., Renton, WA 98055.
Road distance from Kent is longer than a straight line. Wherever you were treated, ask for the full records and an itemized bill, and keep a list of every visit.
Further down the same list are Highline Medical Center in Burien (7.7 miles) and St. Francis Community Hospital in Federal Way (8.3 miles). The file lists 5 hospitals within 10 miles of Kent, 21 within 25 miles and 28 within 50 miles, all in a straight line.
The nearest places in Washington that this site has pages for, by the same coordinates, are SeaTac (5.5 miles northwest), Auburn (5.8 miles south) and Renton (6.4 miles north). From Kent, Spokane lies 224 miles east and Seattle 17 miles north.
What To Do Once You Are Ready To Talk In Kent
Start with the form at the top. It asks a few questions about the injury. NeedAnAttorney.net reviews your details and works to match you with an attorney in our network who may handle cases in Washington. Using it is free, and it does not create an attorney client relationship.
Meanwhile, jot down the facts while they are fresh: date, time, place, who was there, what care you have had and what work you have missed. Save every bill and every message from an insurer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do injury cases from Kent stay in the local court?
It depends on who is being sued and how much is claimed. Your attorney can confirm the right court for your claim. The courts named in the section above are the ones listed by the state judiciary for this area.
How many years do I have to sue after an injury in Washington?
Most injury claims must be filed within three years (RCW 4.16.080(2)). Extra time can be available for a child and in some other limited situations (RCW 4.16.190). Do not wait to ask.
What happens to my claim if I share some of the fault?
Washington answers this directly. Your own share of the fault reduces your award in proportion to that share, and no fixed percentage ends the claim by itself, though a few narrow statutory exceptions can still bar a claim (RCW 4.22.005). How the blame is assigned matters. Keep notes about how the injury happened.
Is there a ceiling on what I can recover for pain and suffering?
The amount is shown by the medical records and the proof of your losses; ask an attorney whether any limit applies to your facts. Medical bills and lost income are handled separately from pain and suffering. An attorney can tell you which rules apply to your facts.
How much insurance does the other driver have to have?
At least $25,000 for injury to one person, $50,000 for injury to two or more people in one accident and $10,000 for property damage (RCW 46.30.020(1)(a) and RCW 46.29.090(1)). A serious injury can cost more than the other driver’s policy pays. Keep the other driver’s insurance details from the day of the crash.
What is the nearest hospital to Kent?
On the federal list the nearest hospital is Valley Medical Center in Renton (3.7 miles, straight line), then Multicare Covington Medical Center in Covington (5.4 miles) and Multicare Auburn Medical Center in Auburn (5.5 miles). In an emergency call 911; not every hospital has an emergency room.
Which other places near Kent does this site cover?
By Census coordinates the nearest are SeaTac, 5.5 miles northwest; Auburn, 5.8 miles south; and Renton, 6.4 miles north, all in a straight line from Kent.
What if a public employee caused my injury?
Possibly. Special claim or notice steps can apply (RCW 4.92.090, 4.92.100, 4.92.110). Skipping a required notice step can end a claim. An early start protects your rights.
Serving Injured Clients Across Washington
If your injury happened outside Kent, one of these pages may fit better.
