Redmond Pedestrian Accident Attorney
A pedestrian has no steel around them, no airbag, and no seatbelt, which means a collision at a speed a driver barely registers can still produce a fractured pelvis, a skull fracture, or a spinal injury. Injury Law Group NW represents pedestrians hurt by drivers in Redmond and throughout King County, along with the Eastside and the greater Seattle area. If you are looking for a Redmond pedestrian accident attorney, you want someone who understands both the medicine of these injuries and the way insurers try to shrink them on paper.
Redmond is a city built around driving and walking at the same time. Wide arterials like Redmond Way and NE 85th Street carry heavy commuter traffic past crosswalks, transit stops, and shopping centers. Downtown Redmond and the Overlake area draw large numbers of workers and students on foot, often at dusk or in the rain, when a driver’s view is poorest. Many of the crashes that result trace back to a driver who turned without looking, rolled through a crosswalk, or never scanned for someone stepping off the curb.
The insurer’s first question after a pedestrian crash is rarely about the injury. It is about you: where you were standing, whether you were looking at your phone, whether you were in the marked crosswalk. How that question gets answered, and what evidence exists to answer it, shapes the entire claim.
Why Choose Injury Law Group NW for a Redmond Pedestrian Injury Claim
Injury Law Group NW is a personal injury firm that represents people hurt by someone else’s negligence across King County, including Redmond, Bellevue, Kirkland, Sammamish, Issaquah, Kent, Renton, and Seattle. Its attorneys spent decades defending insurance companies before representing injury victims, and that history is the reason the firm approaches pedestrian cases the way it does. Clients are offered a free, confidential consultation, and the firm works on a contingency fee basis, so there is no attorney fee unless there is a recovery.
Founding partner Troy Hunter spent 16 years in insurance defense litigation, mostly as a partner at Floyd, Pflueger & Ringer, defending insurers and their corporate clients. He also serves as a dispute mediator. Attorney David D. Mordekhov spent two decades at Gardner Trabolsi & Mordekhov, a Seattle defense firm, trying wrongful death, catastrophic injury, and product liability cases before judges and juries. Troy and David are both rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell. David has been selected to the Super Lawyers list and teaches trial and deposition skills as faculty at the National Institute for Trial Advocacy. Associate attorneys Warren Barreiro and Hannah Shergold complete the team, and the firm is a member of the Washington State Association for Justice. Its attorneys have argued at every level of the Washington court system, from district court to the Washington Supreme Court.
For a pedestrian case, that defense-side experience is practical rather than decorative. The attorneys know which records an adjuster pulls first, how a claim is valued internally, and what signals an insurer that a lawyer is ready to try the case. Every claim is prepared as though it will go to trial, because carriers pay more fairly when they believe it might.
Relevant results include a mid-six-figure settlement for an elderly woman struck by a transit bus in a downtown Seattle crosswalk, a mid-six-figure settlement for a family of five whose minivan was forced into the I-5 center barrier by a semi-truck, and more than $1 million for parents whose newborn died after a hospital failed to adequately test for Group B Strep, a case that also led the hospital to change its procedures. Past results do not guarantee a future outcome. Clients describe a team that responds quickly, explains things clearly, and treats them like people rather than files, and case managers return calls and texts promptly. David is fluent in Russian and Warren speaks Spanish, and if your injuries make travel hard, the firm will meet you at home or at the hospital.
Common Ways Pedestrians Get Hit in Redmond
- Crosswalk Collisions: A driver turning right on red watches for cross traffic and never sees the person already stepping into the crosswalk. Unmarked crosswalks at intersections count too, and a driver’s duty to yield exists whether or not there is paint on the road.
- Left-Turn Strikes: Drivers turning left on a green light focus on oncoming vehicles and hit walkers crossing with the signal. These impacts often happen at moderate speed but cause serious leg, hip, and head injuries.
- Driveway and Parking Lot Impacts: Shopping centers and office campuses around Redmond Town Center and Overlake have constant vehicle movement in and out of lots. Reversing drivers and cars leaving driveways across sidewalks are a frequent source of injuries.
- Dusk and Rain Crashes: Long Pacific Northwest winters mean many commutes happen in the dark or in heavy rain. Visibility, speed for conditions, and headlight use all become central questions in these cases.
- Distracted and Impaired Drivers: Phone use, drowsiness, and alcohol or drug impairment turn a routine drive into a hazard for anyone on foot. Washington treats a blood or breath alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher within two hours of driving as a DUI offense, and impairment evidence can matter greatly to a civil claim.
- Bus and Transit Stop Accidents: Riders crossing to or from stops are exposed to traffic, and transit vehicles themselves can strike pedestrians. Claims involving a transit agency or other government entity follow special notice rules.
- Hit-and-Run Crashes: When a driver flees, the claim may turn to your own uninsured motorist coverage. Early evidence gathering, such as nearby cameras and witnesses, can make the difference in identifying the driver.
- Road Design and Maintenance Hazards: Poorly lit crossings, obstructed sightlines, or malfunctioning signals can contribute to a crash, which may open a claim against a public entity or a property owner in addition to the driver.
What to Do After You Are Hit by a Car in Redmond
Get medical care first, even if you walk away feeling mostly intact. Adrenaline hides injuries, and concussions, internal bleeding, and soft tissue damage often announce themselves hours or days later. Emergency responders and the nearest hospital emergency department will create the first medical record linking your injuries to the crash, and insurers look hard at any gap between the collision and treatment.
Report the crash so a police report exists. Redmond police handle collisions within city limits, and the report identifies the driver, the insurer, and witnesses. If you can, photograph the scene, the vehicle, your injuries, the crosswalk or signal, and any visible cameras on nearby businesses, since footage is often overwritten within days. Get names and contact details from anyone who saw it happen. Keep your torn clothing and damaged phone, glasses, or shoes.
Be careful with the other driver’s insurance company. You are generally not required to give a recorded statement to the at-fault driver’s insurer, and adjusters use those statements to minimize injuries or move blame onto you. Do not guess about your speed, your route, or whether you “feel okay.” Check your own auto policy as well. Washington auto policies include personal injury protection coverage unless it was rejected in writing, and it can pay medical expenses and some lost wages regardless of who caused the crash, even when you were on foot.
Deadlines matter. Most Washington injury lawsuits must be started within three years of the injury, and a wrongful death claim runs three years from the date of death. A lawsuit counts as started when the complaint is filed or served, so long as the other step is completed within 90 days. If a city, county, transit agency, or the state may share responsibility, a formal tort claim must be presented to the right agency first, using the standard claim form, and no lawsuit can be filed until 60 calendar days after presentment. Email and fax generally do not count as delivery for local government claims, which is a common way people lose rights without knowing it.
Where a case is filed depends on its size and facts. District court has civil jurisdiction over injury claims up to a set dollar cap, and the East Division, which includes Redmond, hears those. Larger or more complex claims go to King County Superior Court, which sits in Seattle and Kent, and adults living north of I-90 will typically find their matters heard in Seattle. Most claims settle before trial, but the preparation is built around a courtroom.
How Fault Gets Argued in Pedestrian Cases
Washington uses comparative fault. If a jury finds you partly responsible, your damages are reduced by your percentage, but you are not barred from recovery. A pedestrian found 20 percent at fault still recovers 80 percent of the damages. Fault under Washington law includes unreasonable failure to avoid an injury, so insurers frequently argue that a walker crossed outside a crosswalk, ignored a signal, or was not watching traffic.
That is why the attorney’s work in these cases is largely about evidence. We look at the signal timing, the sightlines from the driver’s seat, the driver’s speed and phone records, nearby video, the vehicle’s event data, and the physical evidence on the roadway. A lawyer who has sat on the insurer’s side knows which of those pieces tends to move a fault percentage and which an adjuster will ignore. The goal is to keep the fault allocation where the facts put it rather than where the insurer would prefer.
Damages in a pedestrian case can include past and future medical care, lost wages and lost earning capacity, and pain and suffering. For serious injuries such as traumatic brain injury, medical and vocational evidence is needed to show how the injury will affect work and daily life for years, not just through the settlement date.
Redmond Pedestrian Accident Questions Answered
How long do I have to file a pedestrian accident lawsuit in Washington?
Most personal injury actions must be started within three years of the injury. Wrongful death claims also run three years from the date of death. Claims that involve a government agency require a tort claim first, followed by a 60-day waiting period before filing, so those cases need attention much earlier.
What if I was crossing outside a crosswalk?
You may still have a claim. Washington’s comparative fault rule reduces your recovery by your share of responsibility but does not eliminate it. Drivers also owe a duty of care to people on the road, and whether you were jaywalking is only one factor in a fault analysis.
Who pays my medical bills while the claim is pending?
Personal injury protection coverage on your own auto policy can pay medical expenses and some lost wages regardless of fault, unless you rejected it in writing. Your health insurance may also cover treatment. Ultimately the at-fault driver’s insurer should be responsible for your losses, and a lawyer helps coordinate these sources.
Should I talk to the driver’s insurance company?
You are generally not required to give a recorded statement to the at-fault driver’s insurer. Adjusters ask questions designed to minimize injuries or assign blame to you, so it is wise to speak with a lawyer first.
How much is my pedestrian accident case worth?
Value depends on injury severity, medical expenses, lost income, long-term effects on your life, and the insurance coverage available. We evaluate cases the way insurers do, so we can describe what a fair recovery looks like and push for it.
What if the driver who hit me left the scene?
You may be able to claim under your own uninsured motorist coverage, depending on your policy. Reporting the crash promptly and preserving nearby video and witness information improves the chance of identifying the driver.
Can I recover if the driver was drunk or on drugs?
Yes, and impairment is often strong evidence of negligence. In Washington, a breath or blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher within two hours of driving is a DUI offense. A criminal case runs separately from your civil claim, and your claim does not depend on the criminal outcome.
What if a child was hit by a car in Redmond?
Washington law tolls limitations periods for people under 18, and parents have their own cause of action for a child’s injury or death. Because the rules vary by situation, it helps to speak with a lawyer early rather than relying on tolling.
Will it take long to resolve a pedestrian case?
Timelines depend on injury severity and whether the insurer disputes fault. A claim usually should not settle until you reach maximum medical improvement or the long-term outlook is clear, since settling early can leave future care unpaid. Cases that go to suit take longer.
Is it worth hiring a lawyer if my injuries seem minor?
Injuries that seem minor at first, particularly head and spine injuries, can develop. The free consultation costs nothing, and because the firm works on contingency, there is no attorney fee unless there is a recovery.
What if a city or transit agency shares the blame?
Claims against local governments must be presented on the standard form to the entity’s designated agent, and no suit can be filed until 60 days after presentment. Missing these steps can jeopardize the claim, so they should be handled right away.
Can a wrongful death claim follow a fatal pedestrian crash?
Yes. The personal representative of the estate may bring the action for the benefit of the spouse or state registered domestic partner and children, and if there are none, the parents or siblings. Damages can include funeral and medical expenses, lost financial support, and loss of love and companionship.
Serving Pedestrian Accident Clients Across Redmond and King County
Our work for injured pedestrians starts in Redmond, from the downtown core and Redmond Town Center area to Overlake, Education Hill, Bear Creek, Grass Lawn, Idylwood, and the Willows Road corridor. From there we represent clients across King County and the Eastside, including Kirkland, Bellevue, Sammamish, Issaquah, Woodinville, Bothell, and Mercer Island, as well as Renton, Kent, and Seattle neighborhoods like Ballard, Capitol Hill, and the University District. Whether the collision happened in a Redmond crosswalk, a Bellevue parking lot, or a downtown Seattle street, the firm handles injuries across the greater Seattle area and the Puget Sound region.
Talk With a Redmond Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
If a driver hit you or someone you love, a Redmond pedestrian accident lawyer from Injury Law Group NW can tell you what the evidence shows, what your claim may be worth, and what deadlines apply to you. Call or text to schedule a free, confidential consultation. We will listen to what happened, explain your options, and fight for the medical care and compensation you need. We give hope. We get results.
