There is no bumper, no seatbelt, and no airbag between a person on foot and a two-ton vehicle. That is why getting hit as a pedestrian so often means a hospital stay, not a walk-off.
A Spokane pedestrian accident lawyer at Parker & McConkie represents people struck by vehicles across Spokane and Washington, and we pursue the full cost of injuries that are usually anything but minor. We handle the insurance company for you, and you owe nothing unless we win. The first consultation is free.
If a driver hit you while you were walking, call our Spokane office at (509) 374-3111.
Who Has the Right of Way, a Pedestrian or a Driver?
In most everyday situations, the pedestrian does. Washington law requires drivers to stop and yield to people crossing within a crosswalk, whether it is marked with paint or an unmarked crossing at an intersection. That duty is spelled out in RCW 46.61.235. When a driver fails to yield and hits you, that failure is strong evidence of fault.
Drivers and insurers often flip the story, suggesting the pedestrian "came out of nowhere." The law does not support that reflex. A driver has a duty to watch for and yield to people on foot, and looking away or speeding through a crosswalk does not excuse the crash.
Our Spokane attorneys use the right-of-way rules to establish the driver's responsibility from the start.
What If You Were Hit Outside a Crosswalk?
You may still have a strong claim. Being outside a crosswalk does not strip away your right to recover, and it does not automatically make the crash your fault. Drivers always owe a general duty to drive carefully and to avoid hitting people they can see.
Washington uses pure comparative negligence, which means that even if you shared some of the blame, your compensation is only reduced by your percentage of fault, not eliminated. So a driver who was speeding, texting, or ignoring the conditions can still be largely responsible even if you were mid-block.
We look at the whole picture, meaning the driver's speed, attention, and chance to stop, rather than accepting the insurer's shortcut that stepping off a corner ends your case.
What If the Driver Fled the Scene?
You are not out of options, even in a hit-and-run. Pedestrian hit-and-runs are painfully common, and Washington drivers who leave the scene of an injury crash commit a crime. But your recovery does not depend on catching them.
Your own uninsured motorist coverage, or UM, can pay for your injuries when the driver who hit you cannot be found or has no insurance. This is coverage many people do not know they can use as a pedestrian. Police work, nearby security or traffic cameras, and witnesses also identify fleeing drivers more often than you might expect.
We pursue both paths at once, the investigation and your own coverage, so a driver who runs does not leave you paying for their crime.
Why Pedestrian Crashes Happen in Spokane
Pedestrian crashes cluster where people on foot and moving traffic are forced together, and Spokane has several of those pressure points. Knowing the pattern helps show the crash was preventable.
Downtown crosswalks, the busy Division Street corridor, and transit stops put walkers directly alongside drivers who are turning, accelerating, or distracted. Risk climbs on dark winter evenings, when early sunset and wet or icy pavement cut a driver's reaction time.
Drivers turning right on red while looking left for a gap, and drivers rolling through crosswalks near the STA Plaza and Riverfront Park, are patterns we see repeatedly. In nearly all of them, the driver simply was not watching for a person.
We investigate these specifics, because the conditions of your crash are what prove the driver failed a duty they clearly owed.
What Should You Do After Being Hit by a Car?
If you are able, protect both your health and your claim in the first hours, and if you are too injured, a companion or family member can step in. Serious pedestrian injuries may leave you unable to gather evidence yourself, and that is understandable.
When possible, the steps that matter most are:
- Call 911 so police and medics respond and an official report is created
- Get the driver's information and the vehicle's license plate
- Ask bystanders to photograph the scene and note where you were crossing
- Collect names and numbers of witnesses before they leave
- Get medical care immediately, even for injuries that seem minor at first
Do not accept blame at the scene or tell the driver's insurer the crash was partly your fault. In the shock right after being hit, it is easy to say something an adjuster later twists against you. Let the evidence speak, and let us handle the insurer. If no one gathered these details, we can still investigate using cameras, police work, and witnesses.
How Long After Being Hit Do You Have to File a Claim?
You generally have three years from the date you were hit to file a pedestrian injury lawsuit in Washington, under RCW 4.16.080. Let that deadline pass and you usually lose the right to recover.
Serious injuries can keep you focused on survival and rehabilitation for months, which is understandable, but the evidence needs attention sooner. Camera footage gets overwritten and witnesses move on. Calling early lets us preserve what your case depends on.
We help everyday people stand up for What's Right.
How Much Is a Spokane Pedestrian Accident Claim Worth?
Because pedestrians absorb the full force of a vehicle, these claims often reflect catastrophic, life-changing injuries. Your claim is worth the complete cost of the crash, from the bills you can count to the losses that no receipt captures.
Compensation generally includes medical care from the emergency room through long-term rehabilitation, lost wages and future earning ability, and payment for pain, disability, disfigurement, and the disruption to your life.
Pedestrian crashes frequently cause a traumatic brain injury, a lasting disruption of brain function called a TBI, along with multiple fractures and spinal damage that demand years of care. We build claims that reflect that full future, not just the first hospital bill.
Why Injured Pedestrians Choose Parker & McConkie
We take these cases seriously because the injuries are serious, and we refuse to let an insurer blame a person for the crime of walking. Over the years we have won substantial recoveries for badly injured clients. No lawyer can promise a specific result, but that record reflects a firm that does the work and is ready to go to trial when an insurer refuses to be fair.
We serve injured pedestrians throughout Spokane County and the surrounding area. We coordinate with your medical team, bring in reconstruction experts when a driver disputes fault, and pursue every source of coverage, including your own policy after a hit-and-run.
You risk nothing by calling. Our fee is a percentage of what we recover, owed only if we win, and the first consultation is free.
What Injuries Do Pedestrian Crashes Cause?
Because a pedestrian has no protection, the injuries are often severe and long lasting. The same impact that dents a car can put a person on foot in the hospital for weeks or months, and the effects can reshape their life.
The injuries we see most include traumatic brain injury, broken bones and crushed limbs, spinal cord damage, and internal injuries. Pedestrians are also frequently thrown or dragged, which adds road-rash wounds and multiple fractures to an already serious picture. Older adults are especially vulnerable, and an impact a younger person might survive can be catastrophic for them.
These injuries rarely resolve with a single hospital stay. They often require surgery, long rehabilitation, and ongoing care, and some leave permanent disability. We build claims that account for that full arc of recovery, including the future medical needs and lost earning ability that an early insurance offer ignores.
To talk through your injuries and what your claim may cover, call (509) 374-3111.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a lawyer after being hit by a car in Spokane?
For any injury, yes. Pedestrian cases involve serious harm, disputed fault, and sometimes a driver who fled, and insurers use all of it to pay less. A Spokane pedestrian accident lawyer establishes the driver's duty, finds coverage even after a hit-and-run, and handles the insurer while you recover.
How much does a Spokane pedestrian accident lawyer cost?
Nothing upfront. We handle pedestrian cases on contingency, meaning our fee is a share of the recovery and applies only if we win, with no fee if we do not. The consultation is free and we advance the costs, so serious injuries do not keep you from experienced help.
What if the crash was partly my fault?
Yes. Washington's pure comparative negligence rule reduces your compensation by your share of fault but never bars it. A pedestrian who was partly inattentive can still recover heavily from a driver who was speeding or distracted. Insurers inflate your share to save money, and we challenge that with evidence.
What if my family member was killed by a driver while walking?
You may have a wrongful death claim. Washington allows eligible family members to seek compensation for their loss when a driver's negligence causes a death. These claims carry their own rules and deadlines. We handle them with care and can explain your options in a private, no-pressure conversation.
What if I was hit by a city bus or a government vehicle?
You may still have a claim, but the rules are stricter and the clock is shorter. Claims against a government entity, such as a transit agency or a city vehicle, require a formal notice of claim filed within a limited time, often much sooner than the standard deadline. Miss that step and the claim can be lost even if the driver was clearly at fault.
These cases also involve specific procedures that trip up people who try to handle them alone. If a public vehicle hits you, contact a lawyer quickly so the notice requirements are met. We handle claims against government agencies and know how to protect your rights within those tighter deadlines.
The driver's insurance says I was jaywalking, so they will not pay. Is that true?
Not necessarily. Even if you crossed outside a crosswalk, Washington's comparative negligence rule still lets you recover, reduced only by your share of fault. A driver who was speeding or distracted can remain mostly responsible. Do not accept a flat denial based on where you were standing before a lawyer reviews it.
I was hit in a parking lot, not on a street. Does that change my claim?
Usually not in a way that hurts you. Drivers owe pedestrians care in parking lots too, and low-speed lots still produce serious injuries, especially to older adults and children. The same duty to watch and yield applies. We handle parking lot pedestrian claims the same way we handle street crashes.
My elderly parents were struck and their injuries are severe. What should we do first?
Focus on their care, and preserve what you can. Get their medical treatment documented, keep any clothing or belongings from the scene, and write down witness names before memories fade. Then call us. Older pedestrians often suffer catastrophic injuries, and we can handle the legal side while your family focuses on them.
Talk to a Spokane Pedestrian Accident Attorney
Being hit while walking can upend your life in an instant, and you should not have to fight the driver's insurer while you are trying to recover. Our Spokane attorneys establish fault, find every source of payment, and pursue the full cost of your injuries.
Call our Spokane office at (509) 374-3111, or our toll-free line at (833) 782-6387. We represent injured pedestrians across Washington, and your first conversation is free.