Tacoma Personal Injury Attorneys
Tacoma Pedestrian
Accident Lawyers
When a driver hits someone on foot, the injuries are often catastrophic — and the insurer’s first move is to blame the victim. We push back, prove fault, and fight for everything you’re owed.
“They took my case when other firms turned me down. They kept me in the loop with frequent updates, found care providers near me for all my treatments, and fought to get me the highest compensation possible.”
Get a Free Case Evaluation
Hit While Walking? You Have Rights.
A pedestrian has nothing to absorb the impact of a car — no seatbelt, no airbag, no steel frame. That’s why a collision on a busy Tacoma street like Pacific Avenue, Tacoma Avenue, or South 38th Street so often leaves victims with broken bones, brain trauma, or worse. Add the Pacific Northwest’s persistent rain, wet glare, and long dark winter afternoons, and a driver who isn’t paying attention may never see the person in the crosswalk. And almost immediately, the driver’s insurance company starts looking for a way to blame you.
A Tacoma pedestrian accident lawyer levels the playing field. You may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost income, future care, and the pain this crash has caused. Call our injury attorneys today — your first consultation is free.
A Track Record That Speaks for Itself
Serious injuries demand serious representation. Over more than 20 years, our attorneys have recovered over $500 million for injured clients — including one of the largest personal-injury settlements in the firm’s history.
$6.25M
Confidential settlement
One of the largest personal-injury settlements in the firm’s history.
$5M
Motor-vehicle accident
Brachial plexus injury suffered in a motor-vehicle collision.
$3M
Auto accident
Back and neck injury settlement.
These results reflect the firm’s overall record across personal-injury matters. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is different.
Drivers Must Yield to Pedestrians
Under Washington traffic rules, the driver of a vehicle must yield the right of way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway in a marked crosswalk or in an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection. Every driver also owes a duty of reasonable care for the safety of anyone on foot — meaning a driver can be at fault even outside a crosswalk.
Insurance adjusters often argue the pedestrian “darted out” or “wasn’t in a crosswalk.” But the right of way is only part of the story — a driver who is speeding, distracted, or turning without looking is still responsible for the harm they cause. We investigate exactly what happened so the blame lands where it belongs.
Where Tacoma Pedestrians Get Hurt
The most dangerous places for people on foot are wide, fast arterials and the intersections that feed them — especially near schools, transit stops, and shopping centers.
Common Pedestrian Accident Injuries
Because a person on foot is completely unprotected, even a low-speed impact can cause life-altering harm. At highway and arterial speeds — the kind seen on SR-7, South Tacoma Way, and the I-5 on-ramps — the injuries are frequently catastrophic or fatal.
Head & Brain Trauma
With nothing between them and the pavement, pedestrians often suffer skull fractures and traumatic brain injuries — even at low speeds.
Spinal Cord Injuries
The force of a vehicle can fracture vertebrae or damage the spinal cord, sometimes causing partial or permanent paralysis.
Broken Bones
Legs, hips, the pelvis, arms, and ribs frequently fracture on impact, often requiring surgery and months of rehabilitation.
Internal Injuries
Being thrown to the ground can rupture organs and cause internal bleeding that is not obvious right away.
Road Rash & Lacerations
Sliding across asphalt tears skin and muscle, leaving deep wounds and permanent scarring.
Crush & Pelvic Injuries
A pedestrian pinned or run over can suffer devastating crush injuries to the legs, hips, and pelvis.
No matter how you feel right after being hit, get a full medical evaluation and keep every record. Some of the most serious conditions — like internal bleeding or a brain injury — don’t show symptoms until days later, and your records are key evidence in your claim.
How These Crashes Happen
Washington uses a fault-based system: the driver who caused the crash must pay for the injured person’s losses. Fault comes down to negligence — when a driver fails to use the reasonable care every motorist owes the people around them, including pedestrians.
When a driver is cited for failing to yield or another violation, that ticket can establish negligence per se — meaning the violation itself is evidence of careless driving. We dig into the police report, traffic-camera and surveillance footage, witness statements, and physical evidence to prove exactly who was responsible.
Common Ways Drivers Hit Pedestrians
- Distracted driving — texting or looking at a phone instead of the road
- Failing to yield to pedestrians in a marked or unmarked crosswalk
- Turning right or left without looking for people in the crosswalk
- Speeding through residential streets and school zones
- Running red lights and stop signs
- Driving impaired, or too fast for rain, road spray, and dark winter afternoons
Pedestrians have duties too — outside a crosswalk they are generally expected to yield to traffic — but a driver must still use reasonable care to avoid hitting anyone on the road. Under Washington’s pure comparative fault rule, RCW 4.22.005, even a pedestrian who is partly at fault can still recover — their share of fault reduces the award proportionately but does not bar the claim.
What to Do After Being Hit by a Car
What you do in the hours and days after a pedestrian accident can make or break your claim. Here’s how to protect your health — and your case.
Call 911 and get medical care
Get emergency help and a full medical exam. Internal injuries and concussions can be invisible at first but life-threatening if missed.
Document everything you can
Photos of the scene, the vehicle, the crosswalk, and your injuries — plus the driver’s information and the names of any witnesses.
Don’t talk to the driver’s insurer
Their goal is to blame you for stepping into traffic. Anything you say can be twisted to cut or deny your claim.
Call Valero
We handle the investigation, the paperwork, and the negotiations — and we can come to your home or hospital bedside.
Compensation After a Pedestrian Accident
A serious pedestrian injury brings bills that don’t stop just because you can’t work. Washington law lets injured pedestrians recover two kinds of damages.
Economic Damages
Calculable, out-of-pocket losses you can prove with bills and records.
- Emergency care, surgery, and hospital bills
- Ongoing physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Lost wages and lost earning capacity
- Mobility aids, in-home care, and future medical needs
Non-Economic Damages
The human cost of your injuries — subjective, but very real.
- Pain and physical suffering
- Disfigurement and permanent scarring
- Loss of consortium and companionship
- Lost future enjoyment of life
Why Injured Pedestrians Choose Valero Law Group
Proven Track Record
Over $500M recovered, including one of the largest personal-injury settlements in the firm’s history. We know how to maximize a serious-injury claim.
No Fee Unless We Win
You pay nothing up front. We only get paid when we recover money for you.
We Speak Spanish
Hablamos Español. You’ll always understand your case and your options.
Available 24/7
Day or night, a real person is here when you or your family need help.
We Come to You
Badly hurt and can’t travel? We’ll meet you at home or in the hospital.
We Fight the Blame Game
Insurers love to say the pedestrian “came out of nowhere.” We gather the evidence that proves the driver was at fault.
See What Our Clients Are Saying...
“The first time I came into the office they welcomed me like I was family, and made sure to go over the whole process slowly and with great detail. My experience with this law firm was truly incredible and I can guarantee any client who decides to hire them will see exactly what I experienced.”
Jacob D.
Auto Accident
“Valero injury law firm made me feel comfortable like family and answered my questions no matter how small. They are completely committed to making sure you are taken care of. They are honest, they communicate with you, and they treat you like family.”
Elizabeth M.
Auto Accident
“After searching for an attorney, they truly were the only ones that looked at me as a person not just an easy case. Any question, no matter how small was answered. Any missed call was quickly returned. Even though they have many clients I never felt like I was not a priority.”
Nathan J.
Personal Injury
Serving Pedestrians Across Tacoma & Pierce County
From the crosswalks of downtown Broadway to the busy corridors of Pacific Avenue, 6th Avenue, and South Tacoma Way, we know Tacoma’s most dangerous streets for people on foot. We help injured pedestrians across Lakewood, Puyallup, Federal Way, University Place, Fife, Gig Harbor, Bonney Lake, Spanaway, Parkland, and all of Pierce County.
24/7 Line
(800) 985-9565Pedestrian Accident FAQ
Who is at fault if a pedestrian is hit by a car in Washington?
Do pedestrians always have the right of way?
How long do I have to file a pedestrian accident claim in Washington?
What if I was partly to blame for the accident?
What if the driver who hit me had no insurance — or fled the scene?
What does a pedestrian accident lawyer cost?
Sources: RCW 4.16.080(2) (3-year personal-injury deadline) · RCW 4.22.005 (pure comparative fault) · RCW 4.16.190 (tolling for minors) · RCW 4.96.020 (claims against local government).
Hit by a Car? Let’s Talk Today.
A skilled Tacoma pedestrian accident lawyer will prove the driver was at fault, negotiate with the insurance company, and go to court if that’s what it takes to get you full value. Your first consultation is free. Call now: there are legal deadlines.
This page provides general information about Washington pedestrian accident law and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. For advice about your specific situation, speak with a licensed attorney.