How long do I have to file a pedestrian accident claim?

The Revised Code of Washington § 4.16.080 gives an individual three years from the date of their pedestrian accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. A wrongful death action will also be bound by a three-year statute of limitations, but the limitations period will begin on the date of a victim’s death instead of the date of the crash. State law in Washington does allow for the limitations period to be tolled (delayed) when certain circumstances exist. The Revised Code of Washington § 4.16.190 allows for the statute of limitations to be tolled when a person is under the 18 years of age, imprisoned on a criminal charge, or “incompetent or disabled to such a degree that he or she cannot understand the nature of the proceedings.” In such cases, a plaintiff will have three years from the date they turn 18, are released from prison, or become mentally competent, respectively. The Revised Code of Washington § 4.16.180 also provides for the tolling of the limitations period when a defendant has left the state or is concealed within it.