Skip to main content

File a claim

File a claim

To file a claim for damages against King County, submit a claim for damages to the King County Office of Risk Management Services using one of the four ways described below.

Give specific details about your damage or loss. Include dates, times, witnesses, and any supporting documents. If your claim involves a Metro Transit bus, please provide the route, bus number, direction of travel, and time of day.

Records you submit are subject to public disclosure laws. Do not send medical records with your claim form. Our investigator will request your medical records if needed.

Submit a claim for damages

Choose one of these four ways to file your claim:

1. Complete a claim for damages online. 

The portal to file a claim online is currently available in English only. To file a claim in any language, please use one of the other methods below. The portal does not allow you to save your progress. You will be able to download a PDF copy of your claim after submitting it. If you provide an email address, you will be sent an email confirmation of your claim. The portal may work on your mobile device; experiences may vary between devices and browsers. This method does not require the form to be printed or scanned.

2. Download a claim form (fillable PDF) and file via email.

Save your completed form before you email it. This method does not require the form to be printed or scanned.

Email your complete, saved claim form to fileaclaim@kingcounty.gov.

Fillable PDF claim forms are available in several languages. 

3. Download a claim form (lined PDF for handwritten completion) for printing and file by mail. 

Be sure to sign your completed claim form.

Mail your completed claim form to: 

King County Office of Risk Management Services
King Street Center
201 South Jackson Street, Suite 320
Seattle, WA 98104

Lined PDF claim forms for handwritten completion are available in several languages. 

4. Download a Word document for use with a screen reader or other accessibility device and file via email.

Save your completed form before you email it. This method does not require the form to be printed or scanned.

Email your complete, saved claim form to fileaclaim@kingcounty.gov.

You may instead print, sign, and mail this form to:

King County Office of Risk Management Services
King Street Center
201 South Jackson Street, Suite 320
Seattle, WA 98104

Word document claim forms are available in several languages. 

Claim for damages forms

Choose a claim for damages form in your preferred language and format below.

English - fillable PDFlined PDF, Word

Español / Spanish - fillable PDFlined PDF, Word

አማርኛ / Amharic - fillable PDFlined PDF, Word

العربية / Arabic - fillable PDFlined PDF, Word

中文 / Chinese, simplified - fillable PDFlined PDF, Word

中文 / Chinese, traditional - fillable PDFlined PDF, Word

Français / French - fillable PDFlined PDF, Word

한국어 / Korean  - fillable PDFlined PDF, Word

ਪੰਜਾਬੀ / Punjabi - fillable PDFlined PDF, Word

Русский / Russian - fillable PDFlined PDF, Word

Srpski / Serbian - fillable PDFlined PDF, Word

af Soomaali / Somali - fillable PDFlined PDF, Word

Filipino / Tagalog - fillable PDFlined PDFWord

українська / Ukrainian - fillable PDFlined PDF, Word

tiếng việt / Vietnamese - fillable PDFlined PDF, Word

Need help filing a claim? Contact the Office of Risk Management Services at 206-263-2250. 

What happens after you file your claim?

Risk Management investigates your claim.

Our investigation begins when we receive your claim for damages. Submit your claim form as soon as possible after a loss occurs, even if damage costs or totals are uncertain.

Your investigator may request supporting documentation. They will provide an email address where you can submit this documentation.

Your claim will be evaluated and may result in one of three outcomes in which King County will:

  1. Pay a sum of money.
  2. Tender or transfer the claim to a different responsible party or entity.
  3. Deny a claim where there is no evidence of King County liability.

 

አማርኛ

Supporting documents

You may be asked to provide further documents supporting your claim. Since these documents may be required before a claim can be resolved, you may want to include them with your claim form.

Repair estimates/receipts

Please document your claim. Include estimates, photos, receipts, or any other documentation to support your loss.

Pictures

Photographs supporting your claim may be included with your King County Claim for Damages form. Alternatively, you can submit digital photographs via email to your assigned investigator after the investigation has begun.

Other agency reports

If a collision report was filed with a law enforcement agency, you may want to request a copy to provide with your claim form. Please contact the responding agency for more information.

If a collision report was filed by the Washington State Patrol, you can request a copy through the WRECR (Washington Requests for Electronic Collision Reports) site.

Types of claims handled

Tort claims for bodily injury or property damage occurring on King County property or as a result of County operations. Examples include collisions involving King County vehicles, slips and falls on King County property, and property loss claims for King County Correctional Facility and Maleng Regional Justice Center detainees.

Tort claims for injury or property damage involving King County Metro Transit or Seattle Streetcar vehicles.

Tort claims involving Sound Transit Link Light Rail and those Sound Transit bus routes operated by King County Metro Transit.

Claimants must file with the proper agency. Contact Metro Customer Service to verify which transit agency operates a specific route.

The Office of Risk Management Services also pursues recovery claims against negligent third parties responsible for damage to King County property and/or injury to King County employees.

206-263-2250

TTY Relay 711

Fax 206-296-0949

expand_less