California Car Accident Lawyers

Dangerous Road Conditions
Distracted Driving
Drunk Driving
Head-on Collision
Hit and Run
Intersection Accident
Rear-End Collision
Rollover Accident
Tailgating Accident
T-Bone/Side Collision Accident
Speeding Accident
Malfunction of Technology in Driverless Cars

Car crashes have numerous causes, including:

• Driver inattention– the driver is distracted or simply is not paying attention to driving.
• Talking on a cell phone – cell phones are distractions and take the driver’s attention and hands away from the task of driving.
• Sending or receiving text messages – texting is one of the most dangerous distractions and increases the chance of an accident more than 20 times.
• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol – it is estimated that about 25% of crashes involve impaired drivers.

California drivers can purchase several types of auto insurance:

• Liability: Pays covered injury and property damage claims made against an insured driver.
• Collision: Covers damage to your vehicle from a collision.
• Comprehensive: Covers losses such as theft, vandalism, fire, and weather damage.
• Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist: Covers qualifying injuries caused by drivers with no insurance or insufficient coverage.
• Medical Payments: Pays covered medical expenses regardless of fault.
• Optional Coverage: Includes rental reimbursement, towing, and certain vehicle loan shortfalls through GAP coverage.

Availability, exclusions, and payment limits depend on the policy. Our California car accident lawyers will review the coverage that may apply to your injuries.

California Vehicle Code §16020 requires drivers and vehicle owners to “at all times be able to establish financial responsibility.” Most satisfy this requirement through liability insurance. For standard policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, §16056 requires at least:

• $30,000: Bodily injury or death to one person.
• $60,000: Bodily injury or death to multiple people per accident, subject to the per-person limit.
• $15,000: Property damage per accident.

These are insurance minimums; a responsible driver’s liability can exceed the available coverage.

California also permits approved alternatives, including a $75,000 DMV deposit, a $75,000 surety bond, or a DMV-issued self-insurance certificate. Eligible drivers may qualify for the separate California Low Cost Automobile Insurance Program.

Car insurance covers a range of things depending on your policy. Some examples include:

• repair or replacement costs,
• rental car reimbursement,
• property damage or injury to another party,
• medical expenses,
• funeral costs.

Notify your insurer promptly through its claims department, website, or app. Provide the accident date, location, driver information, and an accurate account of what happened. Obtain a claim number and submit photographs, repair estimates, medical records, and other requested supporting documents. Keep copies of communications.

You can also pursue a claim against the responsible driver’s insurer. An insurance claim does not replace required DMV reports or extend your lawsuit deadline. Our California car accident law firm can help coordinate your injury claim and track applicable deadlines.

Starting January 1, 2025, California will raise its minimum auto insurance liability limits under Senate Bill 1107, enhancing driver protection in car accidents. Currently, the state requires drivers to carry at least $15,000 for bodily injury per person, $30,000 per accident, and $5,000 for property damage.

In 2025, these limits will double to $30,000 for bodily injury per person, $60,000 per accident, and $15,000 for property damage. This change addresses the increasing costs of medical care and vehicle repairs, ensuring drivers have better financial protection after accidents. By raising these mandatory coverage amounts, California aims to reduce the financial burden on accident victims and provide more comprehensive compensation for injuries and property damage.

Photograph the damage, obtain an itemized repair estimate, and arrange an insurance inspection. Ask about towing, storage, and rental reimbursement, and keep receipts. You may pursue the responsible driver’s property damage coverage or use your own collision coverage, subject to your deductible.

You choose the repair shop. California Insurance Code §758.5 is very specific in this manner: “No insurer shall require that an automobile be repaired at a specific automotive repair dealer.”

If the vehicle is totaled, review the valuation against comparable vehicles. A qualifying total-loss settlement must include applicable taxes and fees. Before signing a property damage release, have its wording checked to ensure it preserves any unresolved injury claim.

Have a personal injury lawyer from our law firm review the offer and release before accepting. Compare the payment with your documented losses, expected future treatment, lost income, and recoverable pain and suffering. California Civil Code §3333 bases tort compensation on harm legally caused by the defendant.

A signed release can end your right to pursue the claims it covers. California Civil Code §1542 protects certain unknown claims, making any proposed waiver of that protection particularly important to review.

At Johnson Attorneys Group, we will evaluate the offer, explain what rights you would release, and negotiate when the evidence supports a higher payment.

Yes. Notify your insurer promptly, even if you believe another driver caused the crash. Follow your policy’s notice and cooperation requirements. Your insurer may need to investigate, provide benefits, or defend you against a claim.

The deadline for notifying your insurer depends on your policy. California’s separate 10-day DMV reporting deadline applies when someone is injured or killed, or damage to any one person’s property exceeds $1,000. Reporting to your insurer does not automatically satisfy this requirement.

Take these steps to protect your safety and document your claim:

1. Stop and get help. Call 911 for injuries. For a property-damage-only collision, move to a nearby safe location that does not obstruct traffic.
2. Exchange information. Obtain driver, vehicle, insurance, and witness details.
3. Preserve evidence. Photograph vehicle damage, road conditions, traffic signals, and the scene when safe.
4. Get medical attention. Seek prompt evaluation for injuries and keep treatment records.
5. Notify your insurer. Provide accurate facts and retain your claim number.

These actions help preserve information your California car accident attorney may need.

For an injury or fatal collision, §20008 generally requires a written report to the appropriate police department or CHP within 24 hours. Separately, submit the DMV’s SR-1 within 10 days when the reporting threshold applies.

Avoid actions that can harm your claim or violate your responsibilities:

• Do not leave without fulfilling your duties. California law requires stopping and providing assistance or information as applicable.
• Do not guess about fault or promise payment. Report facts accurately and exchange required information.
• Do not sign a release you do not understand. It can end claims you intended to preserve.
• Do not ignore reporting or filing deadline. Settlement discussions do not replace timely legal action.

The answer is always yes if you sustained any degree of injury and there is property damage caused by the other party who is involved. Your auto accident attorney will investigate how the accident occurred and gather evidence to support your request for financial compensation.

Tort law provides the basis for seeking compensation when another driver’s negligence injures you. California Civil Code §1714(a) establishes responsibility for injuries caused by a “want of ordinary care or skill.” A negligence claim requires proof of a duty of care, a breach, causation, and damages. Strong evidence supporting these elements improves your case’s prospects; the law does not guarantee a win.

California Civil Code §3333 permits compensation for “all the detriment proximately caused thereby.” This supports recovery for proven medical expenses, lost income, property damage, and pain and suffering, subject to applicable restrictions.

California’s pure comparative negligence rule reduces compensation by your percentage of fault. For example, $100,000 in proven damages becomes $80,000 if you are 20% responsible, before other applicable adjustments. At Johnson Attorneys Group, we can help you assess the evidence and challenge unsupported allegations of fault.

California law gives injured motorists grounds to hold negligent drivers accountable and pursue payment for their losses. These protections include:

• Enforceable driving duties: Drivers must obey traffic signals and travel at speeds safe for conditions. California Vehicle Code §§21453 and 22350 establish these duties. The DMV also explains stopping, yielding, and sharing the road safely.
• A negligence presumption for qualifying violations: Under Evidence Code §669, a traffic-law violation can create a rebuttable presumption of negligence when it causes the type of harm the law was intended to prevent, to someone the law protects.
• Financial responsibility requirements: Standard minimum liability coverage is $30,000 for injury or death to one person, $60,000 for multiple people, and $15,000 for property damage. These insurance minimums do not set your claim’s total value.

Protecting your claim also means acting on time. Injury lawsuits generally have a two-year deadline; claims against public entities generally require an administrative claim within six months. Contact our team promptly to review the deadlines that apply.

Vicarious liability makes another party legally responsible for a driver’s wrongful conduct because of their legal relationship. Under California’s respondeat superior doctrine and Civil Code §2338, an employer is responsible for an employee’s negligent driving within the scope of employment. The injured person does not need to prove that the employer personally drove carelessly.

For example, an employer may be liable when its employee causes a crash while making an assigned delivery. Employment records, dispatch instructions, delivery logs, and GPS data can help establish the relationship and purpose of the trip. Our team of car accident lawyers will investigate whether an employer should be included in your claim.

Yes. California Vehicle Code §17150 makes an owner liable for harm caused by negligent or wrongful vehicle operation when the driver had the owner’s express or implied permission. Evidence can include registration records, messages granting permission, witness statements, and a history of permitted use.

Liability based solely on permissive ownership is generally capped at $15,000 per injured person, $30,000 per accident for multiple people, and $5,000 for property damage under §17151. These limits do not govern liability arising from an employer or principal relationship.

An owner may also face a separate negligent-entrustment claim for allowing someone they knew, or should have known, was unfit to drive to use the vehicle, when that unfitness caused the injury. Our team will evaluate which grounds for liability the evidence supports.

Expert testimony helps prove technical issues involving fault, injury causation, and future losses. California Evidence Code §801 permits expert opinions on matters beyond ordinary experience when they assist the judge or jury and rest on an appropriate factual basis.

For example, if a driver disputes speeding before impact, an accident reconstruction expert may analyze vehicle data, roadway measurements, and damage patterns to estimate speed and explain how it contributed to the collision. A medical expert may explain whether the crash caused an injury and what future treatment it requires.

Experts are not necessary in every case. We can assess whether specialized testimony would address a disputed issue and support your compensation claim.

Pain-and-suffering compensation covers the personal, nonfinancial effects of crash injuries. Depending on the evidence, recoverable noneconomic losses include:

• Physical Pain: Injury-related discomfort, including pain during treatment and recovery.
• Emotional Distress: Crash-related fear, anxiety, and mental suffering.
• Loss of Enjoyment of Life: Reduced ability to participate in hobbies and valued activities.
• Physical Impairment: Limitations affecting movement and everyday functioning.
• Disfigurement: Scarring or other lasting changes in appearance.
• Inconvenience: Injury-related disruption to daily life.

There is no fixed dollar formula. The amount depends on the evidence, including severity, duration, and effects on daily life. Future suffering must be reasonably certain to occur.

California Civil Code §3333.4 generally bars these damages for specified uninsured owners or drivers and injured drivers convicted of DUI arising from the accident. Exceptions exist, including a statutory exception for an uninsured owner injured by a motorist convicted of DUI.