California Accident Law Snapshot

California Car Accident Claims

Legal Options After a Car Accident in California After a car accident in California, injured victims may pursue compensation through an insurance claim or by filing a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver. California follows a pure comparative negligence system, allowing recovery even if you were mostly at fault, though damages are reduced by your percentage of fault. Victims may recover compensation for medical bills, lost income, property damage, and pain and suffering. California's statute of limitations for personal injury claims is generally two years.

Quick Facts

Statute: 2 years from the date of the accident.
Fault Rule: Pure comparative negligence.
Minimum Coverage: $30,000 bodily injury per person / $60,000 per accident / $15,000 property damage.

California Law

Key Facts for California Accident Claims

Statute of Limitations

2 years from the date of the accident.

Personal injury claims

Fault System

Pure comparative negligence.

Comparative fault rules

Min. Liability Coverage

$30,000 bodily injury per person / $60,000 per accident / $15,000 property damage.

State minimums

Uninsured Motorist

Must be offered; optional but commonly included.

Coverage status

Statute of Limitations in California

In California, injured individuals generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. Missing this deadline typically results in losing the right to seek compensation through the courts. The statute applies to most car accident injury cases. Acting promptly helps preserve evidence and strengthens negotiations with insurers. Certain claims against government entities may have shorter deadlines.

Don't Wait: Evidence can disappear and memories fade. Contact an attorney as soon as possible after your accident.

California's Fault System

California operates under a pure comparative negligence system. This means you may recover damages even if you are primarily responsible for the accident. Your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you are found 70% at fault, you may still recover 30% of your damages. This system allows greater flexibility for injured parties compared to modified or contributory negligence states. However, insurance companies often attempt to increase your assigned fault to reduce payouts.

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Insurance Requirements

California requires drivers to carry minimum liability insurance of 30/60/15. This includes $30,000 for bodily injury per person, $60,000 per accident, and $15,000 for property damage. Liability insurance covers damages you cause to others. Insurers must also offer uninsured motorist coverage, though drivers may decline it in writing. Given California's high traffic volume, maintaining UM/UIM coverage can provide valuable financial protection.

Crash Data for California

NHTSA FARS 2024 data for California: 233 of 248 deaths in large-truck crashes (94.0%) affected people who were not inside the commercial vehicle - most of them in passenger cars (Cash4Crashes analysis of NHTSA FARS 2024).

NHTSA FARS 2024 shows 73.9% of California's 1140 pedestrian fatalities occurred at non-crosswalk locations - 842 of those deaths happened where no dedicated crossing infrastructure was marked (Cash4Crashes analysis of NHTSA FARS 2024).

Related research: Truck crash victims study · Pedestrian crossings study.

Accident Attorneys by City

We have attorneys available throughout California. Select your city for localized help:

Los Angeles

San Francisco

San Diego

Sacramento

Author

Cash4Crashes Editorial Team

Legal Review

Cash4Crashes Legal Review Team

Last Updated

2026-08-04

Sources

Free CA Case Review

California FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. California's pure comparative negligence rule lets you recover compensation even if you're found primarily responsible for the crash, with your award reduced by your fault percentage. A driver found 70% at fault can still recover the remaining 30% of damages, there's no cutoff that eliminates the claim entirely. Because there's no bar, insurers focus on inflating your assigned percentage rather than denying the claim outright, since every point shifted onto you lowers their payout. That makes clear documentation, photos, witness statements, the collision report, central to how much of the claim survives.

California gives you two years from the date of the accident to file a car accident lawsuit, covering injury, lost wage, and property damage claims against the at-fault driver. Given California's high traffic volume and correspondingly aggressive fault disputes, the two-year window is often shorter in practice than it looks, evidence degrades, witnesses move, and insurers use the delay to argue a higher fault share against you. Filing early, or at least documenting the crash thoroughly right away, protects your position well before the deadline itself becomes the issue.

No, insurers must offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage in California, but drivers can decline it in writing. UM/UIM steps in when the at-fault driver has no insurance or carries less than the state's 30/60/15 minimum, which happens often enough in a state with California's traffic density that the gap is a real risk, not a hypothetical one. Because California also reduces awards by your assigned fault percentage under comparative negligence, UM/UIM coverage gives you a second path to recovery that doesn't hinge on the other driver's insurance status or your fault share.

You can pursue medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, and pain and suffering after a California car accident. Because the state uses pure comparative negligence, the final amount is adjusted by whatever fault percentage you're assigned, someone found 20% at fault has their total damages reduced by that share, not eliminated. California's 30/60/15 minimum liability coverage sets the floor the at-fault driver's insurer must carry, though actual claim value depends on medical costs, lost income, and the severity of injuries rather than that minimum figure.

Get Help from a California Attorney

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