Author name: Tom Feher, Esq.

California’s car accident statute of limitations is two years from the date of the crash under Code of Civil Procedure 335.1 for personal injury claims, and three years for property damage under CCP 338. Claims against a government driver or public agency drop to a six-month administrative claim deadline under Government Code 911.2, then six

You should hire a lawyer for a not-at-fault California car accident any time you have a visible injury, lost work, medical bills above $2,000, or the other driver disputes fault. Self-represented claimants in California average $15,000 to $25,000 less per claim on similar injuries than represented claimants, according to Insurance Research Council data we track.

There is no statutory cap on what you can sue for after a California car accident, but realistic recovery is bounded by injury severity, liability proof, and the at-fault driver’s policy limits, which start at California’s $15,000 per person minimum under Insurance Code 11580.1b. Settlements in our practice typically range from $5,000 to $30,000 for