Personal Injury FAQs
Common questions about personal injury claims in California. This is general information, not legal advice — for guidance on your situation, start a free, confidential review.
How much does it cost to hire a personal injury lawyer?
We handle personal injury claims on a contingency basis for qualifying cases — you pay nothing up front, and a fee applies only if we recover for you. The initial review is always free, and fee terms are confirmed in a written agreement.
How long do I have to file a claim in California?
Deadlines vary by state and by the type of claim, and they can be short — especially when a government entity is involved. Because a missed deadline can end a claim, the safest step is a free review right away.
What should I do right after an accident?
Get medical care, document everything, keep records, and be cautious about giving recorded statements to insurers before you speak with an attorney.
How much is my case worth?
It depends on your injuries, treatment, lost income, and other factors — it is exactly what our attorney evaluates for free. We will not quote a number sight unseen.
Do I really need a lawyer?
Insurers have teams working to pay you as little as possible. An attorney levels the field. Since the review is free, there is little downside to finding out where you stand.
California law — what people ask
How long do I have to file an injury claim in California?
Generally two years from the date you were hurt. If a government entity is involved — a city vehicle, a public road, a public hospital — you usually have to present a formal claim to that agency within roughly six months before you can sue at all, which catches people out far more often than the two-year date.
Can I still recover if I was partly at fault in California?
Yes. California uses pure comparative negligence, so your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault rather than barred — even if your share turns out to be the larger one. There is no cutoff percentage that ends a claim here.
Does California cap what I can recover?
Not in an ordinary injury case. Medical-malpractice claims are the main exception, where non-economic damages are limited by a cap that steps up over time. For most claims — car crashes, falls, defective products — there is no statutory ceiling.
What if more than one person was responsible?
California splits the analysis: defendants can be jointly responsible for your economic losses such as medical bills and lost income, while non-economic damages like pain and suffering are apportioned to each defendant by its own share of fault.
The driver who hit me had no insurance. What now?
Your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage is usually the answer, and it commonly applies to hit-and-run collisions as well. Check every policy in the household, not only the one covering the car you were in.
Will the jury hear that my health insurance paid my bills?
Generally not. California follows the collateral source rule, so a wrongdoer does not get credit for insurance you paid for. How your medical damages are measured is a separate and often contested question.