$8.5M
Bakersfield car accident settlement: a rear-end collision injured an occupant of one of the vehicles involved, leaving the occupant with a head injury.
Personal Injury
California Car Accident Lawyers
Injured in a crash? At Wilshire Law Firm — an award-winning, nationally recognized team — our attorneys help people across California pursue compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Contact us 24/7 for a free case review with a legal professional — there are no fees unless you get paid.
- $3B+RECOVERED
- 7X"BEST LAW FIRM" AWARDS
- 24/7AVAILABILITY & SUPPORT
- 500+LEGAL PROFESSIONALS
Key Takeaways
- California uses pure comparative negligence: if you were partly at fault, your recovery is reduced by your share, not barred.
- The minimum liability policy in California is $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident since January 1, 2025 (Veh. Code §16056); serious injuries exceed it fast, so your own underinsured motorist coverage often matters.
- Fault is usually proved through the rules the other driver broke: the basic speed law, red lights, left turns, following distance, distraction or impairment.
- The vehicle’s owner, the driver’s employer and a rideshare company can all be liable alongside the driver.
- Two years to file a lawsuit (Code Civ. Proc. §335.1); six months to present a claim if a government vehicle or dangerous road was involved (Gov. Code §911.2).
Understanding Your Automobile Accident Case
Explore essential resources on your rights, your options, and what to expect — everything you need to navigate the legal process, all in one place.
Wilshire Law Firm is an award-winning, nationally recognized team that has represented thousands of injured Californians, with automobile accident recoveries including $36 million for a pedestrian struck by a vehicle and $28.5 million and $13.5 million for collisions involving commercial trucks. Car accident cases are decided by evidence that is easy to lose: the other vehicle's event-data-recorder download, the driver's phone records, intersection camera footage, and the CHP or police report with its diagram and witness list. We secure that evidence early, work with reconstruction experts when fault is disputed, document every injury with treating physicians, and handle every conversation with the insurance companies so you can focus on healing. There are no fees unless you get paid.
Take five steps to protect your health and your claim: seek medical attention immediately, even if you feel fine, because whiplash, concussion and internal injuries are often delayed; call the police and report the crash so an official report exists; photograph the scene, the vehicles, skid marks, signals and your injuries; exchange information and gather witness contacts; and speak with a car accident lawyer before giving a recorded statement to any insurer, including your own. Our step-by-step guide covers what to do after a car accident in detail.
Most California crashes come down to a driver violating a specific rule of the road, and that violation is how fault is proved. Rear-end collisions usually involve following too closely or speeding under the basic speed law, which requires every driver to travel no faster than is reasonable for conditions (Veh. Code §22350). Left-turn and intersection crashes involve a driver who failed to yield to oncoming traffic close enough to be a hazard (§21801) or who ran a steady red light (§21453(a)). Side-impact crashes at signals often trace to a right turn on red made without yielding (§21453(b)). Head-on and rollover crashes frequently involve impairment or unsafe passing. Multi-vehicle freeway pileups on the I-5, I-10, I-405 and I-15 raise questions of sequence that reconstruction resolves. When a driver violates a safety statute and that violation causes the kind of harm the statute exists to prevent, California presumes negligence (Evid. Code §669).
Usually more parties than the other driver. The vehicle's owner is liable for the negligence of anyone driving with permission, up to statutory limits (Veh. Code §17150). An employer is responsible for an employee driving on the job. A rideshare or delivery company's commercial policy applies when the driver was logged in or carrying a passenger. A public entity can be liable for a dangerous road design, a missing guardrail or a malfunctioning signal, subject to the six-month claim rule. A manufacturer can be liable for a defective airbag, tire or brake. Each defendant's share of non-economic damages is several, not joint (Civ. Code §1431.2), so identifying everyone who is responsible directly affects what can be collected. If you were partly at fault, your recovery is reduced by your percentage but not eliminated (Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804).
The at-fault driver's liability policy pays first, and California requires only $30,000 per person, $60,000 per accident and $15,000 in property damage for policies issued or renewed since January 1, 2025 (Veh. Code §16056). A single emergency room visit and surgery can exceed that. When it does, your own policy's underinsured motorist coverage fills the gap up to your limits, and uninsured motorist coverage applies if the driver had no insurance or fled, provided the crash was reported to police within 24 hours and to your insurer within 30 days in a hit-and-run (Ins. Code §11580.2). Medical payments coverage, health insurance and, for on-the-job crashes, workers' compensation can also apply. We review every policy in the household before any insurer puts a number on the case.
Injured drivers, passengers, cyclists and pedestrians can generally recover economic damages (current and future medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning capacity, vehicle and property damage) and non-economic damages (pain, suffering, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life). Where a driver acted with malice, such as driving drunk with knowledge of the danger, punitive damages may be available on clear and convincing evidence (Civ. Code §3294). In a fatal crash, the family may pursue a wrongful death claim. Every case is different, and a legal professional can review your losses during a free case review.
Most California crashes trace back to preventable driver negligence: distracted driving, speeding, driving under the influence, unsafe lane changes and turns, following too closely, and running signals. Road conditions contribute: poorly timed signals, construction zones without proper warnings, and freeway interchanges with short merge lanes. Establishing which driver, and sometimes which agency, was negligent is central to your claim, and our attorneys handle that investigation for you.
In most cases, two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit (Code Civ. Proc. §335.1) and three years for property damage. Two deadlines are shorter: a written claim against a government entity within six months (Gov. Code §911.2), and, in a hit-and-run, a police report within 24 hours and a sworn statement to your insurer within 30 days to protect uninsured motorist coverage (Ins. Code §11580.2). Because missing a deadline can end your case, it is best to speak with a legal professional early.
Meet Our Automobile Accident Attorneys
Nationally Recognized Powerhouse, Fighting for the Justice You Deserve
Our award-winning attorneys have recovered billions for clients while taking on insurance companies and major corporations.
Learn more about the team
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Colin M. Jones, Esq.Senior Partner and Senior Trial Attorney, Chair of the Personal Injury Litigation Department
Jennifer P. Burkes, Esq.Senior Partner & Strategic Advisor, Personal Injury Litigation Department
Mary Lee Caruso, Esq.Senior Partner
Ryan Casey, Esq.Senior Partner and Trial Attorney
Tae-Yoon Kim, Esq.Senior Partner
Philip Andonian, Esq.Partner and Trial Attorney
Alivia E. Abreu, Esq.Partner
Shervin G. Ghanoongooi, Esq.Partner
Christopher Goodroe, Esq.Partner
Nathan A. Guest, Esq.Partner and Trial Attorney
Brian M. Jacobson, Esq.Partner
Ariella Perry, Esq.PartnerRecent wins
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$7.1M
San Diego County car accident settlement: a crash with a pickup on a state highway left a driver hospitalized with a traumatic brain injury and other serious injuries.
$5.8M
San Diego County car accident settlement: a rear-end collision broke a passenger's seat, leaving the passenger with a serious neck injury and back pain.
$5.0M
Lake Elsinore car accident settlement: a vehicle occupant suffered a traumatic brain injury, serious neck injuries and arm injuries when a rear-end collision overturned the vehicle.
$4.1M
Santa Monica car accident settlement: a commercial pickup ran a red light and hit a car crossing on green, leaving the driver with headaches, dizziness and leg pain.
$4.0M
California car accident settlement: a driver whose light had turned green suffered serious head, neck and back injuries when a commercial pickup ran a red light and broadsided the vehicle.
$3.8M
Menifee car accident settlement: a driver making an unsafe lane change struck a car carrying a passenger, who suffered serious neck and back injuries.
$3.5M
California car accident settlement: a motorist unable to stop in slowing rainy-day traffic on the 101 rear-ended a pickup, and its driver reported leg, neck and lower back pain.
$3.3M
Los Angeles car accident settlement: a commercial vehicle struck a stopped car, injuring the person inside and leaving the car a total loss.
$3.1M
El Monte car accident settlement: a commercial vehicle collided with a car in a major-impact crash, leaving an occupant with serious neck and lower back injuries.
$3.0M
Riverside County car accident settlement: an oncoming pickup rear-ended another vehicle and pushed it head-on into a driver, who suffered serious leg injuries and other injuries.
$3.0M
California car accident settlement: a commercial vehicle and a car collided, and the person in the car suffered a serious back injury.
$3.0M
Concord car accident settlement: a speeding motorist cut across several 680 Freeway lanes and struck a driver, causing leg and other injuries along with neck and back pain.
$2.9M
San Francisco car accident settlement: a driver swerving into a U-turn struck a motorist head-on as the motorist waited to turn right, causing hip and head pain.
$2.9M
Los Angeles County car accident settlement: a heavy-duty work pickup rear-ended a stopped driver on the 405 Freeway in a four-vehicle crash, causing neck, back, arm and leg pain.
$2.8M
Fresno County car accident settlement: a driver ran a stop sign and broadsided another car, spinning it several times and leaving its driver with neck, back and arm pain.
$2.7M
Palmdale car accident settlement: a three-vehicle collision at an intersection totaled a car and left its driver with serious head, arm, leg and other injuries.
$2.5M
Kings County car accident settlement: a driver passing other cars on a two-lane highway hit another driver head-on, causing multiple serious injuries, including leg injuries.
$2.4M
San Jose car accident settlement: a left-turn collision involving three cars left a vehicle occupant with hip and lower back injuries.
$2.4M
Bakersfield car accident settlement: a left-turn collision injured a vehicle occupant, who reported that the crash set back their recovery from an earlier hip condition.
$2.3M
Santa Ana car accident settlement: a red-light runner hit a motorist turning left on a green arrow, totaling the car and causing neck, arm and leg pain.
$2.3M
California car accident settlement: a driver rear-ended a stopped car, pushing it into the vehicle ahead and leaving the motorist inside with a lower-back injury.
$2.3M
Contra Costa County car accident settlement: a commercial van rear-ended a driver stopped in traffic on Highway 24, causing neck, arm and lower-back pain and difficulty walking.
$2.3M
California car accident settlement: a car turned left in front of a vehicle going through a green light, leaving its occupant with a back injury.
$2.3M
California car accident settlement: a company car rear-ended a motorist on a freeway, leaving the motorist with neck and back pain.
$2.0M
Long Beach car accident settlement: a three-car rear-end collision left an occupant of one vehicle with a traumatic brain injury and several other serious injuries.
$2.0M
Santa Fe Springs car accident settlement: another driver rear-ended a motorist stopped at a red light, causing neck and upper-back pain and a sprained arm.
$2.0M
Lake Elsinore car accident settlement: a rear-end collision flipped over a vehicle carrying an occupant, causing head, arm and leg injuries.
$2.0M
La Puente car accident settlement: a rear-end collision left a vehicle occupant with sprains and strains of the neck and back, headaches and other injuries.
$2.0M
Los Angeles car accident settlement: a vehicle occupant involved in a collision suffered serious injuries that required a stay in the hospital.
$2.0M
Los Angeles car accident settlement: a truck rear-ended a driver stopped in freeway traffic and ended up on top of the car, causing neck, arm and head pain.
$2.0M
San Mateo County car accident settlement: a driver ran a stop sign and T-boned the passenger side of a vehicle, leaving a passenger with neck, back and leg pain.
$2.0M
Visalia car accident settlement: a driver ran a stop sign and struck the vehicle another motorist was driving, spinning it around and causing serious back injuries.
$2.0M
Monterey County car accident settlement: a vehicle T-boned an SUV crossing an intersection and pushed it toward railroad tracks, leaving its driver with back, hip and arm pain.
$2.0M
Redlands car accident settlement: a left-turning driver struck another car and sent it into a sign pole, leaving its driver with neck, back and arm pain.
$2.0M
Los Angeles car accident settlement: a rideshare driver cutting in from the parking lane set off a three-car collision, leaving a passenger with back pain and fogginess.
$2.0M
Los Angeles car accident settlement: a motorist crossed into oncoming traffic and hit another motorist head-on, causing neck and back injuries. Defendants included a rideshare company.
$2.0M
California car accident settlement: a parked commercial vehicle tried to turn around in front of a driver, who struck its side. The driver had serious neck and back injuries.
$2.0M
Hemet car accident settlement: another driver rear-ended a pickup waiting at a light, leaving the pickup undrivable and its driver with back, neck, leg and arm pain.
$1.9M
Dublin car accident settlement: a pickup set off a four-vehicle chain-reaction rear-end crash, leaving a driver with arm injuries and a neck injury that worsened an existing condition.
$1.8M
Citrus Heights car accident settlement: a van traveling at high speed rear-ended a vehicle stopped on a boulevard, leaving its occupant with several leg injuries.
$1.3M
Tulare County car accident settlement: another motorist pulled out from a stop sign into a minivan's path, leaving its driver with leg pain and swelling.
$1.3M
Pasadena car accident settlement: another driver rear-ended a motorist who was stopped and signaling a left turn into a gas station, causing a neck injury.
$1.3M
Riverside County car accident settlement: a sedan driver failed to slow and rear-ended a motorist braking for traffic on the 215 Freeway, causing neck and lower back pain.
$1.2M
Bellflower car accident settlement: a company pickup turned left into a driver's path at an intersection, causing arm and lower back injuries and totaling the driver's car.
$1.0M
Fremont car accident settlement: an oncoming vehicle cutting across the road struck a motorist's car on the driver side, causing a serious leg injury with expected loss of mobility.
$1.0M
Los Angeles car accident settlement: a driver rear-ended a rideshare car stopped at a red light, leaving a passenger with whiplash, neck and head pain and worsened prior injuries.
$991K
Los Angeles car accident settlement: a driver turning into traffic caused a three-vehicle collision that left a motorist driving through a green light with back and neck pain.
$949K
Long Beach car accident settlement: a rideshare driver who fell asleep rear-ended a car stopped at a red light, leaving its driver with neck and back pain.
$900K
Riverside car accident settlement: a left-turning driver leaving a parking lot struck a motorist exiting the freeway, totaling the motorist's car and causing head, neck and back pain.
$750K
Los Angeles car accident settlement: a car turned left across a solid line into a driver's path, and the collision left that driver with numbness and other injuries.
$682K
Nevada County car accident settlement: a driver making a U-turn cut off a pickup with no room to stop, leaving its driver with neck and upper back pain.
$675K
San Diego car accident settlement: a pickup rear-ended a car stopped in traffic and pushed it into the vehicle ahead, leaving the driver with back, neck and leg pain.
$641K
Napa car accident settlement: a red-light runner struck a rideshare driver going through an intersection, leaving the driver with neck and leg pain.
$626K
Modesto car accident settlement: an oncoming vehicle turned left across a rideshare driver's lane at a green light and hit the driver's side, causing arm and other injuries.
$600K
Contra Costa County car accident settlement: a merging truck failed to brake in heavy highway traffic and rear-ended a driver, who had soft-tissue neck and back pain.
$500K
Glendale car accident settlement: a driver rear-ended a motorist stopped at the freeway divider with hazard lights on, causing a traumatic brain injury.
$500K
Alameda County car accident settlement: a pickup rear-ended a work truck at a red light, leaving the driver with neck and back pain, nausea and a suspected head injury.
$500K
Riverside County car accident settlement: a work pickup hit another vehicle, jumped the curb and rear-ended a driver, causing an arm injury and neck and back pain.
$499K
Los Angeles car accident settlement: a sedan rear-ended a driver stopped at a red light, pushing the driver's car into the one ahead and causing leg and hip pain.
$375K
Oakland car accident settlement: a driver rear-ended a stopped vehicle on the freeway, leaving an occupant with back, neck and leg pain that overlapped earlier injuries.
$300K
Riverside County car accident settlement: a three-vehicle chain-reaction crash sent a motorist's car into a pickup that had stopped suddenly, resulting in soft-tissue back and arm pain.
$300K
Buena Park car accident settlement: a driver swerved into a freeway carpool lane and struck a car, leaving a passenger with arm pain and other soft-tissue pain.
$300K
San Bernardino County car accident settlement: an SUV ran a stop sign and broadsided a dump truck, leaving the truck's driver with back pain and other soft-tissue pain.
$250K
Carlsbad car accident settlement: a driver who said a dog had jumped into their lap rear-ended a stopped car, leaving an occupant with soft-tissue neck and back injuries.
$250K
Sand City car accident settlement: a car pulled out from a stop sign without yielding, and the motorist who broadsided it had arm and hip pain.
$200K
Buena Park car accident settlement: a driver swerving to avoid another car hit a motorist in a 91 Freeway carpool lane, causing back pain.
$138K
Los Banos car accident settlement: a driver leaving a parking lot cut off a motorist making a protected left turn. The airbags deployed, and the motorist had leg pain.
*Past results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Each case is unique and evaluated on its own facts.
How Do I Know If I Have a Car Accident Claim in California?
You likely have a claim if you were injured in a crash and another driver's carelessness contributed to it, even partially; California's comparative negligence rule reduces a recovery for shared fault but does not bar it. The strongest cases show a specific violation, such as speeding, running a red light or an unsafe left turn, because that violation creates a presumption of negligence. Even if the other driver was uninsured or fled, your own coverage may pay. A free case review with a legal professional, available 24/7, tells you what your case involves. There are no fees unless you get paid.
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Record-breaking results
Winners of #1 Settlements in California
Our attorneys have recovered billions of dollars, including some of the biggest settlements in California.
17#1 Settlements in California, 2022–2024*
TopVerdict #1TopVerdict.com #1 settlements
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#1 Truck v. Pedestrian Accident Settlement
2024
#1 Multi-Vehicle Accident Settlement
2024
#1 Equipment Malfunction Settlement
2024
#1 Car v. Stationary Object Collision Settlement
2024
#1 Bus v. Passenger Accident Settlement
2024
#1 Whistleblower Retaliation Settlement
2023
#1 Underinsured Motorist Settlement
2023
#1 Slip & Fall Accident Settlement
2023
#1 Negligent Security Settlement
2023
#1 Ladder Accident Settlement
2023
#1 Hotel Premises Liability Settlement
2023
#1 Car v. Car Collision Settlement
2023
#1 Bicycle Accident Settlement
2023
#1 Pregnancy Discrimination Settlement
2022
#1 Age/Disability Discrimination Settlement
2022
#1 Wrongful Termination Settlement
2022
#1 Meal & Rest Breaks Settlement
2022
*#1 settlements in California have been awarded by TopVerdict.com. Past results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Automobile Accident FAQs
Our Most Frequently Asked Questions
We've answered the most common ones below. If yours isn't here, call us — we're available 24/7.
In most cases you have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1, and three years for vehicle or property damage under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 338. When a government vehicle or road condition is involved, a six-month claim deadline can apply, so confirm your date promptly.
Yes. California applies pure comparative negligence under Li v. Yellow Cab Co., meaning your compensation is reduced by your share of fault but is not eliminated even if you were mostly responsible. Insurers often overstate a claimant's fault to cut what they pay, which is where careful evidence matters.
The uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage on your own policy can often step in when the at-fault driver has no insurance or too little to cover your injuries. This coverage is governed by Cal. Ins. Code § 11580.2. An attorney can review your policy and pursue every available source of recovery.
Claims involving a public entity — such as a government-owned vehicle or a hazardous road condition — generally require a written government claim within six months under Cal. Gov. Code § 911.2 before a lawsuit can proceed. These deadlines are strict, so it is important to act quickly and confirm the timeline with an attorney. If your crash involved a drunk driver, our Los Angeles drunk driving accident lawyers can help.
It depends on the injuries and future care, lost income, fault and the insurance available. Wilshire Law Firm's automobile accident recoveries include $36 million, $28.5 million and $13.5 million. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Not before speaking with a legal professional. Recorded statements are used to minimize injuries and shift fault. You are not required to give one to the other driver's insurer.
Passengers can recover from any at-fault driver, including the driver of the car they were in, and from uninsured motorist coverage on the vehicle or their own household policy.
Nothing up front. Wilshire Law Firm works on contingency, so there are no fees unless you get paid. Case reviews are free and available 24/7.