$12.8M
Pomona wrongful death settlement: a worker riding home in a company vehicle died when another driver rear-ended it on the 10 Freeway, leaving a spouse and four children.
Personal Injury
Fatal Car Accident Lawyer in California
Have you lost someone you love in a California car crash? At Wilshire Law Firm — an award-winning, nationally recognized team — our attorneys handle your wrongful death claim with compassion. Contact us 24/7 for a free case review with a legal professional — there are no fees unless you get paid.
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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 guides grieving California families through every step of a wrongful death claim. Our attorneys investigate the crash, deal with the insurance companies, and pursue the full value of your family's losses — so you can focus on what matters most. There are no fees unless you get paid.
A fatal car accident case is brought by a family and the estate, not by the injured person, and it can involve two separate claims. A wrongful death claim compensates surviving family members for their own losses, while a survival action lets the estate recover damages the person suffered before death. Because the value and the parties are different, these cases call for careful, compassionate handling. Learn more about our approach to wrongful death cases.
California families can generally recover both financial and personal losses. These commonly include the financial support the deceased would have provided, the value of lost household services, funeral and burial expenses, and the loss of the person's companionship, care, comfort, and guidance. Through a survival action, the estate may also recover the deceased’s pre-death medical expenses and lost earnings, and any punitive damages the driver’s conduct warrants. For survival actions filed on or after January 1, 2026, the decedent’s own pain and suffering is no longer recoverable; California allowed it only for actions filed between 2022 and 2025 (Code Civ. Proc. §377.34). A legal professional can review which damages may apply during a free case review.
California drivers are only required to carry minimum liability coverage of $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident for policies issued or renewed since January 1, 2025 (California Vehicle Code §16056), which rarely covers the true cost of a death. When the at-fault driver's policy is not enough, our attorneys look for additional sources of recovery, such as underinsured motorist coverage or other liable parties. Reviewing every available policy is part of how we build a fatal car accident case.
In limited circumstances, a business that serves alcohol can share responsibility for a fatal drunk driving crash. Under California Business and Professions Code § 25602.1, liability can generally apply where alcohol was served to an obviously intoxicated minor who then caused the crash. Because these claims are fact-specific, a legal professional can review whether a third party may be accountable in your loved one's case.
In most California fatal car accident cases, families have two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death lawsuit (California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1). When a government entity is involved, a formal claim generally must be filed within six months, well before any lawsuit. Because missing a deadline can end a 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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$10.3M
Los Angeles wrongful death settlement: a truck struck a motorcyclist who lost control on a lifted trench plate. The rider died, and the claims cited missing warning signs.
$9.1M
Pasadena wrongful death settlement: a company work truck turning left hit a pedestrian at high speed in a crosswalk. The pedestrian died.
$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.
$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
Ontario wrongful death settlement: a commercial truck clipped a cyclist at a freeway exit. The rider hit his head in the fall and died about a week later.
$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.
$3.3M
Pasadena wrongful death settlement: a person died outside a convenience store, and the family brought claims. Defendants included the store chain and a security company.
$3.2M
Los Angeles wrongful death settlement: a produce delivery worker fell from atop pallets while unloading a truck into a warehouse cooler and died two days later.
$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
Lompoc wrongful death settlement: a driver at a stop sign pulled into traffic without seeing a motorcyclist and struck the rider, who died at the scene.
$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
Fresno County wrongful death settlement: a rental moving truck hit a driver head-on on a two-lane highway. The driver died within hours of the crash.
$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
Los Angeles wrongful death settlement: loose sand collapsed on a worker digging an unprotected excavation at a jobsite. The worker died, leaving a spouse and two children.
$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
Los Angeles wrongful death settlement: a person died inside a retail business, and the surviving family brought a wrongful death claim over the loss.
$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.
$400K
Santa Maria wrongful death settlement: a resident receiving post-acute care at a skilled nursing facility had serious medical complications and repeated hospital transfers before dying.
$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.
$267K
Los Angeles County wrongful death settlement: a vehicle struck a pedestrian, who suffered a serious head injury and other serious injuries, then died. The defendant was a public entity.
$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.
Who Can File a Wrongful Death Claim After a Fatal Car Accident in California?
Under California Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60, a wrongful death claim can generally be filed by the deceased person's surviving spouse or domestic partner, their children, and — if there are no surviving family members in that line — others who were financially dependent on the deceased. Because eligibility can be complex, contact Wilshire Law Firm's legal professionals for a free case review to confirm who may bring the claim in your family's situation.
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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.
California law limits wrongful death claims to specific relatives — generally the surviving spouse or domestic partner, children, and certain other heirs — under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 377.60. These family members may seek compensation for their own losses from the death. An attorney can confirm who is eligible to file.
A wrongful death claim is brought by surviving family members for their own losses, such as lost financial support and loss of companionship. A survival action, by contrast, is brought by the estate for the losses the deceased suffered before death, such as pre-death medical bills and lost earnings, plus any punitive damages. Since January 1, 2026, survival actions no longer include the decedent’s pain and suffering. The two are often pursued together, and an attorney can explain how each applies.
Generally, yes. Under California's pure comparative negligence rule from Li v. Yellow Cab Co., a family can recover even when the deceased was partly at fault, with the award reduced by that percentage rather than barred. This is important when the other side disputes how the crash happened.
Sometimes. When the death resulted from especially reckless conduct — such as drunk driving — California Civil Code § 3294 may allow punitive damages on clear and convincing evidence of malice, oppression, or fraud, in addition to compensatory losses. An attorney can assess whether your case may support them.
Most wrongful death lawsuits must be filed within two years of the date of death under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1. If a government entity contributed, a six-month government-claim deadline can apply first. Deadlines have exceptions, so confirm yours promptly with an attorney.