California · Personal injury
California Personal Injury Lawyers and Laws
Rankings
Cities we rank in California
- Los Angeles, CALos Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim metro
- Riverside, CARiverside–San Bernardino–Ontario metro
- San Francisco, CASan Francisco–Oakland–Fremont metro
- San Diego, CASan Diego–Chula Vista–Carlsbad metro
- Pasadena, CALos Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim metro
- Sacramento, CASacramento–Roseville–Folsom metro
- Lake County, CAClearlake, Lakeport, Kelseyville and the rest of Lake County
The law
California injury law in 60 seconds
Filing deadline
2 years
For most injury claims (Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 335.1).
Fault rule
Pure comparative fault
You can recover damages even if you were mostly at fault, but your award is reduced by your share of the blame. (Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975))
Car insurance
At-fault (tort) state
The at-fault driver's liability insurance pays for the injuries they cause. You can file a claim with their insurer or sue the driver directly.
Pending attorney review. General information, not legal advice. Deadlines can be shorter for claims against government agencies and for some case types.
Case types
Rankings by case type
Open a city above, then narrow its ranking to the kind of case you have:
- Car accident lawyers
- Truck accident lawyers
- Motorcycle accident lawyers
- Rideshare accident lawyers
- Slip and fall lawyers
- Wrongful death lawyers
FAQ
California personal injury questions
How long do I have to file a personal injury lawsuit in California?
In most cases, 2 years from the date of the injury (Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 335.1). Claims against a government agency often have much shorter notice deadlines.
What if I was partly at fault for my injury in California?
You can recover damages even if you were mostly at fault, but your award is reduced by your share of the blame. (Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975))
Is California a no-fault car insurance state?
California is an at-fault (tort) state. The at-fault driver's liability insurance pays for the injuries they cause. You can file a claim with their insurer or sue the driver directly.