After an Accident in California: A Step-by-Step Guide
What to do in the first hours and weeks after a crash or injury, in plain language. Orange County: (949) 989-2511 路 Riverside / Inland Empire: (951) 583-1900 路 Text: (949) 776-8964
5 Steps Right After a Crash
- Get safe and call 911. Move out of traffic if you can, turn on hazard lights, and ask for police and medical help.
- Get checked by a doctor the same day, even if you feel okay. Head, neck and back injuries often show up later.
- Exchange information: the other driver’s name, license, plate and insurance, and witness names and phone numbers. California Vehicle Code 16025 requires drivers in an injury crash to exchange this information.
- Take photos of the vehicles, the scene, traffic signals, skid marks and your injuries, and note the nearest cross street or freeway exit. Save dashcam clips.
- Don’t give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer, and don’t sign anything, before getting advice.
Under Vehicle Code 16000, a crash with injury, death, or more than $1,000 in property damage must also be reported to the DMV within 10 days on form SR-1.
What to Bring to Your Free Consultation
Don’t have everything? Call anyway. We can help you get the report and records.
Insurance and Shared Fault
California uses pure comparative fault: if you were partly at fault, you can usually still recover, but the amount is reduced by your share. Possible sources of payment include:
Gaps in Treatment
Follow your doctor’s plan and keep your appointments. Insurers often argue that a long gap between the crash and treatment, or between visits, means the injury wasn’t serious or was caused by something else. If you can’t afford care or can’t get time off, tell us early; there may be options.
Immigration Status
In California, your immigration status generally does not prevent you from bringing a personal injury claim. California law (Civil Code 3339) says immigration status is irrelevant to liability in personal injury cases, and it limits inquiry into it. Our office staff speaks Spanish and Farsi.
Deadlines
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I see a doctor if I feel fine?
Yes. Some injuries, like concussions and soft-tissue injuries, show symptoms hours or days later, and early records help connect the injury to the crash.
Can I still recover if I was partly at fault?
Usually yes. Under California’s pure comparative fault rule, your recovery is reduced by your share of fault, not barred.
What if the other driver has no insurance?
Your own uninsured motorist coverage may pay, if you have it. Check your policy and tell your insurer promptly.
Does my immigration status matter?
Generally no. California Civil Code 3339 makes immigration status irrelevant to liability in personal injury cases.
How much does a consultation cost?
Nothing. It’s free and available 24/7. We work on contingency, so you pay no attorney fees unless we recover money for you.
Talk to Us About Your Accident
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Attorney Advertising. This guide is general information about California law, not legal advice. Every case is different, and prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
