California
California Car Accident Information
Browse source-backed guides about preserving records and understanding state-specific accident procedures. These pages do not determine fault, coverage, compensation or legal outcomes.
State accident proceduresCalifornia Car Accident Statute of Limitations: How Long Do You Have to File? (2026)California gives you 2 years to sue for injury, 3 years for property damage — but only 6 months if a government vehicle was involved. Full deadline table and tolling rules.State accident proceduresWhat to Do After a Car Accident in California: A Step-by-Step Guide (2026)Hit in a crash in California? Follow these 8 steps: secure the scene, call 911, document evidence, exchange info, file the DMV SR-1 within 10 days, and notify your insurer.State accident proceduresHit and Run in California: What to Do If Someone Hits Your Parked Car or FleesSomeone hit your parked car and left? Here is the 0–10 minute, 24-hour, 72-hour timeline, plus California's VC 20002 and VC 20001 penalties and how UM coverage applies.State accident proceduresHow to Document a Car Accident in California: Photos, Notes & Evidence ChecklistA 12-photo checklist, the notes that actually matter, and California's all-party recording consent rule (Penal Code 632). Build the record that decides your fault percentage.State accident proceduresWhat Happens If You Don’t Report a Car Accident in California? (Penalties Explained)Skipping the DMV SR-1 can suspend your California license. Leaving the scene is a misdemeanor or felony. Here is the full penalty escalation, deadline by deadline.State accident proceduresDo I Have to Call the Police After a Minor Car Accident in California?California has no blanket duty to call police for a minor fender bender — but VC 20008 and the 10-day DMV SR-1 rule still apply. Here is exactly when you must report.State accident proceduresIs California a No-Fault State? How Car Insurance Claims Actually Work HereCalifornia is an at-fault state with pure comparative negligence. Learn how fault percentages cut your payout, what 30/60/15 covers, and why UM coverage matters.State accident proceduresCar Accident Without Insurance in California: What Happens & What to DoUninsured in a California crash? Prop 213 bars your pain and suffering damages even if you were not at fault. Penalties, license suspension, and what UM coverage does.State accident proceduresHow California Car Accident Settlements Are Calculated (And Why ‘Average’ Numbers Mislead You)There is no reliable average California car accident settlement. Here is what actually determines value: economic damages, Prop 213, pure comparative fault, and policy limits.State accident proceduresShould I Accept the First Insurance Settlement Offer After a California Car Accident?The first offer arrives before your treatment ends — that is the point. How California's pure comparative negligence rule and Prop 213 shape what your claim is worth.
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