Anaheim Car Accident Lawyer

Accepting fault settles who caused the crash, not what the claim is worth. Insurers still dispute diagnoses, whether treatment was related, future care, and lost earnings, and a signed release usually ends the claim for good. A free consultation can help you decide whether an offer accounts for everything. Some people with minor, property-only claims handle them without a lawyer.

The Anaheim Police Department handles collisions on city streets, and the California Highway Patrol handles the freeways. Anaheim Police reports can be searched by report number in the department’s online accident report database, which holds certain reports, such as non-injury collisions and hit-and-runs; if yours is not there, request it through the department’s online request form. People who were injured or had property damaged may request a copy, and the department’s Records Bureau is at 425 S. Harbor Boulevard. CHP reports are requested through the CHP Crash Portal or a CHP 190 form.

A claim for injury or property damage against the City of Anaheim is filed with the Office of the City Clerk, 200 S. Anaheim Blvd., Suite 217: download the city’s claim form, complete it, and deliver or mail the original. The Clerk forwards the claim to the city’s Risk Management Division, which says it will contact you within two weeks of the date you filed. The written claim is generally due within six months (Government Code § 911.2), so the date of the crash matters from the start.

Under Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1, most injury lawsuits must be filed within two years of the crash. If a public entity is involved, such as a City of Anaheim vehicle, a school district, or a public bus, a written government claim is generally due within six months under Government Code § 911.2. The DMV SR-1 report is due within 10 days. Exceptions exist, so confirm the dates early.

If your policy includes uninsured motorist coverage, it may pay for your injuries. For a hit-and-run, Insurance Code § 11580.2 generally requires physical contact, a police report within 24 hours, and a sworn statement to your insurer within 30 days. Underinsured motorist coverage may help when the other driver’s limits are too low. California’s minimum is $30,000 for injury to one person, or $50,000 for a policy issued or renewed from January 1, 2035.

Yes. California follows pure comparative fault: your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault, not eliminated (CACI No. 405). A separate rule, Civil Code § 3333.4 (Proposition 213), generally bars pain-and-suffering damages for an injured person who drove uninsured or was convicted of DUI for the crash, even if the other driver was at fault.