What the claim involves
A Huntington Beach car accident claim is about more than the damage you can see.
Pacific Coast Highway runs along Huntington Beach’s coast, Beach Boulevard runs north from it across the 405, and arterials such as Warner Avenue and Goldenwest Street cross the city. A collision on any of them can cause a neck, back, or head injury that only shows its full effect after imaging and follow-up care. Settling before then can leave future treatment and lost earnings out of the claim.
Kyle Scott has practiced law since 1991 and has run his own firm since 2003. He reviews how the crash happened, which drivers, employers, and policies are involved, whether a public agency controlled the road, and how the injuries affect work and daily life. If you are looking for a car accident attorney in Huntington Beach, your first conversation is with Kyle Scott himself.
Freeway crashes on the 405
The 405 runs through the northeastern part of Huntington Beach, with interchanges in or next to the city, and the California Highway Patrol writes the reports for crashes on it. The CHP’s Westminster Area, whose office is on Goldenwest Street in Westminster, lists the 405 among the freeways it patrols, and so does its Santa Ana Area, so it is worth confirming which CHP office took the report. Freeway cases turn on speed, following distance, and lane changes. CHP reports can be requested through the CHP Crash Portal or with a CHP 190 form, and the firm also requests dispatch records and any dashcam or camera video before it is overwritten.
Pacific Coast Highway, Beach Boulevard, and city streets
Pacific Coast Highway and Beach Boulevard are state highways, but inside the city the Huntington Beach Police Department investigates crashes on them, including on the stretch of Pacific Coast Highway through Sunset Beach, as it does on Warner Avenue, Goldenwest Street, and other city streets. Its Traffic Bureau’s motorcycle officers investigate collisions, and its Accident Investigation Officers handle follow-up investigations of major collisions and hit-and-runs. The department says it no longer investigates or documents most collisions without injuries, so tell the dispatcher if anyone is hurt. A collision report can be requested online through the department’s Police Records Request system or at the Records Bureau’s public counter, 2000 Main Street. Left-turn and red-light disputes at intersections such as Beach Boulevard at Warner Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway at Warner Avenue often come down to signal timing, witnesses, and business video.
Coverage, deadlines, and where the case goes
A claim can involve more than one policy: the at-fault driver’s liability coverage, your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, or an employer, rideshare, or commercial policy. For policies issued or renewed since January 1, 2025, California’s minimum liability limits are $30,000 for injury to one person, $60,000 for injury to more than one person, and $15,000 for property damage, rising to $50,000, $100,000, and $25,000 for policies issued or renewed from January 1, 2035 (Vehicle Code § 16056). Most injury lawsuits are due in two years (Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1), and a claim involving a city vehicle, a school district vehicle, a public bus, or a dangerous public road generally needs a written claim within six months (Government Code § 911.2), with claims against the city going to the City Clerk. The city says Caltrans, not the city, maintains Pacific Coast Highway and Beach Boulevard, including their traffic signals, so the firm first confirms which public agency controlled the spot. A collision with an injury must be reported to the DMV within 10 days (Vehicle Code § 16000). Unlimited civil cases are heard at the Central Justice Center, 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana.
Hit-and-run drivers, uninsured drivers, and shared fault
If the driver is never identified, your own uninsured motorist coverage may respond, but the statute requires physical contact, a report within 24 hours to the police of the city where the crash happened, and a sworn statement to your insurer within 30 days (Insurance Code § 11580.2). Civil Code § 3333.4 generally bars pain-and-suffering damages for a person who owned an uninsured vehicle in the crash, drove without proof of financial responsibility, or was convicted of DUI for the crash. If you were partly at fault, fault reduces a recovery and no percentage bars the claim (CACI No. 405).
Cases the firm reviews
Common car accident matters.
Information that can matter
A strong claim starts with preserved evidence.
The useful records vary by case. The initial review identifies what exists, what may need to be requested, and what should be preserved before it is lost.
Legal guides
Answers to common car accident questions.
Common questions
Questions about car accident claims.
Should I hire a Huntington Beach car accident lawyer if the insurer already accepted fault?
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.
Who writes the police report for a crash in Huntington Beach, and how do I get a copy?
The Huntington Beach Police Department handles collisions on city streets, including Pacific Coast Highway and Beach Boulevard, and the California Highway Patrol handles the 405. People involved in the crash, such as the drivers, the registered owners, and passengers listed in the report, and their attorneys can request a Huntington Beach police collision report online through the department’s Police Records Request system or at the Records Bureau’s public counter, 2000 Main Street, with photo ID; reports are not released to witnesses. The department says it no longer investigates or documents most collisions without injuries. CHP reports are requested through the CHP Crash Portal or a CHP 190 form. Keep the report number you were given at the scene.
What if a traffic signal or the road itself played a part in a crash on Pacific Coast Highway or Beach Boulevard?
The city says Caltrans, not the city, maintains Pacific Coast Highway (State Route 1) and Beach Boulevard (State Route 39), including their traffic signals and signs, while city staff maintain most other traffic signals in Huntington Beach. The city’s own claim form says a claim against the city is filed with the City Clerk, 2000 Main Street, and tells claimants to be sure the claim is against the City of Huntington Beach and not another public entity, so the firm confirms early which agency controlled the spot.
How long do I have to bring a car accident claim in California?
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 Huntington Beach 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.
What if the driver who hit me had no insurance or drove away?
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.
Can I still recover if I was partly at fault?
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.
This page provides general information, not legal advice. A consultation is needed to evaluate the facts, deadlines, parties, and law that may apply to a specific matter.
Sources
Official sources.
The figures and rules of law on this page come from these official sources.
- California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1
- California Government Code § 911.2 (six-month presentation period)
- California Vehicle Code § 16000 (report of accident to the DMV)
- California Vehicle Code § 16056 (minimum liability limits)
- California Insurance Code § 11580.2 (uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage)
- California Civil Code § 3333.4 (Proposition 213)
- California Judicial Council — CACI No. 405 (comparative fault), 2026 Civil Jury Instructions
- California DMV — SR-1 accident reporting
- California Highway Patrol — Westminster Area office
- California Highway Patrol — Santa Ana Area office
- California Highway Patrol — request a crash report
- Huntington Beach Police Department — Traffic Bureau
- Huntington Beach Police Department — police and traffic collision report requests
- Huntington Beach Police Department — Records Bureau (public counter)
- Huntington Beach Police Department — FAQs (location, 2000 Main Street)
- City of Huntington Beach Public Works — Maintenance (Beach Boulevard and Pacific Coast Highway maintained by Caltrans)
- City of Huntington Beach — General Plan Circulation Element (the 405, Pacific Coast Highway, arterials, intersections)
- City of Huntington Beach — claim form (City Clerk)
- Orange County Superior Court — court designation list
Related practice areas