Inland Empire Personal Injury Attorney

How the firm helps in Inland Empire

Two counties, two superior courts, and many local agencies.

The Inland Empire is usually defined as Riverside and San Bernardino counties, centered on the cities of Riverside and San Bernardino. Each county has its own superior court, sheriff, and animal services agency, and many cities run their own police and animal control. Which ones apply depends on exactly where the injury happened.

Kyle Scott Law represents Inland Empire clients from its only office, in Tustin, and its published results include cases in both the Riverside and San Bernardino superior courts. A free review covers what happened, who controlled the road or property, which insurance applies, and which deadlines are already running.

The 91 between Orange and Riverside counties

The 91 is a main link between Orange County and Riverside County. In western Riverside County, the California Highway Patrol’s Riverside Area patrols the 91, the 15, the 215, the 60, the 71, and the 74. A crash near the county line may fall in either county, which decides the court, the agencies, and any government claim.

The 15, the 10, and the High Desert

In San Bernardino County, the CHP’s Rancho Cucamonga Area covers freeways and unincorporated roads across Chino, Chino Hills, Fontana, Montclair, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, and Upland. North of the Cajon Pass, the Victorville Area serves High Desert communities including Apple Valley, Victorville, Hesperia, and Adelanto and patrols parts of the 15 and US 395. The Morongo Basin Area covers Highway 62 through Joshua Tree. City police handle crashes on their own city streets.

Dog bites in Riverside County and the High Desert

Who takes a bite report depends on the city. Riverside County Animal Services covers unincorporated areas and contract cities including Riverside, Hemet, Jurupa Valley, Eastvale, and Indio; cities such as Corona and Moreno Valley run their own, and Animal Friends of the Valley serves Temecula, Murrieta, Menifee, and Lake Elsinore. San Bernardino County Animal Care serves all unincorporated areas, including Joshua Tree, plus Big Bear Lake, Highland, and Yucaipa; Victorville runs its own Animal Services Division. Civil Code § 3342 makes the owner liable for bites in a public place or to someone lawfully on private property.

Public entities and county-run hospitals

When a county, city, school district, or county-run hospital may be responsible, a written government claim is generally due within six months (Government Code § 911.2). For care at a public hospital, that is in addition to the separate medical malpractice time limits (Code of Civil Procedure § 340.5).

Cases the firm reviews

Common Inland Empire injury matters.

Car, truck, and motorcycle collisions on the 91, the 15, the 10, the 215, and Inland Empire streets, including uninsured drivers

Dog bites in Riverside County cities and in High Desert communities such as Victorville and Joshua Tree

Pedestrian and bicycle injuries in crosswalks and along arterial roads

Falls and other unsafe-property injuries

Medical malpractice, including missed diagnoses and treatment errors and care at county-run hospitals

Courts, hospitals, and reports

Where an Inland Empire case actually happens.

The facts of a claim live in specific places: the courthouse where it would be filed, the hospitals that hold the treatment records, and the agencies that wrote the report. Knowing them from day one shortens everything that follows.

Where cases are filed (Riverside County): Riverside Superior Court — civil cases are heard at the Historic Courthouse, 4050 Main Street, Riverside, and at other courthouses in the county, and the court has adjusted where civil cases from some communities are filed, so the firm confirms the current location for each case

Where cases are filed (San Bernardino County): San Bernardino Superior Court accepts limited and unlimited civil cases at the San Bernardino Justice Center, 247 West Third Street; the Rancho Cucamonga Courthouse, 8303 Haven Avenue; and the Victorville Courthouse, 14455 Civic Drive, each serving listed communities

Reports and agencies: CHP Riverside, Rancho Cucamonga, San Bernardino, Victorville, and Morongo Basin Areas for freeways, state highways, and unincorporated roads; city police for city streets

Reports and agencies: The animal services agency of the city or county where the bite happened (Riverside County Animal Services, San Bernardino County Animal Care, or the city’s own agency) for bite reports

Government claims: The clerk or claims office of the city, county, school district, or agency that may be responsible

Legal guides

Answers to questions Inland Empire clients ask.

View all guides

DeadlinesHow Long Do You Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit in California?8 min read Dog bitesWhat to Do After a Dog Bite in Orange County8 min read Medical malpracticeWhat Is the California Medical Malpractice Filing Deadline?9 min read Government claimsWhen Is a Government Claim Required After an Injury in Orange County?14 min read

Common questions

Questions from Inland Empire clients.

Does Kyle Scott Law handle cases in Riverside and San Bernardino counties?

Yes. The firm represents people injured in both counties, and its published results include cases in the Riverside and San Bernardino superior courts, such as a Fontana intersection crash and a Hemet crosswalk case. Its only office is in Tustin, and the first consultation can be by phone or video.

Where would an Inland Empire injury case be filed?

Usually in the superior court of the county where the injury happened, or where a defendant lives (Code of Civil Procedure section 395). Riverside Superior Court hears civil cases at the Historic Courthouse in Riverside and other courthouses in the county. San Bernardino Superior Court hears civil cases at the San Bernardino Justice Center and the Rancho Cucamonga and Victorville courthouses, depending on the community.

A dog bit me in Victorville, Joshua Tree or elsewhere in the High Desert. Who takes the report?

It depends on the community. Victorville runs its own Animal Services Division, and Joshua Tree and other unincorporated areas are served by San Bernardino County Animal Care. Contact the agency for the community where the bite happened. Get medical care, photograph the wounds, and get the owner’s name, address and insurance. Under Civil Code section 3342, the owner is generally liable even if the dog never bit anyone before.

I was hurt in a crash on the 91 near the county line. Which county handles it?

The county where the crash happened, which can be Orange or Riverside on the 91. That decides which superior court is proper, which agencies hold the reports, and where any government claim goes. The California Highway Patrol’s Riverside Area patrols the 91 in western Riverside County. Keep the report number you were given at the scene.

I was treated at a county hospital. Does that change my claim?

It can. A county is a public entity, so a claim involving care at a county-run hospital generally requires a written government claim within six months (Government Code section 911.2), along with the medical malpractice time limits. Ask about deadlines early.

Do I have to come to Tustin?

No. Kyle Scott Law has no office in Riverside or San Bernardino County; it represents Inland Empire clients from 17671 Irvine Blvd. in Tustin. The first consultation is free and can be by phone or video, in English or Spanish, and in-person meetings are arranged when a case calls for one.

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.

Practice areas

Cases Kyle Scott Law handles for Inland Empire clients.

View every practice area

Car AccidentsKyle Scott Law represents people hurt in car, truck, motorcycle, rideshare, and pedestrian crashes across Orange County, from an office in Tustin.Medical MalpracticeKyle Scott Law represents patients and families across Orange County who were harmed by medical malpractice, from a missed cancer diagnosis or an anesthesia error to surgical, medication, hospital, and birth injuries.Dog BitesKyle Scott Law represents adults and children hurt in dog bites and dog attacks across Orange County, claims that are often paid by the owner’s homeowner’s or renter’s insurance.Pedestrian AccidentsRepresentation for people struck by a car, truck, or rideshare vehicle while walking in Orange County, in a crosswalk, at an intersection, in a parking lot, or mid-block, including hit-and-run and dangerous-road claims.