California Personal Injury Attorneys

At DearLegal, we connect you with experienced California personal injury attorneys who understand the state’s pure comparative fault rule, the strict 6-month Government Claims Act deadline, and the unique procedural traps in California Civil Code and Code of Civil Procedure.

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Matched with a California attorney in 24 hours
30,000+ plaintiffs served nationwide

Free California personal injury case review

A California attorney will take a look. Or call 1-833-WELEGAL.

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How we match your California personal injury case

When you submit a California personal injury matter, we route it through a national network of independent partner firms and put it in front of the one that fits best — based on the kind of case it is, what it is likely to involve, where it has to be handled, and who has capacity to take it on now.

Case type

A personal injury matter needs someone who handles personal injury work day to day, not a generalist. Practice area is the first filter.

Size and complexity

Some firms are built for catastrophic injury and multi-party litigation; others resolve straightforward claims quickly. We weigh what your matter is likely to involve against how each firm actually works.

Jurisdiction and licensing

Your matter is decided under California law, so it goes to an attorney licensed in California who regularly appears where your case would be heard.

Capacity and fit

Availability, conflicts of interest and language all matter. If the best-fit firm cannot take your case, we route it to the next one that can — or tell you plainly when no one in the network is the right answer.

Every partner reviews your case for free. Injury and workers’ compensation matters are handled on contingency — no fee unless you win. Other matters are quoted upfront, before you commit to anything.

Start my free case review How DearLegal works

DearLegal provides marketing and matching services and is not a law firm, and is not a State Bar-certified lawyer referral service. Submitting a case does not create an attorney-client relationship. Matches depend on case type, jurisdiction and firm availability.

Exhibit A

What happens with a personal injury claim in California

Day 0
It happens.
Get medical care and keep every record — photos, names, the report number. In California, what you document now is what your claim is built on.
Within 24 hours
Tell us what happened.
Two minutes on this page. A California personal injury attorney reviews it for free and, if it’s a fit, you’re matched within 24 hours.
Weeks 1–4
Your attorney builds the file.
Reports, medical records, witnesses, camera footage, insurance policies. This is the part insurers hope you skip.
Months 1–6
Demand and negotiation.
Your attorney sends a demand and negotiates with the insurer. California’s fault rule matters here — Pure comparative fault (Li v. Yellow Cab Co.) — recovery reduced by your percentage of fault, no bar.
Before the 2-year deadline
Suit is filed if it has to be.
California gives 2 years from the date it happened. Filing keeps your leverage; missing it ends the claim.
Resolution
Settlement or verdict.
You pay nothing along the way. The fee — typically 33% — comes only out of what’s recovered. If nothing is recovered, you owe nothing.

Statute of Limitations: 2 years
2 years from the date of injury (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1)
Fault Rule: Pure comparative
Pure comparative fault (Li v. Yellow Cab Co.) — recovery reduced by your percentage of fault, no bar
Damages Cap: No cap
No cap on compensatory damages in standard PI cases. Medical malpractice has its own MICRA non-economic cap ($430,000 in 2025, increasing annually under AB 35).
Government-Claim Notice: 6 months
Written claim within 6 months of accrual (Cal. Gov. Code § 911.2); lawsuit within 6 months of rejection notice (§ 945.6). Strict and unforgiving.
Joint and Several Liability: Modified
Modified — joint liability for economic damages, several liability for non-economic damages (Prop 51 / Cal. Civ. Code § 1431.2).
Typical attorney fee: 33%
33%–40% contingency — no fee unless you win

California uses pure comparative fault (Li v. Yellow Cab Co., 13 Cal.3d 804) — you can recover even if you’re mostly at fault, with your award reduced by your percentage. The standard PI SOL is two years under Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1. There is no cap on non-economic damages in standard personal injury cases (medical malpractice has its own MICRA cap, raised under AB 35 in 2023). But California’s Government Claims Act (Gov. Code § 911.2) requires a written claim against the State or a public entity within 6 months — and the rejection notice triggers a separate six-month window to file suit. Missing either deadline ends the claim. Local counsel who knows the LA Superior Court, San Francisco Superior Court, and California-specific procedure is essential.

Exhibit B

When to call a personal injury attorney in California

Does any of this sound like you? Tap what applies.

Exhibit C

Personal Injury cases we take in California

Which one is closest to yours?

Slip and fall on premises

California premises liability turns on actual or constructive notice of the hazard under Ortega v. Kmart. Surveillance footage at major retailers is often the deciding evidence and must be preserved early.

Sound like yours? A California attorney reviews it free — no fee unless they win.

Start my free review

Exhibit D

How much do California personal injury attorneys cost?

Sample settlement statement

California · Personal Injury

Recovery$100,000

Attorney fee · 33%− $33,000

Case costs (advanced by firm)repaid at the end

To you$67,000

Due today$0

Try a different recovery$100,000

$5,000$3,000,000

Illustrative only. Your fee terms are set in a written agreement with your attorney and may include costs and expenses regardless of outcome.

Most California personal injury attorneys work on contingency: the fee is a share of what they recover, and nothing if they don’t.

Personal injury attorneys in California work on a contingency fee basis — typically 33% to 40% of the total recovery. Medical malpractice fees are capped on a sliding scale under MICRA. Given California’s strict Government Claims Act deadlines and sophisticated defense bar, having experienced local counsel from day one is critical. Case expenses are typically advanced by the firm and deducted from the final recovery.

A good attorney walks through every number at your free consultation — before you sign anything.

Start my free case reviewTakes about two minutes. No obligation.

Exhibit E

What your California personal injury compensation can include

A California personal injury recovery is built from several parts. Tap one to see what it covers.

Economic Damages (No Cap)

Past and future medical bills, lost wages, lost earning capacity, and out-of-pocket costs — uncapped under California law. Defendants are jointly liable for economic damages.

DearLegal is a legal referral service, not a law firm. We connect individuals with licensed attorneys who can evaluate their case. Nothing on this page constitutes legal advice. Results vary based on individual circumstances.

Exhibit F

California personal injury questions, answered

Still unsure? Tell us what happened and a California attorney will review it for free.

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Two years from the date of injury under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1. Wrongful death is also two years from the date of death under § 335.1. If your claim is against the State, a city, a county, or any other public entity, you must file a written Government Code claim within 6 months under Gov. Code § 911.2, and then file suit within 6 months of the rejection notice under § 945.6. Medical malpractice has a separate framework under § 340.5.

Your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault, but there is no bar. Even if you are 80% at fault, you can still recover 20%. That makes California one of the most plaintiff-friendly fault regimes in the country. But under Proposition 51 (Cal. Civ. Code § 1431.2), defendants are only severally liable for non-economic damages, so apportionment among defendants still drives the math.

Auto, truck, motorcycle, and rideshare crashes; slip-and-falls; premises liability at retailers, hotels, and rentals; defective products; medical malpractice (MICRA); nursing home neglect (with separate Elder Abuse Act remedies); dog bites (strict liability under Civ. Code § 3342); recreational injuries (skiing, surfing, hiking, biking); negligent security; workplace third-party claims; and wrongful death.

You look at your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, homeowner’s or commercial policies, and any vicarious-liability defendants. California insurers must offer UM/UIM and waivers must be in writing under Cal. Ins. Code § 11580.2.

Most cases settle, but California juries — particularly in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Alameda, and Santa Clara counties — return some of the largest verdicts in the country. Defense insurers know which firms try cases, and that affects every settlement offer.

You have to file a Government Code claim within 6 months of accrual under Gov. Code § 911.2. The claim must include specific information about the incident and damages. Once it’s rejected (or deemed rejected after 45 days), you have 6 months to file suit under § 945.6. These deadlines are strict, technical, and unforgiving.

California personal injury attorneys typically take cases on a contingency basis — no upfront cost, and they’re paid a percentage of the recovery only if they win. Typical fees range from 33% to 40% depending on whether the case settles or goes to trial. Medical malpractice fees are capped on a sliding scale under MICRA. Case expenses are normally advanced by the firm and deducted from the final recovery.

Personal Injury attorneys by city in California

Same California rules and the same attorneys — with what’s local to each city.

Other case types in California

All California practice areas →

Animal Incident attorneysCalifornia holds dog owners strictly liable for bites — the owner pays even if the dog had never bitten anyone before.

Business Dispute attorneysCalifornia bans most non-compete clauses, which shifts the leverage in partnership and employment disputes.

Car Accident attorneysPure comparative fault means even partially at-fault drivers can recover — an attorney protects your share against insurer pushback.

Consumer Protection attorneysCalifornia’s consumer-protection and unfair-competition laws give consumers some of the strongest claims in the country.

Criminal Defense attorneysCalifornia’s criminal code, Three Strikes law, and newer resentencing rules require counsel who knows the local DA office.

Defective Product attorneysCalifornia pioneered holding manufacturers strictly liable for defective products — and still leads on consumer-protective doctrine.

Employment attorneysCalifornia’s state civil-rights agency and worker-protection laws give employees more leverage than federal law alone — if filed on time.

Family Law attorneysCalifornia is a community-property state, and the law traces separate-property contributions back through the marriage — math matters here.

Immigration attorneysCalifornia has the largest immigrant population in the U.S. — and immigration courts in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego each run on different timelines.

Lemon Law attorneysCalifornia’s Lemon Law lets you recover up to 2x actual damages plus attorney fees from the manufacturer.

Medical Malpractice attorneysCalifornia recently raised its medical-malpractice caps on pain-and-suffering damages, and they now rise each year — a reform that re-opens cases the old cap discouraged.

Slip and Fall attorneysCalifornia premises liability turns on notice and reasonableness — courts have set clear rules for how often stores must inspect for hazards.

Social Security Disability attorneysCalifornia’s SSA hearing offices (Oakland, Los Angeles, San Diego) handle some of the country’s longest waits — an attorney accelerates and strengthens your claim.

Workers’ Compensation attorneysCalifornia’s workers’ comp division runs hearings statewide — and the state’s medical-evaluator process can make or break your impairment rating.

California Personal Injury Attorneys

How we match your California personal injury case

Case type

Size and complexity

Jurisdiction and licensing

Capacity and fit

What happens with a personal injury claim in California

It happens.

Tell us what happened.

Your attorney builds the file.

Demand and negotiation.

Suit is filed if it has to be.

Settlement or verdict.

When to call a personal injury attorney in California

Personal Injury cases we take in California

Slip and fall on premises

Dog bites

Medical malpractice (MICRA)

Product liability

Premises negligence at retailers

Workplace injuries (third-party claims)

School and daycare injuries

Recreational injuries (skiing, surfing, hiking, biking)

Negligent security / assault on premises

Nursing home neglect and elder abuse

Wrongful death

Catastrophic injury and traumatic brain injury

How much do California personal injury attorneys cost?

What your California personal injury compensation can include

Economic Damages (No Cap)

Non-Economic Damages (No Cap in standard PI)

Punitive Damages (No Statutory Cap)

Loss of Consortium

Wrongful Death

Survival Action Damages

California personal injury questions, answered

Personal Injury attorneys by city in California

Other case types in California

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