Are you dealing with any of this?
The other driver's insurer wants a recorded statement
A few days after the crash, a friendly adjuster calls and asks you to walk through what happened and how badly you are hurt.
Medical bills keep arriving
ER, imaging, physical therapy, acupuncture. The other insurer says wait until the claim closes, while providers want payment now.
The other driver has no insurance, or too little
California's minimum bodily injury liability is $30,000 per person, which a serious injury can quickly exceed. Some drivers carry nothing at all.
You were hurt in an Uber or Lyft
The driver points to the app, the app points to the driver's insurer, and you are stuck in between.
You are being blamed
The other side says you changed lanes or braked suddenly, and the adjuster uses that to lowball or deny the claim.
The paperwork is hard to follow
Insurer letters, medical records, and a release they want you to sign. Signing the wrong document can end your claim.
What we handle in a car accident case
Once you retain us, insurer calls and letters come to us.
Investigation and evidence
We obtain the police report and gather scene photos, dashcam and nearby surveillance footage, and witness information while it still exists.
Dealing with the insurers
We communicate with the other driver's adjuster and your own carrier. You do not need to give recorded statements or negotiate on your own.
Medical records and the demand letter
We assemble records, bills, physician opinions, and wage-loss proof into a complete demand letter that includes projected future treatment.
UM/UIM and MedPay claims
When the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured, we review your own policy for uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) and medical payments (MedPay) coverage and pursue those benefits.
Rideshare and commercial vehicle crashes
We establish which rideshare coverage period applied at the time of the crash, and for trucks or company vehicles, whether the employer is responsible.
Medical liens and bill negotiation
Before funds are distributed, we negotiate liens and outstanding balances with hospitals, doctors, and health plans so more of the settlement reaches you.
Filing suit when talks fail
If the insurer will not make a reasonable offer, we file within the limitations period and keep building the evidence.
California rules that matter after a crash
These are the general rules. Exceptions exist, so confirm your deadlines early.
- Filing deadline: 2 years for injury, 3 for property：A personal injury lawsuit generally must be filed within 2 years of the accident (CCP §335.1). A claim for vehicle or other property damage alone generally has 3 years (CCP §338(c)). Miss the deadline and the court will usually dismiss the case.
- Government vehicle or road defect: 6 months：If a city bus, public vehicle, or dangerous road condition was involved, a written claim must first be presented to the public entity within 6 months (Gov. Code §911.2). After a written rejection, suit generally must be filed within 6 months (§945.6).
- SR-1 report to the DMV within 10 days：If anyone was injured (however minor) or killed, or property damage to any one person exceeded $1,000, each driver must file an SR-1 with the DMV within 10 days, regardless of fault (Vehicle Code §16000). Failing to report can lead to a license suspension. A police or insurance report does not replace it.
- Pure comparative negligence：California follows pure comparative negligence. Your recovery is reduced by your share of fault but not eliminated. If you are found 20% at fault, you can recover 80% of your damages.
- Minimum liability limits are now 30/60/15：Under SB 1107, since January 1, 2025 the minimums are $30,000 per person, $60,000 per accident for injury or death, and $15,000 for property damage, rising to 50/100/25 in 2035. Note: an owner of an uninsured vehicle generally cannot recover pain-and-suffering damages (Civil Code §3333.4) unless the other driver was convicted of DUI.
- UM/UIM and MedPay：Insurers must include uninsured motorist (UM) coverage unless you waived it in writing. Underinsured (UIM) coverage applies when the other driver's limits are lower than your UM limits. A UM claim generally requires filing suit, reaching agreement, or formally demanding arbitration within 2 years of the accident (Ins. Code §11580.2(i)). MedPay is optional and pays some medical costs regardless of fault.
- Rideshare coverage changed in 2026：Once a driver accepts a ride or has a passenger, the driver or the company must carry $1,000,000 in liability coverage. Under SB 371, since January 1, 2026 the company-provided UM/UIM is $60,000 per person and $300,000 per incident. While the app is on and the driver is waiting, liability is 50/100/30 plus $200,000 excess (PUC §5433).
How your case moves forward
Free initial assessment
Tell us by phone or WeChat what happened, your injuries, and the insurance involved. We tell you whether there is a claim and which deadlines apply.
Written engagement
You sign a contingency agreement that states the fee percentage and how case costs are handled. We then notify the insurers that we represent you.
Evidence during treatment
You focus on treatment. We collect reports, records, and bills, follow up on the vehicle repair or total-loss claim, and document lost income.
Demand and negotiation
When treatment has stabilized or future care can be estimated, we send the demand and negotiate. Every offer is explained to you and the decision is yours.
Settlement or lawsuit, then distribution
Before accepting a settlement we negotiate medical balances and liens. If talks fail, we file within the deadline. At closing you receive a written settlement statement.
Related car accident results
A selection of car accident matters we have handled, including rear-end, DUI, pedestrian, rideshare, and underinsured-driver cases. Every case is different, and past results do not predict the outcome of yours.
Rear-End Collision: $850,000 Settlement Before Trial
$850,000 · Settled before trial
Drunk Driving Crash: $1.4 Million Settlement Reached in Mediation
$1.4 million · Settled in mediation
Pedestrian Struck: $620,000, Other Party Found 100% at Fault
$620,000 · Other party found 100% at fault
Uninsured Driver: $310,000 Recovered Under UM/UIM Coverage
$310,000 · Recovered under UM/UIM coverage
Rideshare Passenger Injured: $40,000, Rideshare Platform's Policy Covered the Shortfall
$40,000 · Rideshare platform's policy covered the shortfall
Underinsured Driver: $35,000 From Liability Coverage Plus the Client's Own UIM
$35,000 · Liability coverage plus the client's own UIM
Fees for car accident cases
Free initial assessment
The first conversation costs nothing. We will tell you plainly where the difficulties are.
Contingency: no recovery, no attorney fee
The attorney fee is a percentage of what is recovered. If there is no recovery, there is no attorney fee. The percentage is set in a written agreement before you sign.
Case costs are defined in the agreement
Who advances costs such as records, expert opinions, and court filing fees, and how they are deducted at the end, is spelled out in the engagement agreement.
- California requires contingency fee agreements to be in writing, state the fee rate, and explain how costs affect the fee and your net recovery (B&P Code §6147).
- The fee percentage is agreed before you sign and is not changed unilaterally during the case.
- We do not promise any particular recovery or outcome.
Car accident questions
The following is general legal information and is not legal advice for any specific matter. For your situation, contact Lingtu Law APC at 415-547-9999 or on WeChat at lingtulaw.
