California Car Accident Lawyers | $980M+ Recovered | GJEL
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California car accident lawyers for serious injuries

Choosing a California car accident lawyer? GJEL is a California injury firm focused on serious-injury car crashes. It has represented injured Californians since 1972, has recovered more than $980 million, prepares cases for litigation against insurers when appropriate, and works on contingency, so you pay no fee unless and until we win.

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California car accident essentials

Every accident is different, but these five points shape many California injury claims:

  • California follows pure comparative fault. Being partly responsible generally does not end a claim, but compensation can be reduced by the percentage of responsibility assigned to you.
  • California’s standard minimum auto liability limits are $30,000 for injury or death to one person, $60,000 for injury or death to two or more people in one accident, and $15,000 for property damage. Serious injuries can exceed those limits.
  • More than one person, company, insurer, or public entity may be involved. The driver, a vehicle owner, an employer, a rideshare company, or a government agency may have a role, depending on the facts.
  • California generally gives two years to file a personal-injury lawsuit, but a claim against a public entity generally must be presented within six months. Exceptions and other deadlines can change the answer.
  • Evidence can disappear quickly. Photos, video, witness information, vehicle data, medical records, and insurer letters may help explain what happened and what the accident changed.

You do not have to sort out every rule before you call. A GJEL lawyer can review the facts, identify questions that need answers, and explain the next step.

What to do now

Put your health first

Get emergency or follow-up medical care when you need it. Keep the discharge papers, visit summaries, bills, and instructions you receive. Injuries are not always obvious at the scene.

Save what can explain the accident

Keep photos, video, the other driver’s information, witness names, the police or CHP report number, and letters from insurers. Do not repair or dispose of important evidence until you understand what may be needed.

Get advice before you sign

An early offer or release can end a claim before the full effect of an injury is known. You can ask a lawyer what the paperwork means before you agree to anything.

A clear conversation comes first

What it costs to speak with GJEL

Your case review is free and there is no obligation. GJEL works on a contingency-fee basis. You pay no fee unless and until we win. If the firm offers representation, the fee agreement explains the percentage, case costs, and how they are handled before you decide.

Since 1972

Why people turn to GJEL

GJEL has represented injured Californians since 1972. The firm has recovered more than $980 million for injured Californians and has a 99% success rate across the cases it takes on.

Our lawyers and staff build the record an insurer must answer. That may include preserving vehicle and video evidence, reviewing police reports, identifying available insurance, documenting the effect of an injury, and preparing a case for negotiation or litigation when appropriate. You should be able to ask who will handle your case and who will return your calls.

GJEL has 17 offices across the Bay Area, Northern California, and the Central Valley. We handle eligible cases statewide and can meet at home or in the hospital when needed.

Published car accident results

Every case is different. The following are published examples from cases GJEL handled, not a promise about your case. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

$1.1 million settlement for a teenage passenger’s brachial plexus injury

A teenage passenger suffered a serious shoulder and nerve injury in an Alameda County accident. The published case study describes disputed facts, minor vehicle damage, four surgeries, and permanent nerve damage before the $1.1 million settlement.

Read the published result

$1 million combined settlement after a Dublin multi-car accident

A married couple was injured when their vehicle was pushed into other traffic on I-680. The published case involved several insurers and an out-of-state dissolved employer, and reports a combined $1 million settlement for the couple.

Read the published result

$515,000 settlement after two rear-end accidents

The published case involved rear-end accidents in San Francisco and Benicia seven months apart. The insurers disputed which accident caused parts of the client’s medical expenses and wage loss before the $515,000 result.

Read the published result

$300,000 Oakland car accident settlement

After a Highway 24 accident in Oakland, the insurer questioned whether the impact caused the client’s concussion symptoms. GJEL’s published case study describes investigation and accident-reconstruction work before the $300,000 settlement.

Read the published result

$275,000 Fremont three-car accident settlement

Two vehicles entered the client’s lane on I-680. The insurer initially questioned the injuries and made an early offer. The published case study reports a $275,000 settlement after the evidence and treatment information were developed.

Read the published result

$250,000 settlement after an accident involving Caltrans

A motorist struck a stopped Caltrans truck on I-580 near Castro Valley and suffered a traumatic brain injury and other harm. The published case study describes an initial denial of responsibility and a $250,000 settlement.

Read the published result

$250,000 Brentwood rear-end settlement

A rear-end impact pushed the client’s vehicle through an intersection, causing seven spinal compression fractures and time away from work. The published case study reports a $250,000 settlement after a lawsuit and depositions.

Read the published result

See all published car accident results

Know the rules

Five questions that can shape a California car accident claim

Who may be responsible?

The driver may not be the only responsible party. Depending on the facts, a vehicle owner may have limited statutory responsibility when someone was driving with permission. An employer, rideshare or delivery company, public entity, contractor, or product maker may also be involved. California’s comparative-fault rule can divide responsibility among several people or organizations, including an injured person.

Read California’s permissive-use rule

What insurance may pay?

Payment may come from the responsible driver’s liability policy, another party’s policy, or uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. Rideshare coverage depends on the driver’s status in the app. From acceptance through completion of a ride, California requires $1 million in primary liability coverage. While a passenger is in the vehicle, current law requires $60,000 per person and $300,000 per incident in passenger uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.

Read California’s rideshare insurance rule

What compensation may be available?

A claim may include medical expenses, future treatment and care, lost income, reduced earning ability, vehicle or property damage, and pain, disability, or other noneconomic harm. There is no reliable formula for a serious-injury case. The result depends on the injuries, recovery outlook, effect on work and daily life, evidence of fault, available insurance, and the people or organizations legally responsible.

What evidence can help?

Useful evidence may include scene and injury photos, police or CHP reports, 911 records, witness information, video, vehicle data, phone or app records, medical records, bills, wage records, and the damaged vehicles or parts. A traffic-law violation can create a rebuttable presumption of negligence only when every condition in Evidence Code § 669 is met. A ticket or police report does not decide a civil case by itself.

Read California’s negligence presumption rule

How long do you have to act?

California generally allows two years from the injury to file a personal-injury lawsuit. A claim against a city, county, transit agency, Caltrans, or another public entity generally must be presented within six months. For a bodily-injury uninsured-motorist claim involving an unknown driver, California generally requires physical contact, a law-enforcement report within 24 hours, and a sworn statement to the insurer within 30 days. Exceptions can change these rules, so ask promptly which deadline applies.

Learn about California filing deadlines
Andrew (Andy) R. Gillin

Meet founding partner

Andrew (Andy) R. Gillin

Andy Gillin co-founded GJEL in 1972. Learn more in his GJEL profile.

View Andrew Gillin’s profile

Where we help across 17 Northern California offices

GJEL handles serious-injury car accident cases throughout California, with 17 offices across the Bay Area, Silicon Valley, Sacramento, and the Central Valley. Start with the local page for the city where the crash happened:

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a lawyer for my car accident?

Not every accident needs a lawyer. It can be useful to speak with one when you have a significant injury, uncertain fault, a commercial or public-entity issue, a coverage problem, or an insurer’s offer that does not answer your questions. The review is free.

What if I was partly at fault?

You may still have a claim. California generally reduces compensation by the share of fault assigned to you. A lawyer can review the evidence and explain how that rule may apply.

Should I take the insurance company’s first offer?

You do not have to decide on the spot. Before accepting an offer or signing a release, make sure you understand what injuries, treatment, lost income, and other losses it covers. You can ask a lawyer to review it.

What if the other driver has no insurance or leaves the scene?

Report the accident and preserve the information you have. Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage may help, depending on your policy. Unknown-driver bodily-injury claims can have special notice and physical-contact requirements, so ask about them promptly.

How much does a car accident lawyer cost?

GJEL offers a free case review and works on contingency. You pay no fee unless and until we win. If the firm offers representation, the written agreement explains fees and costs before you decide.

How long do I have to act?

California generally allows two years from the injury to file a personal-injury lawsuit, but exceptions can change the deadline. A claim against a public entity generally must be presented within six months. Ask promptly which deadline applies to your situation.

Free, confidential, no obligation

Talk with a California car accident lawyer

Tell us what happened. A GJEL lawyer can review your situation, explain your options, and tell you honestly whether the firm can help. Free, confidential, no obligation. No fee unless and until we win.

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