Who is responsible?
Start with who did what, then connect those acts to the harm. More than one person may share blame. A ticket, report, or type of crash does not answer every question.
Follow your question.
Build the proof
Learn what a negligence claim needs and how records may help.
Share the blame
Separate your own share of fault from rules for several defendants.
Look beyond the driver
Work, ownership, and the use of a car can raise other liability questions.
What does “negligence” mean?
Negligence means someone failed to use reasonable care. An injury claim usually needs more than a mistake: you must connect that mistake to an injury and a loss.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDCan I have a claim if I was partly at fault?
You may still have a claim when you share some blame. California generally uses comparative fault: your share of fault can reduce what you recover.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDHow do I show who caused an accident?
You need proof of what happened and who failed to use care. You also need to show how that failure caused your injury.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDDoes a police report decide who was at fault?
A police report can help explain a crash. It does not decide the whole injury claim. An insurer or court may look at other proof too.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDDoes a traffic ticket prove an injury claim?
A ticket may help show what happened. It does not prove every part of an injury claim. You still need to link the unsafe act to your injury.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDWhat if more than one person caused my injury?
More than one person can share fault. More than one business can too. How they split the payment depends on the kind of loss and the law.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDCan a business be responsible for its worker?
A business may have to pay for harm caused by its worker. This can apply when the worker was acting within the scope of the job.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDWhat if the driver borrowed someone else’s car?
The car’s owner may share legal fault if they let someone drive it. The driver can also be at fault for their own acts.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDCan an injury matter if no one can see it?
An injury does not have to be visible to matter. Care records can help show the harm and its link to the event.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDWhat if I already had a health problem?
An injury can make an old health problem worse. A claim may cover that added harm. It does not have to be a brand-new problem.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDHow do I know if this is a personal injury matter?
An injury claim concerns harm and a legal basis for asking another person or business to pay. Not every accident or upsetting event supports the same kind of claim.
Read the explanation