What if this happened to me?
Start with the event that fits your question. Then follow the links for proof, coverage, and dates. Similar events can lead to different answers when the facts change.
Follow your question.
A road crash
Look at the movement and the conduct of each road user.
A fall or dog injury
The hazard, location, and type of injury can change the applicable rule.
A work trip or death
Check who may be involved and which distinct claims may arise.
What if I was hit from behind?
Being hit from behind may show the driver followed too closely. But it does not settle every fault question. The facts of the crash still matter.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDWhat if a driver turned left in front of me?
A driver turning left must generally yield to oncoming traffic close enough to be a hazard. Other drivers must still use care too.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDWhat if the other driver was speeding?
Unsafe speed can help show a lack of care. A driver may be going too fast for conditions even below the posted limit.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDWhat if the other driver was distracted?
A driver who fails to watch the road may be negligent. The claim still needs proof of what happened and how it caused harm.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDCan I have a claim after a parking lot crash?
An injury in a parking lot can lead to a claim. Drivers must use care around cars and people on foot. You need to show what went wrong.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDWhat if I was hit in a crosswalk?
Drivers generally must yield to people in marked crosswalks and some unmarked crosswalks. Both drivers and people on foot must still use care.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDCan I have a claim if I was outside a crosswalk?
You may still have a claim if you were outside a crosswalk. That fact alone does not decide all questions of fault. Both sides’ actions matter.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDWhat if a car hit me while I was riding a bike?
People on bikes have rights and duties on the road. A driver may be at fault for an unsafe turn or pass. You still need proof of what caused the harm.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDWhat if a driver passed my bike too closely?
State law has rules for safely passing a bike. An unsafe pass may support an injury claim if it caused harm.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDDoes lane splitting mean a motorcycle rider is at fault?
Lane splitting is legal in California. It does not, by itself, make a rider at fault in a crash. How the rider and other drivers acted still matters.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDWho may be responsible after a truck crash?
The driver or the business they work for may be at fault. Other parties may be involved too. A truck’s size alone does not prove who caused the crash.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDWhat if a driver was working when the crash happened?
The driver’s employer may also have to pay. This can apply when the driver was doing work within the scope of the job.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDWhat if a public bus or city vehicle hit me?
A crash with a public vehicle has special claim rules. You may need to act much sooner than in a claim against a private driver.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDWhat if I slipped and fell at a business?
A store may be at fault if it fails to use reasonable care to keep the site safe. A fall alone does not prove the store must pay.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDWhat if unsafe stairs caused my injury?
Unsafe stairs may lead to an injury claim. The issue may be poor upkeep, a bad design, or a failure to fix a known danger.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDWhat if I fell on a public sidewalk?
A fall on public land has special rules. You may need to prove that the walkway had a dangerous defect. You may also need to file an early claim with the public agency.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDWhat if someone’s dog bit me?
A dog owner may have to pay for a bite even if the dog never bit anyone before. The state’s dog-bite law has rules about where and how the bite happened.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDWhat if a dog knocked me down but did not bite?
A dog can cause harm without a bite. The dog-bite law does not automatically cover a knockdown. Other rules, such as negligence, may apply.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDWho can bring a wrongful death claim?
State law says who can sue after a death caused by someone else. A close bond with the person is not enough by itself.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDHow is a wrongful death claim different from a survival claim?
A wrongful death claim is for certain survivors’ losses. A survival claim continues a claim the person who died could have brought. They are different claims.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDWhat if I was driving for a rideshare service when I was hurt?
Coverage may depend on what you were doing in the app when the crash happened. Personal and rideshare policies may have different roles. Fault and harm still need proof.
Read the explanation CALIFORNIA LAW EXPLAINEDWhat if the crash happened around a delivery-app job?
A crash during delivery work can raise questions about fault, policy coverage, and work status. The fact that an app was involved does not answer them all.
Read the explanation