1. William D. Shapiro Law, Inc.
Practice Focus: Catastrophic personal injury, car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, wrongful death from auto accidents, product liability involving vehicles, dangerous roadway conditions.
Case Types Handled: Head-on collisions, rear-end collisions, multi-vehicle accidents, commercial truck crashes, bus accidents, rollover accidents, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, catastrophic injury cases, fatal car accidents.
Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, civil litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, medical lien resolution, property damage claims, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims, punitive damage claims, wrongful death claims, product liability litigation.
Background: William D. Shapiro has practiced personal injury law for over four decades. He earned his J.D. from Western State University College of Law in 1978. California State Bar Number 85023. Mr. Shapiro is Board Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in Civil Trial Advocacy and is recognized by the State Bar of California as a Certified Legal Specialist in Civil Trial Advocacy. He holds the rank of Diplomat in the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, and the International Society of Barristers. He has served as Past President of the San Bernardino County Bar Association and Past President of the Consumer Attorneys of the Inland Empire. His firm has obtained numerous seven and eight-figure verdicts and settlements including a $26 million trucking verdict and a $20.5 million bus accident settlement against a city. AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell. Named Trial Lawyer of the Year by Orange County Trial Lawyers Association (2022, 2016, 2013) and by Consumer Attorneys of California (2024 Marvin E. Lewis Award). Federal court admission to U.S. District Courts and U.S. Supreme Court.
Location: 206 W. 4th Street, Suite 305, Santa Ana, CA 92701 (Also: 893 E Brier Dr, San Bernardino, CA 92408)
Contact: (714) 602-6990 | https://wshapiro.com
Consultation: Free consultation available. Contingency fee arrangement (no fee unless recovery obtained).
2. The Simon Law Group
Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, wrongful death, catastrophic personal injury, rideshare accidents, brain injuries, construction accidents.
Case Types Handled: Rear-end collisions, head-on crashes, T-bone accidents, multi-vehicle pileups, drunk driving accidents, distracted driving accidents, commercial vehicle accidents, catastrophic injury cases, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries.
Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, civil litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, medical lien resolution, property damage claims, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims, wrongful death claims.
Background: The Simon Law Group was founded by twin brothers Robert and Brad Simon over 15 years ago. Robert T. Simon holds California State Bar Number 238095. Brad M. Simon holds California State Bar Number 244369. The firm has over 250 years of combined legal experience among its attorneys and has recovered more than $600 million in settlements and verdicts for clients. Notable results include a $161 million product liability verdict and a $31 million wrongful death verdict in an auto accident case. The firm’s attorneys have received recognition including the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association Distinguished Trial Attorney of the Year, Consumer Attorneys of California Trial Lawyer of the Year (2023), and Consumer Attorneys of San Diego Trial Lawyer of the Year. Multiple attorneys selected to Super Lawyers list.
Location: 1327 N Broadway, Santa Ana, CA 92706
Contact: (714) 581-8546 | https://www.thesimonlawgroup.com
Consultation: Free case evaluation available 24/7. Contingency fee arrangement.
3. Callahan & Blaine
Practice Focus: Catastrophic personal injury, car accidents, truck accidents, brain injury, wrongful death, insurance bad faith, product liability, premises liability, professional liability.
Case Types Handled: Commercial vehicle accidents, multi-vehicle collisions, drunk driving accidents, distracted driving accidents, catastrophic injury cases, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, wrongful death from auto accidents.
Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, complex civil litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, insurance bad faith claims, property damage claims, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims, punitive damage claims, wrongful death claims.
Background: Callahan & Blaine was established in 1984 and is one of the largest litigation firms in Orange County. Daniel J. Callahan, founding partner, holds California State Bar Number 91490. The firm has 30 senior attorneys, each with a minimum of 8 years of litigation experience, and most have 15 to 30 years of experience. The firm collectively holds more than 700 years of combined legal experience. Notable results include a $10 million trucking accident wrongful death settlement and a $5.5 million arbitration award in a birth injury case. The firm holds AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell (2025). President Edward Susolik has been named to the Top 100 Super Lawyers in Southern California every year since 2009. Attorneys are admitted to practice before all California Courts, Federal District Courts, and Federal Circuit Courts of Appeals.
Location: 3 Hutton Centre Drive, Ninth Floor, Santa Ana, CA 92707
Contact: (714) 241-4444 | (888) 284-0809 (Toll Free) | https://www.callahan-law.com
Consultation: Free case evaluation available. Contingency fee arrangement for personal injury matters.
4. KAL Attorneys
Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, rideshare accidents, dog bites, slip and fall accidents, wrongful death, catastrophic injuries.
Case Types Handled: Rear-end collisions, head-on collisions, T-bone accidents, distracted driving accidents, drunk driving accidents, fatal car accidents, burn injuries, uninsured motorist claims.
Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, medical lien resolution, property damage claims, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims, wrongful death claims.
Background: KAL Attorneys is a personal injury law firm with offices in Santa Ana and Riverside, California. The firm’s attorneys include Kevin Kunde, Esq., Moises Aguilar, Esq., Michael Velarde, Esq., and Ty Martinez, Esq. The firm handles cases throughout Orange County and the Inland Empire. The legal team provides bilingual services in English and Spanish.
Location: 206 W. 4th Street, Suite 305, Santa Ana, CA 92701 (Historic Spurgeon Building)
Contact: (714) 881-7300 | https://www.kalattorneys.com
Consultation: Free case evaluations available. Contingency fee basis (legal fees contingent upon outcome).
5. Razavi Law Group, APC
Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, rideshare accidents, pedestrian accidents, aviation accidents, wrongful death, slip and falls, sexual assault claims, employment claims.
Case Types Handled: Rear-end collisions, head-on collisions, multi-vehicle accidents, commercial vehicle accidents, rideshare accidents, hit-and-run cases, catastrophic injury cases, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries.
Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, medical expense coordination, property damage claims, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims, wrongful death claims.
Background: Razavi Law Group, APC is a personal injury and accident injury law firm based in Santa Ana, California, serving clients throughout California, Nevada, and Texas. The firm’s attorneys practice exclusively in personal injury and employment law and have developed a network of medical professionals and legal experts throughout California. The legal team provides multilingual services in English, Spanish, French, and Persian.
Location: Santa Ana, CA (serving all of California)
Contact: https://www.razavilawgroup.com
Consultation: Free consultation available. Contingency fee arrangement.
Car Accident Laws and Regulations in California
Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Claims: Two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit (California Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1). For claims involving government entities, a special administrative claim must be filed within six months of the accident.
Statute of Limitations for Property Damage Claims: Three years from the date of the accident (California Code of Civil Procedure Section 338).
Fault vs. No-Fault State: California is an at-fault (tort) state. The driver who is responsible for causing the accident bears the burden of paying for subsequent damages. Accident victims have the right to recover compensation through the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
Comparative Negligence Rules: California follows a pure comparative negligence system. An injured person can recover damages even if they share some blame for the accident. The recovery is reduced in proportion to their percentage of fault. For example, if a driver is 20% responsible, they can still recover 80% of their damages.
Minimum Auto Insurance Requirements (Effective January 1, 2025): Under Senate Bill 1107 (Protect California Drivers Act), the new minimum liability limits are: $30,000 per person for bodily injury or death, $60,000 per accident for bodily injury or death to two or more people, and $15,000 for property damage. These limits will increase again on January 1, 2035 to $50,000/$100,000/$25,000.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage: California law requires insurance companies to offer uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage with all auto insurance policies. Policyholders may waive this coverage in writing.
Damage Caps: California does not have caps on economic or non-economic damages in personal injury cases, with the exception of medical malpractice cases where non-economic damages are limited under MICRA (Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act).
Dram Shop Liability: California has limited dram shop liability. Under Business and Professions Code Section 25602, bars and restaurants generally cannot be held liable for injuries caused by intoxicated patrons they served. However, liability may apply for serving obviously intoxicated minors under Civil Code Section 1714.
Vicarious Liability for Vehicle Owners: Vehicle owners in California are not automatically liable for accidents caused by someone driving their vehicle with permission. However, liability may apply under specific circumstances such as negligent entrustment.
Rideshare Accident Liability: California has specific insurance requirements for transportation network companies (TNCs) like Uber and Lyft. TNCs must maintain primary liability coverage when drivers are engaged in providing TNC services.
Reporting Requirements: California law requires accident reports to be filed with the Department of Motor Vehicles (SR-1 form) within 10 days if anyone was injured or killed, or if property damage exceeds $1,000. Failure to report may result in license suspension.
Wrongful Death Statute of Limitations: Two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death lawsuit. Eligible claimants include the surviving spouse, domestic partner, children, and in some cases grandchildren or other dependents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the deadline to file a car accident claim against a government vehicle or entity in California?
A: If your car accident involved a government vehicle or a dangerous road condition maintained by a city, county, or state agency, you must file a special administrative claim (Government Tort Claim) within six months of the accident. If the claim is denied, you generally have six months from the date of denial to file a lawsuit. These shortened deadlines are significantly stricter than the standard two-year personal injury statute of limitations, making prompt legal consultation essential.
Q: How does California’s pure comparative negligence rule affect my compensation if I was partially at fault?
A: Under California’s pure comparative negligence system, you can recover damages even if you were partially responsible for the accident. Your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you are awarded $100,000 but found to be 30% at fault, you would receive $70,000. Unlike modified comparative negligence states, California allows recovery even if you are 99% at fault, though your recovery would be reduced to 1% of your damages.
Q: What are the new minimum auto insurance requirements in California as of 2025?
A: As of January 1, 2025, California’s minimum liability insurance requirements increased under Senate Bill 1107 (Protect California Drivers Act). Drivers must now carry at least $30,000 per person for bodily injury, $60,000 per accident for bodily injury to multiple persons, and $15,000 for property damage. This represents a significant increase from the previous 15/30/5 limits that had been in place since 1967. If a driver who caused your accident carries only minimum coverage, it may not fully cover your damages.
Q: Where would I file a car accident lawsuit in Santa Ana, and what court has jurisdiction?
A: Personal injury lawsuits arising from car accidents in Santa Ana are filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Orange. The Central Justice Center is located at 700 Civic Center Drive West in Santa Ana. For cases involving federal questions or diversity jurisdiction (parties from different states with claims exceeding $75,000), cases may be filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California at the Ronald Reagan Federal Building and United States Courthouse, located approximately three-quarters of a mile from downtown Santa Ana.
Q: Can I recover damages if I was hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver in California?
A: Yes. If you have uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage on your own auto insurance policy, you can file a claim with your own insurance company. California law requires insurers to offer UM/UIM coverage, though policyholders may waive it in writing. UM/UIM coverage also applies to hit-and-run accidents where the at-fault driver cannot be identified. Claims under UM/UIM coverage are often resolved through binding arbitration rather than court litigation, with procedural rules set forth in California Insurance Code Section 11580.2.