CA · State Playbook
What the law in California says about your case — deadlines, fault rules, and what you can actually recover. Built from primary statutes and AskMatlock research.
Statute of limitations
2 years
Two years for bodily injury (CCP § 335.1); three years for property damage.
Fault rule
Pure comparative negligence
Pure comparative negligence. Recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault but never barred.
Diminished value posture
Third-party diminished value allowedDiminished value claims recognized against the at-fault driver's insurer; first-party diminished value depends on policy language.
CA B&P § 6155 regulates lawyer referral services strictly. Watch out for minimum-limits liability (often 15/30 in CA).
Open Property Damage Toolkit →Pure comparative negligence — favorable for victims.
Two-year statute of limitations for bodily injury.
CA Civil Code § 3333 governs damages; non-economic damages uncapped for typical auto cases.
Per the AskMatlock $15B research, California accounts for ~$2.3B of the 5-year unrepresented serious-injury gap.
Every fact in this playbook is sourced from primary statutes, bar opinions, or peer-reviewed research. We do not invent numbers. This is not legal advice; state law changes frequently and case-specific facts matter — when your case warrants it, the Bodily Injury Claim tool lets you browse verified attorneys in California and pick.
