California, Texas and Washington
What happened?
You were hurt and somebody else caused it. This site tells you what the law in your state says about that, in plain words, with the statute next to every rule. Then it puts you one tap from a lawyer at The Ledger Law Firm, which has done this work since 1998.
The firm works on a contingency fee: the fee is a percentage of what is recovered. If there is no recovery, you owe no attorney fee, but you may still be responsible for court costs and case expenses.
- Since 1998The Ledger Law Firm
- Three statesLicensed in California, Texas and Washington
- Two officesNewport Beach and Dallas
- Every rule sourcedLinked to the statute it comes from
Start here
Two taps, and this box shows the rules that apply to you and the first thing to do. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Pick what happened and the state. The answer appears here.
Car accident: the first thing to do
Get the police report number, the other driver’s insurance and photographs of both cars. Say nothing to the other driver’s insurer until you have talked to a lawyer.
Car accident: the whole guide, with the rules of all three states
Truck accident: the first thing to do
The trucking company’s own evidence, the driver’s hours, the truck’s data and any camera, can be written over within weeks. A lawyer’s first letter tells them to keep it.
Truck accident: the whole guide, with the rules of all three states
Rideshare accident: the first thing to do
Screenshot the ride in the app: the trip, the driver, the time. Which insurance applies depends on what the app showed at that moment.
Rideshare accident: the whole guide, with the rules of all three states
Motorcycle accident: the first thing to do
Keep the helmet and the gear as they are and photograph the bike before anyone moves it. Expect the first question from the insurer to be about fault.
Motorcycle accident: the whole guide, with the rules of all three states
Pedestrian accident: the first thing to do
Get the driver’s details and any witness names before they leave. If the driver had little or no insurance, your own auto policy may still pay.
Pedestrian accident: the whole guide, with the rules of all three states
Fall or dog bite: the first thing to do
Report it to the owner or the manager in writing before you leave, and photograph what caused the fall. Ask whether there is camera footage before it is erased.
Fall or dog bite: the whole guide, with the rules of all three states
Uninsured driver: the first thing to do
Report a hit and run to the police at once, and tell your own insurer in writing. Your own policy may cover you, and its deadlines are short.
Uninsured driver: the whole guide, with the rules of all three states
Wrongful death: the first thing to do
Only certain people can bring the claim, and who that is depends on the state. The clock generally runs from the date of death.
Wrongful death: the whole guide, with the rules of all three states
The rules in California
- Time to sue for an injury
- 2 years
- Time to sue after a death
- 2 years
- If you were partly at fault
- Reduced by your share, not barred
- Minimum liability insurance
- $30,000 / $60,000 / $15,000
- If a government is involved
- A written claim to a government agency within 6 months.
The rules in Texas
- Time to sue for an injury
- 2 years
- Time to sue after a death
- 2 years
- If you were partly at fault
- Barred above 50 percent
- Minimum liability insurance
- $30,000 / $60,000 / $25,000
- If a government is involved
- A written claim to a government agency within 6 months, and a local government can set a shorter time.
The rules in Washington
- Time to sue for an injury
- 3 years
- Time to sue after a death
- 3 years
- If you were partly at fault
- Reduced by your share, not barred
- Minimum liability insurance
- $25,000 / $50,000 / $10,000
- If a government is involved
- A claim form to the government agency first, then 60 days before a lawsuit can be filed.
Another state
The firm’s lawyers are licensed in California, Texas and Washington. For an injury anywhere else, The Ledger Law Firm may refer you to a lawyer licensed there, and the call still tells you where you stand. Deadlines differ by state, and some are short, so do not wait to ask.
Start with what happened to you
Each page answers the questions people ask in the first week, then lays the rules of all three states side by side.
What to do right now
Three pages for the first week, when the calls start and the bills have not.
Three states, three sets of rules
The firm’s lawyers are licensed in California, Texas and Washington. The rules differ more than most people expect.
California
2years to sueIf you were partly at faultReduced by your share, not barred.
Minimum liability insurance$30,000 / $60,000 / $15,000
Wrongful death2 years to sue
California rules, with sourcesTexas
2years to sueIf you were partly at faultBarred above 50 percent.
Minimum liability insurance$30,000 / $60,000 / $25,000
Wrongful death2 years to sue
Texas rules, with sourcesWashington
3years to sueIf you were partly at faultReduced by your share, not barred.
Minimum liability insurance$25,000 / $50,000 / $10,000
Wrongful death3 years to sue
Washington rules, with sources
How a case moves
Five stages, in order. Every case is its own, but the road is the same, and you are told where you are on it.
You call, or ask for a call
You tell the firm what happened and it tells you what it can do. The first conversation takes a few minutes and commits you to nothing.
The facts are gathered
The police report, the photographs, the witnesses, the insurance on every side, and a letter to anyone holding evidence that it must be kept.
You get treated, and the records follow
Your health comes first. The medical records and the bills become the written account of what the injury has cost you.
The claim is put to the insurer
When the picture is complete, the firm puts the claim in writing to the insurer, with the evidence behind it, and negotiates.
An agreement, or a lawsuit
A claim ends in an agreement or in court. If the insurer will not be fair, the firm files suit before your deadline runs, and the case goes on from there.
The firm works on a contingency fee: the fee is a percentage of what is recovered. If there is no recovery, you owe no attorney fee, but you may still be responsible for court costs and case expenses.
The firm behind this site
Emery Brett Ledger
Founder of The Ledger Law Firm, JD from Pepperdine, more than 28 years representing injured people, and the attorney responsible for every word on this site. Licensed in California, Texas and Washington. Named to the Top 100 National Trial Lawyers.
The firm hears every request for help. If your matter is one it does not handle itself, it may refer you to, or work with, another lawyer. Either way you get an answer, not a voicemail.
- Founded1998
- Licensed inCalifornia, Texas and Washington
- Newport Beach5160 Birch Street, Suite 200
Newport Beach, CA 92660 - Dallas3203 McKinney Avenue
Dallas, TX 75204
Questions people ask first
Short answers. Each one links to the page that gives the whole rule and its source.
How long do I have?
The general rule to sue for an injury is 2 years in California, 2 years in Texas, 3 years in Washington. When a city, county or state agency is involved the rule is different and often much shorter, and a death or property damage has its own clock. Every deadline, with its statute.
What if it was partly my fault?
It depends on the state. California: reduced by your share, not barred. Texas: barred above 50 percent. Washington: reduced by your share, not barred. An insurer will try to put a share of the fault on you; the share is argued, not fixed. The state pages explain each rule and link to its source.
What does it cost to hire the firm?
The firm works on a contingency fee: the fee is a percentage of what is recovered. If there is no recovery, you owe no attorney fee, but you may still be responsible for court costs and case expenses. The first conversation commits you to nothing.
Who calls me back?
The Ledger Law Firm calls the number you give. The first call may come from the firm’s automated intake line, and a person at the firm takes it from there. The line is answered at any hour. What the first call covers.
Do I have to talk to the other driver’s insurer?
You are not required to give the other side’s insurer a recorded statement, and what you say to it can be used to lower or deny your claim. Report the crash to your own insurer as your policy requires, and talk to a lawyer before you talk to theirs.
Does the firm handle my kind of case?
The firm hears every request for help. If your matter is one it does not handle itself, it says so and may refer you to, or work with, another lawyer. The firm and its lawyers.
How this site is written
A few rules we hold ourselves to, so you can trust what you read here.
- Every rule has its sourceEach statement of law sits next to the statute, case or regulation it comes from, with a link to the primary text.
- No dollar figuresNo page here guesses what a case is worth. Nobody can know that from a web page, and a site that pretends to is selling something.
- Dated and signedEvery page shows when its rules were last checked and names the attorney responsible for it.
- Plain wordsWritten for a person in pain reading on a phone, not for a search engine.