By Michael Shemtoub, trial attorney, Beverly Law. Updated November 2026.
Gathering proof for a City claim?
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File on time, even if you don’t have every document
A claim for injury, death or damage to personal property, such as your car, must be presented within six months after it accrues. Other claims, including damage to land or a building, get one year (Gov. Code § 911.2). The law asks the claim to show your name and address, where notices should go, when, where and how it happened, a general description of the injury or loss, the City employees involved if you know them, and the amount (Gov. Code § 910). Receipts and records are not on that list.
The City’s form tells you to attach supporting documents, and the City Attorney says an adjuster cannot make a decision until the supporting documents are in (City Attorney, Claims). That is a reason to send proof soon after filing. It is no reason to hold the claim back. You can also amend a claim before the filing deadline passes or before the City acts on it, whichever is later, as long as it is about the same incident (Gov. Code § 910.6).
If the online portal at claims.lacity.org gives you an error, the City Clerk’s advice is to remove the attachments and submit again (City Clerk, File a Claim). Then send the attachments separately once you have a claim number. The claim itself cannot be emailed or faxed; only the follow-up documents can. Not sure how to file? See how to file a claim against the City and the City claim form explained.
What to gather and why it matters
| Document | Why it matters | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|
| Photos of the scene and the damage | Shows the hazard and the harm before anyone repairs it | Your phone; wide shots plus close-ups, with a ruler or tape measure in frame for any hole or raised slab |
| Repair estimates and paid invoices | Sets the amount of a property claim | Body shop, tire shop or repair contractor |
| Proof of ownership and insurance information | The City settles vehicle damage with the legal owner, the owner’s attorney or the insurer | Registration or title; your insurance card or policy papers |
| LAPD traffic collision report | Records who was involved, the City vehicle and witnesses | LAPD, online or by mail ($19); see below |
| Medical records, itemized bills and proof of payment | Proves the injury and what it cost | Each hospital, clinic and doctor that treated you |
| Proof of lost pay | Supports the wage part of the claim | Pay stubs and a letter from your employer listing missed days and pay rate |
| 311 service request numbers | Can show the City knew about the hazard | MyLA311 app or website, or your call record from 311 |
| Witness names and phone numbers | The City form asks for witnesses, doctors and hospitals | People at the scene; your own notes |
A printable version of this list is in the claim tools on our City of LA claims guide.
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Car and property damage claims
The City Attorney lists the typical proof for property claims: proof of ownership, insurance information, police reports, repair estimates, paid invoices and photos (City Attorney, Claims). If a City vehicle hit you, write down its license plate and the department name on the side. The form asks for City vehicle plate numbers and the department responsible, if known (Claim for Damages form).
Getting the LAPD collision report. LAPD releases reports to victims and their representatives and to others allowed under Vehicle Code § 20012, which includes the drivers, injured people named in the report, owners of damaged property and their attorneys. According to LAPD’s report page (LAPD):
- Most reports can be bought online, but wait at least 45 days after the collision.
- Reports are not online if there was an arrest, a death or a juvenile involved, or if the crash happened before February 1, 2016.
- By mail, send the request form and a $19.00 check or money order (no cash) to LAPD Records and Identification Division, Document Processing Unit, P.O. Box 30158, Los Angeles, CA 90030.
- Questions: (213) 486-8130.
The report can take longer than you have. If it is not ready, file the claim and send the report when it comes. More on reports: how to get a police report after a car accident.
Injury claims: medical records, bills and lost pay
For injuries, the City Attorney asks for medical records, itemized bills and proof of payment (City Attorney, Claims). Keep a running list of every hospital, urgent care, doctor, therapist and pharmacy, because the form asks for the names and contact information of doctors and hospitals. The form’s damages section lets you itemize property damage, bodily injury and “other,” which is where lost pay goes. Our page on proving lost wages explains what employers usually need to write.
One rule surprises people: if the claim is for more than $10,000, state law says to leave out the dollar amount and say whether it would be a limited civil case (Gov. Code § 910(f)). Treatment often continues long after the claim is filed, so the bills you send later will show the full cost.
Sidewalk and pothole claims
These claims turn on the hazard itself, so the photos do most of the work. The City is liable for a dangerous condition of its property only if it created the condition or had notice of it in time to fix it (Gov. Code § 835). Notice can be shown with proof that the City knew, or that the hazard was there long enough and was obvious enough that a reasonable inspection would have found it (Gov. Code § 835.2).
- Measure it. Photograph a ruler or tape measure against the raised edge or in the hole. Size alone is not the whole test. One court said “a tape measure alone cannot be used to determine whether the defect was trivial” (Stathoulis v. City of Montebello).
- Show the surroundings. Courts also look at jagged edges, debris, lighting and weather (Huckey v. City of Temecula). A raised slab of about 1 3/4 inches with a rough lip and debris went to a jury in Stack v. City of Lemoore. Go back at the same time of day and photograph the light.
- Pin down the location. The form asks for the closest street address or cross street and a diagram with an “X” where it happened.
- Get 311 numbers. Report potholes through MyLA311 or 311 (StreetsLA) and sidewalk problems through 311 or the City’s sidewalk program (Sidewalk Repair Program). List your service request number and any earlier ones you find. The form asks whether you reported the problem and for any report or service numbers.
- Photograph before repairs. Once the City patches a hole, the original condition is gone.
More on these claims: sidewalk trip and fall claims and pothole damage claims.
Wrongful death claims
A death claim is due within six months, the same as an injury claim (Gov. Code § 911.2). The people who can bring it include the spouse or domestic partner and children (or, if there are none, others who would inherit), and certain dependents such as parents, or the estate’s personal representative on their behalf (Code Civ. Proc. § 377.60). Gather a certified death certificate, papers showing your relationship to the person who died, funeral and burial bills, and the medical bills from before the death. See wrongful death claims against the City and who can file a wrongful death lawsuit in California.
Where to send documents after you file
Supporting documents go to the City Attorney’s Claims Section, which handles the claim after the City Clerk assigns a number (City Attorney, Claims):
| Method | Details | Include |
|---|---|---|
| Your assigned adjuster or attclaimsubmit@lacity.org | Full name and claim number | |
| Fax | 213-978-7114 | Full name, claim number, adjuster’s name if known |
| City Attorney Claims Section, 200 N. Main Street, Room 600, City Hall East, Los Angeles, CA 90012 | Full name and claim number on each page | |
| Online | Upload through the claims portal | Your claim number |
Keep copies of everything you send and a note of the date. To check whether your documents arrived, see how to check your claim status. For what happens next, see what happens after you file.
Related pages
- Claim against the City of Los Angeles: full guide
- City of LA claim deadline
- How to file a claim against the City of Los Angeles
- City of LA claim for damages form
- What happens after you file
- Check your claim status
- How to get a police report for a car accident
- City or county vehicle hit me: what do I do?
- Los Angeles accident lawyer
Common questions
Do I need all my documents before I file a claim against the City of Los Angeles?
No. File within the deadline with the facts the law requires, then send the proof. The City Attorney’s adjuster cannot decide the claim until the supporting documents arrive, so send them as soon as you can after you get a claim number.
Where do I send supporting documents for a City of LA claim?
Email them to your adjuster or attclaimsubmit@lacity.org, fax them to 213-978-7114, mail them to the City Attorney Claims Section, 200 N. Main Street, Room 600, City Hall East, Los Angeles, CA 90012, or upload them in the claims portal. Put your full name and claim number on everything.
Can I email my claim to the City of Los Angeles?
No. The City Clerk does not accept emailed or faxed claims. File online at claims.lacity.org, in person, or by mail to the City Clerk. Only the supporting documents sent after you have a claim number can go by email or fax.
How do I get an LAPD traffic collision report for my claim?
Order it online at least 45 days after the crash, or mail LAPD’s request form with a $19.00 check or money order to LAPD Records and Identification Division, Document Processing Unit, P.O. Box 30158, Los Angeles, CA 90030. Reports involving an arrest, a death or a juvenile are not online.
What photos do I need for a sidewalk or pothole claim?
Wide shots showing where it is, close-ups with a ruler or tape measure in the frame, and photos of the lighting, debris and edges. Take them before the City repairs the spot. Courts look at the size of the defect and the surrounding conditions.
Should I report the pothole or broken sidewalk to 311?
Yes. Report it through MyLA311 or 311 and keep the service request number. The City’s claim form asks whether you reported the problem and for any service numbers, and earlier reports can help show the City knew about the hazard.
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Sources
- Cal. Gov. Code § 910
- Cal. Gov. Code § 910.6
- Cal. Gov. Code § 911.2
- Cal. Gov. Code § 835
- Cal. Gov. Code § 835.2
- Cal. Veh. Code § 20012
- Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 377.60
- Stathoulis v. City of Montebello (2008) 164 Cal.App.4th 559
- Huckey v. City of Temecula (2019) 37 Cal.App.5th 1092
- Stack v. City of Lemoore (2023) 91 Cal.App.5th 102
- Los Angeles City Attorney, Claims
- Los Angeles City Clerk, File a Claim
- City of Los Angeles Claim for Damages to Person or Property, Form Cont. 100-A (Rev. 12/18)
- City of Los Angeles claims portal
- LAPD, traffic collision reports
- StreetsLA, report a pothole
- City of Los Angeles Sidewalk Repair Program, report a sidewalk problem
Important: This page is general information, not legal or medical advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different; talk to a lawyer about yours. Texas cases are handled by the firm’s Texas-licensed attorneys, Joyce Ondich and John Efstathiou. Last reviewed: November 6, 2026.