By Michael Shemtoub, trial attorney, Beverly Law. Updated November 2026.
Hit by a City vehicle?
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When the City is liable for a crash with its vehicle
State law makes a public entity responsible for death, injury or property damage caused by an employee’s negligent or wrongful act “in the operation of any motor vehicle” while acting within the scope of employment (Veh. Code § 17001). A second statute makes an entity liable for injuries its employees cause on the job when the employee could be sued for the same act (Gov. Code § 815.2).
In practice that covers an LAPD officer who runs a red light on a routine patrol, a sanitation driver who backs into your car, a DASH driver who sideswipes you, or a City inspector who rear-ends you in a City car. The question is the same as in any crash: was the driver careless, and did that cause your injuries. The difference is the claim you must file first and the deadline for it.
Recent examples from our own news desk include an LAPD patrol car crash on Vernon Avenue that injured four people, a crash involving an LAPD car near Exposition Park and a pedestrian hit by an LAPD patrol car on Woodman Avenue in Van Nuys.
Which agency owns the vehicle, and where to file
The claim has to reach the entity that owns or operates the vehicle. A claim mailed to the wrong office may not count (DiCampli-Mintz v. County of Santa Clara). Look at the door markings, the license plate and the uniform, and check the police report.
| Vehicle that hit you | Public entity | Where the claim goes |
|---|---|---|
| LAPD patrol car or other LAPD vehicle | City of Los Angeles | City Clerk, 200 N. Spring St., Room 395, or online at claims.lacity.org (City Attorney; City Clerk) |
| Sanitation truck (LA Sanitation) or StreetsLA truck | City of Los Angeles (both are bureaus of the City’s Department of Public Works, per the City) | City Clerk |
| DASH bus or other LADOT vehicle | City of Los Angeles (LADOT Transit is a division of the City’s Department of Transportation, per LADOT) | City Clerk. Some DASH lines have been run by a private contractor (Metro Magazine, 2017), so the operator may also be responsible. |
| LAFD engine, ambulance or other City car | City of Los Angeles | City Clerk |
| LADWP truck | LADWP (a City department) | LADWP says its Claims Section; the City Attorney says the City Clerk. We file with both. See LADWP claims. |
| Metro bus or train | LA Metro (LACMTA) | LACMTA Legal Services, One Gateway Plaza, Mail Stop 99-PL-4, in person or by mail; email claims are rejected (Metro) |
| Sheriff’s patrol car (LASD) | County of Los Angeles | Executive Officer, Board of Supervisors, 500 W. Temple St., Room 383 (LASD manual; Board of Supervisors) |
| CHP car or Caltrans truck | State of California | Department of General Services; Caltrans claims of $12,500 or less go to the Caltrans district office (DGS; Caltrans) |
If you are unsure who owned the vehicle, file with every entity that could be responsible before the deadline. That is our practical advice; a claim that should not have been filed costs little, and a missing one can end the case. Our page on which agency to file with lists addresses and phone numbers for each.
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Emergency calls and police chases
Emergency response. A public employee is not personally liable for injuries caused while driving an authorized emergency vehicle “in the line of duty” while responding to an emergency call, in immediate pursuit of a suspected violator, or responding to a fire alarm (Veh. Code § 17004). The immunity does not apply when the vehicle is returning from a fire alarm or other emergency call. The statute protects the officer or firefighter personally. It says nothing about the City, and whether the City still answers for the crash depends on the facts and on case law. Do not assume the case is over because the lights and siren were on.
Crashes caused by a fleeing driver. When a suspect running from police crashes into you, a police agency is immune if it adopted a written pursuit policy that meets the minimum standards in the statute, provides annual pursuit training covering those standards, and requires every officer to certify in writing that they received, read and understand the policy (Veh. Code § 17004.7). A judge, not a jury, decides whether the agency complied. This immunity covers collisions by the fleeing vehicle. By its terms it does not cover a crash caused by the patrol car itself.
Both questions need records: dispatch logs, the officer’s call status, video and the pursuit policy and training records in effect that day. We ask for them early.
The six-month claim deadline
A claim for injury, death or damage to your car must be presented within six months after the claim accrues, which for a crash is usually the day it happened (Gov. Code § 911.2). Count six calendar months from the crash date to the same date. File well before then. More on counting the days: City of LA claim deadline and our six-month FAQ.
You cannot sue until the claim is filed and rejected, or deemed rejected after 45 days of no action (Gov. Code § 945.4; § 912.4). After a written rejection, you generally have six months from the date it was mailed or handed to you to file suit (§ 945.6). Missing the claim deadline against the City generally also bars a suit against the employee who was driving (§ 950.2).
How to file the claim against the City
- Use the City’s form, “Claim for Damages to Person or Property,” Form Cont. 100-A (PDF), or file online at claims.lacity.org, which gives a claim number right away.
- In Section 3, list the City vehicle’s license plate, the driver’s name if you have it, and the department (LAPD, LA Sanitation, LADOT). The form asks for these “if known.”
- Fill in the accident diagram with the street names, cross streets and an X where the crash happened.
- Deliver it to the Office of the City Clerk, 200 N. Spring St., Room 395, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (enter on Main Street, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), mail it there, or file online. Emailed and faxed claims are not accepted (City Clerk).
- Keep proof: the claim number, a file-stamped copy, or a certified mail receipt. A mailed claim counts as presented on the day it is deposited in the mail (Gov. Code § 915.2).
The City Attorney’s office says it settles vehicle damage claims with the vehicle’s legal owner, the owner’s attorney or insurer (City Attorney). Step-by-step help: how to file a claim against the City and the City claim form.
Getting the LAPD collision report
Drivers involved, injured people named in the report, owners of damaged vehicles and their attorneys are entitled to the full report from the agency that took it (Veh. Code § 20012). LAPD says (LAPD):
- Reports are available online through LexisNexis, in English or Spanish, but not if there was an arrest, a death or a juvenile involved, or for reports before February 1, 2016. Wait at least 45 days after the crash.
- 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.
Do not wait for the report to file your claim. The six months keep running.
If you had no insurance (Proposition 213)
In a car crash case, an injured person who owned an uninsured vehicle involved in the crash, or who was driving without proof of financial responsibility, generally cannot recover pain-and-suffering damages, though medical bills, lost wages and car damage can still be recovered (Civ. Code § 3333.4). The same applies to a driver convicted of DUI for that crash. The rule applies in claims against the City too. An uninsured owner keeps the right to non-economic damages if the at-fault driver was convicted of DUI. More: hit by an uninsured driver in California.
Related pages
- Claim against the City of Los Angeles
- City of LA claim deadline
- How to file a claim against the City
- Which agency do I file with?
- Claim denied: what now
- Pothole damage claims
- Claims against LAPD
- LA Metro bus accident claims
- City or county vehicle hit me: what do I do?
- Six months to claim against a city vehicle
- Los Angeles car accident lawyer
- News: LAPD patrol car crash on Vernon Avenue
- News: LAPD car crash near Exposition Park
Common questions
Can I sue the City of Los Angeles if a City vehicle hit me?
Yes. Under Vehicle Code 17001 the City is liable for injuries and damage caused by an employee’s negligent driving on the job. You must first file a claim with the Los Angeles City Clerk within six months, and you can sue only after the City rejects it or lets 45 days pass without acting.
How long do I have to file a claim after an LAPD car hits me?
Six months from the crash for injuries and vehicle damage (Gov. Code 911.2). The claim goes to the Los Angeles City Clerk, not to LAPD. If the City rejects it in writing, you generally have six months from the date the notice was mailed to file a lawsuit.
What if the police car had its lights and siren on?
Vehicle Code 17004 makes the officer personally immune when responding to an emergency or chasing a suspect. That statute does not mention the City. Whether the City is still responsible depends on the facts, so the dispatch records and video need to be preserved early.
A driver fleeing the police hit me. Can I sue the City?
The City is immune for crashes caused by a fleeing suspect only if it has a written pursuit policy meeting Vehicle Code 17004.7, provides annual pursuit training, and requires officers to certify in writing that they read the policy. A judge decides whether those conditions were met. You can also claim against the fleeing driver and your own uninsured motorist coverage.
Where do I file a claim for a DASH bus accident?
DASH is run by LADOT Transit, a division of the City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation, so the claim goes to the Los Angeles City Clerk. Some DASH lines have been operated by a private contractor, which may also be responsible. A Metro bus is different: that claim goes to LA Metro.
Can I get pain and suffering if I had no insurance?
Generally not. Under Civil Code 3333.4 (Proposition 213), an uninsured vehicle owner or a driver who can’t show financial responsibility loses non-economic damages in a car crash case, including one against the City. Medical bills, lost wages and property damage are still recoverable.
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Hit by a City of Los Angeles vehicle? — Beverly Law
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Sources
- Cal. Veh. Code § 17001
- Cal. Veh. Code § 17004
- Cal. Veh. Code § 17004.7
- Cal. Veh. Code § 20012
- Cal. Gov. Code § 815.2
- Cal. Gov. Code § 911.2
- Cal. Gov. Code § 912.4
- Cal. Gov. Code § 915.2
- Cal. Gov. Code § 945.4
- Cal. Gov. Code § 945.6
- Cal. Gov. Code § 950.2
- Cal. Civ. Code § 3333.4
- DiCampli-Mintz v. County of Santa Clara (2012) 55 Cal.4th 983
- Los Angeles City Clerk, Claim for Damage
- Los Angeles City Attorney, Claims
- City of Los Angeles claim form, Form Cont. 100-A (Rev. 12/18)
- City of LA claims portal
- LAPD, traffic collision reports
- City of LA, Department of Public Works bureaus
- LADOT, DASH Pacoima release (May 2, 2025)
- Metro Magazine, DASH operations contract (Dec. 7, 2017)
- LA Metro Legal Services
- LA County Board of Supervisors, Claims for Damages
- LASD policy manual 4-06/025.00
- DGS Government Claims Program
- Caltrans, Submit a Damage Claim
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.