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The six-month claim comes first
Before suing a California city, county or other public entity over a crash with a government vehicle, a written claim generally must be presented within six months of the injury. The claim goes to the agency, and it describes what happened, the injuries and the damages. A lawsuit against the public entity comes after the claim, if the claim does not resolve things.
Six months goes by fast when you are dealing with doctor visits, a damaged car and missed work. Many people do not learn about this rule until it is close or past. If you were hit by a city truck, a county car, a sheriff’s patrol car or a transit vehicle, treat the six-month date as the deadline that matters most.
Find out which agency owns the vehicle
The claim has to go to the right public entity. A vehicle with a city seal may belong to the City of Los Angeles or to a smaller city nearby. County vehicles, transit buses, school district vans and state trucks each belong to different agencies. The police report, the door markings and the vehicle’s plate help identify the owner.
If you are not sure, write down everything you saw: the seal or logo, the color, any unit number, and where the crash happened. Take photos if you can do it safely. A lawyer can confirm the owner and send the claim to the correct office. Sending it to the wrong place can waste weeks you do not have.
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When the road itself played a part
Sometimes the problem is the road. A California public entity can be liable for an injury caused by a dangerous condition of its property, such as a road, when the condition created a foreseeable risk of that injury and the entity created it or knew about it in time to fix it. Potholes, broken signals and missing signs can raise this question.
These claims also need the six-month written claim. Take photos of the road, the signal or the sign, and note the date and time. Ask neighbors or nearby businesses whether they reported the problem before. Earlier complaints can help show the agency knew about the condition, which is one of the things the law looks at.
What to do now
Get medical care right away and keep every record. Take photos of the vehicles, the agency markings, the scene and your injuries. Get the driver’s name and any unit number, the names of witnesses, and the police report number. Report the crash to your own insurer with the basic facts and ask for a claim number.
Keep receipts, bills and pay stubs. Do not sign a release or give a recorded statement to the agency or its claims office before you talk with a lawyer. Mark the six-month date on your calendar the day of the crash. If the vehicle was a federal one, such as a mail truck, a different set of federal rules applies under the Federal Tort Claims Act.
How Beverly Law can help
We can identify the agency, prepare the written claim, and present it on time with the records that support it. You owe no fees or costs unless we win. Call (310) 552-6959 or use the form on this page as soon as you can, so there is time to do the claim right.
These related pages explain the rules in more detail: the six-month claim against a city or county, pothole and dangerous road crashes, USPS mail truck crashes and the federal claim, and bus accident lawsuits. Each one starts with knowing who owned the vehicle, and each explains what to gather in the first weeks.
Common questions
How long do I have to file a claim against the city?
In California, a written claim against a city, county or other public entity generally must be presented within six months of the injury. You cannot skip this step and go straight to a lawsuit. Start right away so the claim is complete and on time.
Can I sue the county for a car accident?
Yes, a public entity can be sued, but you generally must present a written claim to it within six months first. If the claim is denied or not resolved, a lawsuit can follow. A lawyer can track the steps and dates for you.
What if a police car or fire truck hit me?
Crashes with emergency vehicles raise extra questions, so the facts matter, such as whether lights and sirens were on. When the vehicle belongs to a city or county, the six-month written claim generally still comes first. Talk with a lawyer quickly.
What if the government vehicle was federal?
A crash with a federal employee driving for work, such as a postal worker, falls under the Federal Tort Claims Act. You present an administrative claim to the agency within two years, and a lawsuit can follow only after denial or six months with no decision.
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Car and truck accident lawyer — Beverly Law
If you were hurt in a car or truck crash in California and Washington, talk to a personal injury attorney. Free, confidential, English or Spanish. You owe no fees or costs unless we win.
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Important: This page is general information about California and Washington law, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different; talk to a lawyer about yours. Last reviewed: November 5, 2026.