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Filing deadlines
Washington gives you more time to file a lawsuit than California does, but waiting still carries risk. The three-year limit is a general rule, and the exact deadline for your claim can depend on the facts and on who was involved. More important, the evidence in a truck case does not wait. Driver duty status records, including electronic logs, only have to be kept for six months (49 C.F.R. 395.8).
If you live in California but were hurt in Washington, or the other way around, the place of the crash usually shapes which deadline applies, though the answer depends on the facts. Our page on the Washington statute of limitations covers the deadline in more detail. Put the crash date on your calendar and talk with a lawyer well before the limit.
Insurance minimums and your own coverage
Washington’s minimum auto liability insurance is $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident for injury and $10,000 for property damage (RCW 46.29.090). California’s minimums, for policies issued or renewed since January 1, 2025, are $30,000, $60,000 and $15,000 (Vehicle Code 16056). These limits matter for pickups, vans and work vehicles that fall outside the federal trucking minimums.
Your own policy also works differently. Washington policies must include underinsured motorist coverage in the same amount as the liability coverage, which also protects against uninsured and hit-and-run drivers, unless rejected in writing (RCW 48.22.030). Washington insurers must offer PIP, which pays medical expenses and some lost income regardless of fault, and it can be rejected only in writing (RCW 48.22.085).
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Duties at the scene
Both states expect the same basic conduct after an injury crash. In Washington, a driver involved in a crash resulting in injury or death must stop, give their information and render reasonable assistance, and failing to do so is a crime (RCW 46.52.020). California has a similar rule for injury crashes (Vehicle Code 20001). If a truck driver left the scene, report it right away.
In California, uninsured motorist coverage is part of every auto policy unless the policyholder deleted it or lowered it in a signed written agreement (Insurance Code 11580.2). In Washington, underinsured motorist coverage plays a similar role. In either state, check your own declarations page soon after the crash. Our page on underinsured motorist claims explains how those claims usually work.
Federal trucking rules that do not change
Federal rules apply on Washington roads just as they do in California. A property-carrying driver may drive at most 11 hours after 10 hours off duty and may not drive past the 14th hour on duty (49 C.F.R. 395.3). For-hire interstate carriers hauling ordinary freight in trucks rated at 10,001 pounds or more must carry at least $750,000 in liability coverage (49 C.F.R. 387.9).
After certain crashes, including any fatal crash, the employer must test the driver for alcohol and drugs (49 C.F.R. 382.303). These rules matter on I-5, I-90 and the logging roads of western Washington. See our pages on log truck accidents in Washington and I-5 truck crashes for more on those situations.
What to do now
Get medical care first and keep every record. If you have PIP, tell your insurer about the crash so it can start paying medical bills, but do not give a recorded statement to the trucking company’s insurer before you talk to a lawyer. Photograph the truck, the company name and the USDOT number. Get witness names and the police report number.
Do not sign a release or accept an early check without advice. Keep receipts for medical costs, travel and lost work. Our managing attorney is licensed in both Washington and California. Visit our Washington truck accident lawyer page, call (310) 552-6959 or use the form, and we can review your crash. You owe no fees or costs unless we win.
- Get medical care and follow your treatment plan.
- Report the crash to your own insurer and ask about PIP and underinsured coverage.
- Photograph the truck, trailer, company name and USDOT number.
- Write down witness names and the police report number.
- Do not sign releases or give recorded statements to the trucking insurer before getting legal advice.
Common questions
How long do I have to sue after a truck accident in Washington?
Generally three years from the crash for a personal injury lawsuit. That is a year longer than California’s general limit. The exact deadline can depend on the facts, and truck evidence such as driver logs only has to be kept for six months, so it helps to talk with a lawyer early.
Does PIP pay my medical bills after a truck crash in Washington?
If you have PIP, it pays medical expenses and some lost income regardless of fault, up to the policy terms. Washington insurers must offer it, and it can be rejected only in writing. Check your declarations page to see whether you have it and what the limits are.
What if the truck that hit me in Washington had too little insurance?
Your own underinsured motorist coverage may help. Washington policies must include it in the same amount as your liability coverage unless you rejected it or chose lower limits in writing. A lawyer can look for every policy that applies, including the carrier’s and any excess coverage.
Do federal trucking rules apply in Washington?
Yes. Federal rules on driver hours, carrier insurance minimums, driver qualification files and post-crash drug and alcohol testing apply to covered trucks in every state. The main differences between Washington and California are state rules, such as the filing deadline and auto insurance requirements.
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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.
Related pages
Can I sue a truck driver for hitting me? · Who is liable in a truck accident: the driver, the trucking company or the broker? · Rear-ended by a semi truck: what to do · Hit by a semi truck on the freeway: your rights · Jackknife truck accident: who is at fault? · All car and truck accident questions
Sources
- RCW 4.16.080(2)
- Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1
- 49 C.F.R. § 395.8(k)(1)
- RCW 46.29.090(1); RCW 46.30.020(1)(a)
- Cal. Veh. Code § 16056(a)(2), (d) (as amended by SB 1107, Stats. 2022, ch. 719); Cal. Ins. Code § 11580.1(b)(1)
- RCW 48.22.030(1)-(4), (8)
- RCW 48.22.085(1)-(2), 48.22.095(1)
- RCW 46.52.020(1), (3), (4)
- Cal. Veh. Code §§ 20001(a)-(b), 20003(a)-(b)
- Cal. Ins. Code § 11580.2(a)(1)-(3), (b)(1)-(2), (f)
- 49 C.F.R. § 395.3(a)(1)-(3)
- 49 C.F.R. § 387.9, Table 1
- 49 C.F.R. § 382.303(a), (b), (d)
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.