Personal injury claims in San Diego, CA.
What San Diego residents need to know before settling a personal injury claim. Local court, 2-year filing deadline, fault rules, and the practical math behind settlement value in San Diego County.
Where San Diego personal injury cases are filed
San Diego Superior Court (Hall of Justice, 330 W Broadway) handles PI cases under California's pure comparative rule.
What California law means for your claim
Pure comparative negligence and a 2-year SoL (CCP 335.1). MICRA caps non-economic damages in medical malpractice and was raised in 2023.
How settlement value is built in San Diego
Settlement value in San Diego comes from the same building blocks as anywhere in the US: documented medical bills, lost wages, and a non-economic component (pain and suffering) calculated using the multiplier method. Local venue matters at the margins — a San Diego County jury pool will value the same injury differently than a rural county in the same state.
The biggest single driver of your case value is not the city; it is the strength of the medical documentation, the available insurance policy limits, and how clearly fault is established. Because California is a fault state, the at-fault driver's liability policy is the primary source of recovery.
San Diego filing deadline
California personal injury claims must generally be filed within 2 years of the injury. Government claims: 6-month notice (Gov. Code § 911.2). Claims against government entities (California DOT, the city of San Diego, transit authorities) usually carry much shorter notice deadlines, sometimes 60 to 180 days.
Case types we cover
Related reads
How California's pure comparative negligence rule shapes auto settlement value.
Multi-party liability, FMCSA regulations, and the 30-day evidence window.
Helmet laws, rider bias, and comparative fault.
Premises liability and the negligence elements you must prove.
Standard of care and California's med-mal rules.
Strict liability vs one-bite rule by state.
State law deep dive
For the full state-by-state breakdown of negligence rules, damages caps, and statute of limitations, read the California state hub.
Frequently asked questions
Different city? See all city hubs.