California recorded 4,061 traffic deaths in 2023, including 1,106 pedestrians and 583 motorcyclists, according to the California Office of Traffic Safety. In response, Capitol City Legal Group, a personal injury firm with offices in Roseville and Sacramento, is offering public guidance on what drivers should do in the minutes and days after a crash. The firm says simple early actions can protect a person’s recovery and any insurance claim that follows.
“Most people have never been in a serious crash, and nobody hands them a checklist when it happens,” said Andrey R. Yurtsan, CEO and principal attorney of Capitol City Legal Group. “What you do in that first week can make a real difference in how your case turns out.”
The firm’s recommendations begin with stopping, checking for injuries and calling 911. California law requires drivers involved in a crash that injures someone to stop, exchange information and help anyone who is hurt. A police report also creates a record of what happened. The firm advises getting medical care right away, noting that head, neck and back injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, do not always cause symptoms at the scene. A same-day or next-day doctor visit protects health and links the injury to the crash.
Drivers should also take photos and collect information, including the other driver’s name, license, plate number and insurance details, plus contact information for witnesses. Under California Vehicle Code Section 16000, drivers must report a crash to the DMV within 10 days if anyone was hurt or killed or if property damage exceeds $1,000. This is separate from any police report.
The firm cautions that the other driver’s insurance company may call quickly and ask for a recorded statement. Drivers are not required to give one, and early settlement offers often come before a person knows how badly they are hurt. Most personal injury lawsuits in California must be filed within two years, but if a city, county or state agency may be responsible, a government claim generally must be filed within six months. California follows a pure comparative fault rule, so a person who was partly to blame can still recover damages, reduced by their share of fault.
“Call a lawyer before you sign anything or give a recorded statement,” Yurtsan said. “A free consultation costs you nothing, and you’ll know your options before the insurance company makes its first offer.”
Yurtsan has practiced personal injury law for more than a decade and is admitted to practice before all California courts. Before leading Capitol City Legal Group, he served as a managing attorney at a personal injury firm from 2011 to 2022. His work focuses on serious injury cases involving spinal injuries, fractures, brain injuries and wrongful death. He is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. The firm represents people hurt in Roseville car accidents, motorcycle crashes, truck accidents and other personal injury cases across Placer and Sacramento counties. Its past results include a $1 million settlement for a trip-and-fall injury in a Sacramento County park and a $650,000 verdict in a pedestrian case. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome in any future case.
