Riverside
Car Accident Lawyer

If you were injured in a car accident in Riverside County, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering. Kampf, Schiavone & Associates has recovered more than $300 million in verdicts and settlements for injured clients since 1985. Call 909-885-1522 for a free, no-obligation case review.

The results described on this page depended on the facts of each case, and results will differ if based on different facts.

What to Do After a Car Accident in Riverside

Move to safety if you can, call 911, and get medical attention even if your injuries seem minor. Exchange insurance and contact information with every driver, get the responding officer’s name and report number, and photograph the vehicles, the scene, and your injuries before the evidence changes. For more on what to do next, read our guide: What should I do after a car accident? Contact a Riverside car accident lawyer before you speak with the other driver’s insurer.

What Is My Riverside Car Accident Case Worth?

Your case value depends on the severity of your injuries, your prospects for full recovery, current and future medical costs, lost income, and the strength of the evidence against the at-fault driver. Catastrophic injuries such as traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage, or wrongful death typically result in the highest settlements and verdicts.

Several factors shape the value of your claim: the severity and permanence of your injuries, your prospects for a full medical recovery, past and future medical treatment costs, lost income and any reduction in future earning capacity, the impact on your daily quality of life, and the strength of the evidence available to prove liability.

Common Causes of Car Accidents in Riverside County

Distracted driving, speeding, and driving under the influence are common causes of serious crashes in Riverside County, along with road conditions and vehicle defects. The California Office of Traffic Safety reported 15,177 people killed or injured in Riverside County traffic collisions in 2023, along with 3,094 speed-related and 1,087 hit-and-run fatal and injury collisions. Common causes include:

• Distracted driving (texting, phone use, in-vehicle distractions)
• Speeding
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Failure to yield the right of way
• Running red lights or stop signs
• Poor weather or road conditions
• Vehicle defects, such as tire blowouts or brake failure

Riverside County’s freeway corridors, including the 91, the 15, and the 60, carry heavy daily commuter traffic between the Inland Empire and Orange and Los Angeles counties.

What Types of Car Accident Cases Do You Handle?

We represent Riverside County residents injured in nearly every type of car accident, including rear-end collisions, head-on collisions, T-bone and intersection crashes, multi-vehicle pileups, hit-and-run accidents, and drunk or drugged driving crashes. We also handle accidents involving rideshare drivers and government vehicles, which carry their own separate legal requirements.

Who Can Be Held Liable for My Car Accident?

Liability typically falls on the driver who violated a duty of care, such as by speeding, driving distracted, or ignoring traffic signals. In some cases, liability may extend to a vehicle manufacturer for a defective part, an employer if the at-fault driver was working, or a government entity responsible for dangerous road conditions.

Determining liability requires proving that another party acted negligently. This generally means showing the at-fault party owed you a duty of care, breached that duty, and that the breach caused your injuries.

What Is Pure Comparative Negligence in California?

California follows a pure comparative negligence rule. Under Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804, an injured person can still recover compensation when they share some fault, but the recovery is reduced in proportion to their own share of fault, with no minimum threshold. For example, if your damages total $100,000 and you are found 20 percent at fault, your maximum recovery is reduced to $80,000.

Some exceptions apply. For example, uninsured drivers and vehicle owners, and drivers convicted of driving under the influence in connection with the crash, generally cannot recover non-economic damages such as pain and suffering (Civil Code section 3333.4).

How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Lawsuit in Riverside County?

California gives car accident victims two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit, under California Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. If a California public entity, such as a city, county, or state agency, or one of its vehicles was involved, a separate claim must generally be presented to that entity within six months, under Government Code section 911.2. Claims involving federal vehicles follow different rules. Missing these deadlines can permanently bar your claim.

A lawsuit arising from a crash in Riverside County may be filed in Riverside County Superior Court, where the injury occurred, or in the superior court of a county where a defendant lives (Code of Civil Procedure section 395).

For policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, California requires drivers to carry at least 30/60/15 liability insurance: $30,000 for the injury or death of one person, $60,000 total for two or more people, and $15,000 for property damage (Vehicle Code section 16056).

What Compensation Can I Recover?

Victims of Riverside car accidents may be entitled to both economic and non-economic damages, including past and future medical expenses, lost wages and loss of future earning capacity, property damage, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. Wrongful death damages may apply if a loved one was killed in the crash.

Why Choose Kampf, Schiavone & Associates for Your Riverside Car Accident Claim?

Kampf, Schiavone & Associates has recovered more than $300 million in verdicts and settlements for injured clients throughout California’s Inland Empire since 1985, including a $1.3 million recovery for a client struck by a vehicle as a pedestrian and a $6.1 million verdict in a defective-throttle vehicle case. Senior partner Randall S. Schiavone, a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, has more than 35 years of civil litigation experience.

The results described above depended on the facts of each case, and results will differ if based on different facts.

We handle car accident cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you owe no attorney fee unless we obtain a recovery for you. If there is no recovery, you will not owe attorney’s fees or repay the case costs we advanced. Our office is at 290 N D St #901, San Bernardino, CA 92401, and we serve clients throughout Riverside County. If you’re too injured to travel, home and hospital visits are available.