If you were injured in a car crash, a fall or another accident in Sacramento, the first weeks decide a lot: which agency wrote the report, whether a public agency shares the blame, and which deadlines are already running. This page explains how those pieces work in Sacramento specifically, and how our San Francisco personal injury attorneys can help.
Looking for a Sacramento personal injury lawyer? B&D Law Group, APLC handles Sacramento car, truck, motorcycle, pedestrian and premises injury cases, and the first consultation is free.
Getting your Sacramento collision report
For crashes inside city limits, the Sacramento Police Department provides collision reports:
- Many reports can be bought online for $5.00 through the department’s online accident report link, usually five to ten days after the crash.
- Some reports are not posted online, including serious injury and fatal crashes, hit-and-runs, private property crashes and crashes no SPD officer responded to.
- By mail: Sacramento Police Department, Attn: Records Report Requests, 5770 Freeport Blvd., Suite 100, Sacramento, CA 95822. In person: the public counters at 5770 Freeport Blvd. and at the William J. Kinney Police Facility, 3550 Marysville Blvd., with government ID.
- Records Division phone: 916-808-0620.
Freeway crashes are generally handled by the California Highway Patrol. The CHP South Sacramento Area (6 Massie Court) patrols sections of I-5, SR-99, Highway 50 and Business 80, and the North Sacramento Area (5109 Tyler Street) covers northern Sacramento County, including I-5 and I-80.
Sacramento roads where serious crashes happen
The city’s 2040 General Plan Mobility Element lists the regional freeways and highways through Sacramento as I-5, I-80, Business Loop 80, U.S. 50, SR-99, SR-16, SR-84, SR-160 and SR-275/Tower Bridge. City corridors named in the plan include Broadway, North 12th Street and Stockton Boulevard.
The California Office of Traffic Safety’s most recent crash rankings (2023 data) counted 4,214 people killed or injured in Sacramento crashes that year, including 297 pedestrians, 237 bicyclists and 154 motorcyclists, with 454 victims in alcohol-involved crashes. Sacramento ranked 2nd of 15 large California cities (populations over 250,000) for total victims, where 1st is worst. OTS weights its rankings by population and miles driven, so the rank is not a simple head count. Sacramento ranked 1st of the 15 for alcohol-involved victims and for speed-related injury crashes. (OTS crash rankings)
When the City of Sacramento or another public agency may be responsible
- City streets and sidewalks: the City of Sacramento says the Office of the City Clerk, 915 I Street, 5th Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814, is the only office that accepts claims, in person or by mail. Claims are not accepted by the City Attorney, Risk Management or other departments.
- Freeways and state highways: the city’s General Plan notes that the freeways and state highways through Sacramento are managed by agencies other than the city, so a dangerous-condition claim on those routes does not go to the city.
Either way, the six-month claim deadline below applies, so it is worth sorting out the right agency early.
Courts serving Sacramento
Sacramento County Superior Court takes civil filings at the Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye Sacramento County Courthouse, 500 G Street, which its court locations page lists. If your case goes to court, we handle where and how it is filed.
Cases we handle for people hurt in Sacramento
Our personal injury attorneys represent people injured in Sacramento in cases including:
You can also read about our past case results and what clients say about working with us.
What a Sacramento injury claim can cover
California law sorts personal injury damages into a few categories:
- Economic damages: objectively verifiable money losses, such as medical expenses, lost earnings and the cost of repairing or replacing property (Civil Code section 1431.2).
- Non-economic damages: subjective losses such as pain, suffering, emotional distress and loss of companionship (same section).
- Punitive damages: available only in limited cases, when it is proven by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant acted with oppression, fraud or malice (Civil Code section 3294).
What a particular claim is worth depends on the injuries, the evidence and the insurance available, so we review each case individually and never promise a result.
How a Sacramento personal injury case usually moves
- Free consultation. You tell us what happened and we explain your options. There is no attorney fee unless we recover compensation for you.
- Investigation. We gather the collision or incident report described above, photos, witness information and your medical records.
- Claim and negotiation. We present the claim to the insurance company and negotiate for a fair settlement.
- Government claim if needed. If the City of Sacramento or another public agency may share responsibility, we prepare the written claim before the six-month deadline.
- Lawsuit if needed. If the case does not settle, we file a lawsuit in the proper California Superior Court and keep pushing toward trial.
Deadlines and fault rules that apply to every California injury claim
- Two years to file a lawsuit. Most personal injury lawsuits must be filed within two years of the injury under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1.
- Six months for claims against a public agency. If a city, county or state agency may be responsible, for example because of a dangerous road condition or a government vehicle, a written claim generally must be presented within six months after the claim accrues under Government Code section 911.2. Missing that deadline can end the claim.
- Partly at fault does not mean no recovery. California uses pure comparative fault (Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804). If you share some of the blame, your compensation is reduced by your share rather than barred.
Sacramento personal injury FAQ
How much does a personal injury lawyer cost in Sacramento?
B&D Law Group, APLC handles personal injury cases on a contingency fee, which means no attorney fee unless we recover compensation for you. The consultation is free.
How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in Sacramento?
Most California personal injury lawsuits must be filed within two years of the injury (Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1). If a city, county or state agency may be responsible, a written claim generally must be presented within six months (Government Code section 911.2).
What if I was partly at fault for the Sacramento accident?
California follows pure comparative fault (Li v. Yellow Cab Co.). If you share some of the blame, your compensation is reduced by your share rather than barred.
Can I make a claim against the City of Sacramento?
Yes, but California requires a written claim to the public agency before a lawsuit can be filed (Government Code section 945.4), and the claim generally must be presented within six months. The section above on public agency claims explains where Sacramento claims go.
Where do I get my Sacramento accident report?
The “Getting your Sacramento collision report” section above lists the agency that handles crashes inside city limits and how to request a copy. Freeway crashes are generally handled by the California Highway Patrol.
Nearby cities we serve
We also represent injured people in communities near Sacramento:
- Elk Grove personal injury attorneys
- Citrus Heights personal injury attorneys
- Roseville personal injury attorneys
- Folsom personal injury attorneys
- Stockton personal injury attorneys
- Vallejo personal injury attorneys
- Our San Francisco office
- All areas we serve
Talk to a B&D Law Group attorney
B&D Law Group, APLC represents people hurt in Sacramento and across Sacramento County. Our nearest office is the San Francisco office at 50 California St, Suite 1500, San Francisco, CA 94111. The consultation is free, and we handle personal injury cases on a contingency fee, which means no attorney fee unless we recover compensation for you. Call (888) 977-2238 or send us your case details.
Attorney advertising. This page is provided for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Reading this page or contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Agency procedures, fees and data on this page were checked against official sources in October 2026 and can change. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.