If you were injured in a car crash, a fall or another accident in Irvine, 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 Irvine specifically, and how our Orange County personal injury attorneys can help.
Looking for a Irvine personal injury lawyer? B&D Law Group, APLC handles Irvine car, truck, motorcycle, pedestrian and premises injury cases, and the first consultation is free.
Getting your Irvine collision report
For crashes inside city limits, the Irvine Police Department provides collision reports. Its records page lists $10.00 per police report plus a 2.4% convenience fee, and its fee table says the fee is waived for victims:
- Request a report through IPD’s online police report request form, or in person at the Business Desk, 1 Civic Center Plaza, Irvine, CA 92606 (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.).
- Some reports need detective approval, which can take up to 10 days, and hit-and-run reports need a traffic investigator’s approval.
- Records phone: (949) 724-7062.
Crashes on state freeways are generally investigated by the California Highway Patrol rather than city police.
Irvine roads where serious crashes happen
According to the city’s 2045 General Plan, the Santa Ana Freeway (I-5) and the San Diego Freeway (I-405) run through Irvine, along with the Eastern Transportation Corridor toll roads (SR-133 and SR-261), and large arterial roads run through many of its residential areas.
The California Office of Traffic Safety’s most recent crash rankings (2023 data) counted 570 people killed or injured in Irvine crashes that year, including 37 pedestrians, 61 bicyclists and 23 motorcyclists, with 55 victims in alcohol-involved crashes. Irvine ranked 14th 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. Even so, Irvine ranked worst of the 15 for injured bicyclists under age 15. (OTS crash rankings)
When the City of Irvine or another public agency may be responsible
- City streets, sidewalks and city shuttles: claims for damages against the City of Irvine go to the City Clerk’s Office, 1 Civic Center Plaza, P.O. Box 19575, Irvine, CA 92623-9575, phone (949) 724-6205. The City Clerk links to an online claim form that can be completed and submitted with attachments. The city lists the free Irvine CONNECT shuttle and TRIPS paratransit service among its public transportation options.
- OCTA buses: the Orange County Transportation Authority takes Claim for Damage forms by mail to OCTA Risk Management, P.O. Box 14184, Orange, CA 92863-9831, and says claims must be filed within six months of the accident.
Either way, the six-month claim deadline below applies, so it is worth sorting out the right agency early.
Courts serving Irvine
Orange County Superior Court hears limited and unlimited civil cases from every city in the county at the Central Justice Center, 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana. If your case goes to court, we handle where and how it is filed.
Cases we handle for people hurt in Irvine
Our personal injury attorneys represent people injured in Irvine in cases including:
You can also read about our past case results and what clients say about working with us.
What a Irvine 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 Irvine 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 Irvine 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.
Irvine personal injury FAQ
How much does a personal injury lawyer cost in Irvine?
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 Irvine?
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 Irvine 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 Irvine?
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 Irvine claims go.
Where do I get my Irvine accident report?
The “Getting your Irvine 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 Irvine:
- Tustin personal injury attorneys
- Santa Ana personal injury attorneys
- Costa Mesa personal injury attorneys
- Huntington Beach personal injury attorneys
- Mission Viejo personal injury attorneys
- Anaheim personal injury attorneys
- Our Orange County office
- All areas we serve
Talk to a B&D Law Group attorney
B&D Law Group, APLC represents people hurt in Irvine from our Orange County office at 2 S. Pointe Dr, Ste 248, Lake Forest, CA 92630. 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.