If you were injured in a car crash, a fall or another accident in Palm Desert, 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 Palm Desert specifically, and how our Orange County personal injury attorneys can help.
Looking for a Palm Desert personal injury lawyer? B&D Law Group, APLC handles Palm Desert car, truck, motorcycle, pedestrian and premises injury cases, and the first consultation is free.
Getting your Palm Desert collision report
Police services in Palm Desert are provided by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office under contract with the city, through the Sheriff’s Palm Desert Station at 73705 Gerald Ford Drive, Palm Desert, CA 92211 (760-836-1600). For collision reports:
- The city’s Sheriff’s Department page says entitled parties can purchase traffic collision reports online through the Palm Desert LexisNexis BuyCrash portal.
- A limited number of reports are not available on the portal.
- Questions about the system go to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
Freeway crashes are generally handled by the California Highway Patrol. The CHP Indio Area office, at 79650 Varner Road, Indio, CA 92203, lists Palm Desert in its jurisdiction and patrols Interstate 10 and State Routes 62, 74, 86, 111 and 177. Its phone is (760) 772-5300.
Major roads in Palm Desert
According to the city’s General Plan Mobility Element (submitted October 2025), Palm Desert is connected by major regional highways including I-10, Highway 111 and State Route 74. It describes Highway 111 as an enhanced arterial and the major east-west connection to places in Palm Desert, and notes that recent data shows concentrations of crashes along Highway 111, Monterey Avenue, Cook Street and Washington Street.
The California Office of Traffic Safety’s most recent crash rankings (2023 data) counted 317 people killed or injured in Palm Desert crashes that year, including 8 pedestrians, 14 bicyclists and 6 motorcyclists, with 43 victims in alcohol-involved crashes. Among 103 California cities with populations of 50,001 to 100,000, Palm Desert ranked 12th for total victims, where 1st is worst. Palm Desert ranked 3rd of the 103 for speed-related fatal and injury collisions. OTS weights its rankings by population and miles driven, so a rank is not a simple head count. (OTS crash rankings)
When the City of Palm Desert or another public agency may be responsible
- City streets and sidewalks: claims against the City of Palm Desert are filed using the online claim form on the City Clerk’s Claim Against the City page. The city asks you to make sure the claim is against the City of Palm Desert and not another public entity.
Whichever agency is involved, the six-month claim deadline below applies, so it is worth sorting out the right agency early.
Courts serving Palm Desert
Under Riverside County Superior Court’s filing order effective August 1, 2026, unlimited civil cases from Palm Desert ZIP codes are filed at the Palm Springs Courthouse, 3255 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262. If your case goes to court, we handle where and how it is filed.
Cases we handle for people hurt in Palm Desert
Our personal injury attorneys represent people injured in Palm Desert in cases including:
You can also read about our past case results and what clients say about working with us.
What a Palm Desert 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 Palm Desert 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 Palm Desert 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.
Palm Desert personal injury FAQ
How much does a personal injury lawyer cost in Palm Desert?
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 Palm Desert?
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 Palm Desert 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 Palm Desert?
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 Palm Desert claims go.
Where do I get my Palm Desert accident report?
The “Getting your Palm Desert 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 Palm Desert:
- Palm Springs personal injury attorneys
- Temecula personal injury attorneys
- Murrieta personal injury attorneys
- Redlands personal injury attorneys
- Escondido personal injury attorneys
- San Bernardino personal injury attorneys
- Our Orange County office
- El Centro personal injury attorneys
- All areas we serve
Talk to a B&D Law Group attorney
B&D Law Group, APLC represents people hurt in Palm Desert and across the Coachella Valley. Our nearest office is the 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.