If you were injured in a car crash, a fall or another accident in Costa Mesa, 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 Costa Mesa specifically, and how our Orange County personal injury attorneys can help.
Looking for a Costa Mesa personal injury lawyer? B&D Law Group, APLC handles Costa Mesa car, truck, motorcycle, pedestrian and premises injury cases, and the first consultation is free.
Getting your Costa Mesa collision report
For crashes inside city limits, the Costa Mesa Police Department’s Records and Evidence Bureau handles requests for copies of traffic accident reports:
- The Records Bureau is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and the public can contact Records staff during those hours to request a copy.
- The Records Bureau’s phone number is (714) 754-5373.
Freeway crashes are generally handled by the California Highway Patrol. The CHP Santa Ana Area office, at 2031 E. Santa Clara Ave., Santa Ana, lists Interstate 5 and 405 and State Routes 55, 22 and 91 among the freeways it patrols, and the CHP Westminster Area office, at 13200 Goldenwest Street, Westminster, lists Interstate 5, 405 and 605 and State Routes 22 and 91. Neither page names Costa Mesa specifically.
Major roads in Costa Mesa
According to the Circulation Element of the city’s General Plan, the San Diego Freeway (I-405) crosses the northern portion of the city east to west, the Corona del Mar Freeway (SR-73) begins at I-405 between Fairview Road and Bear Street, and the Costa Mesa Freeway (SR-55) enters at the city’s northeast corner and extends southwest, becoming Newport Boulevard south of 19th Street. The plan lists Harbor Boulevard, Fairview Road, Bear Street, Bristol Street, Placentia Avenue and Red Hill Avenue as north-south arterials, and Anton Boulevard, Adams Avenue, Sunflower Avenue, South Coast Drive, Baker Street, Fair Drive, Victoria Street, West 19th Street and East 17th Street as east-west arterials.
The California Office of Traffic Safety’s most recent crash rankings (2023 data) counted 685 people killed or injured in Costa Mesa crashes that year, including 27 pedestrians, 89 bicyclists and 44 motorcyclists, with 84 victims in alcohol-involved crashes. Among 62 California cities with populations of 100,001 to 250,000, Costa Mesa ranked 10th for total victims, where 1st is worst. Costa Mesa ranked 3rd of the 62 for bicyclists killed or injured. 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 Costa Mesa or another public agency may be responsible
- City streets and sidewalks: under Costa Mesa’s Municipal Code, the city clerk reviews claims against the City for sufficiency and timeliness, and a claim must contain the information required by California Government Code section 910. The City Clerk’s Office, just off the lobby of City Hall, can be reached at (714) 754-5225.
Whichever agency is involved, the six-month claim deadline below applies, so it is worth sorting out the right agency early.
Courts serving Costa Mesa
Orange County Superior Court says unlimited civil actions are heard at one of its justice centers, depending on which judicial officer is assigned to the case: the Central Justice Center, 700 Civic Center Dr., Santa Ana; the North Justice Center, 1275 N. Berkley Ave., Fullerton; or the West Justice Center, 8141 13th Street, Westminster. If your case goes to court, we handle where and how it is filed.
Cases we handle for people hurt in Costa Mesa
Our personal injury attorneys represent people injured in Costa Mesa in cases including:
You can also read about our past case results and what clients say about working with us.
What a Costa Mesa 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 Costa Mesa 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 Costa Mesa 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.
Costa Mesa personal injury FAQ
How much does a personal injury lawyer cost in Costa Mesa?
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 Costa Mesa?
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 Costa Mesa 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 Costa Mesa?
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 Costa Mesa claims go.
Where do I get my Costa Mesa accident report?
The “Getting your Costa Mesa 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 Costa Mesa:
- Huntington Beach personal injury attorneys
- Irvine personal injury attorneys
- Santa Ana personal injury attorneys
- Tustin personal injury attorneys
- Anaheim personal injury attorneys
- Mission Viejo 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 Costa Mesa 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.