If you were injured in a car crash, a fall or another accident in Santa Clara, 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 Santa Clara specifically, and how our San Francisco personal injury attorneys can help.
Looking for a Santa Clara personal injury lawyer? B&D Law Group, APLC handles Santa Clara car, truck, motorcycle, pedestrian and premises injury cases, and the first consultation is free.
Getting your Santa Clara collision report
For crashes inside city limits, the Santa Clara Police Department provides copies of accident reports:
- The department needs about 10 days from the date of the incident to process the paperwork and cannot provide any documentation during that time.
- Buy the report online from LexisNexis, a third-party vendor, for a nominal cost. It is available immediately.
- Or request it at no cost through the Police Public Records Request Online Portal, or in person, by fax at 408-248-0276 or by U.S. mail using the department’s form, at 601 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95050. Processing generally takes about 10 days from the request.
- Reports involving emergency vehicles, fatalities, felony hit-and-runs or juveniles facing criminal citations cannot be released online and must be requested by mail or in person.
- Reports are released to people with a proper interest under Vehicle Code section 20012, such as involved drivers, injured persons and their attorneys.
- For questions, call the Records Unit at (408) 615-4700 or email re*****@**********ca.gov.
Freeway crashes are generally handled by the California Highway Patrol. The CHP San Jose Area office, at 2020 Junction Avenue in San Jose, patrols routes including U.S. Route 101, Interstate 280, Interstate 880 and State Route 237, plus parts of the Montague, San Tomas, Lawrence and Central Expressways. Its page does not list the City of Santa Clara as part of its area, so the CHP can confirm which office took a particular report. The office’s phone is (408) 961-0900.
Major roads in Santa Clara
According to the Santa Clara General Plan’s transportation and mobility appendix, the Congestion Management Program facilities in Santa Clara include U.S. 101, State Route 237, Interstate 280, the Lawrence, San Tomas and Central Expressways, Great America Parkway, El Camino Real and Stevens Creek Boulevard. The appendix also studies a segment of Interstate 880 between Bascom and Alameda.
The California Office of Traffic Safety’s most recent crash rankings (2023 data) counted 463 people killed or injured in Santa Clara crashes that year, including 30 pedestrians, 29 bicyclists and 28 motorcyclists, with 44 victims in alcohol-involved crashes. Among 62 California cities with populations of 100,001 to 250,000, Santa Clara ranked 42nd for total victims, where 1st is worst. 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 Santa Clara or another public agency may be responsible
- City streets and sidewalks: the city’s claim procedure and form says the original claim must be mailed or hand delivered to the City Clerk, 1500 Warburton Avenue, Santa Clara, CA 95050. Claims are not accepted electronically, and the Clerk’s Office does not accept claims during the noon hour. It is open 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The City Attorney’s Office lists the City Clerk’s phone as 408-615-2220, and the city’s claims administrator, Carl Warren & Company, answers questions about a claim’s status at (408) 216-5860.
- VTA: claims for damages against the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority go on VTA’s claim form, mailed or hand delivered to its Board Secretary’s Office, 3331 N First Street, Building B, San Jose, CA 95134-1906. VTA does not accept faxed claims.
Whichever agency is involved, the six-month claim deadline below applies, so it is worth sorting out the right agency early.
Courts serving Santa Clara
Santa Clara County Superior Court’s Civil Division says civil cases in the county are heard at the Downtown Superior Court, 191 North First Street, San Jose, and the Old Courthouse, 161 North First Street, San Jose. If your case goes to court, we handle where and how it is filed.
Cases we handle for people hurt in Santa Clara
Our personal injury attorneys represent people injured in Santa Clara in cases including:
You can also read about our past case results and what clients say about working with us.
What a Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara 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.
Santa Clara personal injury FAQ
How much does a personal injury lawyer cost in Santa Clara?
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 Santa Clara?
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 Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara?
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 Santa Clara claims go.
Where do I get my Santa Clara accident report?
The “Getting your Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara:
- San Jose personal injury attorneys
- Sunnyvale personal injury attorneys
- Fremont personal injury attorneys
- Hayward personal injury attorneys
- San Mateo personal injury attorneys
- Santa Cruz 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 Santa Clara and across Santa Clara 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.