This questionnaire is an educational reference only. It identifies general situation categories based on broad accident characteristics and does not evaluate the specific facts, merits, or legal theories of your case. It does not provide legal advice, does not assess fault or liability, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Your actual legal situation may differ from the category identified. Confirm your legal options with a licensed attorney in your state before taking any action.
What Happened to You?
Answer a few questions to identify which legal situation applies to your accident and find the right guide.
Was another vehicle involved in your accident?
Did the other driver leave the scene without stopping?
Was the other driver impaired by alcohol or drugs?
Was the other vehicle a rideshare, delivery vehicle, or commercial truck?
How would you describe the collision?
What best describes your situation?
Hit and Run Accident
When the at-fault driver flees the scene, your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage typically becomes the primary source of compensation under California law. Cal. Ins. Code § 11580.2 requires insurers to offer UM coverage. Preserving the scene, getting witness contact information, and filing a police report immediately are especially critical in hit-and-run cases.
Read the Hit and Run guide →DUI / Drunk Driving Accident
DUI accidents often support punitive damages in addition to compensatory damages under Cal. Civ. Code § 3294, and the criminal case can run parallel to your civil claim. The at-fault driver's intoxication is generally straightforward to establish if there was an arrest and BAC test. Establishments that served alcohol to a visibly intoxicated driver may also face dram shop liability under California law.
Read the DUI Accident guide →Commercial Truck Accident
Truck accidents involve federal FMCSA regulations, commercial carrier insurance policies starting at $750,000 under 49 C.F.R. § 387.9, and potentially multiple liable parties — the driver, the carrier, the loader, and the manufacturer. Electronic logging device data and black box records are critical and must be preserved quickly through a litigation hold or spoliation letter before they are overwritten.
Read the Truck Accident guide →Car Accident — Rear-End Collision
Rear-end collisions create a strong presumption of negligence against the following driver under California's Vehicle Code § 21703 (following too closely). Common injuries include whiplash, cervical strain, and concussion — conditions that may not appear immediately. Medical documentation from shortly after the accident is especially important in these cases, as insurance carriers frequently dispute delayed-onset injury claims.
Read the Car Accident guide →Car Accident — Intersection Collision
Intersection collisions often involve disputed fault — both drivers may claim they had the right of way. Traffic camera footage, witness statements, and traffic signal data are critical. California Vehicle Code § 21800 governs right-of-way rules at intersections. Side-impact collisions carry high injury risk due to limited structural protection on vehicle doors, and often produce significant soft-tissue or orthopedic injuries.
Read the Car Accident guide →Pedestrian Accident
Pedestrians struck by vehicles typically sustain serious injuries and face significant medical costs. California Vehicle Code § 21950 requires drivers to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. Even outside a crosswalk, California's pure comparative fault system under Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) allows partial recovery even when the pedestrian shares some responsibility. Severity of injury, not location of crossing, is typically the primary driver of claim value.
Read the Pedestrian Accident guide →Bicycle Accident
Cyclists are among the most vulnerable road users. California Vehicle Code § 21200 gives cyclists the same rights and responsibilities as drivers on the road. Dooring, right-hook, and failure-to-yield are the most common fault patterns. Helmet use and visibility equipment may be raised by the defense in comparative fault analysis, though California law does not require adult cyclists to wear helmets.
Read the Bicycle Accident guide →Your Situation May Be Covered
Personal injury law covers a wide range of accident types beyond the most common vehicle scenarios — including slip and fall, dog bite, premises liability, product liability, medical malpractice, and workplace accidents. Browse the full situations index to find information specific to your circumstances, or use the SOL Reference Tool to check California's general filing deadline.
How to Use This Tool
The Situation Questionnaire uses a short decision tree to route you to the legal information guide most relevant to your accident. It takes fewer than two minutes to complete.
Step 1 — Answer each question honestly
The questionnaire begins with the broadest question — whether another vehicle was involved — and narrows based on your answers. Each question covers a single characteristic of the accident. Choose the answer that most accurately describes what happened, even if the situation feels more complicated than any single option captures.
Step 2 — Follow the decision path
Your answer to each question determines the next question. The tree typically reaches a result in three to five steps. A progress indicator at the top of the tool shows how far through the questionnaire you are. Use the Back button at any point to revise a previous answer.
Step 3 — Review your result and read the guide
Your result identifies the most applicable legal situation category and provides a brief explanation of what makes that situation legally distinct. Follow the link to read the full California legal information guide for that situation, which covers your rights, relevant statutes, what to do, evidence considerations, and what damages may be available.
Step 4 — Start over if needed
If your situation involves multiple accident types — for example, a pedestrian struck by a drunk driver who fled the scene — the questionnaire will route to one primary result. Use the Start Over button to explore other paths, or browse the full situations index to read multiple guides.
What this tool does not do
This questionnaire does not evaluate the strength of your claim, assess whether you were at fault, estimate the value of your damages, or advise you on what legal action to take. Its purpose is to point you toward the right educational content. For case-specific guidance, consult a licensed personal injury attorney. California's two-year statute of limitations means time matters — do not delay consultation if you believe you have a claim.
Frequently Asked Questions
The questionnaire covers the most common personal injury scenarios. If your situation does not fit neatly into one of the results, select the Browse all situations option to view the full situation index. Personal injury law covers a wide range of accident types beyond vehicle collisions, and a licensed attorney can evaluate which legal theories apply to the specific facts of your case.
No. This questionnaire is a general educational reference tool only. It identifies situation categories based on broad accident characteristics — it does not evaluate the merits of your specific claim, assess fault, estimate damages, or advise on what legal action to take. For advice specific to your situation, consult a licensed personal injury attorney in your state.
Commercial truck accidents are legally distinct from standard car accidents in several important ways. Truck drivers and carriers are subject to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations governing hours of service, vehicle maintenance, and cargo loading. Commercial carriers typically carry minimum liability coverage of $750,000 under federal law, compared to California's $30,000 per-person minimum for personal auto policies effective January 2025. Truck accidents may also involve multiple liable parties — the driver, the carrier, the cargo loader, and the vehicle manufacturer.
Rideshare accidents involve multiple insurance layers that shift based on what the driver was doing at the time of the crash. Under California law and the platforms' own insurance frameworks, coverage depends on whether the driver was off the app, waiting for a ride request, or actively transporting a passenger. Uber and Lyft maintain commercial policies of up to $1 million when a passenger is in the vehicle, but coverage is significantly reduced during other periods. Identifying the applicable coverage layer is a threshold issue in every rideshare accident claim.
Yes. A single accident can involve multiple legally relevant situation types. For example, a pedestrian struck by a drunk driver who then fled the scene involves elements of pedestrian accident law, DUI accident law, and hit-and-run law simultaneously. The questionnaire routes to the most prominent situation, but a licensed attorney evaluates all applicable legal theories when assessing a claim. Reading multiple situation guides can provide a more complete picture of the legal landscape.
Regardless of accident type, the immediate steps are generally the same: call 911 and request a police report, seek medical attention even if injuries seem minor, photograph the scene and all vehicles or hazards involved, collect contact information for witnesses, avoid admitting fault or apologizing, and do not provide a recorded statement to any insurance company before consulting an attorney. California's two-year statute of limitations under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1 begins running on the date of the accident — earlier for claims against government entities.
Other Free Legal Reference Tools
SOL Reference Tool
Look up the personal injury statute of limitations for all 50 states, plus California-specific exceptions for government claims and minors.
Open SOL Tool →Post-Accident Checklist
A step-by-step checklist of everything to do immediately after an accident to protect your legal rights and preserve critical evidence.
Open Checklist →Claim Stage Tracker
An interactive eight-stage timeline showing how personal injury claims typically progress from accident report through settlement or verdict.
Open Tracker →Need an Attorney, Not Just a Tool?
These tools provide general legal information. For actual legal representation, find a licensed attorney in your state through these verified directories.