SANTA CRUZ CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEY
Attorney Michael Rehm - (800) 978-0754
Car Accidents in Santa Cruz County
Attorney Michael Rehm represents people injured in car accidents throughout Santa Cruz County. In 2023, Santa Cruz County recorded 1,315 people killed or injured in traffic crashes — ranking 19th worst among California's 58 counties, according to the California Office of Traffic Safety. Speed was a factor in 288 of those crashes, ranking 16th statewide. Hit-and-run collisions accounted for 102 additional victims, ranking 13th statewide. Within the city of Santa Cruz, 134 people were killed or injured in traffic accidents that year.
The corridors that generate the most serious collisions in Santa Cruz County are well known: Highway 1 along the coast, Highway 17 over the Santa Cruz Mountains, and Highway 9 through the San Lorenzo Valley. These are state routes where speed, narrow shoulders, and limited sight lines create recurring conditions for serious injury crashes.
The Legal Basis for a Car Accident Claim
California Civil Code §1714 establishes the foundation of every car accident claim: "Everyone is responsible, not only for the result of his or her willful acts, but also for an injury occasioned to another by his or her want of ordinary care or skill in the management of his or her property or person." A driver who fails to use ordinary care — who speeds, runs a red light, fails to yield, or drives distracted — is legally responsible for the harm that results.
The California Supreme Court confirmed in Rowland v. Christian (1968) 69 Cal.2d 108 that this duty of ordinary care is the default rule in California. Exceptions exist only where a statute or clear public policy requires one. For a car accident on a public road, no exception applies.
To establish a claim, four elements must be present: a duty of care owed to the injured person; a breach of that duty; causation between the breach and the injury; and resulting damages. In most car accident cases, duty and breach are straightforward. The contested issues are typically causation and the extent of damages.
What Damages Are Recoverable
Civil Code §3333 provides that the measure of damages in a tort case is "the amount which will compensate for all the detriment proximately caused thereby, whether it could have been anticipated or not." This covers both economic losses — medical bills, lost wages, future medical costs, lost earning capacity — and noneconomic losses, including pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Civil Code §3283 expressly permits recovery for future damages — losses that are certain to result in the future. In serious injury cases, this includes the cost of ongoing medical care, rehabilitation, and any permanent reduction in earning capacity.
Civil Code §3291 provides that if a plaintiff makes a settlement offer under Code of Civil Procedure §998 that the defendant rejects, and the plaintiff later obtains a more favorable judgment at trial, the judgment bears interest at 10 percent per annum from the date of the plaintiff's first §998 offer. This is a settlement-forcing mechanism built into California law. It is one reason why defendants and their insurers have a real financial incentive to take reasonable settlement offers seriously.
Insurance Coverage — Current Minimum Limits
California Vehicle Code §16056(a)(2), as amended effective January 1, 2025, sets the minimum liability coverage for passenger vehicles at $30,000 per person / $60,000 per accident / $15,000 for property damage. These limits were increased from prior minimums by Senate Bill 1107.
Minimum coverage is frequently inadequate in serious injury cases. A single hospitalization can exceed the $30,000 per-person limit before surgery, rehabilitation, or follow-up care are accounted for. When the at-fault driver's policy is exhausted, additional sources of recovery may be available: the injured person's own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage under Insurance Code §11580.2; umbrella policies; and, where applicable, the personal assets of the at-fault driver. Identifying all available coverage at the outset of a case is essential — failing to evaluate underinsured motorist coverage early can result in a waiver of those benefits depending on the policy terms.
How Car Accident Cases Proceed in Santa Cruz Superior Court
Personal injury lawsuits in Santa Cruz County are filed at the Santa Cruz County Courthouse, 701 Ocean Street, Santa Cruz. Under Santa Cruz Superior Court Local Rule 2.1.01, the first case management conference is scheduled approximately 120 days after the complaint is filed. Trial dates are set at that conference — under Local Rule 2.2.01, there is no separate trial-setting conference.
According to Judicial Council data for fiscal year 2022–23, Santa Cruz Superior Court received 244 personal injury and wrongful death unlimited civil filings. In that same year, there were zero PI/PD/WD jury trials reported. The overwhelming majority of cases resolve through settlement. That settlement rate does not mean cases are easy — insurers routinely take early positions that undervalue claims. The value of retaining an attorney who is prepared to try a case in Santa Cruz County is that it changes the insurer's calculation from the start.
The Statute of Limitations
Code of Civil Procedure §335.1 sets a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims. The defense may raise this deadline as a bar to a late-filed lawsuit. Missing this deadline can potentially bar a claim. Tolling doctrines exist — the discovery rule, minority, mental incapacity, and others — that may extend the limitations period depending on the facts. Whether a particular deadline applies, has run, or is subject to tolling requires individual analysis. Contact Attorney Michael Rehm to assess the specific timeline in your case.
Retain Attorney Michael Rehm
Attorney Michael Rehm handles car accident cases throughout Santa Cruz County on a contingency fee basis. No fee without a recovery. Call (800) 978-0754 for a free consultation.
The information on this page is general legal information only. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. California law changes — statutes are amended, courts issue new decisions, and regulations are revised. Nothing on this page should be treated as a current statement of law without independent verification. Whether any deadline, legal doctrine, or rule applies to your specific case requires individual analysis based on the facts of your situation. Contact Attorney Michael Rehm to discuss your case directly.
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