Hurt in a Clearlake car crash? Talk to a car accident lawyer for free

Q: Does the Law Offices of J. Chrisp have an office in Clearlake?

No. Clearlake is on the firm's list of areas served, and its offices are in Lower Lake, Santa Rosa and San Francisco. The phone is answered 24/7 at 877-J-CHRISP (877-524-7477).

The Law Offices of J. Chrisp represents people hurt in car crashes in Clearlake. The firm’s main office is in nearby Lower Lake. The phone is answered 24/7 at 877-J-CHRISP (877-524-7477).

The firm has recovered over $350 million for clients since 2010. The sections below cover its car accident results, getting the crash report, what the law requires at the scene, the deadlines, including claims against the City of Clearlake or Lake County, where a Clearlake lawsuit is filed and how shared fault affects a claim.

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Will being partly at fault for a Clearlake crash wipe out my injury claim?

No: California follows pure comparative negligence (Li v. Yellow Cab Co., 1975), so your own share of fault does not bar recovery in a negligence case. The Law Offices of J. Chrisp serves Clearlake, and founding attorney Jesse Chrisp holds the record for the highest personal injury verdict in Lake County. Under that rule, your damages are reduced in proportion to your share.

Since 2010, the Law Offices of J. Chrisp has recovered over $350,000,000 for injured clients across Northern California. The sections below cover the firm’s car crash results, crash reports, duties at the scene, deadlines and the court for a Clearlake case.

Car accident results

Since 2010, the firm has recovered over $350,000,000 for injured clients across Northern California. Results the firm has obtained in car crash cases include:

$5,250,000 in a car crash case.
$3,375,000 in a Hertz rental car accident case.
a $2,350,000 jury verdict in a major head-on crash case involving the sheriff.
$2,350,000 in an airport shuttle-versus-car crash.
$2,300,000 in a crash involving a county vehicle.
$1,250,000 in a car crash case involving a fractured scapula, broken ribs and a concussion.
$1,000,000 in a car-versus-car crash involving a wrist fracture.
$1,000,000 in a car-versus-truck crash involving an ankle fracture.
$420,000 in a car crash case that resulted in a frozen shoulder.
$300,000 in a car crash case involving internal organ damage.

Every case is different, and prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Getting the crash report for a Clearlake accident

The California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area is responsible for all state highways in Lake County (SR-20, SR-29, SR-53 and SR-175) and for unincorporated roads in the county.

CHP report: request it through the CHP Crash Portal if the report was filed online there, or submit form CHP 190 to a CHP Area office, delivered there or sent by mail (CHP crash report requests). The CHP lists drivers, passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists, parents of minors and legal guardians among the parties who may request a report.
Clearlake Police Department report: the department’s Records Bureau takes requests for copies of records on a records request form, submitted by mail, by fax or at the police department.

Ask the responding officer for the report or incident number, and keep it with your claim records.

What the law requires at the scene

A driver involved in a crash that injures or kills someone must stop at the scene immediately (Vehicle Code section 20001). That driver must give their name, current address and vehicle registration number, and the owner’s name and address, to the injured person or the other driver. The driver must give the same information to any officer at the scene and give reasonable help to anyone hurt (Vehicle Code section 20003).

Call 911 and get medical care the same day.
Photograph the vehicles, the road and any visible injuries, and write down witness names and phone numbers.
If you were driving, report the crash to the DMV within 10 days if anyone was hurt or killed or damage to any one person’s property is over $1,000 (Vehicle Code section 16000).
Do not give the other driver’s insurer a recorded statement before you have legal advice.

Deadlines, including claims against the City of Clearlake or Lake County

Deadline	What it controls	Source
10 days	DMV accident report by a driver if anyone was hurt or killed or damage to any one person’s property is over $1,000	Vehicle Code section 16000
6 months after the claim accrues	Written claim to a public entity for injury to a person or to personal property, such as a vehicle	Government Code section 911.2
Reasonable time, not over 1 year after the claim accrues	Written application to present a late claim to a public entity, with the reason for the delay	Government Code section 911.4
Generally 6 months after a rejection notice is delivered or mailed	Lawsuit against a public entity that gave written notice rejecting the claim	Government Code section 945.6
Generally 2 years	Lawsuit for injury to a person caused by another’s wrongful act or neglect	Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1
3 years	Lawsuit for damage to a vehicle or other personal property	Code of Civil Procedure section 338

Under California law, a public entity includes the state, a county and a city (Government Code section 811.2). That covers the City of Clearlake, the County of Lake and the State of California. Before suing a public entity for money or damages, you generally must present a written claim to it, and the claim must be acted on or treated as rejected (Government Code section 945.4). If the entity gives no written rejection notice, section 945.6 sets the lawsuit deadline at two years after the claim accrues.

Where a Clearlake car accident lawsuit is filed

A lawsuit for personal injury can generally be filed in the superior court of the county where the injury occurred or where a defendant lives (Code of Civil Procedure section 395). For a crash in Clearlake, that includes the Superior Court of California, County of Lake.

The court’s locations page lists civil cases at the Lakeport Courthouse, 675 Lakeport Blvd., Lakeport. The court’s Clearlake Branch, at 7000-A South Center Drive, lists traffic infractions, small claims and limited civil unlawful detainer cases.

How shared fault affects a Clearlake claim

California follows pure comparative negligence (Li v. Yellow Cab Co., 1975). In a negligence case, your own share of fault does not bar recovery. Instead, your damages are reduced in proportion to your share. If your damages are $100,000 and you are found 30% at fault, your damages are reduced to $70,000.

Offices, service area and founding attorney

The firm serves Sonoma, Napa, Lake and Mendocino counties and the San Francisco Bay Area, including Clearlake. Its offices are:

Lower Lake (main office): 9667 Highway 29, Lower Lake, CA 95457, (707) 994-0529.
Santa Rosa: 3558 Round Barn Blvd, Suite 200, Santa Rosa, CA 95403.
San Francisco: 1330 Bush Street, Suite 9D, San Francisco, CA 94109.

Founding attorney Jesse Chrisp was born in Santa Rosa and raised in Lake County. He has represented thousands of clients in their injury cases. He was selected to Northern California Rising Stars from 2013 to 2021, an honor awarded to only 2.5% of attorneys in the state. The firm has Spanish-speaking staff.

In a client review, Eddie Berengue wrote that Jesse Chrisp is “local, personable, professional, extremely knowledgeable and an experienced attorney.”

Frequently asked questions

Does the Law Offices of J. Chrisp have an office in Clearlake?

No. The firm serves Clearlake from its offices in Lower Lake, Santa Rosa and San Francisco. The phone is answered 24/7 at 877-J-CHRISP (877-524-7477).

How do I get a CHP report for a crash on a Lake County state highway?

The CHP Clear Lake Area is responsible for SR-20, SR-29, SR-53 and SR-175 in Lake County. A party such as a driver, passenger, pedestrian or bicyclist can request the report through the CHP Crash Portal if it was filed online there, or by submitting form CHP 190 to a CHP Area office, delivered there or sent by mail.

Which court hears a lawsuit from a Clearlake car accident?

A personal injury lawsuit can generally be filed where the injury occurred or where a defendant lives (Code of Civil Procedure section 395). For a Clearlake crash, that includes the Superior Court of California, County of Lake, which lists civil cases at its Lakeport Courthouse.

How long do I have to file a claim after a car accident in Clearlake?

A lawsuit for injury caused by another person’s wrongful act or neglect generally must be filed within two years (Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1). A claim against a public entity for injury to a person or to personal property must be presented within six months after the cause of action accrues (Government Code section 911.2). Public entities include the City of Clearlake and the County of Lake. A late-claim application can be made within a reasonable time, up to one year after accrual (section 911.4).

How much does a car accident lawyer cost?

The consultation is free, and the Law Offices of J. Chrisp works on a contingency fee. There are no fees and no case costs unless we win.

If you were hurt in a car accident in Clearlake or anywhere in Lake County, call the Law Offices of J. Chrisp 24/7 at 877-J-CHRISP (877-524-7477) for a free consultation. There are no fees and no case costs unless we win.

Why choose the Law Offices of J. Chrisp?

The Law Offices of J. Chrisp is a Northern California personal injury law firm founded by attorney Jesse Chrisp, who was raised in Lake County. The firm represents injured people, with offices in Lower Lake (main office), Santa Rosa and San Francisco, and serves Sonoma, Napa, Lake and Mendocino counties and the San Francisco Bay Area. Consultations are free, the firm works on a contingency fee with no fee and no case costs unless the firm wins, and the phone is answered 24/7 at 877-J-CHRISP (877-524-7477). The firm was named to Best Law Firms 2026 (Tier 1, Santa Rosa, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs). Jesse Chrisp has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America since 2024 and selected to Super Lawyers from 2023 to 2026.