Hit by a car while walking in Napa? Talk to a pedestrian accident lawyer for free

The Law Offices of J. Chrisp represents people hit by cars while walking in Napa. 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 vehicle crash results, the first steps after being hit, the right-of-way rules for drivers and pedestrians, how fault and insurance work, the claim deadlines and the Napa agencies involved.

Table of Contents

A driver hit me while I was walking in Napa. Who pays my medical bills?

Usually the driver’s liability insurance pays if the driver was at fault, and your own auto policy may also help even though you were on foot. The Law Offices of J. Chrisp offers a free consultation and works on a contingency fee, and there is no fee unless we win.

Vehicle crash results

The firm’s published results do not include a pedestrian case. These are results it has obtained in vehicle crash cases, as shown on chrisplaw.com and its case results page:

$5,250,000 Car Crash
$3,375,000 Hertz Rental Car Accident
$2,350,000 Airport Shuttle vs. Car
$2,350,000 Transport Van Crash
$2,350,000 Jury Verdict: Major Head-on Crash with Sheriff
$2,300,000 County Vehicle Crash

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

What to do after being hit by a car while walking in Napa

Call 911 and stay at the scene if you can. A driver in an injury crash must stop, give their name, address and vehicle registration number, and give reasonable help to anyone injured (Vehicle Code sections 20001 and 20003).

Get medical care the same day, even if you think you are only bruised.
If you can, photograph the crosswalk, signals, lighting, the car and your injuries, and get the driver’s plate number.
Write down the names and phone numbers of witnesses.
Keep the shoes and clothes you were wearing, unwashed.
Ask the responding officer for the report number.
Do not give the driver’s insurance company a recorded statement before you have legal advice.

Right-of-way rules for drivers and pedestrians

A driver must yield the right of way to a pedestrian crossing in a marked crosswalk, or in an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection. A driver approaching a pedestrian in a crosswalk must use due care and slow down or take other action to keep the pedestrian safe. The same section says pedestrians must also use due care for their own safety (Vehicle Code section 21950).

A pedestrian crossing outside a marked or unmarked crosswalk must yield to vehicles close enough to be an immediate hazard. That rule does not relieve the driver of the duty to use due care (Vehicle Code section 21954).

Between two intersections with traffic signals, pedestrians may cross only in a crosswalk. Since January 1, 2023, under AB 2147, a peace officer may not stop a pedestrian for crossing there unless a reasonably careful person would realize there is an immediate danger of a collision. The change does not excuse pedestrians or drivers from using due care (Vehicle Code section 21955).

How fault works when a pedestrian is hit

California uses pure comparative fault, set out by the California Supreme Court in Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975). If you were partly at fault, for example by crossing mid-block, you can still recover, and your compensation is reduced by your share. If you are found 25% at fault, you can recover 75% of your damages.

Who pays after a pedestrian accident

The first source is usually the at-fault driver’s liability insurance. For policies issued or renewed since January 1, 2025, California’s minimum liability coverage is $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident (Vehicle Code section 16056). Serious injuries often cost more than that.

Your own auto policy can matter too. California auto policies must include uninsured motorist coverage unless it was waived in writing. That coverage protects the named insured and household relatives “while occupants of a motor vehicle or otherwise,” so it can apply when you are hit while walking by a driver with no insurance (Insurance Code section 11580.2). If your policy includes medical payments coverage, it may also help with medical bills, depending on its terms. Check your policy or ask a lawyer to review it.

Deadlines for a Napa pedestrian accident claim

Deadline	What it controls	Source
6 months	Written claim against a city, county, transit agency or the state for an injury. It is due within six months after the claim arises (accrues). A late-claim application is possible within limits.	Government Code section 911.2; section 911.4
2 years	Most personal injury lawsuits	Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1
3 years	Damage to property, such as a phone or glasses broken in the crash	Code of Civil Procedure section 338

Police, public agencies and the court in Napa

The California Highway Patrol’s Napa Area office, at 975 Golden Gate Drive, Napa, CA 94558, patrols state routes in the area, including Highways 12, 29 and 121, and the unincorporated roads of Napa County. On city streets, collisions are generally handled by the Napa Police Department, 1539 First Street, Napa, CA 94559. To get a CHP collision report, a party to the crash fills out form CHP 190.

If a city vehicle, a VINE bus or a dangerous public street or crosswalk played a part, a written government claim usually comes first:

City of Napa: the city’s claim form goes to the City Clerk, City Hall, 955 School Street, Napa, CA 94559. The city asks for a signed original by mail or in person.
County of Napa: the “Claim Against the County of Napa” form goes to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, 1195 Third Street, Suite 310, Napa, CA 94559.
VINE buses: the VINE is operated by the Napa Valley Transportation Authority, so a claim goes to that agency.
State highways: claims involving the state, such as Caltrans, go through the state’s Government Claims Program. Caltrans takes some smaller claims directly.

A lawsuit over an injury in Napa is generally filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Napa. Civil cases are handled at the Historic Courthouse, 825 Brown Street, Napa, CA 94559.

Offices, service area and recognition

The firm does not have an office in Napa. It serves Napa County as part of its service area of Sonoma, Napa, Lake and Mendocino counties and the San Francisco Bay Area. Its closest offices to Napa are:

Santa Rosa: 3558 Round Barn Blvd, Suite 200, Santa Rosa, CA 95403.
Lower Lake (main office): 9667 Highway 29, Lower Lake, CA 95457.

It also has an office in San Francisco at 1330 Bush Street, Suite 9D, San Francisco, CA 94109.

The firm was named to Best Law Firms 2026 (Tier 1, Santa Rosa, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs). Founding attorney Jesse Chrisp has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America since 2024 and selected to Super Lawyers from 2023 to 2026. He was selected to Northern California Rising Stars from 2013 to 2021, an honor awarded to only 2.5% of attorneys in the state. He has represented thousands of injured clients. Spanish-speaking staff are available.

A client testimonial on chrisplaw.com reads: “I had an excellent experience working with Jesse Chrisp.” (Whitney Stevenson)

Frequently asked questions

Was it my fault if I was not in a crosswalk?

Not automatically. Outside a crosswalk you must yield to vehicles that are an immediate hazard, but the driver still has a duty of due care. Under pure comparative fault, your share of fault reduces your compensation rather than barring it.

Can I use my own car insurance if I was walking?

Often, yes. If the driver had no insurance, the uninsured motorist coverage on your own policy can apply even though you were on foot, unless it was waived in writing.

What if the driver drove off?

Tell the officer everything you remember about the car, even a partial plate. Your own uninsured motorist coverage may apply when the car struck you and the driver is unknown. To use it, the crash generally must be reported to the police within 24 hours and a sworn statement filed with your insurer within 30 days (Insurance Code section 11580.2). The Law Offices of J. Chrisp can look at your policy during the free consultation.

How much does a pedestrian accident lawyer cost in Napa?

The consultation is free, and the firm works on a contingency fee. There is no fee unless we win.

Is there a Law Offices of J. Chrisp office in Napa?

No. The closest offices are in Santa Rosa and Lower Lake. You can call 24/7 at 877-J-CHRISP (877-524-7477).

If you were hurt as a pedestrian in Napa or elsewhere in Napa County, call the Law Offices of J. Chrisp 24/7 at 877-J-CHRISP (877-524-7477) for a free consultation. There is no fee 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 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.