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

The Law Offices of J. Chrisp represents people hit by cars while walking in Rohnert Park. 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 rules for drivers and people on foot, how fault and insurance work, the claim deadlines and who handles reports and claims in Rohnert Park.

Table of Contents

A driver hit me in a Rohnert Park crosswalk. Who pays my medical bills?

In most cases the driver’s liability insurance pays, 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

Results from the firm’s vehicle crash cases include:

$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 while walking in Rohnert Park

Call 911 and stay where you are safe. The driver in an injury crash must stop at the scene (Vehicle Code section 20001), give their name, address and vehicle registration number, and give reasonable help to anyone hurt (Vehicle Code section 20003).

Get medical care the same day, even if the pain seems minor.
If you can, photograph the crosswalk or the spot where you were hit, the car, the traffic signals and your injuries.
Write down the driver’s name, insurance and plate number, and the names and numbers of anyone who saw it.
Keep your shoes and clothes from that day as they are.
Do not give the driver’s insurance company a recorded statement before you have legal advice.

Driver and pedestrian duties under California law

At a marked crosswalk, or an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, the driver must yield the right of way to a person crossing. A driver approaching someone in a crosswalk must use all due care and slow down or take other action as needed to keep that person safe. A person on foot also has a duty of care: they may not suddenly leave the curb and walk or run into the path of a car that is too close to stop (Vehicle Code section 21950).

Outside a crosswalk, the person on foot 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 for anyone on the road (Vehicle Code section 21954).

Since January 1, 2023, a change made by AB 2147 limits when an officer can stop someone for crossing mid-block between signal-controlled intersections. The officer may do so only when a reasonably careful person would see an immediate danger of a collision. The change does not relieve the walker or the driver of the duty to use due care (Vehicle Code section 21955).

How fault works in a California pedestrian accident

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 outside a crosswalk, you can still recover, and your compensation is reduced by your share. If you are found 10% at fault, you can recover 90% of your damages.

When more than one party shares fault, such as two drivers, each one pays non-economic damages, like pain and suffering, only in proportion to its own share (Civil Code section 1431.2).

Who pays after a pedestrian accident

The first source is usually the 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 can cost more than that.

Your own auto policy may also help, depending on its terms. California’s uninsured motorist law covers the named insured and relatives living in the same home “while occupants of a motor vehicle or otherwise,” unless the coverage was waived in writing (Insurance Code section 11580.2). That can matter after a hit and run or when the driver has no insurance. If your policy includes medical payments coverage, its wording decides whether it applies when you were walking.

Deadlines for a Rohnert Park pedestrian accident claim

Deadline	What it controls	Source
6 months	Written claim against a city, county or other public entity, such as the City of Rohnert Park or Sonoma County, for an injury caused by a public vehicle or a dangerous sidewalk, crosswalk or road. 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 personal property, such as a phone or stroller	Code of Civil Procedure section 338

Reports, claims and court for a Rohnert Park pedestrian case

Rohnert Park’s Department of Public Safety provides both police and fire services, and its public safety officers are cross-trained as police officers and firefighters. For a copy of a traffic collision report, the city’s traffic accident reports page directs people to the LexisNexis eCrash site (ECrash.LexisNexis.com). It says reports can take a few weeks to process, and to contact the Records Bureau if a report is not online within two to three weeks.

If the California Highway Patrol took the report, request it from the CHP Santa Rosa Area office, which serves most of Sonoma County and is located at 6100 LaBath Avenue in Rohnert Park. The CHP uses form CHP 190 for report requests, in person or by mail.

A claim against the City of Rohnert Park, for example over a city vehicle or a city sidewalk, goes on the city’s Claim Form to the City Clerk’s Office at City Hall, 130 Avram Avenue, Rohnert Park, CA 94928. The city says the Clerk’s Office is the only office that accepts claims. A claim against the County of Sonoma goes to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, 575 Administration Drive, Suite 100A, Santa Rosa, CA 95403.

An injury lawsuit over a Rohnert Park crash is generally filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Sonoma. Its Civil and Family Law Courthouse is at 3055 Cleveland Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95403.

Offices, service area and recognition

The firm does not have an office in Rohnert Park. Its closest office is in Santa Rosa, at 3558 Round Barn Blvd, Suite 200, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. Its main office is in Lower Lake at 9667 Highway 29, Lower Lake, CA 95457, and it also has an office in San Francisco at 1330 Bush Street, Suite 9D, San Francisco, CA 94109. The firm serves Sonoma, Napa, Lake and Mendocino counties and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Founding attorney Jesse Chrisp was selected to Northern California Rising Stars from 2013 to 2021, an honor awarded to only 2.5% of attorneys in the state. In 2018, he was one of four finalists for San Francisco Trial Lawyer of the Year. He has represented thousands of injured clients and holds the record for the highest personal injury verdict in Lake County. Spanish-speaking staff are available.

A client testimonial on chrisplaw.com reads: “The team was very professional and responsive and helped me reach a speedy settlement based on my recovery time.” (Jonathan Miller)

Frequently asked questions

Can I recover if I was hit while crossing outside a crosswalk?

You may. Outside a crosswalk you must yield to cars close enough to be a hazard, but the driver still has a duty to use due care (Vehicle Code section 21954). Under pure comparative fault, your share of fault reduces your compensation rather than barring it.

What if the driver drove off?

Call 911 and give the police every detail you remember. If the driver is never found, the uninsured motorist coverage on your own auto policy, or a policy held by a relative you live with, may apply, depending on its terms.

How much does a pedestrian accident lawyer cost?

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

How do I get the report for a crash in Rohnert Park?

If the Department of Public Safety responded, the city directs people to the LexisNexis eCrash site. If the CHP responded, request the report from the CHP Santa Rosa Area office on form CHP 190.

Is there an office in Rohnert Park, and where do I call?

The firm does not have an office in Rohnert Park. The closest office is in Santa Rosa at 3558 Round Barn Blvd, Suite 200. The phone is answered 24/7 at 877-J-CHRISP (877-524-7477).

If you were hit by a vehicle while walking in Rohnert Park or elsewhere in Sonoma 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.