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

The Law Offices of J. Chrisp takes pedestrian accident cases from Sacramento. 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 works, who pays, the claim deadlines and the Sacramento agencies and court involved.

Table of Contents

Who pays my medical bills if a driver hit me in a Sacramento crosswalk?

Usually the at-fault driver’s liability insurance pays, and your own auto policy may also help. The Law Offices of J. Chrisp takes cases from Sacramento, offers a free consultation and works on a contingency fee, and there is no fee unless we win. The firm was named to Best Law Firms 2026 (Tier 1, Santa Rosa, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs).

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 by a car while walking in Sacramento

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

Get medical care the same day, even if you feel fine.
Photograph the crosswalk, signals, signs, street lights, the vehicle and your injuries. Write down the nearest cross streets.
Get the names and phone numbers of witnesses, and ask the officer for the report number.
Keep the shoes and clothes you were wearing.
Do not give the driver’s insurance company a recorded statement before you have legal advice.

Driver and pedestrian duties in California

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 needed to keep the pedestrian safe (Vehicle Code section 21950).

People on foot have a duty of care too. A pedestrian may not suddenly leave a curb or other safe place and walk into the path of a vehicle so close that it is an immediate hazard (Vehicle Code section 21950). A pedestrian crossing outside a crosswalk must yield to vehicles close enough to be an immediate hazard, but the driver must still use due care for the pedestrian’s safety (Vehicle Code section 21954).

Since January 1, 2023, under AB 2147, Vehicle Code section 21955 says an officer may not stop a pedestrian for crossing between signal-controlled intersections outside a crosswalk unless a reasonably careful person would see an immediate danger of a collision. The same section says pedestrians must still use due care for their own safety and drivers must still use due care for people in the road. So where and how a person crossed can still matter when fault is decided.

How fault works after a pedestrian accident

California uses pure comparative fault, set out by the California Supreme Court in Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975). A pedestrian who was partly at fault can still recover, and the recovery is reduced by that share. If a jury finds you 25% at fault, you can recover 75% of your damages.

When a driver and another party, such as a second driver, share fault, each pays non-economic damages only in proportion to its own share (Civil Code section 1431.2).

Who pays after a pedestrian accident

The driver’s liability insurance is usually the first source. For policies issued or renewed since January 1, 2025, California’s minimum is $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident (Vehicle Code section 16056).
Your own auto policy may include uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage and medical payments coverage. Depending on the policy’s terms, that coverage can apply when you are hit while walking, not only when you are in your car. Check your policy, or ask us to review it.
If a city, county or SacRT vehicle hit you, or a dangerous public street or sidewalk played a part, the claim starts with that public agency and a short deadline.

Deadlines for a Sacramento pedestrian accident claim

Deadline	What it controls	Source
6 months	Written injury claim against a public entity, such as the City of Sacramento, Sacramento County, SacRT or the state. It is due within six months after the claim arises (accrues).	Government Code section 911.2
1 year	Latest time to apply to present a late claim against a public entity if the six-month deadline was missed, with exceptions	Government Code section 911.4
2 years	Most personal injury lawsuits	Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1

Who investigates and where claims go in Sacramento

On city streets, the Sacramento Police Department takes a report at the scene when someone is seriously injured or killed, a driver is under the influence, a driver flees and the license plate is obtained, or city property is involved. Collision reports can be bought online for $5. Hit-and-run and fatal crash reports are not available online; request them by mail from Sacramento Police Department, Attn: Records Report Requests, 5770 Freeport Blvd., Suite 100, Sacramento, CA 95822.

On freeways and unincorporated county roads, the California Highway Patrol investigates through two area offices:

North Sacramento Area, 5109 Tyler Street, Sacramento, CA 95841. It patrols northern Sacramento County, including I-5, I-80, State Route 51 (the Business 80 loop), State Route 160, State Route 99 and county roads.
South Sacramento Area, 6 Massie Court, Sacramento, CA 95823. It patrols sections of I-5, State Route 99, US 50 and Business 80 and unincorporated county roads.

Claims against public agencies go to the agency itself:

City of Sacramento: Office of the City Clerk, 915 I Street, 5th Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814.
Sacramento County: Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, 700 H Street, Room 2450, Sacramento, CA 95814. The County does not accept electronic submissions.
SacRT: Attn: Claims – Clerk to the Board, 1102 Q Street, Suite 3000, Sacramento, CA 95811.

A lawsuit over a Sacramento injury is generally filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento (Code of Civil Procedure section 395). Its downtown courthouse is the Gordon D. Schaber Courthouse, 720 9th Street.

Offices, service area and recognition

The firm does not have an office in Sacramento. It takes cases from Sacramento, and its core service area is Sonoma, Napa, Lake and Mendocino counties and the San Francisco Bay Area. Its offices are:

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

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. In 2018, he was one of four finalists for San Francisco Trial Lawyer of the Year. He has represented thousands of injured clients. Spanish-speaking staff are available.

In a review shown on the firm’s testimonials page, Jonathan Miller wrote: “The team was very professional and responsive and helped me reach a speedy settlement based on my recovery time.”

Frequently asked questions

Can I recover if I was crossing outside a crosswalk in Sacramento?

Often, yes. A pedestrian outside a crosswalk must yield to vehicles that are an immediate hazard, but the driver must still use due care (Vehicle Code section 21954). Under pure comparative fault, your share of fault reduces your recovery rather than barring it.

What if the driver who hit me drove away?

Call 911 and get the report number. Your own uninsured motorist coverage may help, depending on your policy. A hit-and-run report from the Sacramento Police Department is not sold online and has to be requested by mail.

What if a SacRT bus or light rail train hit me?

SacRT is a public agency. A written claim generally must be presented within six months (Government Code section 911.2) before a lawsuit can be filed. SacRT asks for claims by mail and does not accept them by fax or email.

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.

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

No. The offices are in San Francisco, Santa Rosa and Lower Lake (main office). The firm takes cases from Sacramento, and the phone is answered 24/7 at 877-J-CHRISP (877-524-7477).

If you were hit by a vehicle while walking in Sacramento or elsewhere in Sacramento 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.