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

The Law Offices of J. Chrisp represents people hit by cars while walking in San Rafael. 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 the firm’s 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 where reports and claims go in San Rafael.

Table of Contents

A driver hit me in a San Rafael crosswalk. Who pays my medical bills?

Usually the driver’s liability insurance pays first, 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 in a car crash case.
$3,375,000 in a Hertz rental car accident case.
$2,350,000 in an airport shuttle-versus-car case.
$2,350,000 in a transport van crash case.
$2,300,000 in a county vehicle crash case.
A $2,350,000 jury verdict in a major head-on crash case involving the sheriff.

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

What to do after being hit while walking in San Rafael

Call 911 and stay where you are if it is safe. A driver involved in an injury crash must stop (Vehicle Code section 20001) and must 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 the pain seems minor.
Ask the officer for the report number and which agency took the report.
Photograph the crosswalk, signals, signs, lighting and the car, and write down the names and numbers of witnesses.
Keep the shoes and clothes you were wearing, unwashed.
Do not give the driver’s insurance company a recorded statement before you have legal advice.

Rules for drivers and pedestrians in California

At a crosswalk, a driver must yield the right of way to a pedestrian crossing in a marked crosswalk or in an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection (Vehicle Code section 21950(a)). A driver approaching a pedestrian in a crosswalk must use all due care and slow down or take other steps to keep the pedestrian safe (section 21950(c)).

People on foot have duties too. A pedestrian may not suddenly leave a curb or other safe place and walk or run into the path of a vehicle that is so close it is an immediate hazard (section 21950(b)).

Outside a crosswalk, a pedestrian must yield to vehicles that are so near they are an immediate hazard (Vehicle Code section 21954(a)). The driver still must use due care for the safety of any pedestrian on the roadway (section 21954(b)).

Between two adjacent intersections controlled by traffic signals or by police officers, pedestrians must cross only in a crosswalk (Vehicle Code section 21955). Since January 1, 2023, under AB 2147, a peace officer may not stop a pedestrian for crossing outside a crosswalk unless a reasonably careful person would realize there is an immediate danger of a collision with a moving vehicle. The same section keeps the pedestrian’s duty to use due care for their own safety and the driver’s duty of due care.

How fault works in a 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. Your compensation is reduced by your share of the fault. If you are found 20% at fault, you can recover 80% of your damages.

Who pays after a pedestrian accident

The driver’s auto liability insurance is usually the first source of payment. For policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, California’s minimum liability coverage is $30,000 for one person and $60,000 for two or more people in one accident (Vehicle Code section 16056).

Your own auto policy may also help, even though you were walking. California auto policies include uninsured motorist coverage unless the policyholder agreed in writing to remove it, and the law defines who is insured to include the named insured and household relatives whether or not they are in a vehicle (Insurance Code section 11580.2). This coverage can apply when the driver had no insurance or not enough. If you bought medical payments coverage, check whether your policy also pays medical bills when you are hit on foot. Policy terms vary, so read yours or have a lawyer review it.

Deadlines for a San Rafael pedestrian accident claim

Deadline	What it controls	Source
6 months	Written claim against a city, county or the state for an injury, for example a city vehicle or a dangerous crosswalk or sidewalk. 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
6 months after notice	Lawsuit after a public entity gives written notice rejecting the claim	Government Code section 945.6
2 years	Most personal injury lawsuits	Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1

Reports, claims and the court in San Rafael

Who takes the report depends on where you were hit:

City streets: the San Rafael Police Department, 1375 Fifth Avenue, San Rafael, CA 94901. Copies of collision reports are requested through the department’s online records request portal, linked from the forms page on srpd.org.
US-101, I-580 and other state highways, and county roads in unincorporated areas: the California Highway Patrol. Its Marin Area office is at 53 San Clemente Drive, Corte Madera, CA 94925. A CHP report can be requested at any CHP office, by mail or through the CHP crash report website.

If a city vehicle or a dangerous city crosswalk or sidewalk played a part, the written claim goes to the City Clerk’s Office, which receives all claims against the City of San Rafael, at City Hall, 1400 Fifth Avenue, Room 209. A claim against the County of Marin goes to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, 3501 Civic Center Drive, Room 329.

A San Rafael injury lawsuit is generally filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Marin, at the Hall of Justice, 3501 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael, CA 94903.

Offices, service area and recognition

The firm serves Sonoma, Napa, Lake and Mendocino counties and the San Francisco Bay Area, including San Rafael and Marin County. It does not have an office in San Rafael. Its closest offices are in San Francisco and Santa Rosa, both on the US-101 corridor. 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.

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. In 2018, he was one of four finalists for San Francisco Trial Lawyer of the Year. He has represented thousands of injured clients. He 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

How much does a pedestrian accident lawyer cost in San Rafael?

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

Can I still recover if I was not in a crosswalk?

Often, yes. A driver must still use due care for pedestrians on the roadway (Vehicle Code section 21954(b)). Under pure comparative fault, your compensation is reduced by your share of the fault rather than barred.

What if the driver drove off?

Call 911 and give the police every detail you remember about the car and the driver. A driver in an injury crash is required to stop (Vehicle Code section 20001). Your own uninsured motorist coverage, described above, may apply; check your policy terms.

How long do I have to file a pedestrian accident claim?

Most personal injury lawsuits must be filed within two years (Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1). If a city or county vehicle, crosswalk or sidewalk was involved, a written claim is generally due within six months (Government Code section 911.2).

Where can I call the Law Offices of J. Chrisp about a San Rafael pedestrian accident?

Call 877-J-CHRISP (877-524-7477). The phone is answered 24/7. The firm’s closest offices to San Rafael are in San Francisco, at 1330 Bush Street, Suite 9D, and Santa Rosa, at 3558 Round Barn Blvd, Suite 200.

If you were hit by a vehicle while walking in San Rafael or elsewhere in Marin 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.