Who Should I Call After a Car Accident in Sonoma County?

After a car accident in Sonoma County, call 911 first if anyone is hurt. Get medical care the same day, notify your insurer and then call a lawyer. The Law Offices of J. Chrisp has a Santa Rosa office at 3558 Round Barn Blvd, Suite 200, and offers a free consultation with no fee unless we win. The firm answers the phone 24/7 at 877-J-CHRISP (877-524-7477).

Table of Contents

Who to contact after a crash, in order

911. Call if anyone is hurt or the road is blocked. California law requires a driver involved in a crash that injures another person or kills someone to stop (Vehicle Code section 20001). The driver must also give reasonable help to anyone injured and give their name, address and vehicle registration number (Vehicle Code section 20003).
The responding officer. Ask which agency is writing the report and get the report number before you leave the scene.
A doctor. Get checked the same day, even if the pain seems minor, and keep your medical records.
Your own insurance company. Report the crash as your policy requires.
The DMV. If you were driving, report the crash to the DMV on form SR-1 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).
A personal injury lawyer. Call before you give the other driver’s insurer a recorded statement or sign anything.

Which agency handles a crash in Sonoma County?

The agency that takes the report depends on where the crash happened. You will need its name to request the collision report.

Where the crash happened	Agency that generally takes the report
US-101 and other freeways	California Highway Patrol
Streets inside Santa Rosa city limits, such as Mendocino Avenue	Santa Rosa Police Department
Streets inside Petaluma city limits	Petaluma Police Department
Rohnert Park, Windsor and other cities and towns	The local police agency (ask the officer for the agency name and report number)

Offices, service area and car accident results

The firm serves people injured anywhere in Sonoma County. Lawsuits from Sonoma County crashes are generally filed in Sonoma County Superior Court.

Santa Rosa. The firm’s Santa Rosa office is at 3558 Round Barn Blvd, Suite 200, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. See the Santa Rosa car accident lawyer page.
Petaluma. The firm serves people injured in Petaluma, including people hurt in crashes on US-101 and Highway 116. See the Petaluma car accident lawyer page.
Rohnert Park and Windsor. The firm serves people injured in Rohnert Park and Windsor.

The firm’s main office is at 9667 Highway 29, Lower Lake, CA 95457. It also has an office at 1330 Bush Street, Suite 9D, San Francisco, CA 94109. The firm has Spanish-speaking staff.

The firm’s results include $5,250,000 in a car crash case, as shown on the case results page. Every case is different, and prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

How fault and insurance affect a Sonoma County claim

California uses pure comparative fault, set out in Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975). You can recover even if you were partly at fault, and your recovery is reduced by your share. An uninsured driver generally cannot recover pain and suffering (Civil Code section 3333.4).

For policies issued or renewed since January 1, 2025, California’s minimum liability coverage is $30,000 per person, $60,000 per accident and $15,000 for property damage (Vehicle Code section 16056).

Deadlines after a Sonoma County car accident

Deadline	What it controls	Source
10 days	DMV report (SR-1) 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	Written claim when a city, Sonoma County or Caltrans vehicle or road was involved	Government Code section 911.2
2 years	Most personal injury lawsuits	Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1
3 years	Vehicle and other property damage	Code of Civil Procedure section 338

Frequently asked questions

Who do I call first after a car accident in Sonoma County?

Call 911 if anyone is hurt or the road is blocked. After you get medical care, report the crash to your insurer and speak with a lawyer.

How do I get a collision report in Sonoma County?

Request the collision report from the agency that responded. CHP generally takes reports on freeways such as US-101. Local police, such as the Santa Rosa or Petaluma Police Department, take reports on streets inside their city limits.

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

The firm has an office at 3558 Round Barn Blvd, Suite 200, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. The firm serves people injured anywhere in Sonoma County, including Petaluma, Rohnert Park and Windsor.

How much does a car accident lawyer cost in Sonoma County?

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

Where are Sonoma County car accident lawsuits filed?

Lawsuits from Sonoma County crashes are generally filed in Sonoma County Superior Court. If a city, the county or Caltrans was involved, a written government claim generally must first be presented within six months.

If you were hurt in a car accident anywhere 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.

About 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.