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

The Law Offices of J. Chrisp represents people hit by cars while walking in Ukiah. 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 duties of drivers and pedestrians, how fault and insurance work, the claim deadlines, and where Ukiah crash reports, claims and lawsuits go.

Table of Contents

I was hit by a car while crossing a street in Ukiah. Whose insurance pays my medical bills?

Usually the at-fault 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 can review your case in a free consultation. The firm 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 Ukiah

Call 911 and stay at the scene if you can. A driver in an injury crash must stop (Vehicle Code section 20001). The driver 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 you were able to walk away.
Photograph the spot where you were hit, the crosswalk markings and signals, the car and your injuries.
Write down the driver’s name and license plate, and the names and numbers of witnesses.
Ask the officer for the report number.
Tell your own auto insurer about the crash, as your policy requires.
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).

Pedestrians have duties too. A pedestrian may not suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle so close that it is an immediate hazard. The pedestrian’s duty does not excuse the driver from using due care (Vehicle Code section 21950).

Outside a marked crosswalk or an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection, a pedestrian must yield to vehicles close enough to be an immediate hazard. The driver still has a duty of due care toward a pedestrian on the roadway (Vehicle Code section 21954).

Since January 1, 2023, under Assembly Bill 2147, a peace officer may not stop a pedestrian for crossing between signal-controlled intersections outside a crosswalk unless a reasonably careful person would realize there is an immediate danger of a collision with a moving vehicle (Vehicle Code section 21955). The change does not relieve pedestrians of the duty to use due care for their own safety, or drivers of the duty of due care toward pedestrians.

How fault works in a pedestrian claim

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 recovery is reduced by your share. If you are found 25% at fault, you can recover 75% of your damages.

When several defendants share fault, each defendant pays non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, only in proportion to its own share (Civil Code section 1431.2).

Who pays after a pedestrian accident

The at-fault driver’s liability insurance is usually the first source of payment. 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 far more.

Your own auto policy may also apply while you were walking. Under Insurance Code section 11580.2, uninsured motorist coverage protects the named insured, a spouse and relatives who live in the same household, and the statute does not require them to be in a car. It can apply when the driver had no insurance, and underinsured motorist coverage may apply when the driver’s insurance is lower than your own coverage. If your policy includes medical payments coverage, it may pay some of your medical bills. What applies depends on the terms of your policy.

Deadlines for a Ukiah pedestrian accident claim

Deadline	What it controls	Source
6 months	Written claim against a public entity, such as the City of Ukiah, the County of Mendocino or the state (Caltrans), 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

Ukiah crash reports, claims and courthouse

Collisions inside Ukiah city limits are reported to the Ukiah Police Department. The department releases traffic collision reports to the people involved, their insurers and their attorneys, among others. The fee is $10, and reports are not released to witnesses. The California Highway Patrol’s Ukiah Area office, at 540 South Orchard Avenue, covers the highways and unincorporated roadways of Mendocino County, including U.S. 101.

Downtown, the City of Ukiah rebuilt State Street between Henry Street and Mill Street. The work widened sidewalks, added curb ramps and bulb-outs, and changed that stretch from four lanes to one travel lane in each direction with a center turn lane.

If a city or county vehicle, or the condition of a public street, played a part in the crash, the written claim goes to the public entity:

City of Ukiah: the signed “Claim for Money or Damages Against the City of Ukiah” form, filed with the City Clerk, 300 Seminary Avenue, Ukiah, CA 95482, by mail or hand delivery.
County of Mendocino: the “Claim Against the County of Mendocino” form, filed with the Executive Office, Risk Management, 501 Low Gap Road, Room 1010, Ukiah, CA 95482, in person or by U.S. mail.
Caltrans, on a state highway: claims of $12,500 or less go to the Caltrans district claims office, and larger claims go to the state’s Government Claims Program.

A lawsuit over a pedestrian injury in Ukiah is generally filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Mendocino, at 100 North State Street, Ukiah, CA 95482 (Code of Civil Procedure section 395).

Offices, service area and recognition

The firm does not have an office in Ukiah. It serves Sonoma, Napa, Lake and Mendocino counties and the San Francisco Bay Area. Its closest offices to Ukiah are in Lower Lake and Santa Rosa:

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

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

Frequently asked questions

What if the driver who hit me had no insurance or drove away?

Report it to police right away and notify your own insurer as your policy requires. Your uninsured motorist coverage may apply even though you were walking, depending on the terms of your policy.

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

Often, yes. Your share of fault reduces your recovery but does not bar it, and a driver must still use due care toward a pedestrian on the roadway.

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

Most injury lawsuits must be filed within two years. If the City of Ukiah, the County of Mendocino or Caltrans may be responsible, a written claim is generally due within six months.

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 firm have an office in Ukiah?

No. Its closest offices are the main office in Lower Lake and the Santa Rosa office. The phone is answered 24/7 at 877-J-CHRISP (877-524-7477).

If you were hit while walking in Ukiah or elsewhere in Mendocino 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.