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

The Law Offices of J. Chrisp represents people hit by cars while walking in Windsor. 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 works, who pays, the claim deadlines and who handles a pedestrian crash in Windsor.

Table of Contents

I was hit by a car while walking in Windsor. Whose insurance pays my medical bills?

Usually the driver’s liability insurance pays, through a claim against the driver who hit you. If that driver had no insurance, the uninsured motorist coverage on your own auto policy may cover you 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 crash.
$2,350,000 in a transport van crash.
A $2,350,000 jury verdict in a major head-on crash case involving the sheriff.
$2,300,000 in a county vehicle crash.

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

What to do after a pedestrian accident in Windsor

Call 911 and stay where you are if it is safe. A driver involved in a crash that injures someone 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 think you are fine.
Ask the officer which agency is writing the report, and get the report number.
Photograph the crosswalk, signals, signs, lighting, the car and your injuries, and write down witness names and numbers.
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 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. Pedestrians must also use due care for their own safety. A pedestrian may not suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle that is close enough to be an immediate hazard (Vehicle Code section 21950).

Outside a crosswalk, a pedestrian must yield to vehicles that are close enough to be an immediate hazard. The driver still has to use due care for the safety of any pedestrian on the road (Vehicle Code section 21954).

Between two intersections with traffic signals, pedestrians must cross only in a crosswalk. Since January 1, 2023, after a change made by Assembly Bill 2147, a peace officer may not stop a pedestrian for crossing elsewhere unless a reasonably careful person would realize there is an immediate danger of a collision (Vehicle Code section 21955). The change limits police stops. It keeps both the pedestrian’s and the driver’s duty of due care, so where and how someone crossed can still matter when fault is decided.

How fault works when a pedestrian is hit

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 you are found 20% at fault, you can recover 80% of your damages.

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

Who pays a Windsor pedestrian’s claim

The driver’s liability insurance is usually the first source. 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 add to it. Under Insurance Code section 11580.2, uninsured motorist coverage protects the policyholder, their spouse and relatives living in the same household “while occupants of a motor vehicle or otherwise.” That can include you while walking. A policyholder can remove this coverage by a signed written agreement, so check your policy’s declarations page. If your policy also has medical payments coverage, read its terms to see whether it applies when you are a pedestrian.

Deadlines for a Windsor pedestrian accident claim

Deadline	What it controls	Source
6 months	Written injury claim against a public entity, such as the Town of Windsor, the County of Sonoma, SMART or the state. 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 the 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

Who handles a pedestrian crash in Windsor

Police report. The Town of Windsor contracts with the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office for police services. The Windsor Police Department is staffed by Sheriff’s Office employees and is at 9291 Old Redwood Highway, Building 300, Windsor, CA 95492. US-101 runs through Windsor, and a crash on the highway may be handled by the California Highway Patrol. The CHP Santa Rosa Area office, at 6100 LaBath Avenue in Rohnert Park, serves most of Sonoma County.

Claims against a public agency. If a Town street, crosswalk or sidewalk played a part, the Town’s form is the “Claim for Money or Damages Against the Town of Windsor.” It is filed with the Town Clerk, Town of Windsor, P.O. Box 100, Windsor, CA 95492-0100. A claim against the County of Sonoma goes on the County’s claim form to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, 575 Administration Drive, Suite 100A, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. SMART’s Windsor station, steps from the Windsor Town Green, is open for passenger service. A claim against SMART is presented to SMART itself, generally by delivering or mailing it to its clerk or secretary (Government Code section 915).

Court. Subject to exceptions, the superior court in the county where the injury happened is a proper court for a personal injury lawsuit (Code of Civil Procedure section 395). For Windsor, that is the Superior Court of California, County of Sonoma. Its Civil Clerk’s Office is at the Civil and Family Law Courthouse, 3055 Cleveland Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95403.

Offices, service area and recognition

The Law Offices of J. Chrisp does not have an office in Windsor. The closest office is in Santa Rosa. The firm serves Sonoma, Napa, Lake and Mendocino counties and the San Francisco Bay Area. Its offices are:

Santa Rosa: 3558 Round Barn Blvd, Suite 200, Santa Rosa, CA 95403.
Lower Lake (main office): 9667 Highway 29, Lower Lake, CA 95457.
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. 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: “I had an excellent experience working with Jesse Chrisp.” (Whitney Stevenson)

Frequently asked questions

Can I still recover if I was crossing outside a crosswalk in Windsor?

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

Does my own car insurance cover me if I was hit while walking?

It may. California’s uninsured motorist law covers the policyholder and household relatives “while occupants of a motor vehicle or otherwise” (Insurance Code section 11580.2). Check whether your policy kept that coverage and whether it has medical payments coverage.

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 Town, County, SMART or state road, vehicle or property was involved, a written claim is generally due within six months (Government Code section 911.2).

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 Windsor?

No. The closest office is in Santa Rosa at 3558 Round Barn Blvd, Suite 200, Santa Rosa, CA 95403. The firm answers the phone 24/7 at 877-J-CHRISP (877-524-7477).

If you were hurt as a pedestrian in Windsor 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.