Injury Forms

Official California forms people use after an injury, grouped by stage, with what each one is for. Every link goes to the agency, court, or company that publishes it. Always download the current version from the official site.

Which forms do I need right after a car crash in California?

Most drivers need the DMV SR-1 if anyone was hurt or damage was over $1,000, filed within 10 days. To get the police report, use the CHP 190 for CHP crashes or your city police department’s request form. Keep copies of everything you send.

How do I file a claim against a government agency in California?

Before suing a public agency, you usually must file a written claim within six months of an injury. Claims against State agencies go to the DGS Government Claims Program with a $25 fee or a fee waiver request. Each city, county, and transit agency uses its own claim form and office.

How do I report an accident to my insurance company?

Call your insurer’s claims line or use its online claim page as soon as you can, even if the other driver caused the crash. Have your policy number, the date and place of the crash, what happened, and the other driver’s details. Many policies require prompt notice to keep your coverage.

Report the crash promptly to your own insurer. Be careful about giving a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer because what you say can be used to limit your claim. Read dealing with insurance adjusters after a California accident.

Listing an insurer here is not a recommendation. Links and numbers were taken from each insurer’s own website on October 27, 2026; check your ID card or policy for the number that applies to you. Hit by an uninsured or fleeing driver? Read what happens after an uninsured or hit-and-run crash. Your own MedPay coverage may help with bills: what MedPay covers in California.

How do I get my medical records and bills in California?

Ask each hospital, clinic, and doctor in writing, through their patient portal or records request form. California law lets you inspect records within five working days and get copies within 15 days, for a limited fee. Federal HIPAA rules also give you a right to your medical and billing records.

California’s patient access law is Health and Safety Code sections 123100 to 123149.5.

Records request pages for major California health systems

Bills and ambulance records: also ask each provider’s billing office for an itemized bill and a payment ledger showing what insurance paid. For the ambulance ride, ask the ambulance company or fire agency named on the bill for its patient care report and itemized bill. Why it matters: what insurance companies look for in your medical records.

Who can claim repayment from my injury settlement?

Anyone who paid for your injury care may have a right to be repaid from a settlement. That can include Medi-Cal, Medicare, the hospital, your health plan or employer plan, the VA, or TRICARE. Ask each one for its claim amount before you settle, so the money can be divided correctly.

Learn more: what subrogation means in a personal injury case and who pays your medical bills while your California case is pending.

Which court forms start a personal injury lawsuit in California?

A typical injury lawsuit starts with the Judicial Council complaint PLD-PI-001 plus the cause of action pages that fit, a summons on SUM-100, and a civil case cover sheet on CM-010. After filing, the defendant must be served, and the server fills out a proof of service on POS-010.

Which forms come up later in an injury case?

Common later forms include FW-001 to ask the court to waive filing fees, DISC-001 form interrogatories to ask the other side written questions, and, if the defendant never responds, CIV-050 to state the damages claimed and CIV-100 to ask the court to enter a default and judgment.

Can I use small claims court for an injury in California?

Yes, for smaller claims. An individual can generally ask for up to $12,500 in small claims court, and lawyers do not appear with you at the hearing. You start the case with form SC-100, the Plaintiff’s Claim and Order to Go to Small Claims Court, filed in the right county.

Which forms are needed when a child is injured?

A child can’t sue alone, so a parent or guardian usually asks to be appointed guardian ad litem on CIV-010. Any settlement for a minor needs court approval, usually with petition MC-350 or the expedited MC-350EX, then an order such as MC-351 and, often, MC-355 for a blocked account.

This page is general information about California law and California procedures, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Fees, forms, and agency procedures change; confirm with the linked official source. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Attorney advertising. Geller Legal, a dba of The Geller Firm, Inc.