Quick answer: Get safe, call 911 if anyone is hurt, exchange information, and photograph everything before the cars move. See a doctor the same day, even if you feel fine. Get the report number from whichever agency responds: usually the Pasadena Police Department on city streets and the California Highway Patrol on the freeways. Report the crash to your own insurer, but do not give the other driver's insurer a recorded statement. Most California injury claims must be filed within two years under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1.
A crash scrambles the mind, and the decisions that matter most get made while your hands are still shaking. Here is the order of operations. If you are reading this from the roadside, call (626) 888-2223 and you will speak directly with Tom Vertanous.
At the scene: the first ten minutes
- Get safe. If the cars can move and no one is hurt, move out of traffic, turn on your hazards, and stay out of the lanes. Freeway traffic on the 210 and the 134 does not slow down for a crash on the shoulder.
- Call 911 if anyone is hurt. Tell the dispatcher about every injury, including your own. Injuries are what bring officers and paramedics to a scene.
- Exchange information. Name, phone, driver's license, insurance company and policy number, and the license plate of every vehicle. Photograph the other driver's license and insurance card rather than copying them by hand.
- Photograph everything. Every vehicle from every side, the positions of the cars before they move, skid marks, debris, the signal, the intersection, and your visible injuries. Photographs end arguments that memories start.
- Get witnesses. Independent witnesses decide disputed-fault cases, and they leave in minutes. A name and a phone number is enough.
- Do not argue fault. "I'm sorry" at the scene is politeness. Written into a report, it reads like a confession. State facts to the officer and nothing more.
When the police come, and when they will not
Officers do not respond to every crash. When someone is hurt, a car cannot be moved, or a driver appears impaired, expect a response. When the collision is minor and the cars can drive away, officers may not come at all. That is normal, and it does not weaken your claim. It means the documentation is on you: your photographs, witness names, and exchanged information become the record.
Where the report comes from depends on where the crash happened. On Pasadena city streets, such as Colorado Boulevard, Lake Avenue, or Fair Oaks Avenue, the Pasadena Police Department usually responds. On the 210, the 134, and the 110, the California Highway Patrol usually handles it. Whichever agency responds, ask the officer for the report number before you leave. That number is how you, your insurer, and your lawyer get the report later.
One more reporting duty people miss: California requires a report to the DMV within ten days when anyone is injured or killed, or when property damage exceeds $1,000.00 (One Thousand Dollars). That report is separate from the police report and separate from your insurance claim.
The same day: see a doctor
Go today: emergency room, urgent care, or your own physician. Adrenaline masks pain, and neck injuries, disc injuries, and concussions often surface hours or days later. Describe every symptom, including headaches and dizziness, and follow the plan.
This is about your health first. It is also about proof. The first thing an adjuster looks for is the gap between the crash and the first medical visit. Worried about who pays for that visit? We explain it in who pays my medical bills after a car accident.
The first phone calls: your insurer, and theirs
Report the crash to your own insurance company promptly; your policy requires it. Give the facts: date, place, vehicles, and that you are being evaluated for injuries.
Then the other driver's insurer calls, friendly, asking to record your account. You do not owe that company a recorded statement. It is taken before your diagnosis is known, and innocent answers about speed and how you feel get replayed months later as admissions. Read what the recorded statement is actually for before you pick up that call, and sign nothing the other carrier sends.
A common example
Consider a driver rear-ended at a red light on Lake Avenue. She feels shaken, not hurt, and officers do not come because the cars can move. She photographs both cars and the other driver's license and insurance card, and gets a witness's number. By morning her neck is stiff and a headache will not quit, so she goes to urgent care that day. When the other driver's adjuster asks to record her statement, she declines and calls a lawyer. Nothing about her day was dramatic. Every step she took is one the insurance company can no longer use against her.
The deadline is not the only clock
Most California personal injury claims must be filed within two years under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. If a government vehicle or roadway played a role, a claim may be due within six months; see crashes with government vehicles and dangerous roads. Evidence runs out sooner still: camera footage is overwritten in days. The complete picture, from fault to damages, is in our Pasadena car accident lawyer guide.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to call the police after a car accident in Pasadena?
If anyone is hurt, call 911, every time. If no one is hurt and the cars can be moved, officers may not come to the scene at all, and that is normal. Either way, exchange information with the other driver, photograph everything, and write down the names of any officers who do respond.
Where do I get the police report for a Pasadena car accident?
From the agency that responded. Crashes on Pasadena city streets are usually handled by the Pasadena Police Department. Crashes on the 210, the 134, and the 110 freeways are usually handled by the California Highway Patrol. Ask the officer for the report number at the scene; it is the key to getting the report later.
I feel fine. Do I still need to see a doctor?
Yes, and the same day if you can. Adrenaline hides pain, and neck, back, and brain injuries often announce themselves hours or days later. A same-day visit protects your health first. It also creates the record that connects your injuries to the crash, which the insurance company will otherwise dispute.
How long do I have to file a car accident claim in California?
Generally two years from the date of injury under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. If a city, county, or state vehicle or roadway is involved, a written government claim may be due within six months. Evidence disappears much faster than either deadline, so the time to call is now.
Just had a crash in Pasadena? Call before you call the adjuster back.
Free, confidential consultation. You will speak directly with Tom Vertanous, in English, Armenian, or Farsi. The Vertanous Firm has recovered more than $60 Million for injured Californians. No fee unless we win. (626) 888-2223.
Request a ConsultationResults depend on the unique facts of each case. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome in any future matter. This article is general information about California law, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Responsible for content: Tom Vertanous, Esq., The Vertanous Firm, P.C., SBN 330760, (626) 888-2223.