If you were involved in a car accident with a government entity, there are special rules and deadlines you must follow. The process is as follows: 

• File a government claim
  • Before filing a lawsuit, you must file an administrative claim you believe is responsible for the accident. 
  • In California, you must file within one year of the incident 
  • The claim must include a description of the incident, the damages being claimed, the date, location, and parties involvement, and the amount you are seeking. 
• Wait for a response
  • Once the claim has been filed, the government has 45 days to respond in which they will either accept the claim and offer a settlement, deny the claim, or do nothing which is treated as a rejection once the time has passed. 
• File a lawsuit
  • If your claim is denied, you have 6 months from the date of the denial to file a lawsuit.