California personal injury law gives accident victims powerful rights — including no cap on pain and suffering damages and a pure comparative negligence system that allows recovery even when you share some fault. Attorney Anand Desai has spent 20+ years protecting those rights for over 5,000 clients across the state.
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When you are injured due to someone else's negligence in California, the legal system provides a path to compensation — but navigating that path requires an attorney who understands California's unique laws, court systems, and insurance landscape. From the dense urban freeways of Los Angeles to the residential streets of Glendale and the suburban corridors of the Inland Empire, accidents happen every day across this state. The question is whether you have the right lawyer fighting for you.
Attorney Anand Desai has been practicing personal injury law in California since 2007. A graduate of Loyola Law School and USC, he began his career as an LA County Public Defender, trying over 50 cases before juries. That trial experience is rare among personal injury attorneys — and it gives him a decisive advantage in negotiations with insurance companies, who know that he has the skill and willingness to take cases to trial when fair settlement offers are not made.
• Deep Local Knowledge — Based in Glendale with a practice that spans all of Southern California, we handle cases in Los Angeles Superior Court, Glendale Courthouse, Pasadena Courthouse, Burbank Courthouse, Van Nuys Courthouse, and courts throughout the state. We understand local filing procedures, judge preferences, and the dynamics of each courthouse.
• Multilingual Support — California is the most diverse state in the nation, and our firm reflects that diversity. We communicate in 11 languages: English, Spanish, Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Thai, Tagalog, Russian, Armenian, Farsi, and Korean. Every client deserves to fully understand their legal rights in their own language.
• 24/7 Availability — Accidents do not happen on a schedule. Whether your injury occurred on a freeway at 2 AM or in a parking lot on a Sunday afternoon, we are available to take your call, assess your case, and begin working on your behalf immediately.
• No Win, No Fee — Every personal injury case is handled on a 100% contingency basis. You pay nothing upfront, nothing out of pocket, and nothing at all unless we recover compensation for you.
Call us or fill out the form. We’ll review your case, explain your options, and answer all your questions — at no cost.
We gather evidence, work with experts, handle the insurance companies, and build your claim for maximum compensation.
We don’t get paid unless you win. 100% contingency fee — no upfront costs, no hidden charges, no risk to you.
California follows a pure comparative negligence system, which is one of the most favorable systems for personal injury victims in the country. Under this system, codified through California Civil Code Section 1714 and the landmark case of Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975), your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault — but you are never completely barred from recovery, no matter how much fault is assigned to you.
This is critically important because insurance companies always try to assign fault to the injured person to reduce their payout. In a car accident, the other driver's insurer might argue you were speeding or failed to signal. In a slip-and-fall case, the property owner might claim you were looking at your phone. In a pedestrian accident, the driver might argue you jaywalked. Under California's pure comparative negligence system, even if you were 50%, 70%, or even 90% at fault, you can still recover the remaining percentage of your damages from the other negligent party.
This stands in stark contrast to states that follow a modified comparative negligence system, where the injured person is completely barred from recovery if they are found to be 50% or 51% at fault. California's system ensures that every negligent party pays their fair share — and that injured Californians always have access to at least partial compensation.
Our firm uses California's comparative negligence system to our clients' advantage in every case. We aggressively challenge insurance company attempts to inflate our clients' share of fault, using accident reconstruction experts, surveillance footage, witness testimony, and physical evidence to demonstrate that the defendant bears primary responsibility for the accident.
California is one of the best states in the country for personal injury victims when it comes to damages. Unlike many states that impose caps on non-economic damages (pain and suffering), California does not cap non-economic damages in personal injury cases. This means that juries are free to award whatever amount they determine is fair compensation for the injured person's physical pain, emotional suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, disfigurement, and other intangible harms.
Economic damages — medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning capacity, and other quantifiable financial losses — are also uncapped. This is the standard across most states, but it is worth emphasizing because the total economic damages in catastrophic injury cases (traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, severe burns) can easily reach into the millions of dollars when lifetime care costs are calculated.
The one notable exception to California's no-cap policy is medical malpractice, where the Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA) previously capped non-economic damages. However, Anand Desai Law does not handle medical malpractice cases. For the personal injury cases we handle — car accidents, truck accidents, pedestrian accidents, premises liability, construction accidents, and all other negligence-based claims — there is no cap on any category of damages.
Punitive damages are also available in California under Civil Code Section 3294 when the defendant's conduct was malicious, oppressive, or demonstrated a conscious disregard for the safety of others. Drunk driving, texting while driving, deliberate safety violations, and similar egregious conduct can all support punitive damage awards. Our firm evaluates every case for punitive damage potential.
California imposes strict deadlines for filing personal injury claims, and missing these deadlines permanently bars your right to compensation. The general statute of limitations for personal injury is two years from the date of the injury under Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1. This applies to car accidents, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, slip-and-fall accidents, dog bites, and most other negligence-based claims.
However, several important variations apply depending on the type of claim and the parties involved. Government tort claims have a dramatically shorter deadline: if your injury was caused by a government entity or employee — a city bus, a police vehicle, a dangerous road condition maintained by the state or a municipality — you must file an administrative claim with the government entity within six months of the injury under the California Government Claims Act (Government Code §910 et seq.). If the government rejects your claim or fails to respond within 45 days, you then have six months to file a lawsuit.
For minors (persons under 18), the statute of limitations is tolled until they reach age 18, giving them until age 20 to file a personal injury claim. For individuals who are mentally incapacitated at the time of injury, the statute may be tolled during the period of incapacity. The discovery rule may extend the deadline in cases where the injury or its cause was not immediately apparent.
Wrongful death claims must be filed within two years of the date of death under CCP §377.60. Property damage claims have a three-year statute of limitations under CCP §338. Our firm tracks all applicable deadlines for every case we handle and ensures that no claim is lost to a missed filing deadline.
Injuries caused by government entities and employees are subject to special rules under the California Government Claims Act (Government Code §810 et seq., formerly known as the California Tort Claims Act). These claims arise more frequently than most people realize — city buses, county vehicles, state highway defects, dangerous road conditions on city streets, injuries at public parks and buildings, and police vehicle collisions all involve government liability.
The most critical difference from private-party claims is the six-month administrative claim deadline. Before you can sue a government entity in California, you must first file an administrative claim with the entity within six months of the date of injury. The claim must include your name and address, the date and location of the incident, a description of what happened, a description of your injuries, and the amount of damages you are claiming. The government entity then has 45 days to accept, reject, or ignore the claim.
If the claim is rejected (or deemed rejected after 45 days of no response), you have six months from the date of the rejection notice to file a lawsuit. If the government fails to respond at all, you have two years from the date of the accident to file suit. Missing the initial six-month administrative claim deadline is almost always fatal to the case — courts very rarely grant late claim petitions.
Government liability in California is governed by specific statutes. Under Government Code Section 835, a public entity is liable for injuries caused by a dangerous condition of its property if the entity had actual or constructive notice of the condition and failed to act. Under Government Code Section 815.2, a public entity is liable for injuries caused by the negligent acts of its employees within the scope of their employment. Our firm has extensive experience filing government tort claims against the City of Glendale, the City of Los Angeles, Caltrans, LA County, and other government entities throughout California.
Anand Desai Law represents personal injury victims across a comprehensive range of case types, all grounded in California negligence law. Our practice areas include motor vehicle accidents (car, truck, motorcycle, bus, and rideshare collisions), pedestrian and bicycle accidents, slip-and-fall and premises liability claims, dog bite injuries, construction accidents (third-party negligence claims against contractors, subcontractors, equipment manufacturers, and property owners), boating accidents, wrongful death, catastrophic injuries including traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries, and any other situation where another party's negligence caused your injury.
Each practice area involves distinct legal issues, specific California statutes, and specialized knowledge. Car accident cases revolve around California Vehicle Code violations, insurance coverage disputes, and comparative fault arguments. Premises liability cases require analysis of the property owner's duty of care, notice of the hazardous condition, and compliance with building codes. Dog bite cases invoke California's strict liability statute (Civil Code §3342). Construction accident third-party claims involve OSHA and Cal/OSHA regulations, subcontractor relationships, and product liability for defective equipment.
What unifies all of our practice areas is the foundational principle of California negligence law: every person has a duty to exercise reasonable care to avoid injuring others, and when that duty is breached, the negligent party must compensate the injured person for all resulting damages. Our firm applies this principle aggressively across every case type, using 20+ years of experience to build the strongest possible case for each client.
We serve clients throughout California, with a particular concentration in Glendale, Los Angeles, Pasadena, Burbank, Van Nuys, Long Beach, Torrance, Santa Monica, and the Inland Empire communities of Pomona, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, and Riverside.
The vast majority of personal injury cases in California settle before trial — industry data suggests that more than 95% of cases resolve through negotiation or mediation. This leads some people to believe that trial experience does not matter. The opposite is true. Cases settle for fair value precisely because the insurance company knows the attorney on the other side is willing and able to try the case.
Insurance companies maintain detailed databases tracking the litigation history of personal injury attorneys. They know which attorneys have never tried a case, which attorneys always settle at the first offer, and which attorneys have a track record of taking cases to verdict. When an insurance adjuster sees that your attorney has tried 50+ cases to jury verdict, the calculus changes immediately. The insurer knows that a lowball offer will be rejected and that the case will proceed to trial — where a California jury with no cap on damages could award significantly more than the settlement amount.
Attorney Anand Desai's background as a former LA County Public Defender gave him something that most personal injury attorneys never acquire: extensive trial experience in front of real juries, in real courtrooms, under real pressure. He has tried over 50 cases to verdict, developing the courtroom skills, jury selection instincts, and cross-examination abilities that make insurance companies take his cases seriously from the first demand letter.
Beyond trial experience, effective California personal injury representation requires a thorough understanding of the state's complex procedural rules, the ability to retain and work with expert witnesses (accident reconstructionists, medical experts, economists, life care planners), and the financial resources to fund litigation that may take months or years to resolve. Our firm invests the time, expertise, and money that every case requires — because our contingency fee structure means we only get paid when you get paid. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes, but our commitment to every case is absolute.
California follows a pure comparative negligence system under Civil Code Section 1714. This means your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault, but you are never completely barred from recovery. If a jury finds you 30% at fault and the other party 70% at fault, you recover 70% of your total damages. Even if you are 90% at fault, you can still recover 10% of your damages. This is more favorable than the modified comparative negligence systems used in many other states, which bar recovery entirely if the injured person is 50% or 51% at fault. Insurance companies routinely try to assign fault to the injured person to reduce payouts — our firm aggressively challenges these tactics using evidence and expert testimony.
No. California does not cap non-economic damages (pain and suffering) in personal injury cases. Juries are free to award whatever amount they determine is fair compensation for your physical pain, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, disfigurement, and other intangible harms. Economic damages — medical expenses, lost wages, and lost earning capacity — are also uncapped. Punitive damages are available under Civil Code Section 3294 when the defendant's conduct was malicious or demonstrated a conscious disregard for safety. The absence of damage caps makes California one of the best states in the country for personal injury victims seeking full compensation.
The general statute of limitations for personal injury in California is two years from the date of injury under Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1. However, claims against government entities require an administrative claim within six months under the Government Claims Act (Government Code §910). Wrongful death claims must be filed within two years of death. For minors, the statute is tolled until age 18. Property damage claims have a three-year deadline (CCP §338). Missing these deadlines permanently bars your claim. Contact an attorney as soon as possible after your injury to ensure all applicable deadlines are met.
If your injury was caused by a government entity or employee — a city bus, a county vehicle, a dangerous road condition, or an injury on public property — you must file an administrative claim with the government entity within six months of the injury under the California Government Claims Act (Government Code §910 et seq.). This is a mandatory prerequisite to filing a lawsuit. The claim must include your name, the date and location of the incident, a description of what happened, your injuries, and the damages claimed. The entity has 45 days to respond. If rejected, you have six months to file a lawsuit. Missing the six-month administrative deadline almost always permanently bars the claim.
Our firm handles every personal injury case on a 100% contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing upfront and owe nothing unless we recover compensation for you. We advance all costs associated with your case — investigation expenses, expert witness fees, court filing fees, medical record requests, and all litigation costs. If we do not win your case, you owe us nothing. The consultation is completely free, and there is no financial risk to you in speaking with us about your case. This fee structure ensures that everyone has access to experienced legal representation, regardless of their financial situation.
California law allows personal injury victims to recover economic damages (past and future medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning capacity, out-of-pocket costs), non-economic damages (pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, disfigurement, loss of consortium), and in cases of egregious conduct, punitive damages (Civil Code §3294). There is no cap on non-economic or economic damages in personal injury cases in California. Our firm works with medical experts, economists, and life care planners to calculate the full value of every category of damages, ensuring that the settlement demand or trial presentation captures the complete impact of your injuries.
No. You should not give a recorded statement or sign any documents provided by the other party's insurance company without first speaking with an attorney. Insurance adjusters are trained to ask questions that elicit responses they can use to minimize your claim. They may ask you to describe your injuries in a way that understates their severity, or they may ask leading questions about the accident that suggest you were at fault. Anything you say in a recorded statement can be used against you in negotiations or at trial. Direct all insurance company communications through your attorney. Our firm handles every interaction with insurance companies on your behalf.
If the at-fault party is uninsured, you may still have options for recovery. Your own auto insurance policy likely includes uninsured motorist (UM) coverage, which California requires all insurers to offer (Insurance Code §11580.2). UM coverage pays for injuries caused by an uninsured driver, even if you were a pedestrian or cyclist at the time. You may also be able to pursue the at-fault party's personal assets. In premises liability cases, the property owner may have homeowner's or commercial liability insurance. In other cases, multiple parties may share liability, and one or more of those parties may have insurance. Our firm investigates every available source of recovery in every case.
The timeline varies significantly depending on the complexity of the case, the severity of injuries, and whether the case settles or goes to trial. Simpler cases with clear liability and moderate injuries may settle within 6 to 12 months. Complex cases involving catastrophic injuries, disputed liability, multiple defendants, or government entities can take 2 to 3 years or longer. It is generally advisable to wait until you have reached maximum medical improvement before settling, so that the full extent of your injuries and future treatment needs are known. Our firm never rushes a settlement — we wait until we can demonstrate the true value of your claim.
Yes. Under California's pure comparative negligence system, you can recover damages even if you were partially at fault. Your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault but never eliminated entirely. If you were 40% at fault and the other party was 60% at fault, you recover 60% of your total damages. This applies to all types of personal injury cases — car accidents, pedestrian accidents, slip-and-fall accidents, and all other negligence-based claims. Insurance companies frequently try to assign more fault to the injured person than is warranted. Our firm fights these arguments aggressively using evidence, expert testimony, and our deep knowledge of California negligence law.
Anand Desai is a dedicated personal injury attorney serving Glendale and the greater Los Angeles area. A graduate of Loyola Law School with an undergraduate degree from USC, Anand has been a member of the California State Bar (#249768) since 2007, bringing 20+ years of legal experience to every case he handles.
Anand specializes in personal injury law, with particular expertise in car accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, and catastrophic injury cases. His deep understanding of California personal injury law, combined with his tenacious negotiation skills, has helped him secure millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for his clients.
What truly sets Anand apart is his commitment to his community. His firm is one of the only law offices in Glendale that offers services in 11 languages, including Spanish, Armenian, Hindi, Gujarati, Korean, Tagalog, Farsi, Mandarin, Japanese, Vietnamese, and English — reflecting the rich diversity of the communities he serves.
“I fight for every client like they’re family. When you hire me, you’re not just getting a lawyer — you’re getting someone who genuinely cares about your recovery and your future.”
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