What’s Inside

• The first 60 minutes at the scene — exactly what to document before you leave, and why San Francisco’s street grid makes this trickier than it looks.
• Day 1 essentials — the medical visit most people skip, and how to talk to insurance companies (yours and theirs) without hurting your claim.
• The 10-day deadline almost nobody knows about — a real DMV filing requirement most guides never mention.
• The rules that decide the rest of your case — California’s fault rule, the 2-year clock, and a 6-month exception that catches people off guard when a Muni bus is involved.

This is general information, not legal advice about your specific situation. Every case is different.