Attorney Michael Rehm — (800) 978-0754

Attorney Michael Rehm represents car accident victims throughout Fresno and Fresno County. In 2023 (the most recent year for which data is currently available), Fresno County recorded 5,377 fatal and injury victims in traffic crashes — ranking 54th out of 58 California counties. Within that statewide count, Fresno County ranked 57th out of 58 counties for speed-related crashes, with 923 speed-involved victims, and recorded 4,167 DUI arrests. Among California's 15 largest cities, the City of Fresno ranked 15th — last — for DUI arrests, with 1,516. These numbers are drawn from the California Office of Traffic Safety 2023 Annual Report and reflect the scope of the problem facing drivers, passengers, cyclists, and pedestrians on Fresno County roads.

Fresno County Crash Data — 2023

The California Office of Traffic Safety tracks fatal and injury crash victims across all 58 counties and ranks cities and counties against comparable jurisdictions. For Fresno County in 2023, the data shows:

Total fatal and injury victims: 5,377, ranking Fresno County 54th out of 58 counties. Speed-related crash victims: 923, ranking 57th out of 58 — meaning nearly every other county in California had a worse speed-related crash rate. Alcohol-involved crash victims: 760, ranking 52nd out of 58. Nighttime crash victims: 538, ranking 55th out of 58. Hit-and-run crash victims: 384, ranking 46th out of 58. Pedestrian victims: 292, ranking 46th out of 58. Bicycle victims: 144, ranking 44th out of 58.

Among California's 15 largest cities, the City of Fresno recorded 1,600 total fatal and injury victims in 2023, ranking 12th. The city's DUI arrest total of 1,516 ranked 15th — the highest among all 15 cities. Hit-and-run victims: 168 (ranked 14th). Pedestrian victims under the age of 15: 31, ranking 2nd among the state's largest cities — the second-highest rate of child pedestrian injuries in California.

These figures are drawn from the California Office of Traffic Safety 2023 Annual Report. The source URL should be verified and updated if OTS releases a revised link at publication.

Where Fresno Car Accidents Happen

Highway 99 is Fresno County's primary commercial corridor. The highway carries heavy truck traffic through the Central Valley and is the site of some of the county's most serious collisions — many involving commercial vehicles at highway speeds. State Route 41, State Route 180, and State Route 168 channel commuter and freight traffic through Fresno from surrounding communities. Within the city, Shaw Avenue, Blackstone Avenue, and Shields Avenue carry high daily vehicle counts and account for a significant share of urban intersection crashes.

Rear-end collisions are among the most common crash types in Fresno, particularly on congested arterials and freeway on-ramps. Intersection collisions at controlled crossings and T-bone impacts on residential streets produce a different injury profile — often more severe because the force is applied laterally rather than longitudinally. Freeway accidents involving commercial trucks frequently result in catastrophic injuries because of the mass differential between a loaded semi and a passenger vehicle.

Legal Standard — Duty of Care and Negligence

California Civil Code section 1714, subdivision (a) provides the foundational rule: “Everyone is responsible, not only for the result of his or her willful acts, but also for an injury occasioned to another by his or her want of ordinary care or skill in the management of his or her property or person.” The full text of Civil Code section 1714 is published at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov.

In plain terms: every driver owes a duty of reasonable care to other drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists. A driver who runs a red light, follows too closely, drives while impaired, or travels at an unsafe speed for conditions has breached that duty. When the breach causes injury, the driver is liable for the resulting damages.

California's basic speed law, codified at Vehicle Code section 22350, provides that no person shall drive at a speed greater than is reasonable or prudent having due regard for weather, visibility, traffic, and road surface. A violation of a traffic statute is negligence per se — meaning the violation itself establishes the breach of duty element without requiring separate proof of unreasonableness. The remaining questions are causation and damages.

Comparative Fault in California

California applies a system of pure comparative fault to personal injury cases. Under this doctrine, established by the California Supreme Court in Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804, a plaintiff's recovery is reduced in proportion to his or her own fault — but is not eliminated by it. A plaintiff found to be 40 percent at fault recovers 60 percent of proven damages. A plaintiff found to be 90 percent at fault still recovers 10 percent.

Defense attorneys in Fresno car accident cases routinely argue comparative fault to reduce the value of a claim. Common defense arguments include that the plaintiff was speeding, failed to observe traffic controls, was distracted, or failed to wear a seatbelt. The seatbelt defense is governed by Vehicle Code section 27315 and related case law limiting how failure to buckle can be used at trial. Whether and how any of these arguments apply to a specific case is a question of fact for the jury.

Damages in a Fresno Car Accident Case

California Civil Code section 3333 provides that the measure of damages for a tort is “the amount which will compensate for all the detriment proximately caused thereby, whether it could have been anticipated or not.” The full text of Civil Code section 3333 is published at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov.

Recoverable damages in a California car accident case fall into two broad categories. Special damages are documented economic losses: medical expenses already incurred, future medical care costs, lost wages, and reduced earning capacity. General damages are non-economic losses: physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and the interference with daily activities that serious injuries cause. Both categories are recoverable.

Prejudgment interest on personal injury claims is governed by Civil Code section 3291, which provides that a plaintiff who obtains a judgment greater than a defendant's section 998 offer is entitled to interest at ten percent per year from the date of the offer. This rule creates a financial incentive for defendants to make reasonable settlement offers early in litigation.

Filing a Lawsuit in Fresno County Superior Court

Personal injury lawsuits arising from Fresno and Fresno County car accidents are filed in the Fresno County Superior Court, B.F. Sisk Courthouse, located at 1130 O Street, Fresno, CA 93721. The court's general information number is (559) 457-1900, and the clerk's office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Electronic filing is mandatory for represented parties in unlimited civil actions under Code of Civil Procedure section 1010.6, subdivision (g).

Fresno County Superior Court Local Rules (effective January 1, 2026) impose procedural requirements that distinguish Fresno practice from other California counties.

Alternative dispute resolution is required before any mandatory settlement conference. Under Local Rule 2.4, all parties must complete ADR — typically mediation — before the mandatory settlement conference date. The ADR stipulation form is due ten court days before the case management conference. Failure to comply can result in sanctions.

The mandatory settlement conference is required for all unlimited civil cases set for trial, with narrow exceptions. Local Rule 2.5 requires all parties to appear in person. An insured defendant is excused from personal appearance only if the carrier has admitted full coverage, granted full settlement authority, and the demand falls within policy limits — a carrier operating under a reservation of rights does not satisfy this requirement. Trial counsel must appear in person. An insurance carrier representative with full authority to settle must also attend in person. Settlement conference statements — including prior ADR results, any section 998 demands, and whether additional discovery is contemplated — are due to all parties no later than five court days before the conference.

The Trial Readiness Hearing is held the Friday before trial before the Civil Supervising Judge. The parties must bring motions in limine, proposed jury instructions, exhibit lists, witness lists, a joint neutral statement, and trial briefs — all of which must be e-filed before the hearing. All trial attorneys must appear in person; remote appearance is not permitted at the Trial Readiness Hearing without prior approval from the Civil Supervising Judge. The mandatory settlement conference under Local Rule 2.6.2(E) occurs at the Trial Readiness Hearing.

Pretrial meet and confer is required at least five days before trial. Local Rule 2.6.1 requires the parties to exchange in limine motions and motions for judgment on the pleadings in writing before the hearing. Oral in limine motions are not heard except for good cause.

Statute of Limitations

The statute of limitations for personal injury claims in California is two years from the date of injury under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. Missing this deadline can potentially bar a lawsuit. The statute of limitations is an affirmative defense the defendant must raise and prove — it does not operate automatically. Tolling doctrines exist under California law, including the discovery rule, minority tolling, mental incapacity, and fraudulent concealment. Whether a particular deadline applies, has run, or is subject to tolling requires individual analysis. Contact Attorney Michael Rehm to assess the specific timeline in your case.

Claims against a government entity — including a public agency, a city, or a county — require a government tort claim filed with the agency within six months of the incident under the California Government Claims Act, Government Code section 911.2. Failure to timely file a government claim can potentially bar the lawsuit. Tolling may apply depending on the facts — contact Attorney Michael Rehm to assess the specific timeline in your case.

Related Pages

• Fresno Personal Injury Attorney
• Fresno Truck Accident Attorney
• Fresno Motorcycle Accident Attorney
• Fresno Pedestrian Accident Attorney
• Fresno Bicycle Accident Attorney
• Fresno Uninsured Motorist Attorney
• Fresno Wrongful Death Attorney
• Fresno Brain Injury Attorney

Attorney Michael Rehm handles car accident cases throughout Fresno and Fresno County on a contingency fee basis. No fee without a recovery. Call (800) 978-0754 for a free consultation.

The information on this page is general legal information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case turns on its own facts. The law can change — statutes are amended, cases are decided, and regulations are revised; nothing on this page should be relied upon as a statement of current law without verification. Deadlines and legal bars discussed on this page are general guides — whether a particular deadline applies, has run, or is subject to tolling, and whether a particular doctrine bars or limits recovery in your case, requires individual analysis. Contact Attorney Michael Rehm to discuss the specific facts of your situation.