In no-fault states, your insurance company will pay for your medical bills and other financial losses regardless of whether you are at fault for your accident. However, California — like the majority of states — is a fault state. This means that the insurance company of the driver responsible for the collision will be required to pay for any damages.
If you are at fault for a car accident, you may still be able to recover damages. California law allows drivers who are 99% or less at fault for an accident to recover some compensation for their losses. In that situation, your total recovery will be reduced by the percentage that you were at fault. For example, if you were 50% at fault in an accident and had $20,000 in damages, your damages will be reduced by 50% to $10,000. These cases tend to be more complicated than those where the other driver is at fault, and will generally require the assistance of a California personal injury attorney.
