Hulburt Law Firm represents people and families in San Diego car accident cases involving life-changing injuries, wrongful death, traumatic brain injuries, spinal injuries, drunk driving, distracted driving, dangerous roads, and other serious crashes.
Our experienced attorneys investigate what happened, identify every responsible party, preserve key evidence, and look for every available source of insurance or compensation. From the first investigation through settlement or trial, our focus is simple: uncover the truth, demand justice, and pursue the full value of the harm caused.
Injured in a car accident? Get help today.

Car accidents happen in many different ways. Some involve speeding, drunk driving, distracted driving, or reckless lane changes. Others happen at intersections, on freeways, in rideshare vehicles, or involve a driver who flees the scene.
The type of crash often determines what evidence should be preserved, who may be responsible, and what insurance coverage may apply. Hulburt Law Firm handles all types of serious car accident cases throughout San Diego County.
Speeding cases often turn on more than the posted speed limit. California’s basic speed law requires drivers to travel no faster than is reasonable for the weather, visibility, traffic, and roadway conditions. In serious crashes, we investigate event data recorder information, vehicle damage, skid marks, surveillance footage, and witness statements to determine the vehicle’s actual speed and whether the driver’s conduct crossed the line from careless to reckless.
DUI crashes can support claims for both compensatory damages and, in appropriate cases, punitive damages. The investigation may include breath or blood test results, toxicology records, body-worn camera footage, bar receipts, ride history, witness statements, and evidence showing where and how the driver became impaired. When an impaired minor causes a crash, we also evaluate whether an adult or property owner may share responsibility for furnishing alcohol or allowing underage drinking.
Distracted driving cases are often difficult because the at-fault driver may deny using a phone or app at the time of the crash. We move quickly to preserve phone records, text and call timestamps, app activity, dashcam footage, nearby surveillance video, and witness evidence. These details can be critical in proving that a driver was looking away from the road when the crash occurred.
Uber and Lyft crashes can involve complicated insurance questions because coverage depends on what the rideshare driver was doing at the moment of the crash. The available insurance may change depending on whether the app was off, the driver was waiting for a ride request, the driver was on the way to pick up a passenger, or a passenger was already in the vehicle. We investigate app status, trip records, driver activity, company insurance, and all available coverage.
Rear-end crashes may involve unsafe following distance, excessive speed, distracted driving, sudden stops, multi-vehicle impacts, defective brake lights, or commercial vehicle negligence. These crashes can cause significant neck, back, brain, and spine injuries, even when the property damage does not tell the full story.
Head-on collisions are among the most dangerous roadway collisions because the force of both vehicles is concentrated at impact. These cases may involve a driver crossing the centerline, making an unsafe pass, driving the wrong way, falling asleep, losing control, or encountering an unsafe roadway condition. We investigate the driver’s conduct, the roadway layout, physical evidence, vehicle damage, and any available video to determine why the vehicle entered the opposing lane.
Intersection crashes often involve disputed stories about speed, right-of-way, traffic signals, and who entered the intersection first. Left-turn and T-bone collisions can be especially serious because the side of a vehicle offers less protection than the front or rear. We investigate signal timing, witness statements, nearby camera footage, vehicle damage, and the physical scene to determine whether a driver failed to yield, ran a light, misjudged a gap, or entered the intersection unsafely.
Unsafe lane changes and sideswipe crashes are common on San Diego freeways, including I-5, I-8, I-15, and I-805. A driver who fails to signal, drifts into another lane, checks a phone, or changes lanes without enough space can cause a serious crash, especially at freeway speeds. These cases often turn on dashcam footage, freeway camera preservation, vehicle contact patterns, and witness accounts.
After a hit-and-run, the first priority is identifying the fleeing driver and preserving evidence before it disappears. We look for surveillance footage, dashcam video, license-plate evidence, vehicle debris, witness statements, police reports, and nearby business or residential cameras. If the driver cannot be found, the injured person’s own uninsured motorist coverage may become the most important source of compensation.
Conor and Leslie Hulburt founded Hulburt Law Firm to give serious injury and wrongful death cases the attention, preparation, and expertise they deserve. The firm is intentionally selective, taking a limited number of cases so clients work directly with the attorneys responsible for investigating the crash, developing the evidence, and guiding the case toward settlement or trial.
Conor Hulburt has spent his career representing people and families in serious injury and wrongful death cases throughout California. He has recovered more than $150 million for injured clients and has handled cases involving catastrophic injuries, disputed liability, dangerous road conditions, commercial defendants, and defective vehicles.
Conor and Leslie combine careful investigation, strategic advocacy, and direct client communication to build each case around the truth of what happened, the full impact of the injuries, and what the client and family will need for the future.

Our attorneys have achieved life-changing results in cases involving negligent drivers, employers, event organizers, vehicle manufacturers, and other parties whose conduct contributed to catastrophic injuries or death.
A sudden tire failure caused an SUV to fishtail and crash into a tree on the side of a San Diego County highway, killing a beloved husband and father.
An event producer’s negligence led to a participant’s death in a vehicle collision.
A San Diego I-5 freeway collision resulted in brain and spine injuries.
A passenger seatback collapsed in a rear-end collision, causing the occupant life-changing spinal injuries and paralysis.
Campus security was speeding and collided with a student’s vehicle, killing her.
The driver's head restraint broke off when he was rear-ended at high speed on the 15 freeway, causing the driver to suffer a spinal cord injury and paralysis.
The first step is a confidential conversation about what happened, the injuries involved, the available insurance, and any deadlines that may apply. You do not need to have every document or answer before calling. If the case is one we can help with, we will explain the next steps clearly.
Important evidence can disappear quickly after a crash. We investigate the scene, obtain police reports, identify witnesses, preserve video footage, request vehicle data when appropriate, and evaluate whether there may be additional causes beyond the other driver’s conduct.
In serious injury cases, it takes time to understand the full impact of the crash. We evaluate medical records, future treatment needs, lost income, pain, disability, and how the injuries have changed the client’s daily life. When needed, we work with medical, vocational, economic, and life-care planning experts.
The at-fault driver’s policy may not be the only source of recovery. We look for employer coverage, commercial policies, rideshare coverage, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, umbrella policies, vehicle defect claims, dangerous roadway claims, and any other source of compensation that may apply.
Many cases resolve through settlement, but strong settlements usually require strong preparation. We present the liability evidence, medical proof, damages analysis, and insurance coverage issues in a way that shows the full value of the case and the risk to the defense if it does not resolve fairly.
If the insurance company or defendant refuses to accept responsibility, we are prepared to file a lawsuit and move the case toward trial. Litigation may include written discovery, depositions, expert work, mediation, court hearings, and trial preparation. From the beginning, we prepare serious cases with the expectation that the evidence may need to be proven in court.
If you’re involved in a car accident in California, it helps to understand the basic rules that apply to driving, fault, compensation, insurance, and time limits.
California law generally requires drivers to use ordinary care for the safety of others. In a car accident case, that may include driving at a safe speed, keeping a proper lookout, yielding when required, obeying traffic signals, avoiding distractions, and adjusting to traffic, weather, visibility, and roadway conditions.
When a driver violates a safety rule or drives unreasonably under the circumstances, that conduct may help prove negligence.
Learn more about How Fault Is Determined in San Diego Car Accidents.
California follows a comparative fault system. That means more than one person or entity can share responsibility for a crash. The insurance company may try to blame the injured person, another driver, a roadway condition, or some other cause to reduce what it has to pay.
Comparative fault does not necessarily defeat a claim. But it can reduce the amount recovered, which is why evidence about speed, visibility, signal timing, vehicle movement, witness accounts, video footage, and crash reconstruction can be so important.
California allows three categories of damages in a car accident case:
Economic damages cover quantifiable financial losses: medical bills (past and future), lost wages, lost earning capacity, property damage, out-of-pocket expenses, and the cost of household services the injured person can no longer perform.
Non-economic damages cover pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, disfigurement, and (for spouses) loss of consortium. There is no cap on non-economic damages in standard California car accident cases.
Punitive damages are available under Civil Code § 3294 when the at-fault driver acted with malice, oppression, or fraud, most commonly in DUI cases, street-racing cases, and intentional-misconduct cases. Punitive damages are designed to punish the wrongdoer, not just compensate the victim, and can substantially increase total recovery in qualifying cases.
For more information see our compensation guide for San Diego car accident victims.
The at-fault driver’s auto policy may not be enough to cover the harm caused by a serious crash. California's minimum coverage for drivers is $30,000 for bodily injury or death of one person, $60,000 total per accident, and $15,000 for property damage.
We look for every available source of insurance or compensation, including employer coverage, commercial policies, rideshare coverage, umbrella policies, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, vehicle defect claims, and dangerous roadway claims.
Coverage issues can be just as important as fault. A careful insurance investigation may determine whether a case is limited by a small policy or supported by additional coverage.
For a comprehensive walkthrough of the insurance claim process, see our guide on the insurance claims process after a San Diego car accident.
California has strict deadlines for personal injury and wrongful death cases. In many car accident cases, the deadline to file a lawsuit is two years, but shorter deadlines may apply when a public entity is involved. Missing a deadline can seriously affect or destroy the claim.
Time limits may include:
Because deadlines can vary based on the facts, it is important to evaluate potential claims early, especially when the crash may involve a dangerous roadway, a government vehicle, a public employee, or missing evidence that needs to be preserved.
To learn more, see our guide on the car accident statute of limitations.
Some crashes involve more than driver negligence. Dangerous road design, poor maintenance, obstructed visibility, unsafe intersections, missing signs, malfunctioning signals, or inadequate warnings may contribute to a serious crash.
Claims against public entities are subject to special rules and shorter claim deadlines. These cases require early investigation, preservation of roadway evidence, public records requests, analysis of prior crashes or complaints, and careful evaluation of potential government defenses.
If you suspect your case involves a hazardous roadway condition, visit our dangerous roadway page.
Forget surface-level research and mediocre inquiries. We dive deep to conduct extensive investigations and gather evidence in order to build your strongest case.
We use technology to your advantage. By using video and photography, scene recreations, and graphics, we tell your story in a visually-compelling way that other law firms cannot match.
Defense attorneys and insurance companies know us and respect us. We assess the full extent of your damages and pursue all responsible parties in order to maximize the compensation you deserve.
Catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases are rarely simple. We have taken on the largest corporations, insurance companies, and defense firms in the country and won.
We don’t just talk the talk, we walk the walk. From providing regular case updates to achieving life-changing results, we genuinely care about each and every one of our clients.
Get medical care, report the crash, preserve any photos or video, keep the vehicles and damaged property if possible, and avoid giving detailed statements to insurance companies before you understand your rights. If your injuries are serious, it is also important to preserve evidence quickly because video, vehicle data, witness information, and roadway evidence can disappear.
For a more detailed walkthrough, see our Steps to Take After a Car Accident in San Diego.
You should be careful. The insurance adjuster may sound helpful, but their job is to protect the insurance company. A recorded statement can be used to challenge fault, minimize your injuries, or limit the value of the claim. Before giving a detailed statement, it is usually best to speak with an attorney.
The value of a case depends on the facts. Important factors include how the crash happened, the severity of the injuries, medical treatment, future care needs, lost income, pain, physical limitations, insurance coverage, and whether fault is disputed. In serious injury cases, it is usually too early to know the full value until the medical and damages picture is more complete.
See our compensation guide for the factors that drive case value.
You may have a case if another driver or party was careless and that conduct was a substantial factor in causing the crash and your injuries. Signs it’s worth exploring a claim include needing medical treatment, missing work, ongoing pain or limitations, or facing questions about fault or insurance coverage.
You are not required to hire a lawyer, but serious car crashes often involve multiple parties, contested fault, and complex insurance issues (including uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage). A San Diego car accident lawyer can investigate the collision, gather and preserve evidence, deal with insurers, and guide you through the process so you can focus on your health.
See our article on What Does a Car Accident Attorney Do? to learn more.
Every case is different, but many car accident matters follow a similar path:
Some cases resolve in several months once your medical picture is clearer and liability is reasonably established. Others—especially those involving serious injuries, multiple defendants, or disputed fault—can take a year or longer and may require going to court. A lawyer can give you a better sense of timing after learning the specifics of your case.
See our Legal Process for Car Accident Lawsuits in San Diego for more information.
Useful evidence often includes:
In some cases, additional evidence—such as traffic-camera or security-camera footage, vehicle data, or records from employers or bar/party hosts—can also be important. Because certain evidence can be lost or overwritten quickly, it’s helpful to act promptly.
Responsibility usually starts with the at-fault driver, but it can go beyond that. Depending on the facts, potentially liable parties may include:
Identifying all responsible parties and their insurance coverage is a key part of many serious car accident cases.
If the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured, it doesn’t automatically mean you’re out of options. In many cases, it’s important to:
UM/UIM coverage under your auto policy can help cover the difference between the at-fault driver’s limited coverage and your actual damages, up to your UM/UIM limits. An attorney can help you explore all available sources of recovery.
Often, yes. California follows pure comparative negligence, which means you can usually seek compensation even if you share some responsibility for the collision. Any recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault.
For example, if your total damages are valued at $100,000 and you are found 20% at fault, your potential recovery would be reduced to $80,000. Insurance companies may try to overstate your share of fault to pay less, so careful investigation and advocacy are important.
California has strict deadlines, called statutes of limitations. In many car accident cases:
If a government entity (such as a city or county) may be responsible, you typically must file an administrative claim within six months before you can sue. There are also special rules for minors and certain other situations. Missing a deadline can mean losing the right to pursue a claim, so it’s important to get legal advice as early as reasonably possible.
Car crashes can cause a wide range of injuries, including:
Serious injuries can require ongoing treatment and may have long-term effects on work, family life, and daily activities.
Learn more about Common Car Accident Injuries in San Diego.
If a family member is killed in a car crash in California, certain relatives may have the right to bring wrongful death and survival claims.
These cases can be emotionally difficult and legally complex. A lawyer experienced in both car accident and wrongful death matters can explain who may file, what claims are available, and what deadlines apply.
See our guide to Fatal Car Accidents in San Diego to learn more.
Hulburt Law Firm proudly serves car accident victims throughout San Diego County, providing experienced legal guidance, compassionate support, and aggressive advocacy to help clients recover maximum compensation for injuries, medical expenses, lost wages, and long-term impacts.

Simply fill out the form or call 619.821.0500 to receive a free case review. We’ll evaluate what happened, your injuries, and potential defendants to determine how we can best help you.