We handle personal injury cases from car and bike crashes to falls on public property. Novato has its own police department, its own claims process run through an outside administrator, and three SMART stations, and each of those shapes an injury claim here. This page lists the Novato facts, each from the official source at the end.
Offices that serve the whole county, such as the CHP, the County's claims clerk and the coroner, are on our page about personal injury cases in Marin County.
What happens after an injury in Novato, step by step?
- Call 911 right away for a collision with a possible injury, as the Novato Police Department asks. Its 24-hour non-emergency dispatch line is (415) 897-1122.
- For a crash on a state freeway, the city's page directs people to the CHP instead of the Novato police.
- Get the report number, and contact the department's records line, (415) 897-4361, or its records email for a copy.
- If the City may be responsible, file the City's claim form with the City Clerk within six months (Government Code 911.2).
- Expect an acknowledgment letter with a claim number, then an investigation by the City's outside claims administrator.
- If the claim is denied in writing, a lawsuit generally must be filed within six months of the date the denial is mailed (Government Code 945.6), in the Marin County Superior Court.
Which Novato offices handle an injury case?
| What you need | Office | Where and when |
|---|---|---|
| A police report, or a copy of one | Novato Police Department; records line (415) 897-4361 | 909 Machin Avenue; lobby open 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday to Thursday, closed Fridays and weekends |
| A claim against the City of Novato | City Clerk, with claims handled by the City's Risk Management Program | City Hall, 922 Machin Avenue; in person or by mail. (415) 899-8900 |
| An injury lawsuit | Marin County Superior Court, Civil office, (415) 444-7040 | Hall of Justice, Civic Center, Room 113, San Rafael |
| Train connections | SMART Novato San Marin, Novato Downtown and Novato Hamilton stations | 7700 Redwood Boulevard; 695 Grant Avenue; 10 Main Gate Road |
When do the Novato police respond to a crash?
The Novato Police Department says it responds only to injury collisions and to hit-and-run collisions where there are injuries or potential leads on a suspect. For other collisions, a dispatcher may direct you to complete an online collision report, and the department advises calling 911 immediately after any collision with a potential injury. Crashes, road rage and road hazards on a state freeway go to the CHP.
The online reporting system has limits. It is for incidents that are not emergencies, with no known suspect, such as a name, address or license plate; that did not happen on a state freeway; and that happened within Novato city limits, filed by someone with a valid email address. It is offered in English and Spanish. When a report is complete online, the system gives a case number and lets you print a copy for your records. Anything outside those limits goes to the department by phone at (415) 897-4361 or in person at 909 Machin Avenue.
The station's front lobby is open 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Thursday, and closed on Fridays and weekends; after hours, a buzzer and intercom at the front door let the public into the lobby to wait for staff. Records requests can also be sent to the department's records email. Vehicle Code 20012 entitles the drivers, the people injured and the owners to the full report, and our guide on how crash reports are requested from the CHP and city police explains how that works in practice.
After a hit-and-run, your own uninsured motorist coverage needs a report within 24 hours to the police of the city where it happened, plus a sworn statement to your insurer within 30 days (Insurance Code 11580.2). Our guide on what to do after a hit-and-run in Sonoma or Marin County covers the rest of that claim.
How does Novato handle an injury claim against the City?
The City's Risk Management Program, part of its Human Resources Department, reviews claims against the City. To make one, you complete the City of Novato Claim Form, which includes instructions, and file the original in person or by mail with the City Clerk at 922 Machin Avenue, Novato, CA 94945. The City's page cites Government Code sections 905 and 915, and state law allows a claim to be delivered or mailed to a city's clerk (Government Code 915).
The City says claims for death, injury or damage to personal property must be filed within six months after the accident, matching Government Code 911.2, and that late claims will be returned. It then describes its process: an acknowledgment letter with a claim number, and an investigation by its third-party administrator, Acclamation Insurance Management Services, which the City tries to complete within 45 days. For an injury claim, the City asks for complete, unaltered copies of every bill from the treating physicians, and supporting documents for any lost wages; it also asks for the names and addresses of all witnesses.
The City lists three common results: a settlement offer, a formal denial, or a postponement until medical treatment is finished and the bills and wage records are in. After a formal denial, the lawsuit must be filed within six months from the date the denial letter is mailed; if no formal denial is ever sent, the City notes that you have two years from the accident (Government Code 945.6). A claim that missed the six months may still be the subject of an application for leave to present a late claim, made within one year of the injury (Government Code 911.4). Our guide on how to file an injury claim against a city, county or the State explains each step. A trip on a broken walkway has its own rules, set out in who is responsible for a sidewalk trip and fall.
What do state crash numbers show for Novato?
The California Office of Traffic Safety compares each city with others of similar size. Novato is in Group C, cities of 50,001 to 100,000 people, with an average population of 51,578 in 2023. Its 2023 figures and ranks among the 103 cities in that group:
| Category (2023) | Novato | Rank of 103 |
|---|---|---|
| People killed or injured in all crashes | 134 | 68 |
| Pedestrians killed or injured | 17 | 34 |
| Pedestrians under 15 killed or injured | 4 | 7 |
| Bicyclists killed or injured | 14 | 38 |
| Bicyclists under 15 killed or injured | 4 | 19 |
| Speed-related crashes with deaths or injuries | 33 | 24 |
| Hit-and-run crashes with deaths or injuries | 17 | 32 |
| People killed or injured in alcohol-involved crashes | 12 | 72 |
In these rankings, 1 is the highest rate in the group, or the worst. Novato's overall rank, 68th of 103, is in the lower half of its group, but it ranked 7th for pedestrians under 15 killed or injured and 24th for speed-related crashes. The state counts crashes within city limits, and a crash the CHP reports on a road it shares with the city does not count against the city. Our guide on when a driver must yield to a pedestrian explains the rules that apply when a child or adult on foot is hit. For young riders and adults on bikes, see who is at fault when a car hits a cyclist.
Where are the train stations, and how do I reach the court?
SMART lists three Novato stations: Novato San Marin at 7700 Redwood Boulevard, Novato Downtown at 695 Grant Avenue, and Novato Hamilton at 10 Main Gate Road. The downtown station is about half a mile from the Novato Transit Center on Redwood Boulevard, which Marin Transit and Golden Gate Transit serve, and its parking is shared with the City with a 72-hour limit. If a public transit agency's train, bus or station was involved in an injury, the claim is against a public entity, with the six-month claim rule (Government Code 811.2 and 911.2).
For an injury, the superior court of the county where it happened, or where a defendant lives, is a proper court (Code of Civil Procedure 395). For a Novato injury, that includes the Marin County Superior Court at the Civic Center in San Rafael, which SMART serves from its Marin Civic Center station. Our guide on what to expect at Marin County Superior Court explains its local rules. The San Rafael police, claims and transit offices are on our page about personal injury cases in San Rafael.
What changes the answer in Novato?
Whether anyone was hurt. The Novato police respond to injury collisions and to hit-and-runs with injuries or suspect leads; for other crashes you may be directed to the online report.
Where the crash happened. A crash on a state freeway is a CHP matter, and the online police report does not cover freeway incidents.
Whether the City is responsible. A claim to the City comes first, and a lawsuit against the City cannot begin until the claim is acted on or treated as rejected (Government Code 945.4).
Whether a formal denial was mailed. A mailed denial starts a six-month clock to sue; with no written notice, the time is two years from the accident (Government Code 945.6).
The injured person's age. The time limit for most claims does not run while the injured person is a minor (Code of Civil Procedure 352(a)), but that pause does not apply to a claim that must first be presented to a public entity (Code of Civil Procedure 352(b)).
What could this look like? An example
For example, imagine a 12-year-old walking home who is hit by a car turning out of a Novato shopping center. The driver stops, a parent calls 911, and Novato officers come because the child is hurt.
The family later gets the report number and asks the records line for a copy. The claim against the driver follows the usual two-year limit (Code of Civil Procedure 335.1), and the child's age pauses that limit (Code of Civil Procedure 352(a)). If a broken City streetlight at the driveway also played a part, the family would file the City's claim form with the City Clerk within six months, with unaltered copies of the medical bills, because a public entity claim gets no extra time for a minor (Code of Civil Procedure 352(b)). This example is made up to show how the Novato steps fit together; it says nothing about any real case.
What mistakes do people make after a Novato injury?
- Filing an online report for a crash with injuries, or with a known driver, instead of calling 911 or the department.
- Going to the police lobby on a Friday, when it is closed.
- Sending the City a claim without complete, unaltered copies of the medical bills, which delays the review.
- Treating the City's postponement while treatment continues as extra time, without tracking the deadline to sue.
- Assuming a child's claim against the City can wait until the child turns 18.
What should I do this week?
- Note the exact place, the time, and the officer's name or report number.
- Ask for the report through the records line, (415) 897-4361, or the department's records email.
- Photograph the scene, the vehicles and any hazard, and keep damaged clothing or bikes as they are.
- Request your medical records and itemized bills in writing; providers must send records within 15 days (Health and Safety Code 123110).
- If a City street, sidewalk or light played a part, get the City's claim form and put the six-month date on your calendar.
- Write down every witness's name and address, which the City's claim form asks for.
Frequently asked questions about Novato injury cases
Will Novato police come to a crash with no injuries?
The department says it responds only to injury collisions and to hit-and-runs with injuries or suspect leads. A dispatcher may direct you to complete an online collision report instead.
Who reviews my claim against the City?
The City's Risk Management Program decides what to do with claims, and its third-party administrator, Acclamation Insurance Management Services, investigates them. The City says a request for information from the administrator is not a promise to pay or an admission of fault.
Can I email my claim to the City?
The City's page says the original completed claim form must be filed in person or by mail with the City Clerk at 922 Machin Avenue. Questions can go to the City's Risk Management email.
How long does the City take?
The City says it tries to finish its investigation within 45 days when possible. By law, if it does not act within 45 days, the claim is treated as rejected (Government Code 912.4).
Is Novato close to Petaluma?
Petaluma lies just north of Novato, across the Sonoma County line. Our page on personal injury cases in Petaluma covers that city's police and claims offices.
How long do I have to sue a private driver or business?
Generally two years from the injury (Code of Civil Procedure 335.1). Our guide to California personal injury deadlines lists the exceptions.
If you or a loved one has been injured in Novato, contact Young Law Group today at (707) 343-0556 or through our contact page to schedule your free consultation and learn how we can help.
Sources
- City of Novato: Police Department (address, lobby hours, records line)
- City of Novato: traffic collisions
- City of Novato: online police reporting
- City of Novato: Risk Management and Claims
- Vehicle Code section 20012 (who may get a crash report)
- Insurance Code section 11580.2 (hit-and-run reporting for uninsured motorist claims)
- Government Code section 911.2 (six-month claim to a public entity)
- Government Code section 912.4 (45 days for the entity to act)
- Government Code section 945.6 (time to sue after a claim is rejected)
- Government Code section 911.4 (late claim to a public entity)
- Government Code section 915 (how a claim is presented to a local public entity)
- Government Code section 945.4 (no lawsuit until the claim is acted on)
- Government Code section 811.2 (what a public entity is)
- California Office of Traffic Safety: Novato crash rankings, 2023
- California Office of Traffic Safety: how the crash rankings work
- SMART (Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit): stations
- Code of Civil Procedure section 395 (where an injury case may be filed)
- Superior Court of California, County of Marin: contact us
- Code of Civil Procedure section 352 (minors)
- Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1 (two years for most injury claims)
- Health and Safety Code section 123110 (copies of medical records)
