We handle personal injury cases for people hurt in crashes, falls and other incidents, including walkers and riders on city streets. San Rafael is the Marin County seat, so the police, the City's claims office and the county court are all within the city. This page lists the San Rafael facts that matter in those cases, each from the official source at the end.
County-wide offices, such as the CHP's Marin Area office, 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 San Rafael, step by step?
- Call 911 for an emergency. For a report that is not an emergency, the San Rafael Police Department's non-emergency line is (415) 485-3000.
- Get the case number, and later request a copy of the collision report through the department's forms page.
- If a hit-and-run driver left no suspect information, the department accepts an online report; your own uninsured motorist coverage needs a police report within 24 hours (Insurance Code 11580.2).
- If the City or another public entity may be responsible, present a written claim within six months (Government Code 911.2). San Rafael accepts claims electronically, in person or by mail.
- Allow the City 45 days to act; if it does not, the claim is treated as rejected (Government Code 912.4).
- If a lawsuit is needed, it can be filed in the Marin County Superior Court at the Civic Center, 3501 Civic Center Drive (Code of Civil Procedure 395).
Which San Rafael offices handle an injury case?
| What you need | Office | Where and when |
|---|---|---|
| A police report or a collision report copy | San Rafael Police Department, (415) 485-3000 | 1375 Fifth Avenue; lobby open 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday to Friday and 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM Saturday |
| A claim against the City of San Rafael | City Clerk's Office | City Hall, 1400 Fifth Avenue, Room 209; 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday to Thursday, Fridays by appointment; or the electronic claim form |
| An injury lawsuit | Marin County Superior Court, Civil office, (415) 444-7040 | Hall of Justice, Civic Center, Room 113 |
| Free court help without a lawyer | Legal Self Help Center, (415) 444-7130 | Hall of Justice, Room C-44 |
| Train and bus connections | SMART San Rafael and Marin Civic Center stations | 680 3rd Street, one block from the Bettini Transit Center; 3801 Civic Center Drive |
How do I get a San Rafael police report?
The San Rafael Police Department is at 1375 Fifth Avenue. Its lobby is open 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on weekdays and 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM on Saturdays, and it is closed on Sundays. The department's forms page includes a request for a copy of a collision report, and its general and non-emergency number is (415) 485-3000.
Some reports can be filed online. The department's online system accepts a hit-and-run with no suspect information and certain thefts, but only for a crime that has already happened and only from someone with an email address. Every online report is reviewed, and the department asks people to call (415) 485-3000 after five business days to get the case number. A report that does not meet the online rules may be rejected, so a hit-and-run with a plate number or a description of the driver should be reported by phone or in person instead.
Vehicle Code 20012 lets the drivers, the people injured and the owners get the full report. Our guide on how crash reports are requested from the CHP and city police explains those rules. After a hit-and-run, the uninsured motorist claim has its own timing: a report within 24 hours to the police of the city where it happened and 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.
How do I make an injury claim against the City of San Rafael?
San Rafael's claims go to the City Clerk's Office at City Hall, 1400 Fifth Avenue, Room 209. The office is open 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday to Thursday, Fridays by appointment only, and closed on weekends. A claim can be submitted with the City's electronic claim form, or downloaded as a PDF and delivered in person or mailed to the City Clerk. State law allows electronic claims only where the public entity has authorized them by ordinance or resolution (Government Code 915), and San Rafael's claim page offers that option.
The City asks claimants to include anything that supports the claim, such as estimates, photographs and diagrams, and says an outside adjuster handles the claim and will tell you whether it is approved or denied once it has the information it needs. For an injury, the claim is due within six months (Government Code 911.2). After a written rejection, a lawsuit generally must be filed within six months of the date the notice was delivered or mailed (Government Code 945.6).
A claim that misses the six months is not automatically lost: an application to present a late claim may be made within a reasonable time, and no later than one year after the injury, with the reason for the delay (Government Code 911.4). Our guide on how to file an injury claim against a city, county or the State walks through each step. A fall on a broken walkway has its own rules, explained in who is responsible for a sidewalk trip and fall in Sonoma or Marin.
What do state crash numbers show for San Rafael?
The California Office of Traffic Safety compares each city with others of similar size. San Rafael is in Group C, cities of 50,001 to 100,000 people, with an average population of 59,917 in 2023. Here are its 2023 figures and ranks among the 103 cities in that group:
| Category (2023) | San Rafael | Rank of 103 |
|---|---|---|
| People killed or injured in all crashes | 266 | 24 |
| People killed or injured in alcohol-involved crashes | 45 | 10 |
| Pedestrians killed or injured | 44 | 1 |
| Pedestrians 65 and older killed or injured | 9 | 2 |
| Bicyclists killed or injured | 35 | 3 |
| Nighttime crashes with deaths or injuries (9:00 PM to 2:59 AM) | 37 | 8 |
| Hit-and-run crashes with deaths or injuries | 29 | 11 |
| Speed-related crashes with deaths or injuries | 39 | 21 |
In these rankings, 1 means the highest rate in the group, or the worst. San Rafael ranked first of 103 similar cities for pedestrians killed or injured, second for pedestrians 65 and older, and third for bicyclists. The Office of Traffic Safety counts crashes on local streets and state highways within city limits, but a crash the CHP reports on a road it shares with the city does not count against the city, and it says the rankings are only indicators of possible problems.
For people hit while walking, our guide on when a driver must yield to a pedestrian explains the right-of-way rules. For riders, see who is at fault when a car hits a cyclist.
Where would a San Rafael injury case be filed?
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 an injury in San Rafael, that includes the Marin County Superior Court, 3501 Civic Center Drive. Its Civil office is in Room 113 of the Hall of Justice, open 8:00 AM to noon and 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM, and civil cases there are assigned to one judge for all purposes when they are filed. Our guide on what to expect at Marin County Superior Court in a personal injury case walks through the court's local rules.
SMART lists two stations with San Rafael addresses. The San Rafael station is at 680 3rd Street, one block from the Bettini Transit Center, and the Marin Civic Center station is at 3801 Civic Center Drive, near the court; SMART notes that its riders may not park on Civic Center property. If a public transit agency's train, bus or station was involved in an injury, the claim is against a public entity and the six-month claim rule applies (Government Code 811.2 and 911.2).
What changes the answer in San Rafael?
Who owns the street or building. A claim about a City street, sidewalk or building goes to San Rafael's City Clerk, while a claim against the County of Marin goes to the County, as our Marin County page explains. A lawsuit against either cannot begin until the claim has been acted on or treated as rejected (Government Code 945.4).
Whether the driver stayed. A hit-and-run can be reported online only when there is no suspect information, and uninsured motorist coverage depends on a report within 24 hours (Insurance Code 11580.2).
Whether the claim is late. After six months, a claim to the City needs an application for leave to present a late claim, made no later than one year after the injury (Government Code 911.4).
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)).
Whether the case is against a private driver or business. Without a public entity involved, there is no six-month claim, and the usual limit for an injury lawsuit is two years (Code of Civil Procedure 335.1). Our guide to California personal injury deadlines lists the exceptions.
What could this look like? An example
For example, imagine a 70-year-old walker who is struck in a downtown San Rafael crosswalk by a driver who keeps going. A witness catches part of the plate.
Because there is suspect information, the walker's family calls the police non-emergency line, or 911 if the injury is serious, instead of using the online form, and the report is made the same day. That keeps the 24-hour reporting rule for uninsured motorist coverage, and the sworn statement to the insurer follows within 30 days (Insurance Code 11580.2). If the crosswalk's warning light had been out for weeks, a separate claim to the City would be due within six months (Government Code 911.2), sent with photos to the City Clerk in Room 209 or through the electronic form. This example is made up to show how the San Rafael steps fit together; it says nothing about any real case.
What mistakes do people make after a San Rafael injury?
- Filing an online report for a hit-and-run when there is a plate number or a description of the driver, which the online system is not meant for.
- Waiting more than 24 hours to report a hit-and-run, which can cost the uninsured motorist claim.
- Showing up at the City Clerk's Office on a Friday without an appointment, close to the six-month deadline.
- Sending a claim to the City when the road or building belongs to the County or a transit agency.
- Missing the six months to sue that starts when the City's written rejection is mailed or delivered (Government Code 945.6).
What should I do this week?
- Write down the exact place, with cross streets, and the time.
- Get the police case number; for an online hit-and-run report, call (415) 485-3000 after five business days.
- Photograph the scene, the crosswalk or hazard, and any damage, with something that shows size.
- Ask each medical provider in writing for your records; copies are due within 15 days (Health and Safety Code 123110).
- If a City street or sidewalk played a part, put the six-month claim date on your calendar today.
- Keep every letter from the City's adjuster and from insurers, with the envelope.
Frequently asked questions about San Rafael injury cases
Can I file a claim against the City online?
Yes. San Rafael's claim page offers an electronic claim form, or a PDF that can be delivered in person or mailed to the City Clerk at 1400 Fifth Avenue, Room 209.
Who decides my claim against the City?
The City says an outside adjuster reviews the claim and tells you whether it is approved or denied. By law, if the City does not act within 45 days, the claim is treated as rejected (Government Code 912.4).
Is the courthouse in San Rafael?
Yes. The Marin County Superior Court is at the Civic Center, 3501 Civic Center Drive, and its Civil office is in Room 113 of the Hall of Justice.
Is the police lobby open on weekends?
On Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. It is closed on Sundays.
Why does San Rafael rank first for pedestrian injuries?
The state ranking compares San Rafael with 102 other cities of 50,001 to 100,000 people, and 1 means the highest. The Office of Traffic Safety says rankings are only indicators of possible problems and should be read with local circumstances in mind.
Which other Marin city has its own page?
Our page on personal injury cases in Novato covers its police, claims process and three SMART stations.
If you or a loved one has been injured in San Rafael, 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
- San Rafael Police Department: contact and lobby hours
- San Rafael Police Department: online reports
- San Rafael Police Department: forms (collision report copies)
- City of San Rafael: claim for damages
- City of San Rafael: Police Department and City Hall
- 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: San Rafael crash rankings, 2023
- California Office of Traffic Safety: how the crash rankings work
- Code of Civil Procedure section 395 (where an injury case may be filed)
- Superior Court of California, County of Marin: contact us
- Superior Court of California, County of Marin: Uniform Local Rules, Civil Rules (effective July 1, 2026)
- SMART (Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit): stations
- 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)
