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Market data

Personal injury in California: market data

What public records say about the market for personal injury in California: how much demand the courts and agencies count, how many law offices serve it, how many people need help in Spanish, and the ad rules that apply. Every number links to the record it comes from.

Built 2026-10-29 from the open datasets below · CC BY 4.0 · Not legal advice

Demand: what courts and agencies count

Counts of filings, crashes, complaints and enforcement in the records each agency keeps. A count shows where problems were recorded, not how many people will hire a lawyer.

MeasureValuePeriodPlaceSource
Unlimited civil filings: motor-vehicle injury, property damage and wrongful death49,326
cases filed
FY 2024-25California
state
ca-courts v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23658524
record ca-CA-unlimited-motor-vehicle-pi · status P · checked 2026-10-26
Unlimited civil filings: other injury, property damage and wrongful death59,077
cases filed
FY 2024-25California
state
ca-courts v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23658524
record ca-CA-unlimited-other-pi · status P · checked 2026-10-26
Fatal crashes with an alcohol-impaired driver1,171
crashes
2024California
state
fatal-crashes v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23733739
record fatal-crashes:06 · status P · checked 2026-10-27
Fatal crashes killing a bicyclist163
crashes
2024California
state
fatal-crashes v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23733739
record fatal-crashes:06 · status P · checked 2026-10-27
Fatal crashes3,583
crashes
2024California
state
fatal-crashes v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23733739
record fatal-crashes:06 · status P · checked 2026-10-27
People killed in crashes3,876
deaths
2024California
state
fatal-crashes v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23733739
record fatal-crashes:06 · status P · checked 2026-10-27
Fatal crashes involving a large truck358
crashes
2024California
state
fatal-crashes v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23733739
record fatal-crashes:06 · status P · checked 2026-10-27
Fatal motorcycle crashes519
crashes
2024California
state
fatal-crashes v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23733739
record fatal-crashes:06 · status P · checked 2026-10-27
Fatal crashes killing a pedestrian1,089
crashes
2024California
state
fatal-crashes v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23733739
record fatal-crashes:06 · status P · checked 2026-10-27
Federal civil cases filed by county of the plaintiff: personal injury2,090
cases filed, fiscal year
FY2025California
state
federal-filings-county v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750628
record federal-filings-county:CA · status P · checked 2026-10-28
Workers who commute by car, truck or van13,817,095 ±20,046
workers age 16+
2020-2024California
state
legal-need v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23741886
record legal-need-ca · status P · checked 2026-10-28
Truck and bus crashes reported to FMCSA11,112
crashes
2025California
state
truck-crashes v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23743677
record truck-crashes:CA · status P · checked 2026-10-28
Deaths in truck and bus crashes331
deaths
2025California
state
truck-crashes v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23743677
record truck-crashes:CA · status P · checked 2026-10-28
Truck and bus crashes with an injury4,262
crashes
2025California
state
truck-crashes v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23743677
record truck-crashes:CA · status P · checked 2026-10-28
OSHA fatality or catastrophe inspections314
inspections
FY2025California
state
wage-enforcement v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23744226
record wage-enforcement:CA · status P · checked 2026-10-28
OSHA inspections7,069
inspections
FY2025California
state
wage-enforcement v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23744226
record wage-enforcement:CA · status P · checked 2026-10-28
Federal civil filings: private Federal Employers Liability Act (railroad workers)1
cases filed, 12 months
12 months ending 2026-06-30Central District of California
federal district
civil-filings v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23720009
record cf-cac-priv-fela · status P · checked 2026-10-27
Federal civil filings: private marine personal injury18
cases filed, 12 months
12 months ending 2026-06-30Central District of California
federal district
civil-filings v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23720009
record cf-cac-priv-marine-pi · status P · checked 2026-10-27
Federal civil filings: private motor vehicle personal injury121
cases filed, 12 months
12 months ending 2026-06-30Central District of California
federal district
civil-filings v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23720009
record cf-cac-priv-motor-vehicle-pi · status P · checked 2026-10-27
Federal civil filings: private other personal injury (includes product liability, drug and device cases)857
cases filed, 12 months
12 months ending 2026-06-30Central District of California
federal district
civil-filings v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23720009
record cf-cac-priv-other-pi · status P · checked 2026-10-27
Federal civil cases filed: personal injury2,313
cases filed, three fiscal years
FY2023-2025Central District of California
federal district
idb-civil v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739969
record idb-cac-personal-injury · status P · checked 2026-10-27
Federal civil filings: private Federal Employers Liability Act (railroad workers)0
cases filed, 12 months
12 months ending 2026-06-30Eastern District of California
federal district
civil-filings v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23720009
record cf-cae-priv-fela · status P · checked 2026-10-27
Federal civil filings: private marine personal injury4
cases filed, 12 months
12 months ending 2026-06-30Eastern District of California
federal district
civil-filings v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23720009
record cf-cae-priv-marine-pi · status P · checked 2026-10-27
Federal civil filings: private motor vehicle personal injury30
cases filed, 12 months
12 months ending 2026-06-30Eastern District of California
federal district
civil-filings v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23720009
record cf-cae-priv-motor-vehicle-pi · status P · checked 2026-10-27
Federal civil filings: private other personal injury (includes product liability, drug and device cases)190
cases filed, 12 months
12 months ending 2026-06-30Eastern District of California
federal district
civil-filings v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23720009
record cf-cae-priv-other-pi · status P · checked 2026-10-27
Federal civil cases filed: personal injury532
cases filed, three fiscal years
FY2023-2025Eastern District of California
federal district
idb-civil v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739969
record idb-cae-personal-injury · status P · checked 2026-10-27
Federal civil filings: private Federal Employers Liability Act (railroad workers)0
cases filed, 12 months
12 months ending 2026-06-30Northern District of California
federal district
civil-filings v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23720009
record cf-can-priv-fela · status P · checked 2026-10-27
Federal civil filings: private marine personal injury6
cases filed, 12 months
12 months ending 2026-06-30Northern District of California
federal district
civil-filings v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23720009
record cf-can-priv-marine-pi · status P · checked 2026-10-27
Federal civil filings: private motor vehicle personal injury31
cases filed, 12 months
12 months ending 2026-06-30Northern District of California
federal district
civil-filings v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23720009
record cf-can-priv-motor-vehicle-pi · status P · checked 2026-10-27
Federal civil filings: private other personal injury (includes product liability, drug and device cases)4,241
cases filed, 12 months
12 months ending 2026-06-30Northern District of California
federal district
civil-filings v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23720009
record cf-can-priv-other-pi · status P · checked 2026-10-27
Federal civil cases filed: personal injury1,738
cases filed, three fiscal years
FY2023-2025Northern District of California
federal district
idb-civil v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739969
record idb-can-personal-injury · status P · checked 2026-10-27
Federal civil filings: private Federal Employers Liability Act (railroad workers)1
cases filed, 12 months
12 months ending 2026-06-30Southern District of California
federal district
civil-filings v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23720009
record cf-cas-priv-fela · status P · checked 2026-10-27
Federal civil filings: private marine personal injury4
cases filed, 12 months
12 months ending 2026-06-30Southern District of California
federal district
civil-filings v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23720009
record cf-cas-priv-marine-pi · status P · checked 2026-10-27
Federal civil filings: private motor vehicle personal injury21
cases filed, 12 months
12 months ending 2026-06-30Southern District of California
federal district
civil-filings v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23720009
record cf-cas-priv-motor-vehicle-pi · status P · checked 2026-10-27
Federal civil filings: private other personal injury (includes product liability, drug and device cases)385
cases filed, 12 months
12 months ending 2026-06-30Southern District of California
federal district
civil-filings v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23720009
record cf-cas-priv-other-pi · status P · checked 2026-10-27
Federal civil cases filed: personal injury445
cases filed, three fiscal years
FY2023-2025Southern District of California
federal district
idb-civil v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739969
record idb-cas-personal-injury · status P · checked 2026-10-27

Rising or falling

The change between the last two periods each source publishes. No threshold and no smoothing.

MeasureBeforeLatestChange
Unlimited civil filings: motor-vehicle injury, property damage and wrongful death
California · record ca-CA-unlimited-motor-vehicle-pi
46,808
FY 2023-24
49,326
FY 2024-25
rising (+5.4%)
Unlimited civil filings: other injury, property damage and wrongful death
California · record ca-CA-unlimited-other-pi
40,544
FY 2023-24
59,077
FY 2024-25
rising (+45.7%)
Fatal crashes with an alcohol-impaired driver
California · record fatal-crashes:06
1,173
2023
1,171
2024
falling (-0.2%)
Fatal crashes killing a bicyclist
California · record fatal-crashes:06
152
2023
163
2024
rising (+7.2%)
Fatal crashes
California · record fatal-crashes:06
3,826
2023
3,583
2024
falling (-6.4%)
People killed in crashes
California · record fatal-crashes:06
4,169
2023
3,876
2024
falling (-7%)
Fatal crashes involving a large truck
California · record fatal-crashes:06
356
2023
358
2024
rising (+0.6%)
Fatal motorcycle crashes
California · record fatal-crashes:06
595
2023
519
2024
falling (-12.8%)
Fatal crashes killing a pedestrian
California · record fatal-crashes:06
1,139
2023
1,089
2024
falling (-4.4%)
Federal civil cases filed by county of the plaintiff: personal injury
California · record federal-filings-county:CA
1,676
FY2024
2,090
FY2025
rising (+24.7%)
Truck and bus crashes reported to FMCSA
California · record truck-crashes:CA
12,594
2024
11,112
2025
falling (-11.8%)
Deaths in truck and bus crashes
California · record truck-crashes:CA
431
2024
331
2025
falling (-23.2%)

Lawyer supply

How many law offices and lawyers the federal statistics count here.

MeasureValuePeriodPlaceSource
New lawyers admitted7,101
lawyers a year
2025California
state
bar-pipeline v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721443
record ca-bar-pipeline · status P · checked 2026-10-28
Counties under 1 law office per 10,000 residents4
counties
2026-Q1California
state
deserts v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721430
record deserts-06 · status P · checked 2026-10-28
Counties with no law office3
counties
2026-Q1California
state
deserts v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721430
record deserts-06 · status P · checked 2026-10-28
Residents living in those low-office counties0.5
percent of residents
2026-Q1California
state
deserts v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721430
record deserts-06 · status P · checked 2026-10-28
Employer law firms21,612
firms
2022California
state
law-firm-economy v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739997
record lfe-ca-all · status P · checked 2026-10-28
Receipts of employer law firms55,695,078,000
US dollars
2022California
state
law-firm-economy v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739997
record lfe-ca-all · status P · checked 2026-10-28
Law offices per 10,000 residents6.3
per 10,000 residents
2026-Q1California
state
law-offices v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721415
record law-offices-06 · status P · checked 2026-10-28
Self-employed lawyers (nonemployer firms)40,308
firms
latest Nonemployer Statistics yearCalifornia
state
law-offices v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721415
record law-offices-06 · status P · checked 2026-10-28
Private law offices24,803
establishments
2026-Q1California
state
law-offices v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721415
record law-offices-06 · status P · checked 2026-10-28
Lawyers employed (wage-earning, BLS OEWS)95,770
jobs
May 2025California
state
lawyer-wages v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734840
record lawyer-wages:CA:231011:2025 · status P · checked 2026-10-28
Median annual wage of employed lawyers195,080
US dollars a year
May 2025California
state
lawyer-wages v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734840
record lawyer-wages:CA:231011:2025 · status P · checked 2026-10-28

Counties with the most demand per law office

Of the 25 counties in California with the most fatal crashes, the ten with the most per private law office. Both counts are shown with their records.

CountyDemandLaw officesPer office
Merced County, CA42
record fatal-crashes:06047
30
record law-offices-06047
1.4
Kings County, CA28
record fatal-crashes:06031
22
record law-offices-06031
1.27
Tulare County, CA67
record fatal-crashes:06107
75
record law-offices-06107
0.89
Kern County, CA173
record fatal-crashes:06029
197
record law-offices-06029
0.88
San Joaquin County, CA123
record fatal-crashes:06077
140
record law-offices-06077
0.88
San Bernardino County, CA310
record fatal-crashes:06071
448
record law-offices-06071
0.69
Stanislaus County, CA76
record fatal-crashes:06099
139
record law-offices-06099
0.55
Solano County, CA40
record fatal-crashes:06095
75
record law-offices-06095
0.53
Riverside County, CA275
record fatal-crashes:06065
562
record law-offices-06065
0.49
Fresno County, CA150
record fatal-crashes:06019
386
record law-offices-06019
0.39

Fatal crashes (fatal-crashes v1.0.0, 2024) ÷ Private law offices (law-offices v1.0.0, 2026-Q1). ratio = fatal-crashes.fatal_crashes / law-offices.qcew_estabs, rounded to 2 decimals; ranked highest first, among the 25 units with the most demand. Units with zero supply are listed apart (ratio undefined); units without a published value are listed as missing.

Spanish-language demand

People who speak Spanish and speak English less than very well, and the lawyers who speak Spanish, from the Census Bureau survey (with margins of error).

MeasureValuePeriodPlaceSource
Lawyers who speak Spanish at home (ACS)11,996 ±1,027
lawyers
2020-2024California
state
language v1.1.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23656758
record language:state:CA:lawyers-spanish · status P · checked 2026-10-25
Spanish speakers with limited English per Spanish-speaking lawyer342 ±29.4
people per lawyer
2020-2024California
state
language v1.1.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23656758
record language:state:CA:lep-per-spanish-lawyer · status P · checked 2026-10-25
Spanish speakers with limited English (ACS)4,107,223 ±27,003
people age 5+
2020-2024California
state
language v1.1.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23656758
record language:state:CA:spanish-lep · status P · checked 2026-10-25
Spanish speakers with limited English4,107,223 ±24,348
people age 5+
2020-2024California
state
legal-need v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23741886
record legal-need-ca · status P · checked 2026-10-28

Ad rules that apply

The rules a law firm's ads in California have to meet, summarized from the official texts. The full rules, with quotes, are on the state page.

TopicStatusWhat it says
Ad filing or reviewP
primary source
No filing or pre-approval of ads is required. The person who pays for an ad keeps a true and correct copy for one year (B&P 6159.1).
official source · rules v1.4.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750572 · checked 2026-10-28
Required contentP
primary source
An ad must conspicuously show the name of at least one California-licensed lawyer, the law firm, the certified lawyer referral service or the joint advertiser responsible for it, and the city, town or county of at least one bona fide office or the address of…
official source · rules v1.4.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750572 · checked 2026-10-28
Waiting periods for contactP
primary source
The rules and the State Bar Act set no waiting period. In-person, live-telephone and real-time electronic solicitation is barred where pecuniary gain is a significant motive, unless the person is a lawyer or has a family, close personal or prior professional…
official source · rules v1.4.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750572 · checked 2026-10-28
Claims and resultsP
primary source
An ad may not contain a guarantee or warranty of success, a claim of immediate cash or quick settlement, an impersonation, an undisclosed dramatization, a spokesperson without a disclosed title, misleading statements about skills, experience or record, or an…
official source · rules v1.4.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750572 · checked 2026-10-28
Paying for referralsP
primary source
A lawyer may not compensate, promise or give anything of value to a person to recommend or secure the lawyer's services, except to pay reasonable ad costs, the usual charges of a legal services plan or a qualified lawyer referral service (one run under the…
official source · rules v1.4.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750572 · checked 2026-10-28
Call recordingP
primary source
Recording a confidential communication without the consent of all parties to it is an offense (Penal Code § 632).
official source · rules v1.4.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750572 · checked 2026-10-28
TextingP
primary source
Automatic dialing-announcing devices may place calls only under a prior agreement in which the called person consents to receive such calls (Public Utilities Code § 2873).
official source · rules v1.4.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750572 · checked 2026-10-28
Ad filing or reviewP
primary source
California: no filing or review of lawyer ads is required.
official source · filing v1.2.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721409 · checked 2026-10-25
Paying for referralsP
primary source
Lawyers in different firms may split a fee if they sign a written agreement to divide it, the client consents in writing after full written disclosure, and the division does not raise the total fee; there is no proportion or joint-responsibility test.
official source · referral v1.1.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23747113 · checked 2026-10-27
Limitation periodP
primary source
California, personal injury: 2 years, under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1, as read in the official code on 2026-10-28.
official source · limitations v1.1.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23743673 · checked 2026-10-28
Limitation periodP
primary source
California, wrongful death: 2 years, under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1, as read in the official code on 2026-10-28.
official source · limitations v1.1.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23743673 · checked 2026-10-28
Limitation periodP
primary source
California, property damage: 3 years, under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 338(b), (c)(1), as read in the official code on 2026-10-28.
official source · limitations v1.1.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23743673 · checked 2026-10-28

California lawyer advertising rules

Prices and pay (national)

MeasureValuePeriodPlaceSource
Jobs in legal services (seasonally adjusted)1,249
thousand jobs
2026-09United States
United States
legal-prices v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734854
record legal-prices:CES6054110001:2026-09 · status P · checked 2026-10-28
CPI-U: legal services230
index
2026-09United States
United States
legal-prices v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734854
record legal-prices:CUUR0000SEGC01:2026-09 · status P · checked 2026-10-28
PPI: offices of lawyers338
index
2026-09United States
United States
legal-prices v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734854
record legal-prices:PCU541110541110:2026-09 · status P · checked 2026-10-28
PPI: civil negligence legal services257
index
2026-09United States
United States
legal-prices v1.0.0 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734854
record legal-prices:PCU5411105411103:2026-09 · status P · checked 2026-10-28

Probative benchmarks, 2025–2026

Our own marketing benchmarks for this practice: aggregated, rounded, and small groups suppressed.

MeasureValuePeriodPlaceSource
Probative benchmarks, 2025–2026: Injury cases: average cost per search-ad click$50–75
USD (band)
2025–2026United States
United States
benchmarks v4.0.1 doi:10.5281/zenodo.23735849
record search-click-costs-1 · status P · checked 2026-10-26

Download and cite

The rows behind this page, with every dataset, version, DOI, record id and check date.

Cite as: Probative Growth, The new-lawyer pipeline by jurisdiction: bar exam pass rates and new admissions, 2025 v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721443); Probative benchmarks, 2025–2026 v4.0.1 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23735849); California court filings by county: civil, criminal, family, juvenile, probate and appeals, fiscal years 2023–24 and 2024–25 v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23658524); Federal civil filings by nature of suit and district, 12-month periods since 2018 v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23720009); Legal deserts: law offices and lawyers per resident in every U.S. county v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721430); Fatal crashes by county and type: trucks, motorcycles, pedestrians and bicyclists, NHTSA FARS 2019 to 2024 v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23733739); Federal civil cases filed, by county of the plaintiff's residence, case type and year (Federal Judicial Center) v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23750628); How long federal civil cases take: outcomes, class actions and pro se share by district, nature of suit and year v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739969); Spanish-speaking demand vs Spanish-speaking lawyer supply, by state and metro v1.1.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23656758); Law firm size, solos and receipts, by state: Census SUSB 2022, Nonemployer Statistics 2024 and Economic Census 2022 v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23739997); Law offices, jobs and pay by county, with solo-practice counts: BLS QCEW, Census CBP and Nonemployer Statistics v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23721415); Lawyer, paralegal and legal-staff pay by state and metro (BLS OEWS) v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734840); Legal need by county: who may need a lawyer, from the American Community Survey v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23741886); Legal-services prices and jobs, monthly (BLS CPI, PPI and CES) v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23734854); Truck and bus crashes by county, state and year (FMCSA crash file) v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23743677); Wage-and-hour and OSHA enforcement by county, state, act and industry (U.S. Department of Labor) v1.0.0 (doi:10.5281/zenodo.23744226); CC BY 4.0. https://probativegrowth.com/markets/california/personal-injury/

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How this page is built

Each figure is copied from one record of the dataset named with it, joined to this state and practice through the open practice and place crosswalk. Nothing is estimated. Methods, inputs and limits.

See also