Claims against government
Filing an injury claim: State of California and Caltrans
If you were hurt because of the State of California and Caltrans, for example by a public vehicle or a dangerous public road or property, California usually requires a written claim before any lawsuit, and injury claims must be presented within six months. This page lists the verified filing details from the official website.
State of California - Department of General Services, Office of Risk and Insurance Management (ORIM), Government Claims Program (GCP)
| How to file | If you cannot file online, you can mail a paper form. [source] The FAQ says claims can also be left in a drop box at 707 3rd Street, West Sacramento. [source] A claim form sent by email is not accepted as an official submission. [source] |
|---|---|
| Online or email | Online filing is offered through a third-party website hosted by Ventiv. [source] |
| Form | Form: Government Claim, DGS ORIM 006 (Rev. 09/2025). [source] |
| Form link | Paper form PDF: https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/dgs/orim006.pdf [source] |
| Address | Mailing address: ORIM Government Claims Program, P.O. Box 989052, MS 414, West Sacramento, CA 95798-9052. [source] Delivery address: ORIM Government Claims Program, 707 3rd Street, 1st Floor, West Sacramento, CA 95605. [source] |
| Phone | GCP phone: 1-800-955-0045 (toll-free); email: gcinfo@dgs.ca.gov. Both are listed on the Caltrans page. [source] |
| Deadline | Claims for death, personal injury, personal property, or growing crops: within 6 months. All other claims: within 1 year. [source] A late claim can be requested within 1 year of the incident. The department has 45 days to act; if it does not, the request is treated as denied. [source] For mailed claims, GCP uses the postmark date to judge deadlines. [source] |
| Fee | A $25 filing fee applies to every GCP claim. [source] The fee may be refunded if the claim is paid. [source] Claimants who cannot pay can request a waiver on the Fee Waiver or Fee Reduction Request form (ORIM 005). [source] Since 2024, claimants with certain household incomes can apply to pay less than $25. [source] For paper filings, pay the $25 by check or money order made out to the State of California. [source] Each additional claimant pays another $25. [source] |
| After you file | There is no set timeline. GCP checks each claim for completeness, authority, and timeliness, and often works with the department named in the claim. [source] Wait at least 1 month before asking about status. GCP mails a notice when the investigation starts. [source] A rejection by GCP may still leave the option of going to court. [source] Some claims are handed to the department involved to resolve directly (Gov. Code 935.6). [source] |
| Also note | GCP staff cannot legally represent claimants. [source] Do not send Social Security numbers, original documents, or entire medical records or bills. [source] |
California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), including District 8 (Riverside and San Bernardino counties)
| Where to file | Claims of $12,500 or less for death, personal injury, personal property, or growing crops can be filed directly with Caltrans. [source] Claims over $12,500 go to the DGS Government Claims Program. This confirms that larger claims against Caltrans are handled by GCP. [source] |
|---|---|
| How to file | For many types of claims, you must go through the Government Claims process to keep the right to sue Caltrans. [source] Mail the signed original form and supporting documents to the District Claims Office for the county where the incident happened. [source] |
| Form | Form DOT LD-0274, Claim Against Department of Transportation for Amounts $12,500 or Less (Rev 08/2024). [source] |
| Form link | Form PDF: official link [source] |
| Address | Riverside County is in District 8. District 8 Claim Office: 464 West 4th Street, MS 1244, San Bernardino, CA 92401. [source] |
| Phone | District 8 Claim Office: 909-383-4351. [source] Caltrans Headquarters phone for claim follow-up, per the DGS FAQ: (916) 654-2852. [source] |
| Deadline | Regardless of amount, claims for death, personal injury, personal property, or growing crops are due within 6 months; other claims within 1 year, unless an exception applies (Gov. Code 911.2, 935.7). [source] For a late claim of $12,500 or less, attach a page explaining why it was not filed within 6 months (Gov. Code 911.4, 911.6). [source] |
| Fee | Claims of $12,500 or less filed with Caltrans have no filing fee. [source] |
| After you file | Caltrans reviews each claim. If a claim is denied, the driver can file a lawsuit. [source] |
| Also note | Include two written estimates and/or one paid receipt. Invoices do not count as proof of payment. [source] To recover for roadway damage, a driver must show a dangerous condition that Caltrans knew or should have known about and had time to fix. [source] Caltrans does not pay for damage caused by conditions on city or county roads. [source] The claims process is not insurance or a reimbursement program; it is a way to resolve potential lawsuits early. [source] |
What a claim must contain and the six-month deadline (Gov. Code § 911.2) are explained in our guide to claims against government.
Every fact on this page links to the official source it came from. We checked each one in September 2026. Agencies change fees and procedures, so confirm with the agency before you go. How we research.
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