Does a rejection mean my claim is over?

No. A rejection is one firm declining to represent you. It does not resolve the claim, and it does not stop you from bringing it yourself or with another firm. The filing deadline still applies.

How many firms should I ask?

There is no set number. Firms use different thresholds and take different case types, so more than one no is common and does not settle the question. Keep the filing deadline in view while you ask.

Should I ask why I was rejected?

Yes. Ask directly. Some firms will tell you it was the deadline, the available coverage, a fault dispute, or simply case volume. The answer tells you whether the next firm is likely to say the same thing.

Can I get the file the firm built while it looked at my case?

If the firm gathered records or a police report during screening, ask for copies. A firm that only had a phone call may have nothing to send.

A firm rejected your case. Now what?

Reviewed by Slick Nick, California licensed attorney · State Bar #324789 · Last updated August 29, 2026

A rejection feels like a verdict. It isn't one. It is one firm deciding not to take your case, run through that firm's screening on that day. Nothing about the claim itself has been decided.

What a rejection does not pause is the deadline. Work the steps below in order, starting with that.

1. Confirm the filing deadline

Do this first, before you contact another firm. Most California injury claims must be filed within two years (Code Civ. Proc., § 335.1). If a government entity is involved, you generally must present a written claim within six months (Gov. Code, § 911.2), and after it is rejected you have six months to sue (Gov. Code, § 945.6). A lawyer can confirm which date applies to you in a short call.

Sources: Code Civ. Proc., § 335.1; Gov. Code, § 911.2; Gov. Code, § 945.6.

If a government agency may be responsible — a city or county road, a public transit vehicle, a government-owned vehicle, a public building, or the grounds of a public hospital — you must present a written claim to that agency within six months of the injury (Gov. Code, § 911.2). That is far shorter than the usual two years, and it is the deadline people miss most. Raise a possible government role on your first call, before you research it.

If six months has already passed, the claim is not automatically over. You can apply for leave to present a late claim within a reasonable time, up to one year after the injury (Gov. Code, § 911.4). The agency must grant it only on narrow grounds — mistake, inadvertence, surprise, or excusable neglect; being a minor; physical or mental incapacity; or the death of the person injured (Gov. Code, § 911.6) — and no answer within 45 days counts as a denial. You can then petition the superior court (Gov. Code, § 946.6). If you were a minor when you were hurt, the application is due within six months of turning 18, or one year after the injury, whichever comes first.

This is a narrow path. Courts do not treat simply not knowing about the deadline as excusable neglect. But a missed six-month deadline is a reason to talk to a lawyer fast, not a reason to give up. More: government claims.

More: statute of limitations.

2. Ask the firm why

Call back and ask which factor stopped it. You are looking for one of two answers. If it is something fixable or specific to that firm — case volume, a practice area they don't cover — the next firm may see it differently. If it is the deadline, the available coverage, or a fault dispute, expect to hear the same thing again and plan around it.

The full list: why personal injury firms turn down cases.

3. Collect your records

Gather what you will hand the next firm: the police or incident report, the names and insurers of everyone involved, your medical records and bills so far, photos, and your own written account of what happened. If the firm that declined pulled any records, ask for copies.

4. Decide the next move

Get a second opinion — another lawyer reviews the case and tells you what they see.
Ask whether the declining firm will refer you rather than just say no.
If the claim is minor, weigh whether you need a lawyer at all — do you actually need a lawyer?
If a firm told you the claim was "too small," read what that means before you assume every firm will agree.

Common questions

Does a rejection mean my claim is over?: No. A rejection is one firm declining to represent you. It does not resolve the claim, and it does not stop you from bringing it yourself or with another firm. The filing deadline still applies.
How many firms should I ask?: There is no set number. Firms use different thresholds and take different case types, so more than one no is common and does not settle the question. Keep the filing deadline in view while you ask.
Should I ask why I was rejected?: Yes. Ask directly. Some firms will tell you it was the deadline, the available coverage, a fault dispute, or simply case volume. The answer tells you whether the next firm is likely to say the same thing.
Can I get the file the firm built while it looked at my case?: If the firm gathered records or a police report during screening, ask for copies. A firm that only had a phone call may have nothing to send.

Start a case review call

On a case review call, I go through the facts with you: what happened, when, whether you were hurt, whether anyone represents you, and how to reach you. It is not legal advice, and I will not put a value on your claim.

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