California Pre-Settlement Funding: Get Cash Now, While Your Case Wins
Waiting on a California lawsuit and need cash now? Diamondback Funding provides non-recourse pre-settlement funding to California plaintiffs, no credit check, no monthly payments, zero repayment if your case doesn’t succeed.
Had surgery or a broken bone? Those are the cases we move fastest.
No obligation. No credit check. Takes 2 minutes.
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How does California law affect your case and your funding?
Two features of California law shape every personal injury case here, and both directly affect how much pre-settlement funding your case can support.
The filing clock matters just as much: most California personal injury claims must be filed within 2 years of the injury. And if a government entity is involved, a city vehicle, public property, a state agency, formal notice deadlines are typically far shorter than the general statute of limitations. Confirming those dates should be one of the first conversations you have with your attorney.
For funding purposes, the practical takeaway: in California, you can recover even at high shares of fault, with your award reduced proportionally. When you apply, we review these factors directly with your attorney, you don’t need to have the answers yourself.
The injury decides what the case is worth, and how fast we can fund it.
Insurers value a claim by what the records prove. A fracture, a surgery, or a permanent scar is proof that does not need arguing, which is why those files move through review the fastest and carry the most value.
How does California funding work, from application to cash?
Apply Online
Complete our 2-minute form or call our team. Basic case details only, no documents needed at this stage.
Attorney Review
We contact your attorney to evaluate liability, injury severity, and estimated settlement value.
Fast Decision
Our underwriters assess your case and return a funding decision, typically the same business day.
Clear Agreement
We present a fully transparent agreement. All terms are spelled out before you sign, no hidden costs.
Funds Delivered
Money arrives via wire transfer or overnight check within 24–48 hours of signing.
No obligation. No credit check. Takes 2 minutes.
How much could you qualify for in California?
Adjust the sliders for an instant estimate based on your case profile. All figures are illustrative, actual amounts depend on case evaluation.
Do you qualify for California lawsuit funding?
Most plaintiffs with an active claim in California and legal representation are eligible. Approval is based on your case, not your credit history.
Active California Claim
A personal injury claim or filed lawsuit within California’s statute of limitations.
Attorney on Contingency
Funding requires an attorney representing you on a full contingency fee basis who signs an acknowledgment of the funding agreement. We cannot fund without both.
Favorable Fault Position
Under California’s fault rules, you can recover even at high shares of fault, with your award reduced proportionally.
Documented Damages
Medical records, lost wage documentation, or other evidence of loss support a stronger funding amount.
Filed on Time
Within California’s 2-year statute of limitations, or the shorter notice window for government defendants.
Age 18 or Older
Applicants must be at least 18. Parents or guardians may apply on behalf of injured minors in some cases.
Call for a free, no-obligation eligibility review. We’ll give you an honest answer in minutes.
What can you use California funding for?
There are no restrictions on how you use your pre-settlement funding. California plaintiffs use their advance for whatever pressing need matters most, medical bills, rent, or simply staying current while a case moves through the courts.
California funding amounts typically range from $500 to $500,000, sized to the strength and stage of the underlying claim.
Apply Now →| Expense Type | Covered? |
|---|---|
| Medical & hospital bills | ✓ Yes |
| Surgery & specialist care | ✓ Yes |
| Physical & occupational therapy | ✓ Yes |
| Prescription medications | ✓ Yes |
| Lost wages / income gap | ✓ Yes |
| Rent or mortgage | ✓ Yes |
| Groceries & daily expenses | ✓ Yes |
| Transportation | ✓ Yes |
| Childcare | ✓ Yes |
| Any other personal expense | ✓ Yes |
How does Diamondback compare with other pre-settlement funding companies?
Pre-settlement funding is an unregulated industry in many states. The wrong company can lock you into excessive fees. Here is how Diamondback Funding compares.
| Feature | Diamondback Funding | Typical Competitor |
|---|---|---|
| Credit check required | ✓ Never | ✓ Usually not |
| Monthly payments during case | ✓ None | ✓ None |
| Repayment if you lose | ✓ Zero | ✓ Zero |
| Full terms disclosed in writing before signing | ✓ Always | ✗ Varies |
| Dedicated case manager | ✓ Yes | ✗ Rarely |
| Funding timeline | 24–48 hours | 3–7 days typical |
| Maximum advance | Up to $500,000 | Often capped lower |
What should every California plaintiff know about pre-settlement funding?
Personal injury cases in California typically take 12 to 36 months to resolve, and insurance carriers know exactly how long most families can hold out. Every month you can’t wait is leverage for them. Pre-settlement funding exists to take that leverage away.
California’s Fault Rule and What It Means for Your Case
Pure comparative negligence, you can recover damages even if you were mostly at fault; your award is simply reduced by your percentage of responsibility. Insurers understand this rule intimately and shape their negotiation strategy around it, which is why the quality of your liability evidence (reports, witnesses, footage) affects both your recovery and the funding amount your case supports.
The Filing Clock, and the Government-Entity Trap
Most California injury claims must be filed within 2 years. Claims involving government entities typically require formal notice on a much shorter timeline. A claim filed outside these windows has no enforceable value to advance against, regardless of how strong the underlying facts are.
Funding Rules in California
California’s AB 931 took effect January 1, 2026, bringing consumer legal funding under a statutory framework with required written disclosures and consumer protections. Complete written terms before you sign are now the law in California, and they have always been our standard.
Common Case Types Covered in California
We commonly fund car accident claims, slip and fall cases, medical malpractice claims, and employment disputes throughout California.
Get a free funding assessment in minutes. No credit check, no obligation.
Apply NowOr call (917) 267-8368
Related Case Types
Nearby States
California at a Glance
What changes a car accident or slip-and-fall case’s value in California?
California is an at-fault state with no cutoff on comparative fault, a two year filing window, and minimum auto policy limits that doubled in 2025. Each of those moves the number on a file, and each is something we look at with your attorney before sizing an advance.
How does fault work in a California car accident?
Pure comparative negligence. The jury assigns each side a percentage and your recovery is reduced by yours, with no cutoff, a rule that traces to Li v. Yellow Cab (1975) and is applied through CACI No. 405. For funding, that means a shared-blame crash still has value. The police report, photos and witnesses that fix the percentage are what we review.
Who pays, and how much insurance is there?
Every driver must be able to establish financial responsibility (Veh. Code § 16020), and there is no no-fault threshold, so you claim against the at-fault driver directly. For policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025 the minimums are $30,000 per person, $60,000 per accident and $15,000 property damage (Veh. Code § 16056); older policies may still carry $15,000, $30,000 and $5,000. Policy limits are often the real ceiling on a case, so we ask about them and about underinsured motorist coverage on your own policy early.
How long do you have to file?
Two years for injury and for wrongful death (Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1). Claims against public entities run on much shorter notice deadlines, which is one of the first things your attorney confirms.
What about slip-and-falls and dog bites?
A property owner is responsible for injury caused by a want of ordinary care in managing the property (Civ. Code § 1714(a)), and the jury instruction asks whether the owner knew or, using reasonable care, should have known about the unsafe condition and failed to fix or warn (CACI No. 1003). Proof of how long the hazard was there is what makes a premises file fundable. Dog bites are strict liability: the owner is liable for a bite in a public place or where you were lawfully present, regardless of the dog’s history (Civ. Code § 3342).
Are there damage caps?
Not for ordinary injury cases. The only cap on noneconomic damages, Civ. Code § 3333.2, applies to professional negligence claims against health care providers. A crash or fall case is valued on its evidence, not a statutory ceiling.
Verified against statute text and court publications as of September 10, 2026. Laws change and exceptions apply, and your attorney confirms how they apply to you.
California rules at a glance
Which cases does Diamondback fund in California, and what changes their value?
Most of what we fund in California is one of the case types below. Each one has a rule that moves the number, and each is something we read with your attorney before sizing an advance.
What makes a truck accident case in California different?
The insurance behind the truck. A motor carrier of property in California must carry a combined single limit of at least $750,000 per accident for injury, death and property damage, and even a carrier running only vehicles under 10,000 pounds must carry $300,000 (Veh. Code § 34631.5), with proof on deposit with the DMV for each permitted vehicle (Veh. Code § 34631). Hazardous-material and bulk-petroleum haulers carry more. That is why a truck case is rarely boxed in by a $30,000 auto policy, and why we can size an advance to the injuries instead of the coverage. The carrier’s name, its USDOT number and the police report are what the review asks for first. See truck accident funding.
Does a helmet matter in a California motorcycle accident case?
Yes, and the law is strict: every rider and passenger must wear a safety helmet that meets DOT standards (Veh. Code § 27803). California has no statute that bars a claim for riding without one, so an unhelmeted rider can still recover, but the insurer will argue that a head injury would have been less severe with a helmet, and under pure comparative negligence that argument reduces the number rather than erasing it. We read the crash report and the medical records with your attorney and size the advance to the case as it stands. See motorcycle accident funding.
How much insurance covers an Uber or Lyft crash in California?
It depends on what the app showed at the moment of the crash. From ride acceptance until the ride ends, the rideshare company’s insurance is primary at $1,000,000, and while a passenger is in the car it must also carry $60,000 per person and $300,000 per incident in uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage (Pub. Util. Code § 5433). App on with no ride accepted, coverage drops to $50,000 per person, $100,000 per incident and $30,000 property damage, plus $200,000 excess. A passenger or driver hit during a trip has a seven-figure policy behind the claim, which lets us fund on the injuries rather than the limits. The trip screenshot is the first thing we ask for. See rideshare accident funding.
Who has the right of way in a California pedestrian accident?
The pedestrian, in any marked crosswalk or any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection: the driver must yield, slow down and do whatever else is needed to keep the pedestrian safe (Veh. Code § 21950). The same section keeps a duty on the pedestrian not to leave the curb suddenly into the path of a car that is too close to stop. Crosswalk cases are usually strong liability files, and a mid-block crossing still has value under pure comparative negligence; it shifts the percentage, not the claim. Pedestrians tend to have serious injuries, so the driver’s limits and any underinsured motorist coverage in your household are what we look at when sizing the advance. See pedestrian accident funding.
Can you get funding on a California construction accident if you are on workers’ comp?
Yes, when someone other than your employer is responsible. Workers’ compensation is the sole and exclusive remedy against the employer (Lab. Code § 3602), but the comp claim does not affect your right to sue any other person for all damages from the injury (Lab. Code § 3852). On a job site that usually means the general contractor, the property owner, a subcontractor or an equipment maker. That third-party case carries pain and suffering, which comp does not, and it is the case we fund. The comp carrier can claim reimbursement out of that recovery, so we ask what has been paid. Your attorney’s read on who controlled the site is what the review turns on. See construction accident funding.
How long do you have to file a discrimination or wrongful termination claim in California?
Three years to file with the Civil Rights Department, then one year to sue after a right-to-sue notice. The Fair Employment and Housing Act bars an employer from refusing to hire, discharging or otherwise discriminating against a person because of race, sex, disability, age and the other protected characteristics (Gov. Code § 12940). The complaint must be filed within three years of the unlawful practice (Gov. Code § 12960), and the civil action within one year of the notice (Gov. Code § 12965). Employment cases take time, which is where an advance earns its keep. The review asks for the CRD filing or right-to-sue notice, the termination paperwork and your wage records. See employment lawsuit funding.
Who can bring a wrongful death claim in California, and who gets the money?
The surviving spouse or domestic partner, the children and the issue of deceased children, or, if none, the people who would inherit under intestate succession, and the personal representative may sue on their behalf (Code Civ. Proc. § 377.60). Damages are what is just under the circumstances, and the court decides each claimant’s share of the award (Code Civ. Proc. § 377.61). The deadline is two years from the death (Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1). Funding is arranged for a claimant with standing, usually the spouse or an adult child, through the estate's attorney, and the review asks who the heirs are, because the split decides how much any one person receives at settlement. See wrongful death funding.
How do California’s malpractice caps affect funding on a medical malpractice case?
They cap pain and suffering, and the cap is rising. For cases filed on or after January 1, 2023, noneconomic damages were capped at $350,000 in an injury case and $500,000 in a wrongful death case, climbing every January 1 toward $750,000 and $1,000,000 (Civ. Code § 3333.2). In 2026 that is $470,000 and $650,000, and the cap at settlement applies. Medical bills and lost earnings are not capped. The provider gets 90 days’ notice before suit (Code Civ. Proc. § 364), and the deadline is three years from injury or one year from discovery, whichever comes first (Code Civ. Proc. § 340.5). The strongest applications have a settlement offer or a settled case. See medical malpractice funding.
Does Diamondback fund a California case that has already settled?
Yes, and California’s funding law makes it the simplest advance we do. Under the Consumer Legal Funding Act, the amount you repay must be a predetermined amount based on intervals of time from the funding date to the resolution date, never a percentage of your recovery (Bus. & Prof. Code § 6253), and charges cannot run past 36 months from the funding date (Bus. & Prof. Code § 6250). A settled case has a known number and a short runway to payment, and the payoff is in writing before you sign. The review asks for the signed release and your attorney’s estimate of when the check clears. See post-settlement funding.
Verified against statute text and regulator publications as of September 25, 2026. Laws change and exceptions apply, and your attorney confirms how they apply to you.
California rules at a glance
California funding FAQs
Yes, non-recourse pre-settlement funding is available to plaintiffs throughout California through Diamondback Funding. Applications, agreements, and funding are handled remotely, with funds delivered by wire or overnight check. California’s AB 931 took effect January 1, 2026, bringing consumer legal funding under a statutory framework with required written disclosures and consumer protections.
Pure comparative negligence, you can recover damages even if you were mostly at fault; your award is simply reduced by your percentage of responsibility. Apply or call us and we’ll give you an honest read on how California’s rule applies to your situation.
Most California personal injury claims must be filed within 2 years of the injury. Claims involving government entities typically require notice on a much shorter timeline, confirm your exact deadlines with your attorney.
Most applications receive a decision the same business day once we have case details from your attorney. After signing, funds arrive within 24–48 hours anywhere in California.
You owe nothing. Our funding is non-recourse: repayment comes only from your settlement or judgment. The one exception, standard across the industry and required by state funding laws, is fraud or material misrepresentation in connection with your application or claim, which voids the non-recourse protection.
California adopted consumer legal funding legislation in 2025 (AB 931), and the practical protection is contract transparency: your agreement identifies the funding company and states your exact repayment terms before you sign.
California follows pure comparative negligence under Li v. Yellow Cab: you can recover damages even if you were mostly at fault, with your award reduced by your percentage of responsibility. There is no cutoff bar, which keeps many contested-fault California cases fundable.
Claims against public entities in California run on claim-presentation deadlines that are far shorter than the general statute of limitations, often measured in months from the incident. If a city vehicle, public property, or state agency is involved, talk to an attorney immediately.
Funding requires an attorney representing you on a full contingency fee basis who signs an acknowledgment of the funding agreement. We cannot fund without both.
Yes. California uses pure comparative negligence, so your recovery is reduced by your share of fault rather than eliminated. We review the liability evidence with your attorney and size the advance to the case as it stands.
For policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, $30,000 per person, $60,000 per accident and $15,000 property damage under Vehicle Code § 16056. Older policies may still carry $15,000, $30,000 and $5,000. Policy limits often set the ceiling on a case, and on the advance.
The owner is liable when it knew or, using reasonable care, should have known about the unsafe condition and failed to fix it or warn (CACI No. 1003). Evidence of how long the hazard was there, such as video, cleaning logs and witnesses, is what we look for with your attorney.
Yes, for a bite in a public place or anywhere you were lawfully present, regardless of the dog’s history (Civil Code § 3342). Whether the owner has homeowners or renters insurance is usually the first thing we check, because that is where the recovery comes from.
A motor carrier of property must carry a combined single limit of at least $750,000 per accident, and a carrier running only vehicles under 10,000 pounds must carry $300,000, under Vehicle Code § 34631.5. Hazmat and fuel haulers carry more. That coverage is why a truck case is usually sized on the injuries, not the policy. See truck accident funding.
Yes. Vehicle Code § 27803 requires a helmet, but no California statute bars your claim for riding without one. The insurer will argue a head injury would have been less severe, and under pure comparative negligence that reduces the recovery rather than ending it. We review the crash report and medical records with your attorney and size the advance to the case as it stands.
Yes. From ride acceptance until the ride ends, the company’s insurance is primary at $1,000,000, and while you are in the car it also carries $60,000 per person and $300,000 per incident in uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage under Public Utilities Code § 5433. Keep the trip screenshot; it fixes the coverage period. See rideshare accident funding.
Usually, yes. Vehicle Code § 21950 gives pedestrians the right of way in marked crosswalks and unmarked crosswalks at intersections, and keeps a duty of care on the pedestrian elsewhere. A mid-block crossing shifts the fault percentage under pure comparative negligence; it does not end the claim. The driver’s policy limits and any underinsured motorist coverage in your household are what we review.
Yes, if someone other than your employer caused the injury. Labor Code § 3602 makes comp the only remedy against the employer, but Labor Code § 3852 preserves your claim for all damages against any other person, such as the general contractor, property owner or equipment maker. That third-party case is the one we fund. See construction accident funding.
Three years from the unlawful act to file a complaint with the Civil Rights Department under Government Code § 12960, then one year from your right-to-sue notice to file in court under Government Code § 12965. Your attorney confirms the dates on your file. We review the file once an attorney on contingency is on the case, at the agency stage or after suit is filed. See wrongful termination funding.
A person with standing under Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60, usually the surviving spouse, domestic partner or a child, or the personal representative on their behalf. The court decides each claimant’s share of any award under § 377.61, so we ask who the heirs are before sizing an advance. The filing deadline is two years from the death. See wrongful death funding.
For cases filed on or after January 1, 2023, Civil Code § 3333.2 caps noneconomic damages against health care providers, rising each year. In 2026 the cap is $470,000 for an injury case and $650,000 for a wrongful death case, and the cap in effect at settlement applies. Medical bills and lost earnings are not capped. The strongest applications have a settlement offer or a settled case.
Yes. Post-settlement funding is available once the release or settlement agreement is signed. Under Business and Professions Code § 6253 the amount you repay is a predetermined figure based on time from the funding date, never a percentage of your recovery, and charges stop at 36 months. Your attorney confirms the expected payment date. See post-settlement funding.
Legal references for California: Statute of limitations: Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1. Fault rule: Li v. Yellow Cab Co., 13 Cal. 3d 804 (1975). Consumer legal funding: Cal. AB 931 (2025). Citations are provided for general reference and link to our state funding guide; confirm current statutory text with your attorney.
Through Diamondback Funding, non-recourse pre-settlement funding is available to California residents, subject to underwriting approval and applicable California law. Funding amounts, availability, and terms vary by case and may change without notice. California’s AB 931 took effect January 1, 2026, bringing consumer legal funding under a statutory framework with required written disclosures and consumer protections. Nothing on this page is legal or financial advice; consult your attorney. Your complete repayment terms are disclosed in writing before you sign.
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