You took a job in Reno, or rent pushed you out of Sacramento, and your injury claim is not finished. Can you move?
Yes, and moving during injury claim negotiations or a pending lawsuit is common and usually manageable. Tell your lawyer and every insurer right away, file a change of address with the court if a case is pending and keep your medical care going without a gap. Your case normally stays in the county where it was filed. So plan for some travel or remote appearances.
Who Needs Your New Contact Details?
Start with your lawyer, if you have one, and any insurer handling a claim. That includes the other driver’s insurer and your own, which matters if you have a medical payments or uninsured motorist claim under your policy.
Send your new address, phone number and email in writing, and include the moving date. Because checks, forms and deadlines all travel by mail, a missed letter can cost you. Also, and your own policy has cooperation duties explained in how first-party insurance claims work.
Updating the Court After Moving During Injury Claim Litigation
California Rules of Court rule 2.200 says a party whose mailing address, phone or email changes in a pending case must serve all parties and file a written notice. Self-represented parties use form MC-040, which has a built-in proof of service page, the notice of change of address or other contact information.
An adult who is not part of the case mails a copy to the other side, or to its lawyer, and signs the proof of service. Finally, you file the original with the clerk. Filing costs nothing, and the California Courts guide to updating your address walks through it.
Your Case Does Not Move With You
Code of Civil Procedure section 395 normally places an injury case in the county where the defendant lives or where the injury happened. A case filed in Sacramento Superior Court usually stays there after you leave.
Transferring a case to a different court is a separate legal question with its own rules. Moving during your injury claim does not trigger it by itself.
How Far You May Need to Travel
California’s discovery rules set distance limits that matter after a move. A defense medical exam in an injury case must normally take place within 75 miles of your home under section 2032.220. If you move farther, the defense may ask the court to set the exam somewhere else.
Similarly, depositions have a distance rule. Under section 2025.250, a deposition of a person is normally held within 75 miles of where the person lives, or within the county where the case is pending and within 150 miles of the person’s home. A move out of state can change where and how a deposition happens. Raise it with your lawyer early.
Appearing Remotely When Moving During a Pending Injury Claim
Section 367.75 of the same code lets a party in a civil case appear remotely after giving notice to the court and other parties, with some exceptions. A judge can require an in-person appearance in certain situations, like a poor video connection.
Its notice form is RA-010. Courts post their own remote hearing steps, and the remote court hearings page explains the basics. But trial usually means coming back in person.
Keeping Medical Care Steady During an Injury Claim After Moving
Gaps in treatment can hurt your health and give an insurer room to argue you recovered. Ask your current doctors for referrals, a care summary and copies of your records ahead of the move.
Arrange care with new providers quickly and tell your lawyer or adjuster who they are. Also keep every new bill in the same file. Unpaid bills and liens follow you, as described in how medical bills are handled before a settlement.
A Sacramento Example
Here is a hypothetical. A nurse hurt in a crash on Watt Avenue files suit in Sacramento and accepts a job in Portland. She files form MC-040, moves her physical therapy to an Oregon clinic and sends the new provider names to her lawyer.
When the defense asks for a medical exam in Sacramento, her lawyer raises the 75-mile rule. Both sides agree on an examiner closer to Portland, and she appears for most hearings by video.
Moving Checklist
- Tell your lawyer and each insurer your new contact details in writing
- File and serve form MC-040 with the court
- Collect copies of medical, billing and pay records
- Book appointments with new doctors ahead of any lapse
- Ask about travel and remote options for upcoming events
- Forward your mail through the U.S. Postal Service
Copies of photos and records protect you if old providers become hard to reach. Tips on storage are in how to preserve accident evidence.
Common Questions
Will moving out of state end my claim?
No. A claim belongs to you wherever you live. Also, the lawsuit typically stays in the California court where it was filed, and your lawyer can usually handle much of the work remotely.
Does moving change my filing deadline?
No. Your two-year deadline for most injury lawsuits keeps running wherever you live. File on time, even in the middle of a move. A public agency claim has a six-month deadline, and that clock does not pause for a move either.
Can I switch doctors without hurting my claim?
Yes, as long as the care continues. Insurers look for gaps, not changes. Keep records from both the old and new providers and make sure the new doctor receives your full history from the first visit.
A move does not end a claim, but it adds paperwork. Anyone moving during an injury claim should update everyone in writing, keep care continuous and plan for exams and hearings. More basics are in the personal injury hub.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Laws and deadlines change and every case is different. Talk with a licensed California attorney about your situation.