After a car crash, you do have a certain amount of time in which to file a personal injury claim in California. However, exactly how much time you have depends on the circumstances of the crash. If your car crash involved you and another private party that is not attached to a governmental entity, you have two years to file your personal injury lawsuit.
However, if your crash involved someone who was working for a governmental entity, you only have six months to present your claim. You must also present your claim directly to the governmental entity in question.