Legal Question in Personal Injury in California

The sequence you have stated appears to be reasonable. You would file a separate lawsuit after you obtain a judgment. If you've never done a jury trial, it could be a daunting task to comply with not only the paperwork, but the rules of evidence, picking a jury, securing and compensating expert witnesses, etc. I would suspect that personal injury attorneys would probably take a case such as yours on a contingency basis, and would only be paid once there is an award. So, it might be something to consider, even at this later stage.

Yes, Robert is right. Why aren't you using an attorney?

I agree with Mr. Cohen and Mr. Marman. Please understand that it is very common for pro per litigants to make serious errors that undermine their cases. The insurer's refusal of your 998 demand suggests that they think you are going to lose. It's possible that they believe this because you have mishandled your case. You should at least review it with a lawyer to find out whether you have made any major mistakes and to learn what, if anything, you can do to correct them.

Good luck.