In Bell v. Tri-City Hospital Dist. (1987) 196 Cal.App.3d 438, the plaintiffs filed a lawsuit for damages against a public entity before having complied with the Act. (Bell v. Tri-City Hospital Dist., supra, at p. 441.) The plaintiffs applied to the public entity for leave to file a late claim under Government Code section 911.4. (Bell v. Tri-City Hospital Dist., supra, at p. 441.) After the public entity denied the late claim application, the plaintiffs successfully petitioned the trial court for relief from the written claim requirement. (Id. at p. 442.)