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Los Angeles
Car
Accident Lawyer.
Hurt on an LA freeway or surface street? We take on the insurers and pursue every dollar your claim is worth — no fee unless we win.
As Featured In & Trusted By
- Los Angeles Times
- ABC
- The Wall Street Journal
Why Los Angeles Victims Choose AA.law
Why Los Angeles Car Accident Victims Choose Us.
The local track record matters. Here's ours.
Start a Free Case Review- Proven Results Hundreds of millions recovered for injury victims across California.
- Available 24/7 Speak with an attorney anytime, day or night — in English or Spanish.
- No Fee Guarantee You pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
- Local Los Angeles Expertise Deep familiarity with LA County Superior Court, the freeway network, and the carriers that dominate the Southern California market.
Car Accidents in Los Angeles, By the Numbers.
Los Angeles County carries more traffic than any other county in the United States. Dense surface-street grids, round-the-clock freeway volume, and long commutes combine to make collisions a daily reality across the region.
Know the Risk
Where Los Angeles Crashes Happen.
A handful of freeways and surface corridors account for a disproportionate share of severe collisions in LA. Open any location to see the patterns we see there.
Major Freeways & High-Risk Corridors
One of the most heavily travelled freeways in the country. Stop-and-go volume through the Sepulveda Pass produces frequent rear-end and sideswipe collisions.
Heavy east-west commuter and commercial traffic, with merging conflicts at the I-405 and US-101 interchanges.
Tight lanes, short on-ramps, and dense weaving through Hollywood and downtown contribute to multi-vehicle crashes.
A primary freight corridor for the state. Large-truck involvement raises the severity of collisions along this route.
A high-speed coastal route with limited shoulders and heavy pedestrian, cyclist, and motorcycle activity.
High-Injury Surface Corridors
A long north-south corridor that appears repeatedly on the city's High Injury Network, with frequent pedestrian involvement.
Wide lanes and high travel speeds through South LA and downtown are associated with severe injury collisions.
Heavy transit and pedestrian activity combined with high traffic volume across multiple neighborhoods.
Runs the length of the county alongside the 405, carrying overflow traffic and frequent left-turn conflicts.
A major Westside arterial where bicycle and pedestrian collisions are a recurring pattern.
Emerging Patterns
Crash Trends Unique to Los Angeles.
LA claims increasingly involve these collision types — each carrying its own liability questions and insurance layers that demand a thorough investigation.
- Uber & Lyft rideshare vehicles
- Delivery and gig-economy fleet drivers
- Port of LA and Long Beach freight trucking
- Pedestrian collisions on High Injury Network corridors
- Distracted driving in stop-and-go freeway traffic
- E-scooter, e-bike, and motorcycle lane-splitting crashes
The Insurers We Negotiate With Daily
Southern California drivers are concentrated with Mercury (headquartered in Los Angeles), Farmers (headquartered in Woodland Hills), the Automobile Club of Southern California, State Farm, Wawanesa, Allstate, GEICO, and Progressive. Each evaluates LA claims differently. We know which adjusters discount soft-tissue injuries, how each carrier treats medical liens, and when filing suit is the only thing that moves a stalled negotiation.
Know Your Rights
California Legal Facts.
The California rules that shape every Los Angeles car accident claim. Several deadlines are far shorter than people expect.
Talk to an AttorneyCalifornia Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1 generally gives injured victims two years from the date of the collision to file a personal injury lawsuit.
Claims against a public entity — an LA Metro bus, a city or county vehicle, or a dangerous roadway condition — generally require a written claim within six months under the Government Claims Act. Missing that window can end the claim entirely.
California follows a pure comparative fault rule. You can recover even if you were mostly at fault, with your award reduced by your own percentage of responsibility. There is no 50% cutoff as in many other states.
California requires drivers to report a collision to the DMV on form SR-1 within 10 days when anyone is injured or killed, or when property damage exceeds $1,000 — separate from any police report.
California's minimum auto liability limits rose on January 1, 2025 to $30,000 per person, $60,000 per accident, and $15,000 property damage. Older policies may still carry the previous, much lower limits — which is why we review every available policy.
Most Los Angeles car accident lawsuits are filed in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, with civil matters commonly heard at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse downtown. The correct courthouse depends on where the crash happened and where the parties live.
Where We Work
Los Angeles Accident Hotspots, Mapped.
Each part of the county produces a different kind of collision. Open a region to see the neighborhoods, patterns, and local insight we bring to those cases.
NeighborhoodsDowntown, Koreatown, Echo Park, Boyle Heights
Typical patterns
- Pedestrian collisions
- Rideshare crashes
- Red-light and left-turn collisions
Local insightSeveral downtown and Koreatown corridors sit on the city's High Injury Network, and dense camera coverage often means recoverable third-party video.
NeighborhoodsSanta Monica, Venice, Brentwood, Westwood, Culver City
Typical patterns
- Bicycle and e-scooter collisions
- I-405 and I-10 rear-end crashes
- Parking and driveway conflicts
Local insightWestside collisions frequently involve multiple municipalities, which changes who holds the crash report and which claim deadlines apply.
NeighborhoodsVan Nuys, Sherman Oaks, Northridge, Encino, Woodland Hills
Typical patterns
- US-101 and I-405 freeway crashes
- Wide-arterial speeding collisions
- Intersection and left-turn crashes
Local insightValley cases are commonly heard at the Van Nuys courthouse, and the area's wide boulevards are associated with higher-speed impacts.
NeighborhoodsSouth LA, Watts, San Pedro, Wilmington, Harbor Gateway
Typical patterns
- Commercial truck collisions
- Pedestrian injuries
- High-speed arterial crashes
Local insightPort of Los Angeles and Long Beach freight traffic moves through this region constantly, so truck cases here often involve carriers, brokers, and federal safety regulations.
NeighborhoodsEast Los Angeles, Alhambra, El Monte, Pasadena, Monterey Park
Typical patterns
- I-10 and I-710 freeway crashes
- Intersection collisions
- Multi-vehicle pileups
Local insightUnincorporated pockets of East LA are patrolled by the Sheriff's Department rather than LAPD, which changes where the collision report is obtained.
Los Angeles Car Accident Results
Recent Los Angeles Settlements & Verdicts.
The Short Version
Key Takeaways.
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Los Angeles County records more traffic collisions than any other county in California, concentrated on freeways such as the 405, 10, 101, and 5, and on High Injury Network corridors including Vermont, Figueroa, and Western.
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California generally allows two years from the date of the collision to file a personal injury lawsuit — but a claim against a public entity such as LA Metro usually must be filed within six months.
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California uses pure comparative negligence, so you may still recover compensation even if you were largely at fault, with your award reduced by your share of responsibility.
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Drivers must file an SR-1 with the DMV within 10 days of a collision involving injury, death, or more than $1,000 in property damage — a requirement separate from the police report.
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A Los Angeles car accident lawyer can help identify every applicable policy, preserve freeway and business camera footage before it is overwritten, and pursue compensation for medical costs, lost income, and pain and suffering.
Immediately After Your Crash
What to Do After a Los Angeles Crash.
What happens in the first few days shapes both your recovery and your claim. These steps protect your health and preserve the evidence your case depends on.
Get a Free Case ReviewCollisions on the freeways — the 405, 10, 101, 5, or 110 — are handled by the California Highway Patrol. Crashes on surface streets inside the city are handled by the Los Angeles Police Department.
In unincorporated areas and many surrounding cities, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department or that city's own police department has jurisdiction. Knowing which agency responded determines where your report is obtained.
Insurers scrutinize any gap between the collision and your first treatment. If paramedics recommend transport, accept it. Otherwise seek evaluation the same day if you can. LA County trauma centers include:
- LAC+USC Medical Center
- Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
- Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Early documentation is often what ties your injuries to the collision when the carrier disputes causation.
California also requires you to file form SR-1 with the DMV within 10 days when there is injury, death, or property damage over $1,000. Alongside that, obtain and preserve:
- The CHP or LAPD traffic collision report
- Medical records and bills
- Photographs of the scene, vehicles, and injuries
- Witness names and contact information
- Insurance details for every party involved
We can request the collision report and handle the DMV filing for you.
Footage disappears fast. Caltrans freeway cameras, city intersection cameras, business surveillance, dashcams, and vehicle event data recorders are frequently overwritten within days or weeks.
Collisions near dense commercial areas — Downtown, Koreatown, Hollywood, Santa Monica, or along the 405 and 101 — often have recoverable third-party video, but only if someone requests it quickly. We send preservation letters immediately.
Trusted Care
Los Angeles-Area Verified Trauma Centers.
After a serious crash, paramedics route you to the nearest verified trauma center rather than the nearest hospital. Treatment at a Level I center also strengthens the medical record behind your damages.
LA County jurors give substantial weight to records from the county's Level I centers — we build the damages case around them.
- LAC+USC Medical Center Boyle Heights · LA County's public trauma center Level I
- Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center Westwood · Westside and the 405 corridor Level I
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Beverly Grove · Central and West Los Angeles Level I
- Harbor-UCLA Medical Center West Carson · South Bay and the Harbor area Level I
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles East Hollywood · Pediatric trauma Level I
- Providence Holy Cross Medical Center Mission Hills · North San Fernando Valley Level II
- Northridge Hospital Medical Center Northridge · West San Fernando Valley Level II
- We Listen Tell us what happened so we can understand your situation and how we can help.
- We Explain Get clear answers about your options so you can understand your rights and make informed decisions.
- You Decide Choose what feels right for you. There is no pressure or obligation to move forward.
Client Testimonials
Hear From Our Clients.
We're Here to Help.
These FAQs are a good place to start.
The value of an LA car accident claim turns on the severity of your injuries, your medical expenses, lost income, future treatment needs, and how the collision has changed your day-to-day life. Cases involving permanent impairment, traumatic brain injury, or spinal cord injury generally resolve for considerably more than soft-tissue claims. Because California applies pure comparative fault, the way liability is apportioned also affects the final figure. An experienced Los Angeles car accident lawyer can review the facts and estimate the full value of your damages.
California generally allows two years from the date of the collision. The critical exception is a claim against a public entity — an LA Metro bus, a city or county vehicle, or a dangerous road condition — which usually requires a written government claim within six months. Because that deadline is so much shorter, speak with an attorney as early as possible.
A substantial share of California drivers carry no insurance. You may still recover through your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, and we review every policy that could apply — including household policies, employer coverage, and rideshare policies — to find all available compensation.
Yes, in most cases. California requires form SR-1 to be filed with the DMV within 10 days whenever someone is injured or killed, or property damage exceeds $1,000. This obligation is separate from the police report, and missing it can affect your driving privileges. We routinely handle the filing for our clients.
It depends on who responded. Freeway collisions are handled by the California Highway Patrol; crashes on city surface streets are handled by the LAPD; unincorporated areas fall to the Sheriff's Department. Each agency has its own request process and timeline. Our team identifies the correct agency and obtains the report for you.
Rideshare coverage changes depending on what the driver was doing at the moment of the crash — offline, waiting for a request, en route to a pickup, or carrying a passenger. Each phase triggers a different layer of coverage. We establish which phase applied and pursue the full policy available.
Most LA car accident lawsuits are filed in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, with many civil matters heard at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse downtown. Cases arising in the San Fernando Valley, the South Bay, or the San Gabriel Valley are often assigned to a regional courthouse instead, depending on where the collision occurred and where the parties reside.
Yes. California follows pure comparative negligence, which means you can recover even if you were mostly responsible — your award is simply reduced by your percentage of fault. Unlike states with a 50% bar, there is no threshold that eliminates your claim outright. Insurers know this and often overstate a claimant's share of fault, which is one of the things we push back on.
We work on a contingency-fee basis. The consultation is free, you pay nothing up front, and we are paid only if we recover compensation for you.
Most claims settle without a trial. We still prepare every case as though it will be tried — and if the carrier refuses a fair settlement, we are ready to take it before an LA County jury.
No Fee Unless We Win
Injured in a Los Angeles Car Accident?
Don't face the insurers alone. Get a free case review today — available 24/7, in English and Spanish.
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