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Los Angeles Personal Injury Lawyers

Los Angeles recorded 303 traffic deaths in 2024, according to preliminary Los Angeles Police Department data. Pedestrian deaths alone accounted for 170 of those fatalities, more than half of all traffic deaths in the city. Los Angeles now has more pedestrian and cyclist fatalities than the other four most populated U.S. cities, and traffic deaths in L.A. have grown faster than the national average over the past decade. The city’s Vision Zero pledge, adopted in 2015 with the goal of eliminating traffic fatalities by 2025, has gone the other direction. Total traffic deaths rose from 245 in 2016 to 303 in 2024.

Los Angeles is the largest city in California and the second-largest in the United States, with about 3.8 million residents and a Los Angeles County population of roughly 9.7 million, the most populous county in the nation. The city covers about 502 square miles, divided into 15 city council districts and patrolled by a Los Angeles Police Department of roughly 9,000 sworn officers across 21 community police stations. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the largest sheriff’s department in the United States with about 18,000 budgeted sworn and professional staff, serves the unincorporated areas of the county and 42 of the 88 incorporated cities. The transportation network includes Metro’s six rail lines and bus system, Metrolink commuter rail across Southern California, four major airports (LAX, Hollywood Burbank, Long Beach, and Ontario, plus Van Nuys for general aviation), and a freeway grid (I-5, I-10, I-101, I-110, I-405, I-105, I-710, I-210, and the State Routes) that carries some of the heaviest commuter and freight volumes in the country.

That density produces a distinctive injury caseload. Wrecks at the I-5 / I-405 / I-101 interchanges and on the East L.A. Interchange. Crashes on Pacific Coast Highway and along the canyon roads. Pedestrian deaths concentrated in South L.A., Downtown, and the San Fernando Valley. Falls on cracked sidewalks and broken curb ramps that have generated tens of millions of dollars in city liability over the past decade. Workplace injuries at the warehouses and logistics centers across the South Bay and the Inland Empire’s edge. Plus the steady volume of crashes on the surface arterials, including Sunset Boulevard, Wilshire Boulevard, Olympic Boulevard, Pico Boulevard, Vermont Avenue, Western Avenue, and Sepulveda Boulevard.

You shouldn’t have to take an insurance company’s first offer just because medical bills are piling up. You deserve an attorney who knows Los Angeles, knows the Los Angeles County Superior Court, and isn’t afraid to push back when an insurer won’t pay what your case is worth.

At DJC Law, our Los Angeles personal injury lawyers help accident victims and their families recover after serious injuries. If you were hurt in a wreck on the 5, the 10, the 101, the 405, the 110, or the 710, hit by a commercial truck moving freight to or from the Port of Los Angeles or the Port of Long Beach, struck while walking on Vermont, Western, Figueroa, or Sepulveda, injured at work, or harmed in any other accident caused by someone else’s negligence, we can help.

We work on contingency. You pay nothing unless we win. Call us today for a free, no-obligation consultation. Hablamos español.

What Is Personal Injury Law?

Personal injury law lets people who’ve been hurt by someone else’s negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct seek financial compensation for their losses. These are civil claims, separate from any criminal charges. They hold the responsible party accountable and help injured victims recover the money they need for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages.

Most personal injury cases come down to negligence. To win a negligence claim, you have to prove four things: that the defendant owed you a duty of care, that they breached that duty, that the breach caused your injuries, and that you suffered actual damages.

That sounds simple enough on paper. In practice, insurance companies spend a lot of time and money working to deny, delay, and minimize claims. In Los Angeles, you may also be dealing with a national trucking carrier moving freight along the I-5 corridor, the City of Los Angeles, the County of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), the Port of Los Angeles, Caltrans, the State of California, a hospital system, a movie studio or production company, a hotel or restaurant chain, a national rideshare carrier, or a major commercial property owner. Each comes with its own defense team. An experienced personal injury attorney can level the conversation and improve your chances of a fair recovery.

Why Choose DJC Law

Not every personal injury firm is the same. Here’s what sets DJC Law apart.

You Pay Nothing Unless We Win

We take personal injury cases on contingency. There are no upfront fees, and you owe us nothing unless we recover compensation for you. Our payment comes out of your settlement or verdict, so we only get paid when you do.

Personal Attention From Your Attorney

You won’t get handed off to a paralegal or left wondering what’s going on with your case. Our attorneys stay involved at every stage. We return calls. When you have a question, you’ll get an answer from the lawyer actually handling your case.

Bilingual Representation

About 49% of Los Angeles residents identify as Hispanic or Latino, with significant Mexican, Salvadoran, Guatemalan, Honduran, Cuban, and Argentine communities, plus large Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Armenian, Iranian, Russian, and Eastern European populations. The Los Angeles County Superior Court has expanded its language access program with translated materials and certified court interpreters in dozens of languages. Your attorney shouldn’t be a barrier to understanding your own case. Our team works in English and Spanish, so you can ask questions and make decisions in the language you’re most comfortable with.

Experience With L.A.’s Big-Defendant Cases

Los Angeles produces a kind of case mix you don’t see in smaller cities. A wreck on the 405 caused by an out-of-town driver. A pedestrian struck on Vermont Avenue or Western Avenue. A slip-and-fall in a Downtown high-rise office tower or a Beverly Hills hotel. A fall on a Metro Rail platform or a Metro bus crash. A construction injury on a high-rise jobsite. A drunk-driving crash leaving a Hollywood entertainment venue. A workplace injury at a Port of Los Angeles container terminal or an Amazon warehouse in the South Bay. A fall on a cracked Los Angeles sidewalk that the city has known about for years. Each of those cases comes with corporate or governmental defendants, layered insurance policies, and experienced defense teams. We’re comfortable building cases that involve multiple potentially responsible parties (driver, employer, premises owner, contractor, transit agency, security firm, government entity) rather than settling for the first or easiest target.

Trial-Ready Representation

Insurance companies and corporate defendants pay attention to which firms actually take cases to court. When they know we’re prepared to try a case, they’re a lot more willing to settle for a fair number. If they aren’t willing, we’re ready to put your case in front of a Los Angeles County jury at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse.

Local Knowledge, Local Commitment

We know the Los Angeles County Superior Court, the largest unified trial court system in the United States, with 38 courthouse facilities and more than 580 judicial officers handling roughly two million case filings each year. We know the federal courts in the Western Division of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California at the First Street U.S. Courthouse on West First Street. We know the dangerous corridors. From the East L.A. Interchange and the I-405 / I-101 junction at the Sepulveda Pass to the surface arterials of South L.A. and the canyon roads of the Santa Monica Mountains, we work cases here regularly.

Personal Injury in Los Angeles: By the Numbers

Los Angeles has approximately 3.8 million residents and Los Angeles County has more than 9.7 million, making it the most populous county in the United States. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT), and other public sources:

    • Los Angeles recorded 303 traffic deaths in 2024, with pedestrian deaths accounting for 170 of those fatalities, more than half of all traffic deaths in the city. By comparison, total traffic deaths in 2016 were 245, meaning fatalities have grown by roughly 24% over the past decade. Pedestrian fatalities rose from 88 in 2015 to 170 in 2024.
    • The city of Los Angeles has more pedestrian and cyclist fatalities than the other four most populated U.S. cities (New York, Chicago, Houston, and Phoenix), according to a 2023 UC Berkeley analysis. Traffic fatalities in L.A. grew faster than the national average over the past decade.
    • The City of Los Angeles adopted Vision Zero in 2015 with the goal of eliminating traffic deaths by 2025. A 2024 audit by KPMG, commissioned by the city, found that the program has been hampered by a lack of cohesion across departments, insufficient political support, and an imbalanced approach. Speeding was identified as the primary collision factor in roughly 40% of vehicle-only fatal collisions in the city.
    • The Los Angeles Police Department has roughly 9,000 sworn officers across 21 community police stations, with headquarters at 100 West First Street. Non-emergency dispatch is reachable at 1-877-275-5273 (1-877-ASK-LAPD) or by dialing 311.
    • The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, led by Sheriff Robert G. Luna (sworn in as the 34th Sheriff in December 2022), is the largest sheriff’s department in the United States, with about 18,000 budgeted sworn and professional staff. The LASD provides police services to 42 of the 88 incorporated cities in the county, plus the unincorporated areas (about 3 million residents across 3,171 square miles).
    • Los Angeles is served by four Level I Adult Trauma Centers within or immediately adjacent to the city. Los Angeles General Medical Center (formerly LAC+USC Medical Center, renamed in 2023) at 2051 Marengo Street is a 600-bed Level I Adult Trauma Center and Level II Pediatric Trauma Center, one of the largest academic medical centers in the United States. Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center at 757 Westwood Plaza is a Level I Adult Trauma Center and Level II Pediatric Trauma Center, with UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital on the same campus serving as a Level I Pediatric Trauma Center. Cedars-Sinai Medical Center at 8700 Beverly Boulevard is a Level I Adult Trauma Center. Harbor-UCLA Medical Center at 1000 West Carson Street in unincorporated West Carson is a Level I Adult Trauma Center serving the South Bay.
    • The Level I Pediatric Trauma Centers serving Los Angeles are Children’s Hospital Los Angeles at 4650 Sunset Boulevard (the only freestanding Level I pediatric trauma center in Los Angeles County) and UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital. Several Level II trauma centers serve other parts of the city and county, including Providence Holy Cross (Mission Hills), Northridge Hospital Medical Center, Long Beach Memorial, Saint Mary Medical Center (Long Beach), Saint Francis Medical Center (Lynwood), Henry Mayo Newhall (Santa Clarita), Huntington Hospital (Pasadena), and California Hospital Medical Center (Downtown).
    • The Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles is the largest unified trial court system in the United States, with 38 courthouse facilities, more than 580 judicial officers, and roughly two million case filings annually. Civil cases for the City of Los Angeles are typically heard at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, 111 North Hill Street, with personal injury hub courts that handle PI case management on a centralized docket.

Dangerous Roads and Locations in Los Angeles

If your wreck happened on one of these corridors, you’re not alone. They show up in LAPD reports, LADOT crash data, and California Highway Patrol records year after year:

    • Interstate 5 (the Golden State / Santa Ana Freeway): The major north-south freeway running through the heart of Los Angeles, connecting the San Fernando Valley to Downtown to Orange County. The I-5 corridor through the East L.A. Interchange (where I-5, I-10, U.S. 101, and SR-60 converge) is one of the most heavily trafficked freeway junctions in the world and a recurring crash site.
    • Interstate 405 (the San Diego Freeway): The major north-south freeway running along the Westside, through the Sepulveda Pass over the Santa Monica Mountains, and down to LAX and the South Bay. The I-405 / I-101 interchange at the Sepulveda Pass is one of the most congested freeway junctions in the country.
    • U.S. 101 (the Hollywood / Ventura Freeway): The major freeway running northwest from Downtown through Hollywood and over Cahuenga Pass into the San Fernando Valley. U.S. 101 carries heavy commuter volume and is a frequent site of multi-vehicle crashes.
    • Interstate 10 (the Santa Monica Freeway): The major east-west freeway running from Santa Monica to Downtown to the Inland Empire. I-10 between Santa Monica and Downtown is one of the most heavily trafficked freeway segments in the United States.
    • Interstate 110 (the Harbor / Pasadena Freeway): The freeway running south from Downtown to the Port of Los Angeles, plus the historic Pasadena Freeway segment north of Downtown with its tight 1940s-era curves and short on-ramps. The Pasadena Freeway segment has well-known geometric design issues that contribute to recurring crashes.
    • Interstate 710 (the Long Beach Freeway): The freight spine connecting the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach to the Inland Empire intermodal yards. I-710 carries some of the heaviest commercial truck volumes of any freeway in the United States, and truck-involved fatal crashes on I-710 are a recurring concern.
    • Interstate 105 (the Century Freeway): The east-west freeway running along the south side of LAX, connecting I-405 to I-605. The I-105 / I-110 interchange and the LAX entrance ramps are heavy crash zones.
    • Interstate 210 (the Foothill Freeway): The east-west freeway running along the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, connecting Sylmar to Pasadena and the Inland Empire. I-210 includes long uphill grades where heavy trucks slow traffic and rear-end crashes are common.
    • Vermont Avenue, Western Avenue, Figueroa Street, and Sepulveda Boulevard: Four of the longest and busiest north-south surface arterials in the city. Vermont Avenue and Western Avenue, in particular, run through some of the highest pedestrian-fatality concentrations in South L.A. Sepulveda Boulevard runs more than 40 miles from the San Fernando Valley to Long Beach, paralleling the I-405 for much of its length.
    • Sunset Boulevard, Wilshire Boulevard, Olympic Boulevard, and Pico Boulevard: The major east-west surface streets running across the Westside, Hollywood, and Downtown. Sunset Boulevard’s curving alignment between Beverly Hills and the Pacific Coast Highway includes multiple high-crash blocks.
    • Pacific Coast Highway (SR-1): The coastal route through Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and the South Bay. PCH includes long stretches with limited shoulders, frequent driveway access points, and a heavy mix of commuter, tourist, and beachgoer traffic. Fatal pedestrian and motorcycle crashes on PCH are a recurring concern.
    • Mulholland Drive and the canyon roads: Laurel Canyon, Coldwater Canyon, Beverly Glen, Topanga Canyon Boulevard, and Mulholland Drive include narrow, winding alignments through the Santa Monica Mountains, with heavy motorcycle traffic on weekends and recurring single-vehicle and roadway-departure crashes.
    • The Port of Los Angeles, the Port of Long Beach, and the surrounding logistics corridors: The two ports together form the largest port complex in North America, with massive container volumes and corresponding heavy truck traffic on Alameda Street, the I-710, the I-110, Terminal Island, and the connector roads.
    • The LAX terminal access roads: The terminal access roads, parking structures, rental car facilities, and Sepulveda Tunnel access at Los Angeles International Airport see heavy commercial freight, taxi, and rideshare traffic 24 hours a day.

Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle

Our Los Angeles personal injury attorneys take on a wide range of cases. If you’ve been hurt because of someone else’s negligence, we can help.

Car accidents are the single most common cause of serious injury in Los Angeles. Distracted driving, speeding, drunk driving, and fatigue cause hundreds of thousands of crashes in Los Angeles County every year. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) identifies all four as leading contributors to fatal crashes nationwide. Texting while driving and handheld phone use while driving are illegal under California Vehicle Code §§ 23123 and 23123.5. [internal-link: car-accidents]

Truck accidents involving 18-wheelers, tanker trucks, and other commercial vehicles are a regular part of our practice. Los Angeles is the largest port complex in North America, with the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach producing some of the heaviest truck volumes in the country, particularly on the I-710, I-110, and Alameda corridors. These cases are governed in part by federal regulations enforced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), including hours-of-service rules, drug and alcohol testing, hazmat handling rules, and maintenance standards. There are usually multiple parties who can be held liable, including the driver, the motor carrier, brokers, shippers, and maintenance providers. [internal-link: truck-accidents]

Motorcycle accidents tend to leave riders with severe injuries because they don’t have the protection of an enclosed vehicle. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has long reported that motorcyclists are killed at far higher rates than passenger-vehicle occupants per mile traveled. California permits lane splitting under specific circumstances, which adds another layer of fault analysis to motorcycle crash investigations. Insurance companies often try to use that risk against riders, and we push back hard. [internal-link: motorcycle-accidents]

Pedestrian accidents are the single biggest concern in Los Angeles injury law. 170 pedestrians were killed in the city in 2024, accounting for more than half of all traffic fatalities. Drivers in California have a duty to yield to pedestrians at marked and unmarked crosswalks under California Vehicle Code § 21950, and we hold them responsible when they don’t. We also pursue claims tied to inadequate crosswalks, missing pedestrian signals, and other roadway design issues, including claims against the City of Los Angeles, Caltrans, the County of Los Angeles, or other governmental authorities where applicable. [internal-link: pedestrian-accidents]

Bicycle accidents are common across L.A.’s growing bike-lane network. Cyclists are particularly vulnerable on multilane corridors like Vermont Avenue, Western Avenue, Sunset Boulevard, and Venice Boulevard, plus along the Pacific Coast Highway. We represent injured cyclists, including dooring victims, and pursue full compensation under California law. [internal-link: bicycle-accidents]

Metro, Metrolink, and bus accidents, including Metro Rail crashes and station injuries, Metro bus collisions, Metrolink commuter rail incidents, school buses, charter buses, and shuttle operators, come with their own complications. Public transit cases face California Government Claims Act limitations and are also subject to a higher common-carrier duty of care. Metro is part of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, a public entity. [internal-link: bus-accidents]

Rideshare accidents involving Uber, Lyft, and other transportation network companies are particularly common in Los Angeles because of the heavy reliance on rideshare around LAX, Hollywood, the Westside entertainment districts, Downtown, and the Sunset Strip. These cases can involve overlapping insurance coverage that depends on whether the driver was logged into the app, en route to a passenger, or actively transporting one. We help injured riders, drivers, and third parties figure out which policy applies and pursue full recovery. [internal-link: rideshare-accidents]

Premises liability cases come up when a dangerous condition on someone else’s property causes an injury. California premises liability law follows the framework set out in Rowland v. Christian (1968) 69 Cal.2d 108, which imposes a unified duty of reasonable care on owners and occupiers of property, weighed against a multi-factor balancing test. That includes slip and falls, hotel and restaurant injuries, swimming pool incidents, falls in Metro stations and Metrolink platforms, falls on stairs and escalators, and assault cases tied to inadequate security at apartment complexes, parking garages, and bars. Sidewalk and curb-ramp injuries against the City of Los Angeles are a particularly large category in L.A. injury practice, since the city has been on notice for decades about its cracked and broken sidewalks and has paid out tens of millions of dollars in liability. [internal-link: premises-liability]

Construction and workplace accidents happen across the constant high-rise, infrastructure, transit, and warehouse construction in greater L.A. The Downtown skyline build-out, the LAX modernization, the ongoing Metro Rail extensions, the Inglewood SoFi Stadium and Intuit Dome construction completion, and routine commercial and residential construction all generate workplace and motorist injuries. Many of these cases involve violations of Cal/OSHA workplace safety standards, scaffolding and ladder failures, falling object incidents, equipment manufacturer claims, and third-party contractor liability. The California Workers’ Compensation Act generally bars suits against an injured worker’s direct employer, but third parties (other contractors, equipment makers, premises owners) often remain liable. [internal-link: construction-accidents]

Dog bites can cause serious physical injuries and lasting emotional trauma. California follows a strict liability rule for dog bites under California Civil Code § 3342, meaning the owner is generally liable for an attack regardless of whether the dog had bitten anyone before. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year in the United States, with hundreds of thousands needing emergency care. [internal-link: dog-bites]

Product liability cases involve injuries caused by defective or dangerous products. California follows a strict-liability framework for defective products under Greenman v. Yuba Power Products (1963) 59 Cal.2d 57. That includes vehicle defects (which can sometimes be tracked through NHTSA’s recall database), defective industrial equipment, and dangerous consumer goods regulated by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. [internal-link: product-liability]

Wrongful death claims allow surviving family members to seek compensation when a loved one is killed because of another party’s negligence or misconduct. These claims are governed by California Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60 et seq., with a separate survivor cause of action under CCP § 377.30 et seq. covering damages the decedent could have recovered if they had survived. [internal-link: wrongful-death]

If your situation isn’t on this list, call us anyway. Personal injury law covers a lot of ground, and we’d rather hear about your case and tell you straight whether we can help.

Common Injuries in Personal Injury Cases

Accidents can cause anything from temporary pain to permanent disability. We represent clients who have suffered:

    • Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
    • Broken bones and fractures
    • Back, neck, and whiplash injuries
    • Herniated discs and soft tissue damage
    • Internal organ damage
    • Burns and scarring
    • Amputation and loss of limbs
    • Knee, shoulder, and joint injuries
    • Cuts, lacerations, and disfigurement
    • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other psychological injuries

Some injuries are obvious right away. Others, like concussions, internal bleeding, and soft tissue damage, can take days or even weeks to fully show up. That’s why getting medical attention as soon as possible after an accident matters. It protects your health, and it documents your injuries early. Los Angeles is fortunate to have four Level I Adult Trauma Centers within or immediately adjacent to the city: Los Angeles General Medical Center (formerly LAC+USC, renamed in 2023) on Marengo Street, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Westwood, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Beverly Grove, and Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in West Carson. The Level I Pediatric Trauma Centers serving Los Angeles are Children’s Hospital Los Angeles at 4650 Sunset Boulevard (the only freestanding pediatric Level I in the county) and UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital at the Ronald Reagan campus. EMS protocols decide which trauma center you go to based on your injuries and location.

Compensation Available in a California Personal Injury Case

California law lets injured victims recover both economic and non-economic damages. Depending on the case, punitive damages may also be available.

Economic Damages

These are the financial losses you can document with bills, pay stubs, and receipts:

    • Medical expenses: Past and future treatment, hospital stays, surgeries, medication, rehab, and home care
    • Lost wages: Income you couldn’t earn while recovering
    • Loss of earning capacity: Reduced ability to earn in the future because of permanent impairments
    • Property damage: Repair or replacement of your vehicle and other damaged belongings
    • Out-of-pocket expenses: Transportation to medical appointments, home modifications, and other accident-related costs

Non-Economic Damages

These are losses that don’t come with a receipt but are just as real:

    • Pain and suffering: Physical pain caused by your injuries and their treatment
    • Emotional distress: Anxiety, depression, and psychological trauma stemming from the incident
    • Disfigurement: Permanent scarring or physical changes to your appearance
    • Loss of enjoyment of life: Inability to take part in activities and hobbies you used to enjoy
    • Loss of consortium: The impact your injuries have had on your relationship with your spouse
    • Inconvenience and physical impairment: Limitations on your physical abilities and daily activities

Punitive damages are available in California for cases involving oppression, fraud, or malice, proven by clear and convincing evidence under California Civil Code § 3294. Punitive damages are not available in most medical malpractice cases except in narrow circumstances. In cases where punitive damages are available, courts look closely at whether the conduct went well beyond ordinary negligence.

Medical malpractice damages caps. California’s Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA) caps non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases. Following AB 35 (signed in 2022, effective January 1, 2023), the cap on non-economic damages was raised from the original $250,000 to $350,000 for non-death cases and $500,000 for wrongful death cases, with annual increases of $40,000 per year (non-death) and $50,000 per year (wrongful death) until reaching $750,000 (non-death) and $1,000,000 (wrongful death) by 2033. Economic damages are not capped.

How California Negligence Law Works

Understanding the basics of California negligence law helps you understand your case. Here are the key ideas.

Proving Negligence

To win a personal injury case, you have to prove four things:

Duty of care. The defendant had a legal obligation to act reasonably to avoid causing harm. Drivers have to operate their vehicles safely. Property owners have to keep their property in safe condition. Manufacturers have to produce safe products.

Breach of duty. The defendant didn’t live up to that duty. Running a red light, texting while driving (which is prohibited statewide under California Vehicle Code §§ 23123 and 23123.5), or ignoring a known hazard are all examples of a breach.

Causation. The breach actually caused your injuries. There has to be a clear connection between what the defendant did wrong and the harm you suffered.

Damages. You suffered real losses as a result. That can mean medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and other categories of harm.

California Pure Comparative Fault

California is a pure comparative fault state, established by the California Supreme Court in Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804. That means you can recover compensation even if you are partially at fault for the accident, no matter how much. Your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault, but there is no threshold that bars recovery.

For example, if you are 30% at fault and your damages total $100,000, you’d recover $70,000. If you are 75% at fault and your damages total $100,000, you’d still recover $25,000. That makes California one of the most plaintiff-favorable jurisdictions in the country on comparative fault, far more so than states like Texas (51% bar) or Illinois (50% bar) that bar recovery once the plaintiff’s share of fault crosses a threshold.

Insurance companies still work hard to push fault onto victims, because every percentage point reduces what they have to pay. Our attorneys fight to keep your share of fault as low as the evidence supports.

The Personal Injury Claims Process

Every case is a little different, but most personal injury claims follow a similar path.

Investigation and evidence gathering. We dig into how the accident happened. That includes police reports (LAPD crash reports can be requested through the LAPD Records and Identification Division at 100 West First Street, by mail through the LAPD Records online portal, or directly through the responding officer), medical records, witness statements, photographs, and any other evidence that supports your claim. Crashes on the I-5, I-405, U.S. 101, and the rest of the freeway grid often involve California Highway Patrol reports rather than LAPD reports, since CHP has primary jurisdiction on freeways. Caltrans camera footage and incident management logs from the freeway system can be lost in days if no one preserves them. Wrecks on the Westside, in Hollywood, on the Sunset Strip, in Downtown, or near Staples Center / Crypto.com Arena may have private security camera coverage from venues, restaurants, and bars, each with its own short retention windows.

Medical treatment documentation. We work to make sure your injuries are fully documented by medical professionals. Solid documentation is what proves the value of your damages later.

Demand and negotiation. Once we know the full extent of your damages, we send a demand to the insurance company and negotiate for fair compensation.

Filing a lawsuit. If the insurer won’t make a fair offer, we file suit. Most personal injury cases involving Los Angeles residents are filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, with civil cases in the Central District typically heard at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, 111 North Hill Street, on a centralized personal injury hub docket. Federal cases involving Los Angeles residents are filed in the Western Division of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California at the First Street U.S. Courthouse, 350 West First Street.

Discovery. Both sides exchange information, take depositions, and gather more evidence under the California Code of Civil Procedure (in state court) or the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (in federal court).

Mediation, arbitration, or settlement. A lot of cases settle during litigation, often through mediation. Many Los Angeles County Superior Court personal injury cases go through court-connected mediation programs before any trial.

Trial. If the case doesn’t settle, we present it to a jury and ask for the verdict your case deserves.

Through all of this, we keep you in the loop. You’ll always know what’s happening and what your options are.

Dealing with Insurance Companies

After an accident, you’ll probably hear from an insurance adjuster who sounds friendly and concerned. Don’t read too much into the tone. The adjuster’s job is to keep their company from paying any more than it has to. The California Department of Insurance publishes consumer guides and complaint procedures if you ever feel an insurer is treating you unfairly.

Common insurance company tactics include:

    • Asking for a recorded statement they can later use against you
    • Requesting broad medical authorizations so they can dig for pre-existing conditions
    • Pushing a quick settlement before you know the full extent of your injuries
    • Disputing how serious your injuries are or claiming they aren’t related to the accident
    • Dragging things out, hoping you’ll accept less out of financial pressure
    • Trying to push more fault onto you to reduce your recovery under California’s pure comparative fault rule

Before you talk to any insurance company, talk to an attorney first. Once we’re involved, we handle communications with insurers for you. Trucking companies, rideshare carriers, transit agencies, hotel chains, and other large defendants all have dedicated claims handlers and rapid-response teams that show up at the scene of major incidents to start collecting statements and lining up favorable witnesses. The same advice applies.

Statute of Limitations: How Long You Have to File

California sets strict deadlines for filing personal injury claims. Under California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1, you generally have two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. The same two-year period generally applies to wrongful death claims under CCP § 335.1. Miss that deadline and you usually lose your right to recover, period.

Some situations have shorter or different deadlines, and the most important difference for Los Angeles residents involves claims against governmental defendants. Because L.A. is full of governmental defendants (the City, the County, Metro, Caltrans, the LAUSD, the Port of Los Angeles, LAX, the Department of Water and Power, and many more), governmental claims come up far more often here than in most California cities.

Claims against public entities, including the City of Los Angeles, the County of Los Angeles, Metro (LACMTA), the Port of Los Angeles, Los Angeles World Airports (LAX), the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the Los Angeles Unified School District, the Los Angeles Community College District, the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, and most other local public bodies, are governed by the California Government Claims Act, Government Code § 810 et seq. The most important rule is Government Code § 911.2, which requires you to file a written claim with the public entity within six months of the injury, not two years. After the public entity rejects your claim (or has 45 days to act), you generally have six months from the rejection (or two years from the injury, whichever is later) to file suit. Miss the six-month claim filing deadline and your case is gone.

Claims against the State of California (including Caltrans, California State Universities, the California Highway Patrol, and other state agencies) follow a similar Government Claims Act process through the California Department of General Services Government Claims Program.

Medical malpractice claims have a special statute of limitations under CCP § 340.5: three years from the date of injury or one year from when you discovered (or reasonably should have discovered) the injury, whichever is earlier. Plus, before filing suit, you have to give the defendant 90 days’ notice of intent to sue under CCP § 364.

Claims involving minors may have extended deadlines under California tolling rules, but the Government Claims Act six-month deadline still applies in most public-entity cases involving minors.

Don’t sit on your case waiting to see if your injuries get better. Even if you’re not ready to file a lawsuit, talking to a lawyer early makes sure you understand which deadline applies to your case.

Steps to Take After an Accident in Los Angeles

If you’ve been hurt in any kind of accident, the steps you take afterward can protect both your health and your legal rights.

    1. Get medical attention right away. Call 911 if anyone is seriously hurt. Los Angeles is served by four Level I Adult Trauma Centers in or near the city: Los Angeles General Medical Center at 2051 Marengo Street (formerly LAC+USC), Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center at 757 Westwood Plaza in Westwood, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center at 8700 Beverly Boulevard, and Harbor-UCLA Medical Center at 1000 West Carson Street in West Carson. Pediatric trauma cases go to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles on Sunset Boulevard or UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital. EMS protocols decide which trauma center you go to based on your injuries and location.
    2. Report the accident. If the crash happened inside Los Angeles city limits, call 911 to get an officer to the scene. The Los Angeles Police Department non-emergency line is 1-877-275-5273 (1-877-ASK-LAPD), and the city’s general non-emergency services number is 311. Headquarters is at 100 West First Street. Crashes on the freeways are typically worked by the California Highway Patrol, with multiple CHP area offices serving the L.A. region. Crashes in unincorporated parts of L.A. County or in one of the 42 contract cities served by LASD are handled by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department under Sheriff Robert Luna.
    3. Document everything. Take photos of the accident scene, your injuries, property damage, road conditions, and traffic signs. Note the time of day, the weather, and the direction you were traveling.
    4. Get witness information. Collect names, phone numbers, and email addresses from anyone who saw what happened. Crashes downtown, in Hollywood, in tourist areas, near Staples Center / Crypto.com Arena, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, or LAX often have witnesses from out of state, so get their contact information before they leave.
    5. Request your crash report. California Traffic Crash Reports (CHP 555 form) are typically available within 10 to 14 business days of the crash. LAPD crash reports can be obtained through the LAPD Records and Identification Division at 100 West First Street. CHP reports are available through the CHP records process. Standard reports are typically available for a small fee.
    6. Keep records. Save all medical bills, prescription receipts, mileage logs to and from appointments, and pay stubs that show the work you missed.
    7. For trucking and commercial cases, act fast. These defendants typically have rapid-response teams that arrive at the scene within hours. Evidence like driver logs, ECM (engine control module) data, surveillance footage, and maintenance records can be lost or overwritten in days. A spoliation letter from your lawyer puts the company on notice to preserve that evidence. The Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach generate enormous truck volumes on the I-710 and I-110, which means truck cases here are common and high-stakes.
    8. For governmental cases, calendar the deadlines immediately. Claims against the City of Los Angeles, the County of Los Angeles, Metro, LAX, the Port of Los Angeles, LAUSD, Caltrans, or any other public entity have six-month claim filing deadlines under the California Government Claims Act, far shorter than the standard two-year statute of limitations. Missing the six-month deadline can defeat an otherwise strong case before it ever starts.
    9. For sidewalk and curb-ramp cases, document the defect. The City of Los Angeles has paid out tens of millions of dollars over the past decade for sidewalk and curb-ramp injuries. Take photos of the cracked sidewalk, the displaced slab, the broken curb ramp, the missing handrail, or the unsafe transition that caused your fall, with measurements showing the height differential. We use this evidence to establish prior notice to the city.
    10. Don’t give a recorded statement. If the other driver’s insurance company asks for one, politely say no until you’ve spoken with an attorney.
    11. Don’t sign anything. Insurance companies sometimes hand over releases or settlements that look routine but quietly waive your rights. Have a lawyer look at it first.
    12. Call a personal injury attorney. The sooner you have legal representation, the better protected your case is, especially if a public entity may be involved.

How Our Los Angeles Personal Injury Lawyers Help

Trying to handle a personal injury claim while you’re still recovering from a serious injury is exhausting. Our team takes the legal work off your plate so you can focus on getting better.

We investigate the accident, gather the evidence we need to prove liability and damages, and handle every conversation with the insurance companies. When a case calls for it, we bring in medical experts, accident reconstructionists, biomechanical engineers, vocational economists, and life-care planners to help build it.

We also calculate the full value of your losses, including future expenses and the kinds of non-economic damages that are easy to undercount. Then we negotiate hard for fair compensation. We also prepare every case as if it’s going to trial, because the cases that look ready for trial almost always settle for more.

If the insurance company won’t pay what your case is worth, we go to court.

Frequently Asked Questions About Los Angeles Personal Injury Cases

How much does it cost to hire a personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles?

Nothing upfront. We work on contingency, which means we only get paid if we recover compensation for you. Our fee comes as a percentage of your settlement or verdict. If we don’t win, you don’t pay. The consultation is free.

How long do I have to file a personal injury lawsuit in California?

Generally two years from the date of injury under California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1. But California has unusually short deadlines for governmental defendants. Claims against the City of Los Angeles, the County of Los Angeles, Metro, the Port of Los Angeles, LAX, LAUSD, Caltrans, and most other public bodies have six-month claim filing deadlines under the California Government Claims Act, before suit can even be filed. Don’t assume your deadline based on the general rule. Have an attorney confirm it.

My wreck happened on the 405, the 5, the 101, or the 110. Why does that matter?

The freeway system is owned and maintained by Caltrans (the California Department of Transportation), and the California Highway Patrol has primary law enforcement jurisdiction on freeways, not the LAPD or the LASD. That affects which agency’s crash report is the official document, where to obtain it, and which roadway-design and maintenance records may be relevant if Caltrans contributed to the cause of the wreck. Freeway cases also often involve heavier truck volumes, higher speeds, and more complex multi-vehicle reconstruction work than surface-street cases. Caltrans incident-management camera footage and traffic management center data have short retention windows. We move quickly to preserve those records.

I tripped on a cracked sidewalk in Los Angeles. Can I sue the city?

Maybe. The City of Los Angeles has long had widespread sidewalk and curb-ramp problems, and the city has paid out tens of millions of dollars in sidewalk-injury liability over the past decade, including a major Willits ADA settlement in 2015 that committed billions of dollars over 30 years to sidewalk repairs. Sidewalk-injury cases against the city are governed by the California Government Claims Act, which requires you to file a written claim with the city within six months of the fall. The case turns on whether the defect was “dangerous” within the meaning of Government Code § 835, whether the city had actual or constructive notice, and whether the city had reasonable time to fix it. Document the defect with photographs and measurements, and call us. The six-month claim filing deadline is unforgiving.

I was hit by a Metro bus, a Metro Rail train, or in a Metro station. What’s different about that case?

A lot. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is a public entity, which means claims against it are governed by the California Government Claims Act. You have to file a written claim with Metro within six months of the injury under Government Code § 911.2 before you can sue. Metro bus drivers and rail operators are also held to a higher common-carrier duty of care under California law, which is helpful if your case stays in court. We move fast on Metro cases to make sure every claim filing and procedural deadline is met.

Does California have a dram shop law?

Mostly no, in contrast to many other states. Under California Business and Professions Code § 25602, sellers and furnishers of alcohol are generally not liable for injuries caused by intoxicated patrons. The major exception is liability for serving an obviously intoxicated minor under Business and Professions Code § 25602.1, which still allows a civil claim against a licensee. Social hosts also cannot generally be held liable for injuries caused by intoxicated guests under Civil Code § 1714(c), again with a narrow minor exception. So while drunk-driving crashes are common in Los Angeles, the path to recovery generally runs through the drunk driver and that driver’s insurance, not the bar that served them, except in cases involving minors.

My crash happened in Los Angeles but the at-fault driver lives in Burbank, Pasadena, Long Beach, or somewhere else nearby. Where do I file?

Generally either Los Angeles County (where the wreck happened) or the county where the at-fault driver lives is a proper venue under California’s general venue statute (CCP § 395). Most L.A. wrecks involve Los Angeles County venue, but if the at-fault driver lives in Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, or Ventura County, those venues may also be available. We talk through venue strategy early in the case.

I was hit by an 18-wheeler on the 710 or the 110 near the ports. What’s different about a truck case?

A lot. Commercial trucks are governed by federal regulations from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that don’t apply to passenger vehicles, including hours-of-service rules, driver qualification files, drug and alcohol testing, and equipment inspection requirements. There are also typically multiple potentially responsible parties, including the driver, the trucking company, the freight broker, the shipper, and any maintenance contractor. Liability and insurance coverage in a truck case are usually much larger than in a typical car wreck, and the trucking company will have a defense team on the scene fast. We move just as fast to preserve evidence like ECM downloads, driver logs, dispatch records, and dashcam footage. The Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach are the largest port complex in North America, generating enormous truck volumes on the I-710 and I-110.

I was hit by an Uber or Lyft driver in Los Angeles. Whose insurance covers me?

It depends on what the driver was doing at the time of the wreck. If the rideshare app was off, the driver’s personal auto policy applies (and rideshare drivers often have policies that exclude coverage when driving for hire, which can leave a gap). If the app was on but the driver hadn’t accepted a ride, Uber and Lyft typically provide limited contingent coverage. If the driver had accepted a ride or had a passenger in the car, the rideshare company’s $1 million liability policy usually applies. L.A.’s heavy reliance on rideshare around LAX, Hollywood, the Sunset Strip, Downtown, the Westside entertainment districts, and major event venues means these layered-coverage questions come up constantly. We work through them and identify all available coverage.

Is California a no-fault state for car accidents?

No. California is an at-fault (or “tort”) state. The driver who caused the wreck, and that driver’s insurance company, is responsible for the damages. That’s different from no-fault states, where each driver typically files with their own insurer regardless of who caused the wreck. In California, fault investigation and the police or CHP crash report often shape the outcome of your case.

What is the minimum auto insurance required in California?

California raised its minimum auto insurance requirements on January 1, 2025, under Senate Bill 1107 (the Protect California Drivers Act). The new minimums are 30/60/15, meaning $30,000 per injured person, $60,000 per accident, and $15,000 for property damage. The previous limits, set in 1967, were 15/30/5. The new minimums also apply to uninsured motorist (UM) coverage. The 30/60/15 limits will increase again in 2035 to 50/100/25. Even at the new higher minimums, the limits often aren’t enough to cover serious injuries from a freeway wreck, which is why purchasing higher UM/UIM coverage matters so much.

How long will my case take?

It depends. Some cases settle within months. Others take a year or more, especially if litigation is needed. Cases with disputed liability, severe injuries, governmental defendants, or commercial parties generally take longer. Los Angeles County Superior Court has a heavy civil docket, and personal injury cases there are managed through the personal injury hub courts on a centralized docket. We work to resolve your case as quickly as we reasonably can without rushing it past a fair result.

What if I was partially at fault for my accident?

You can still recover compensation. California is a pure comparative fault state under Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975), which means you can recover even if you are mostly at fault. Your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault, but there is no threshold that bars recovery. If you are 30% at fault and your damages are $100,000, you’d recover $70,000. If you are 75% at fault and your damages are $100,000, you’d still recover $25,000. That’s a major difference from most other states, and it’s a real advantage for California injury victims.

Should I accept the insurance company’s settlement offer?

Not without talking to an attorney first. Initial offers are almost always far below what your case is worth. Once you sign a release, you can’t reopen the claim, even if your injuries turn out to be more serious than you thought. Have a lawyer review any offer before you sign anything.

How much is my case worth?

Every case is different. Value depends on the severity of your injuries, your past and future medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, the strength of the evidence, and the available insurance coverage. We can give you a more accurate range after we review the specifics of your case in a free consultation.

Are personal injury settlements taxable in California?

According to IRS Publication 4345, the part of a personal injury settlement that compensates you for physical injuries or physical sickness is generally not taxable. Portions allocated to lost wages, interest, or punitive damages can be taxable. California state income tax follows the federal rule for most categories of injury settlement proceeds, but you should always confirm tax treatment with a CPA.

What if the other driver doesn’t have insurance?

You may still have options. Your own uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage may apply. As of January 1, 2025, California’s minimum UM coverage matches the new 30/60 liability minimums. Other parties, like an employer if the at-fault driver was on the job, may also share liability. We look at every angle for compensation.

Where do I get my Los Angeles accident report?

You can request your LAPD crash report through the LAPD Records and Identification Division at 100 West First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Reports filed by the California Highway Patrol on the freeway system can be requested through the CHP records process. Reports filed by the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department can be requested through the LASD Records and Identification Bureau. If we represent you, we’ll handle getting the report as part of our investigation.

Helpful Los Angeles and California Resources

If you’ve been hurt in an accident in Los Angeles, these public resources may be useful:

    • Los Angeles Police Department. Emergencies 911, non-emergency 1-877-275-5273 (1-877-ASK-LAPD). Headquarters: 100 West First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. About 9,000 sworn officers across 21 community police stations.
    • Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Sheriff Robert G. Luna (34th Sheriff, sworn in December 2022). The largest sheriff’s department in the United States, with about 18,000 budgeted sworn and professional staff.
    • California Highway Patrol. Primary law enforcement jurisdiction on California freeways, with multiple area offices serving the L.A. region.
    • Los Angeles’s Four Level I Adult Trauma Centers: Los Angeles General Medical Center (Marengo Street), Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center (Westwood), Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (Beverly Grove), and Harbor-UCLA Medical Center (West Carson). Pediatric Level I: Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (Sunset Boulevard) and UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital.

Contact Our Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorneys Today

If you’ve been hurt because of someone else’s negligence, you don’t have to take on the insurance companies on your own. The Los Angeles personal injury lawyers at DJC Law have the experience and the resources to go to bat for you.

Reach out for a free consultation. We’ll listen to your story, walk you through your options, and help you figure out what to do next. There’s no obligation, and you don’t pay us anything unless we win. Hablamos español.

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