Car Accident Attorney Los Angeles

Los Angeles Car Accident Lawyer

LA Injury Lawyers represents people injured in car accidents throughout Los Angeles. Our legal team investigates the collision, preserves evidence, identifies every available source of insurance and documents how the injuries affect your health, work and family. Consultations are free, and accepted cases are handled on a contingency-fee basis.

A serious crash can leave you dealing with medical appointments, a damaged vehicle, missed work and pressure from insurance adjusters at the same time. If you need a car accident lawyer in Los Angeles, our team can protect the claim while you focus on your recovery. Call (818) 418-4000 or request a free case evaluation. Hablamos español.

Why Accident Victims Choose LA Injury Lawyers

• Evidence-first representation: We move quickly to preserve video, vehicle data, witness information, photographs and other time-sensitive proof.
• Insurance experience: Managing Attorney Ashton S. Cohen previously worked on complex disputes involving major corporations and insurers. That background informs how the firm evaluates coverage, defenses and settlement tactics.
• Direct communication: Clients receive clear explanations, realistic guidance and updates as the claim develops.
• Trial-ready case development: We prepare the liability and damages record needed for negotiation and, when appropriate, litigation.
• Local access: Our office is at 6200 Canoga Ave., Suite 310, Woodland Hills, California 91367, with service throughout Los Angeles.

No attorney fee unless we recover compensation for you. The written fee agreement controls the attorney-fee terms and explains responsibility for case costs.

Selected Firm-Wide Results

$5.2 million settlement Traumatic brain injury claim

$4.5 million settlement Car accident claim

These examples reflect firm-wide results. Every case depends on its facts, injuries, insurance and evidence. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

What Should You Do After a Car Accident in Los Angeles?

Your health and safety come first. If you can act without putting yourself or anyone else at risk, the following steps can protect both your recovery and the evidence:

1. Call 911 when anyone may be injured. Move to a safe location if it is possible and lawful to do so. Cooperate with responding officers, but do not guess about speed, distance or fault.
2. Exchange and document information. Record the drivers’ names, contact information, license plates, insurance details and vehicle descriptions. Photograph the final vehicle positions, damage, debris, traffic controls, roadway conditions and visible injuries.
3. Identify witnesses and cameras. Save names and contact information. Note nearby businesses, homes, buses or vehicles that may have captured video before recordings are overwritten.
4. Seek appropriate medical care. Some injuries are not obvious at the scene. Describe your symptoms and how the collision occurred, follow medical advice and keep records of treatment, restrictions and expenses.
5. Report the collision correctly. California DMV requires an SR-1 report within 10 days when someone is injured or killed or property damage exceeds $1,000. This is separate from a police or insurance report.
6. Be careful with insurance communications. Promptly notify your own carrier as required by the policy, but avoid speculation. You are not required to give the other driver’s insurer a recorded statement simply because an adjuster requests one.
7. Get legal guidance before evidence disappears. An attorney can send preservation demands, identify coverage and help prevent a quick settlement from closing the claim before the medical impact is understood.

How Is Fault Proven in a Los Angeles Car Accident Claim?

A crash does not prove negligence by itself. A claim must connect another party’s conduct to the collision, the injuries and the losses being claimed. The investigation may examine whether a driver was speeding, distracted, impaired, following too closely, making an unsafe turn or violating another safety rule.

California uses comparative fault. If an injured person shares responsibility, a fact finder may assign percentages of fault and reduce that person’s damages by the assigned percentage. The 2026 California civil jury instructions explain the comparative-fault framework. Because insurers often use incomplete statements or selected photographs to shift blame, a full reconstruction of the evidence matters.

Evidence That Can Strengthen a Car Accident Case

Who May Be Responsible for a Los Angeles Crash?

The driver who caused the collision may be responsible, but a complete investigation should not stop there. Depending on the facts, responsibility may also involve an employer whose worker was driving on the job, a vehicle owner, a rideshare or delivery company, a contractor, a vehicle or parts manufacturer, or a public entity responsible for a dangerous road condition. Claims involving government entities can require a formal administrative claim within a much shorter period.

Different collision types also create different evidence and insurance issues. Review our resources for commercial truck accidents, Uber and Lyft crashes, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian injuries and bicycle collisions.

What Insurance Coverage May Apply?

California’s minimum liability limits for most private passenger vehicles are now $30,000 for injury or death to one person, $60,000 for injury or death to more than one person, and $15,000 for property damage, according to the California DMV. Those limits may be inadequate after a serious injury, making coverage analysis a critical part of the case.

Potential coverage can include the other driver’s bodily injury policy, an employer or commercial policy, rideshare coverage, a vehicle owner’s policy, and your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. The California Department of Insurance explains that uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage may apply when the at-fault driver has no insurance or not enough insurance. A Los Angeles auto accident lawyer should review the policy language, exclusions, and the driver’s activity at the time of the crash before determining which coverage applies.

What Compensation Can a Car Accident Claim Include?

A claim should measure more than the first emergency room bill. Depending on the evidence, recoverable damages may include past and future medical expenses, lost income, reduced earning capacity, property damage, out-of-pocket expenses, physical pain, emotional distress and loss of enjoyment of life. In a fatal collision, eligible family members may have a wrongful death claim.

There is no dependable “average” Los Angeles car accident settlement. Value depends on liability, the nature and duration of the injuries, medical support, available insurance, prior conditions, future limitations and the credibility of the evidence. Serious injuries such as a traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injury require careful documentation of long-term care and functional impact.

How LA Injury Lawyers Handles a Car Accident Claim

1. Initial evaluation: We listen to what happened, identify urgent deadlines, and explain the next practical steps.
2. Preservation and investigation: We obtain reports, photographs, video, witness information, vehicle data and available insurance records.
3. Liability and coverage analysis: We assess fault, respond to blame-shifting and identify every potentially responsible party and policy.
4. Medical and financial documentation: We organize treatment, bills, wage loss, restrictions and evidence of future needs.
5. Demand and negotiation: When the claim is ready, we present the supporting evidence and negotiate from a documented position.
6. Litigation when appropriate: If the responsible parties do not make a reasonable offer, the firm can evaluate filing suit and prepare the matter for trial.

A claim is not the same as a lawsuit. Many matters are resolved through insurance negotiations, but filing may become necessary to protect the client’s rights or challenge a disputed claim. The strategy should reflect the evidence and the client’s goals, not a one-size-fits-all timeline.

How Long Do You Have to File a Car Accident Claim in California?

California Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1 generally provides two years for an action based on injury or death caused by another person’s wrongful act or neglect. Property-damage actions generally have a three-year period under section 338.

Shorter procedures may apply. A claim involving a public entity generally must be presented within six months under Government Code section 911.2. Other exceptions can extend or shorten the time. Do not wait for the general deadline: video can disappear, vehicles can be repaired, and witnesses can become unavailable long before the filing period expires.

Meet Managing Attorney Ashton S. Cohen

Ashton S. Cohen began his career in securities class actions and later represented major corporations and insurance carriers in complex disputes. He also served as general counsel before founding LA Injury Lawyers to represent injured people. His experience on both sides of high-stakes disputes supports a strategic approach to evidence, insurance defenses, and case preparation.

This testimonial reflects one client’s experience. It does not predict or guarantee the outcome of another case.

Car Accident Representation Across Los Angeles

This citywide pillar supports clients and local resources across the region. Explore car accident services in San Fernando Valley, Beverly Hills, Downtown Los Angeles, East Los Angeles, Hollywood, Inglewood, Ventura County, San Gabriel Valley, Santa Monica and Simi Valley.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I contact a Los Angeles car accident attorney?

Contacting an attorney early can help preserve video, vehicle data and witness evidence. It is especially important when injuries are serious, fault is disputed, several vehicles are involved, the driver was working, or an insurer requests a recorded statement or quick settlement.

What if I was partly at fault for the crash?

Partial fault does not automatically bar recovery in California. Compensation can be reduced by the percentage of responsibility assigned to you. Photographs, witnesses, traffic controls, vehicle data and expert analysis may affect that allocation.

How much is my Los Angeles car accident case worth?

No responsible lawyer can determine value from a single fact. The analysis should consider liability, injury severity, medical support, lost income, future limitations, available insurance and any defenses. A free case evaluation can identify the records needed for a more reliable assessment.

What if the at-fault driver was uninsured or left the scene?

Your own uninsured motorist coverage may apply, and other sources may exist. Report a hit-and-run promptly, preserve identifying details and avoid assuming there is no claim before the policies and surrounding facts are reviewed.

Will my car accident case go to trial?

Many claims resolve without trial. Litigation may be appropriate when fault, causation, injuries or value remain disputed. Preparing the claim carefully from the start improves the firm’s ability to negotiate and, if necessary, present the case in court.

Get a Free Consultation With a Los Angeles Car Accident Lawyer

Insurance companies begin evaluating a collision immediately. Your legal team should be just as deliberate. LA Injury Lawyers can review the crash, preserve evidence, identify coverage and explain the next step in plain language.

Call (818) 418-4000 or contact LA Injury Lawyers for a free case evaluation. Hablamos español. No attorney fee unless we recover compensation for you; the written fee agreement governs fees and case costs.

Prepared by the LA Injury Lawyers Editorial Team | Attorney profile: Ashton S. Cohen, Managing Attorney | Last substantially updated: August 6, 2026