What to do after a car accident in Los Angeles

Short answer: after a car accident in Los Angeles, get medical care, call the police if anyone is hurt, photograph the scene, exchange driver and insurance details, report the crash to the DMV within 10 days if anyone was injured or damage exceeds $1,000, and avoid recorded statements to the other driver’s insurer until you have advice. Broukhim Legal PC, a car accident law firm in downtown Los Angeles, walks injured drivers, passengers and pedestrians through these steps in a free case review.

The checklist below follows California law and the way claims are actually decided in Los Angeles County, from the scene to the settlement.

At the scene

1. Check for injuries and call 911

Move to a safe spot if the cars are drivable, turn on hazard lights and call 911 if anyone is hurt. In the City of Los Angeles, the LAPD responds to injury collisions; on freeways and in unincorporated areas, the California Highway Patrol does. The officer’s Traffic Collision Report is often the first document an insurer asks for.

2. Stop and exchange information

California Vehicle Code section 20001 requires every driver in an injury collision to stop, give their name, address, license and registration, and help anyone injured. Collect the other driver’s name, phone number, license number, plate, insurer and policy number. If the other driver leaves, note everything you can and read our hit and run guide.

3. Photograph everything

• all vehicles, from four corners, before they are moved if it is safe,
• skid marks, debris, traffic lights, signs and the intersection layout,
• visible injuries, then again over the following days,
• the other driver’s license, plate and insurance card.

4. Find witnesses and cameras

Ask witnesses for a name and number. Look for doorbell cameras, gas station cameras, Metro buses and dashcams. Much of this footage is overwritten within days, so the request needs to go out early.

5. Say less

Be polite, but do not apologize or guess at fault. Under California’s pure comparative fault rule, any share of blame assigned to you reduces your recovery by that percentage, so casual statements at the scene matter.

In the first days

6. Get medical care, even if you feel fine

Adrenaline hides pain. Concussions, whiplash and back injuries often show up a day or two later. A gap between the crash and the first doctor visit is the most common reason an insurer offers less. If symptoms such as headaches, memory gaps or light sensitivity appear, read our page on brain injury claims.

7. Report the crash to the DMV within 10 days

Under Vehicle Code section 16000, every driver must file an SR-1 report with the DMV within 10 days when anyone was injured or killed or property damage to any one person exceeded $1,000. This applies whatever the fault and whether or not police came. Failing to file can lead to a license suspension.

8. Notify your own insurer

Your policy requires prompt notice. Report the facts. Ask whether you have medical payments coverage and uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, because these often pay when the other driver’s policy is too small.

9. Be careful with the other driver’s insurer

The other driver’s adjuster will ask for a recorded statement and medical authorizations. You are not required to give either. A broad medical authorization lets the insurer search years of unrelated records for a reason to discount the claim.

Building the claim

10. Keep a file

• the police report number and the claim numbers,
• every medical bill, receipt and visit summary,
• proof of missed work and lost income,
• repair estimates, rental and towing costs,
• a short weekly journal of pain, sleep and activities you cannot do.

11. Know the insurance limits

From January 1, 2025, the minimum liability insurance in California is $30,000 per person, $60,000 per accident and $15,000 for property damage (Senate Bill 1107). Many Los Angeles drivers carry only the minimum, so a serious injury often needs your own uninsured motorist coverage or another responsible party, such as an employer, a trucking company or a rideshare company.

12. Make sure your own car was insured

Under Proposition 213 (Civil Code § 3333.4), an owner who drove their own uninsured car, or a driver convicted of DUI for the crash, cannot recover pain and suffering, only economic losses such as medical bills and lost wages. Passengers are not affected.

13. Track the deadlines

The lawsuit deadline for an injury is two years, and only six months to file a claim if a city, county or Metro vehicle or road was involved. Our guide to California personal injury deadlines lists every date.

What a car accident claim in California can include

The value of a claim depends on the injury, the treatment, the evidence of fault and the insurance available. No honest lawyer can give a number before reviewing records.

When to call a lawyer

Call early if there was an ER visit or hospital stay, a fracture, a head, neck or back injury, a commercial or government vehicle, a rideshare car, a hit and run, or a dispute about who caused the crash. Broukhim Legal PC handles car accident claims in Los Angeles and across Los Angeles County on a contingency fee, so you pay no fee unless money is recovered. Attorney Bejan Broukhim is licensed by the State Bar of California (No. 183036). Call (310) 731-4824 or request a free case review, in English or Spanish.