What to Do After a Car Accident in Los Angeles

Step 1: Check for Injuries and Call 911

Your first priority after any Los Angeles car accident is safety. Check yourself and passengers for injuries, then call 911 immediately. Under California Vehicle Code §20008, you are required to file a report with the California Highway Patrol (CHP) or local police if anyone is injured or killed. In the City of Los Angeles, that means calling LAPD at 1-877-ASK-LAPD or 911.

Even if injuries seem minor, insist that an officer respond and create a written report. The LAPD Collision Report (LAPD Form 3.1) documents critical facts: road conditions, witness names, citations issued, and the officer's preliminary findings on fault. This report will be one of the most important documents in your claim.

Step 2: Stay at the Scene — Never Leave

California Vehicle Code §20001 makes it a felony to flee the scene of an accident involving injury. Even in a fender-bender, leaving before exchanging information is a misdemeanor under CVC §20002. Remain at the scene, move vehicles to a safe location if possible (out of traffic), and turn on hazard lights.

In Los Angeles, many accidents occur on high-traffic corridors like the I-405, I-10, US-101, and on surface streets through Hollywood, Koreatown, and the South Bay. If you're on a freeway, pull fully onto the shoulder — LAPD and CHP both respond to freeway incidents, though jurisdiction depends on whether you're within city limits.

Step 3: Exchange Information With All Parties

California law requires you to provide your name, address, driver's license number, vehicle registration, and insurance information to anyone involved in the crash. Collect the same from every other driver. Specifically, you need:

• Full legal name and address
• Driver's license number and state of issue
• License plate number and vehicle VIN
• Insurance company name and policy number
• Contact information for all passengers and witnesses

Photograph everything — both sides of every driver's license and insurance card. These photos are invaluable if someone provides incorrect information.

Step 4: Document the Scene Thoroughly

Modern smartphones make scene documentation straightforward but most people underutilize them. Beyond photographing vehicle damage, capture:

• All four corners of every vehicle involved
• Skid marks, gouge marks, and debris fields
• Traffic signals, signs, and lane markings
• Road conditions (wet pavement, potholes, construction)
• Any visible injuries on all parties
• Surrounding businesses that may have surveillance cameras
• Nearby intersections and landmarks for GPS reference

In Los Angeles, LADOT operates over 4,500 signalized intersections, many with cameras. Your attorney can subpoena this footage — but only if it's preserved quickly before it overwrites.

Step 5: Seek Immediate Medical Attention

This step is non-negotiable. Even if you feel fine, adrenaline suppresses pain and many serious injuries — whiplash, traumatic brain injury (TBI), spinal cord damage, and internal bleeding — may not manifest for 24–72 hours. A gap in medical treatment is one of the most common arguments insurance companies use to reduce or deny claims.

Los Angeles Area Emergency Rooms

If you're injured in an LA car accident, here are major trauma centers and emergency hospitals that serve the area:

• LAC+USC Medical Center (1200 N State St, Los Angeles) — Level I Trauma Center
• Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (8700 Beverly Blvd, West Hollywood) — 24/7 ER
• Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center (757 Westwood Plaza, Westwood) — Level I Trauma
• Providence Saint John's Health Center (2121 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica)
• Keck Hospital of USC (1500 San Pablo St, Los Angeles)
• Dignity Health California Hospital (1401 S Grand Ave, Downtown LA)

If your injuries are not life-threatening, urgent care centers like CityMD, AFC Urgent Care, and Concentra also provide documented evaluations that are acceptable for insurance purposes.

Step 6: California's Minimum Auto Insurance Requirements

California requires all drivers to carry minimum liability coverage of 15/30/5 under Insurance Code §11580.1b — meaning $15,000 per person, $30,000 per accident, and $5,000 for property damage. However, the state's minimum is among the lowest in the nation, and major injuries routinely exceed these limits.

In January 2025, California raised minimums to 30/60/15 for new policies. Despite this, nearly 17% of California drivers remain uninsured according to the Insurance Research Council. Your own uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage becomes critical when the at-fault driver is uninsured or underinsured. An InjuryAllies attorney can help you pursue all available coverage sources.

Step 7: Report the Accident to Your Own Insurance

California requires you to promptly report accidents to your own insurer under the terms of your policy — but this is different from giving a recorded statement to the other driver's insurer. You generally must cooperate with your own carrier. However, you are not obligated to give a recorded statement to the adverse party's insurance company before retaining counsel.

When you call your insurer, provide basic facts only: date, time, location, and the other party's insurance information. Do not speculate about fault, minimize your injuries, or characterize the accident beyond the basic facts. Let your attorney handle substantive communications with all insurers.

Step 8: When to Call a Car Accident Lawyer

The honest answer: immediately. The best time to call a personal injury attorney is before you speak with any insurance adjuster — including your own — about the merits of your claim. Here's why timing matters:

• Evidence disappears quickly: Traffic camera footage is often overwritten in 24–72 hours. Skid marks fade. Witnesses forget.
• Insurance adjusters are not your friends: Their job is to minimize payouts. Anything you say can and will be used to reduce your settlement.
• Medical records need to be preserved: Your attorney will immediately send preservation letters to hospitals and imaging centers.
• California's 2-year statute of limitations (CCP §335.1): While two years sounds like a long time, cases take time to build properly. Starting immediately gives your attorney maximum leverage.

At InjuryAllies, the consultation is always free and you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. There is no risk in calling.

Los Angeles Car Accident Statistics

Los Angeles County ranks among the most dangerous jurisdictions for vehicle collisions in the United States. According to the California Highway Patrol's Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS):

• Los Angeles County records over 50,000 injury collisions per year
• The I-405 (San Diego Freeway) and I-10 (Santa Monica Freeway) are among the most crash-prone corridors in California
• High-injury intersections are concentrated in areas including East LA, South Central, Hollywood, and the San Fernando Valley
• Distracted driving and speeding are the leading contributing factors

The Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) Vision Zero program tracks high-injury network streets — which account for 6% of LA's street miles but 65% of traffic fatalities. If your accident occurred on a documented high-injury corridor, that context can support your claim for damages.

Internal Resources

Learn more about your specific situation:

• Los Angeles Car Accident Lawyers — Practice Overview
• How Much Is My Car Accident Settlement Worth in California?
• California Personal Injury Statute of Limitations
• How to Deal With Insurance Companies After an Accident
• Comparative Fault in California — What It Means for Your Case

Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is formed by reading this content. Every case is different; past results do not guarantee similar outcomes. If you have been injured, contact a licensed California personal injury attorney to discuss the specific facts of your situation. InjuryAllies is a California-licensed law firm.