Carson Personal Injury Lawyer
Carson is its own city, but it has no city police department: the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Carson Station patrols it. That shapes an injury claim in two ways. A claim involving a city street or other City property goes to the Carson City Clerk, while a crash with a sheriff’s patrol car is a claim against the County. Either claim is generally due within six months. Carson is also crossed by three of the region’s busiest freeways, the 405, the 110, and the 91, where the CHP handles crashes and the State answers for the road.
Jon Olsson is a Carson personal injury lawyer who takes on freeway and street crashes, truck collisions, dog bites, and injuries on unsafe property, and he works on every case himself. Meeting with him costs nothing, and there’s no attorney’s fee unless we recover compensation for you.
What to Know About a Carson Injury Claim
- Time limit for a lawsuit: for most injuries, two years (CCP § 335.1).
- City of Carson claims: six months is the general limit (Gov. Code § 911.2). File the City’s form with the City Clerk at 701 E. Carson St., either in person Monday through Thursday or by mail.
- Sheriff’s Department claims: because the Sheriff’s Department is run by the County, the claim is presented to the Executive Officer of the Board of Supervisors at 500 W. Temple Street, Room 383, again generally within six months.
- Freeway claims against the State: for the 405, 110, and 91, Caltrans’s district office takes claims up to $12,500, and the Government Claims Program takes larger ones.
- Courthouse: injury cases from Carson are generally heard at the Compton Courthouse, 200 W. Compton Blvd., in Los Angeles Superior Court’s South Central District.
- Insurance minimums: California drivers must carry at least $30,000 per injured person and $60,000 per crash in bodily injury coverage.
- If you were partly at fault: your award shrinks by your share of the blame, but your claim survives (Li v. Yellow Cab Co.).
- Fees: no attorney’s fee unless we recover compensation for you.
Why Jon’s Corporate Defense Experience Helps Your Carson Personal Injury Claim
Jon spent the early part of his career on the other side of injury cases, so he knows how insurers and their lawyers will size up your claim. Before founding Olsson Law, he spent six years at a large international law firm defending companies in complex litigation, including serious injury and product liability matters. He then joined a Los Angeles personal injury firm, where he represented injured people in motor vehicle collisions, dangerous property conditions, public entity cases, and disputed liability matters. That background tells him what evidence moves a defense lawyer, and what they look for to justify paying less.
Jon stays directly involved from your first consultation through the resolution of your case, and works to reduce medical bills and liens so more of any settlement goes to you.
- Education: Georgetown University Law Center (J.D.); New York University (B.A.)
- Bar admissions: California, Texas, and Massachusetts
- Community: member of the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, and the South Bay Bar Association
Prior Results
- $3.85 million: wrongful death settlement
- $700,000: car accident, back and neck injuries
- $400,000: slip and fall, knee injury
These results include matters personally handled by Jon Olsson at prior law firms and matters in which he participated as part of a legal team. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Read more about Jon Olsson, our approach, and prior results.
How Many People Are Hurt in Carson Crashes?
Carson’s injury count has climbed every year since 2020, reaching 427 people killed or injured in 2023, the highest of the five years below. Older pedestrians stand out: in 2023 Carson ranked 13th of 103 similar cities for pedestrians 65 and older hurt or killed.
The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) compares Carson with other California cities of 50,001 to 100,000 people and ranks them by injuries and deaths for their size, with No. 1 the worst (OTS methodology).
| Year | Killed or injured (rank) | Pedestrians (rank) | Pedestrians 65+ (rank) | Bicyclists (rank) | Motorcyclists (rank) | Speed-related crashes (rank) | Cities ranked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 427 (45th) | 27 (49th) | 7 (13th) | 13 (86th) | 15 (74th) | 70 (27th) | 103 |
| 2022 | 325 (79th) | 22 (60th) | 4 (43rd) | 15 (79th) | 15 (77th) | 52 (69th) | 104 |
| 2021 | 282 (85th) | 33 (29th) | 6 (19th) | 8 (91st) | 12 (83rd) | 53 (65th) | 105 |
| 2020 | 242 (93rd) | 22 (44th) | 5 (23rd) | 6 (101st) | 20 (54th) | 41 (83rd) | 106 |
| 2019 | 279 (92nd) | 24 (61st) | 1 (95th) | 11 (89th) | 11 (70th) | 49 (85th) | 105 |
These totals include only reported crashes. Speed-related crashes also rose, from 41 in 2020 to 70 in 2023, moving Carson from 83rd of 106 cities in 2020 to 27th of 103 in 2023. 2023 is the most recent year OTS has ranked.
Carson Freeway Traffic Counts
Caltrans traffic counts show some of the heaviest freeway traffic in the South Bay on the freeways through Carson:
| Freeway segment | Vehicles a day (2024) |
|---|---|
| 405, Avalon Boulevard to the 110 | 270,000 |
| 405, Carson Street to Avalon Boulevard | 232,000 |
| 110, Torrance and Del Amo Boulevards to the 405 | 221,000 |
| 110, Carson Street to Torrance and Del Amo Boulevards | 209,000 |
| 91, the 110 to Avalon Boulevard | 194,000 |
Each figure is the 2024 annual average of daily traffic in both directions, the most recent year Caltrans has released. Trucks are a large share of that traffic: Caltrans estimates about 18,000 trucks a day on the 91 just east of Avalon Boulevard, about 9% of all vehicles there.
Carson Traffic Hazards to Know
The 405 and 110 interchange. The 405 carries 270,000 vehicles a day as it approaches its interchange with the 110 in Carson. Freeway crashes are handled by the CHP, not the Sheriff’s Department.
Event days at Dignity Health Sports Park. On game days, Cal State Dominguez Hills warns drivers to avoid the Avalon Boulevard exits from the 405 and 91, and some left turns into campus may be prohibited. The university directs event-day drivers to alternate entrances on Victoria Street, University Drive, and Central Avenue.
Trucks and industry on the east side. The Carson operations of the Marathon Los Angeles Refinery sit at 2350 E. 223rd Street, and the 91 near Avalon Boulevard carries roughly 18,000 trucks a day. A crash with a commercial truck often involves the trucking company’s insurer and more than one responsible party. See our truck accident page.
Older pedestrians. Carson’s ranking for pedestrians 65 and older hurt or killed was 13th of 103 cities in 2023. Drivers must yield to pedestrians crossing in any marked crosswalk or in an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection (Veh. Code § 21950). Learn more about pedestrian accident claims.
Who Handles a Carson Injury Claim?
A claim against a private driver, property owner, or business can be filed in court for up to two years. A claim against the City, the County, or the State starts with a written claim to that agency, usually due in six months.
| If the injury involved | Agency responsible | Send the claim to |
|---|---|---|
| A Carson street, sidewalk, park, or other City property or vehicle | City of Carson | City Clerk, 701 E. Carson St., Carson, CA 90745, in person Monday through Thursday or by mail, on the City’s claim form |
| A sheriff’s patrol car or other County vehicle or property | County of Los Angeles | Executive Officer of the Board of Supervisors, Attn: Claims, 500 W. Temple St., Room 383, Los Angeles, CA 90012 |
| The condition of the 405, 110, or 91 | State of California (Caltrans) | Up to $12,500: Caltrans’s district claims office. Larger: the Government Claims Program |
| A store, shopping center, apartment complex, or other private property | The owner or business | Usually the owner’s liability insurer; a lawsuit must generally be filed within two years |
When an agency denies a claim in writing, the deadline to sue is generally six months from that notice (Gov. Code § 945.6). Suing over a dangerous street or sidewalk generally requires proof that the agency created the danger, or knew or should have known about it with enough time to repair it (Gov. Code § 835).
Injury Cases Jon Handles in Carson
- Freeway crashes on the 405, 110, and 91: the CHP writes the report, and if the road itself played a part, a claim against the State may be due within six months. See our car accident page.
- Truck accidents: with roughly 18,000 trucks a day on the 91 near Avalon Boulevard, truck crashes often mean a commercial insurer, a trucking company, and its records.
- Event-day crashes: traffic around Cal State Dominguez Hills and Dignity Health Sports Park on game days.
- Pedestrian accidents: OTS counted 22 to 33 pedestrians killed or injured in Carson each year from 2019 through 2023.
- Motorcycle and bicycle accidents: 11 to 20 motorcyclists and 6 to 15 bicyclists were killed or injured in Carson each year over the same period.
- Crashes with sheriff’s vehicles: a claim against the County, not the City.
- Dog bites: a dog’s owner is generally liable for a bite whether or not the dog had bitten before (Civ. Code § 3342).
- Premises liability and slip and falls: injuries caused by unsafe conditions at businesses and rental properties.
- Wrongful death: claims by family members who lost someone in a crash or other incident.
After an Injury in Carson: First Steps
- Get medical care right away. Call 911 for serious injuries. Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, just west of Carson, is a Level I trauma center.
- Report it to the right agency. On Carson streets, that’s the Carson Sheriff’s Station, 21356 S. Avalon Blvd., (310) 830-1123; on the 405, 110, or 91, the CHP. A driver in a crash that injures anyone generally must report it within 24 hours (Veh. Code § 20008).
- Gather evidence. Take pictures of the vehicles, the scene, and your injuries, collect witnesses’ contact information, and ask nearby businesses to hold onto any video.
- File an SR-1 with the DMV within 10 days if anyone was hurt or the damage topped $1,000.
- Get legal advice first before an insurer records your statement or asks you to sign anything.
How to Get a Carson Crash Report
For a crash on Carson streets, the report comes from the Sheriff’s Department: LASD releases traffic collision reports to the people involved through the station that took the report, so contact the Carson Station. Crashes on the 405, 110, or 91 are documented by the CHP, which takes report requests through an online portal or on form CHP 190. Olsson Law can order the report for you.
Jon’s Approach to Carson Injury Claims
- Finding everyone responsible: a driver, a trucking company, a property owner, the City of Carson, the County, or Caltrans, each with its own deadline.
- Locking down evidence: the Sheriff’s or CHP report, scene photos, video before it’s recorded over, and witness accounts.
- Proving your losses: medical records and bills, lost pay, and doctors’ opinions on the care you’ll need.
- Finding the coverage: the at-fault party’s liability policy and your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (Ins. Code § 11580.2).
- Resolving it: negotiation backed by a documented demand and, if that fails, a lawsuit. Injury lawsuits are generally filed in the court district where the injury happened, which for Carson is the South Central District’s Compton Courthouse.
More on how personal injury claims work.
Carson Injury Questions
Who Investigates a Crash on Carson Streets?
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, through its Carson Station. Carson doesn’t have its own police force. On the 405, 110, and 91, the CHP investigates instead.
I Was Hit by a Sheriff’s Patrol Car in Carson. Who Do I File Against?
The County of Los Angeles, not the City of Carson, because the Sheriff’s Department is a County department. A written claim to the County is generally due within six months.
Where Would My Carson Injury Lawsuit Be Filed?
Generally, Los Angeles Superior Court’s South Central District, at the Compton Courthouse, 200 W. Compton Blvd. The court generally assigns new injury cases to the district where the injury happened.
A Dog Bit Me in Carson. Who Do I Report It To?
Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control, through its Carson/Gardena Animal Care Center, 216 W. Victoria St., (310) 523-9566. The owner is generally liable for the bite even if the dog never bit anyone before.
What Does It Cost to Hire Jon for a Carson Injury Case?
Nothing up front. Jon works for a percentage of what he recovers for you, so if there’s no recovery, there’s no attorney’s fee. California requires that kind of fee agreement to be in writing (Bus. & Prof. Code § 6147).
Call Jon About Your Carson Injury
Deadlines for claims against the City, the County, or Caltrans are generally six months, and surveillance video can be erased much sooner. Call Jon Olsson at (310) 304-4756 or send us a message for a free consultation. You’ll owe no attorney’s fee unless we recover compensation for you.
Jon also handles injury cases in Torrance, Gardena, San Pedro, and throughout Los Angeles.
This page provides general information about personal injury claims in Carson. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Deadlines and rules can change and may depend on the facts of your case.