Gardena Personal Injury Lawyer
Gardena runs its own police department and its own bus line, GTrans, so many injury claims here run through the City of Gardena. A claim involving a city street, a Gardena police vehicle, or a GTrans bus must be filed with the City Clerk, generally within six months. Gardena is also close to three busy freeways, the 405, 110, and 91, and in 2021 it ranked among the 10 worst California cities its size for people killed or injured in crashes.
Gardena personal injury lawyer Jon Olsson helps people injured in crashes, hit-and-runs, bus incidents, dog attacks, and falls in Gardena and across the South Bay. He handles each case himself, the first consultation is free, and there’s no attorney’s fee unless we recover compensation for you.
Gardena Injury Claims at a Glance
- Lawsuit deadline: generally two years after an injury (CCP § 335.1).
- Claims against Gardena: a written claim generally must reach the City Clerk within six months (Gov. Code § 911.2), on the City’s form, by mail or hand delivery to City Hall, 1700 W. 162nd Street.
- Claims against the State: if a freeway’s condition contributed, Caltrans’s district office handles claims of up to $12,500, and the Government Claims Program handles bigger ones.
- Courthouse: Gardena injury lawsuits generally go to the Torrance Courthouse, 825 Maple Avenue, part of Los Angeles Superior Court’s Southwest District.
- Required auto coverage: at least $30,000 for one injured person and $60,000 for everyone hurt in a crash.
- Comparative fault: a share of the blame lowers your recovery without wiping it out (Li v. Yellow Cab Co.).
- Cost of hiring Jon: no attorney’s fee unless we recover compensation for you.
Why Jon’s Corporate Defense Experience Helps Your Gardena 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.
Gardena Crash Injuries by Year
Gardena had between 389 and 446 people killed or injured in crashes each year from 2019 through 2021, and in 2021 it ranked 10th of 105 similar cities. It ranked even higher for hit-and-run crashes (5th) and for pedestrians 65 and older (4th) that year.
These rankings come from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), which places Gardena among cities of 50,001 to 100,000 people and ranks each one by deaths and injuries for its size. No. 1 is the worst (how OTS ranks cities).
| Year | Killed or injured (rank) | Pedestrians (rank) | Pedestrians 65+ (rank) | Bicyclists (rank) | Motorcyclists (rank) | Hit-and-run crashes (rank) | Cities ranked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 446 (10th) | 25 (19th) | 8 (4th) | 13 (44th) | 21 (14th) | 49 (5th) | 105 |
| 2020 | 389 (20th) | 22 (18th) | 1 (79th) | 13 (48th) | 18 (20th) | 32 (21st) | 106 |
| 2019 | 401 (26th) | 26 (25th) | 5 (18th) | 14 (55th) | 20 (7th) | 28 (25th) | 105 |
Only crashes reported to police are counted. OTS also published Gardena figures for 2022 and 2023, but they show only 11 and 6 people killed or injured, a small fraction of every earlier year, which points to incomplete reporting rather than safer streets. We’ve left those years out.
Freeway Traffic Near Gardena
Caltrans traffic counts on the 110 east of Gardena, where Redondo Beach Boulevard and Rosecrans Avenue cross it, and on the 91 nearby:
| Freeway segment | Vehicles a day (2024) |
|---|---|
| 110, Rosecrans Avenue to El Segundo Boulevard | 264,000 |
| 110, Redondo Beach Boulevard to Rosecrans Avenue | 252,000 |
| 91, Vermont Avenue to the 110 | 63,000 |
Caltrans’s 2024 counts, its latest, average both directions over the year. The CHP handles crashes on these freeways, and the Gardena Police Department handles crashes on city streets.
Gardena Crash Patterns to Know
Nighttime and hit-and-run crashes. In 2021, Gardena ranked 7th of 105 similar cities for injury crashes between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m., and 5th for hit-and-run injury crashes. When the at-fault driver flees, your own uninsured motorist coverage may pay (Ins. Code § 11580.2).
Older pedestrians. Gardena ranked 4th for pedestrians 65 and older killed or injured in 2021, and 18th in 2019. Read about pedestrian accident claims.
Motorcyclists. Gardena ranked 7th for motorcyclists killed or injured in 2019 and stayed among the 20 worst through 2021. See our motorcycle accident page.
GTrans buses. GTrans is the City of Gardena’s bus service, formerly Gardena Municipal Bus Lines, with routes that reach neighboring cities. If you were hurt on or by a GTrans bus, the claim is against the City and the six-month deadline generally applies.
Who Pays for a Gardena Injury?
Claims against private drivers, landlords, and businesses can go to court within two years. Anything involving the City or the State begins with a written claim to that agency, which is usually due in six months.
| Involved | Responsible party | Where to file |
|---|---|---|
| City streets and sidewalks, Gardena police vehicles, GTrans buses, and other City property | City of Gardena | City Clerk’s Office, City Hall Room 106, 1700 W. 162nd St., Gardena, CA 90247, on the City’s form. The City Attorney’s office reviews it, which takes six to eight weeks |
| The 405, 110, or 91 freeways | State of California, through Caltrans | Claims up to $12,500: Caltrans’s district claims office. More: the Government Claims Program |
| A business, landlord, or other private owner | That owner | Usually the owner’s insurer; a lawsuit is generally due within two years |
Once an agency rejects a claim in writing, you generally have six months from that notice to file suit (Gov. Code § 945.6). A claim over a dangerous street or other public property generally requires showing the City caused the hazard, or knew or should have known about it in time to fix it (Gov. Code § 835).
Gardena Cases We Handle
- Hit-and-run crashes: Gardena ranked 5th of 105 similar cities for hit-and-run injury crashes in 2021; your own uninsured motorist coverage may pay. See our car accident page.
- Late-night crashes: Gardena ranked 7th for injury crashes between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. that year.
- GTrans bus injuries: passengers, pedestrians, and drivers hurt by a City bus, with a claim to the City first.
- Pedestrian accidents: 22 to 26 pedestrians were killed or injured in Gardena each year from 2019 through 2021.
- Motorcycle and bicycle accidents: 18 to 21 motorcyclists and 13 to 14 bicyclists were killed or injured each year over the same period.
- Truck accidents: crashes with commercial vehicles, where the trucking company and its insurer may share responsibility.
- Dog bites: owners are generally liable even for a dog’s first bite (Civ. Code § 3342).
- Premises liability and slip and falls: falls and other injuries caused by hazards a property owner should have fixed.
- Wrongful death: claims for families after a fatal crash or incident.
What to Do After a Gardena Crash or Injury
- If anyone is badly hurt, call 911. The closest Level I trauma center is Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.
- Report it. Crashes on Gardena streets go to the Gardena Police Department, 1718 W. 162nd St., (310) 323-7911, and freeway crashes to the CHP. Drivers in an injury crash generally have 24 hours to report it to police or the CHP (Veh. Code § 20008).
- Preserve evidence. Photograph the vehicles, any hazard, and your injuries; write down witnesses’ names and numbers; and ask nearby businesses to save video.
- Report the crash to the DMV on form SR-1 within 10 days when someone was injured or property damage exceeded $1,000.
- Check with a lawyer before you talk to an insurance adjuster on the record or sign a release.
Getting a Gardena Police Crash Report
The Gardena Police Department releases traffic collision reports through LexisNexis eCrash, at ecrash.lexisnexis.com; the department’s records line is (310) 217-9600. Freeway crash reports come from the CHP; ask through its crash report portal or with form CHP 190. If you’d rather not deal with it, we’ll request the report for you.
How Jon Approaches a Gardena Case
- Every responsible party: the at-fault driver, an employer, a property owner, the City of Gardena, or Caltrans, tracked against each one’s deadline.
- Evidence that fades fast: the police or CHP report, photos, nearby video, and witnesses.
- The full cost of the injury: medical bills and records, missed work, and expected future treatment.
- Hit-and-run and underinsured cases: your own coverage when the other driver can’t be found or carries too little.
- Settlement or suit: negotiation from a documented demand, and a lawsuit when needed. Injury suits are generally filed in the district where the injury occurred, which for Gardena means the Torrance Courthouse.
See our personal injury overview for more.
Common Questions After a Gardena Injury
I Was Hurt on a GTrans Bus. Who Do I File Against?
The City of Gardena, which runs GTrans. A written claim is generally due to the City Clerk within six months, on the City’s claim form. If the bus collided with another vehicle, you may also have a claim against the other driver.
The Driver Who Hit Me in Gardena Drove Off. Can I Still Recover?
Often, yes. Report the crash to the Gardena Police Department right away. If the driver isn’t found, your own uninsured motorist coverage may pay for your injuries, but the policy has its own notice requirements, so tell your insurer promptly.
What Court Handles Gardena Injury Lawsuits?
In most cases, the Torrance Courthouse at 825 Maple Avenue, in Los Angeles Superior Court’s Southwest District, because injury suits generally go to the district where the injury happened.
A Dog Bit Me in Gardena. Who Do I Report It To?
City of Gardena Animal Control, through the police dispatch line at (310) 323-7911. Under California law, the owner is generally responsible even for a dog’s first bite.
Is There an Upfront Fee to Hire Jon?
No. Jon’s fee comes only out of money he recovers for you; if nothing is recovered, you owe no attorney’s fee. Under California law, a contingency fee agreement must be written (Bus. & Prof. Code § 6147).
Get Help With a Gardena Injury Claim
Six-month deadlines apply to most claims against the City of Gardena and the State, and video evidence can disappear much faster. For a free consultation, reach Jon Olsson at (310) 304-4756 or online. There’s no attorney’s fee unless we recover compensation for you.
Olsson Law also serves Torrance, Carson, Redondo Beach, and the rest of Los Angeles.
This page provides general information about personal injury claims in Gardena. 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.