Los Angeles Personal Injury Lawyer

Los Angeles County stretches from the South Bay beaches to the foothills of the San Fernando Valley. About 9.7 million people live here. In the city of Los Angeles alone, traffic collisions killed 290 people in 2025. More than 150 of those fatal crashes involved pedestrians, according to LAPD data reported by LAist. Through the end of August 2026, the city’s fatal collisions were running 8% higher than during the same period in 2025.

Olsson Law is based in Redondo Beach. We represent people injured throughout Los Angeles County, with a focus on the South Bay. If someone else’s carelessness injured you, Los Angeles personal injury lawyer Jon Olsson will review what happened and explain your options. He will also tell you honestly what your case is worth.

Key Facts About Los Angeles Personal Injury Claims

• Deadline to sue: generally two years for injury or wrongful death claims (Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1). For damage to property such as your vehicle, it’s generally three years (§ 338).
• Claims against the government: you generally must present a written injury claim within six months after the claim arises (Government Code § 911.2). This applies to the City of Los Angeles, LA County, LA Metro, school districts and other public entities.
• Partial fault: being partly at fault lowers your compensation by your percentage of fault, but you can still recover (CACI No. 405).
• Minimum insurance: $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident in bodily injury coverage, required since January 1, 2025 (California Department of Insurance).
• Where to file: generally in the Los Angeles Superior Court district where the injury occurred (LA Superior Court).
• Cost: free consultation, and no attorney’s fee unless we recover compensation for you.

Experienced Representation From a Former Defense Litigator

Before founding Olsson Law, Jon spent years at a leading international law firm. There, he defended major corporations in complex, high-stakes litigation, including serious injury and product liability matters. He later joined a Los Angeles personal injury firm. He represented injured clients in cases involving motor vehicle collisions, dangerous property conditions, public entities, disputed liability and significant injuries.

That background shapes how Jon handles every case. He understands how defense lawyers investigate claims, value injuries and decide which cases to fight. Jon earned his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center and his undergraduate degree in economics from New York University. He can practice law in California, Texas and Massachusetts.

Why Injured People Across Los Angeles Choose Olsson Law

At Olsson Law, you work directly with your attorney. Jon personally handles each case from the first consultation through resolution. You can reach him directly, get regular updates, and get clear answers about what is happening and why.

We also focus on what you actually take home. Medical bills and liens can consume a large share of a settlement. We work to reduce those balances while pursuing compensation for all of your accident-related losses. Jon prepares every case carefully from the start, with attention to liability, damages and the evidence that affects a claim’s value. That way, insurers know we are ready to go to court if a fair offer does not come. Learn more about our approach.

Personal Injury Cases We Handle Throughout Los Angeles County

Olsson Law represents people hurt by someone else’s carelessness anywhere in Los Angeles County. Common cases include:

Car Accidents

We represent drivers and passengers hurt in rear-end collisions, broadside crashes, left-turn collisions and other car accidents. Even a crash at moderate speed can cause lasting neck, back and head injuries.

Truck Accidents

The Port of Los Angeles handled more than 10.2 million container units in 2025. Truck accidents often involve several responsible parties: the driver, the trucking company and the company that loaded the cargo.

Motorcycle Accidents

California law recognizes lane splitting. That means riding a motorcycle between rows of stopped or moving vehicles in the same lane. Riders hurt in motorcycle accidents often face insurers who try to blame them for the crash.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents

Crosswalks, parking lots and busy roads like Pacific Coast Highway can be dangerous for people on foot and on bikes. We represent people hurt in pedestrian accidents and bicycle accidents, including crashes involving e-bikes.

Rideshare Accidents

Rideshare accidents can involve several layers of insurance. The coverage available often depends on what the driver was doing at the time of the crash.

Slip and Falls and Premises Liability

Owners of shopping centers, grocery stores, apartment buildings and parking structures must keep their property reasonably safe. When an owner ignores a spill, broken stairs or poor lighting, an injured visitor may have a premises liability or slip and fall claim.

Dog Bites

In California, a dog’s owner is generally responsible when the dog bites someone in a public place or someone lawfully on private property. That’s true regardless of whether the dog had shown viciousness before or the owner knew it. We represent people of all ages hurt in dog bites.

Brain Injuries and Wrongful Death

We also represent clients living with brain injuries. And we help families who have lost a loved one pursue wrongful death claims.

Freeways and Corridors Where Los Angeles Accidents Happen

The I-405 runs past LAX and through the South Bay and Westside. The I-110 Harbor Freeway connects Downtown Los Angeles to San Pedro and the Port of Los Angeles. Pacific Coast Highway runs through Redondo, Hermosa and Manhattan Beach, where drivers share the road with cyclists and pedestrians. Busy surface streets include Sepulveda Boulevard near LAX, Hawthorne Boulevard and Artesia Boulevard.

Where a crash happens also determines who investigates it. The California Highway Patrol usually handles freeway collisions. On surface streets, the LAPD, the LA County Sheriff’s Department or a city police department such as Torrance or Redondo Beach may investigate. Getting the right report quickly, along with any video and witness statements, can help prove who was at fault.

Insurance Challenges in Los Angeles Injury Claims

Since January 1, 2025, California has required drivers to carry at least $30,000 in bodily injury coverage per person. A serious injury can quickly exceed that amount, and some drivers carry no insurance at all. Jon looks for every available source of recovery. That includes your own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, commercial and employer policies, and rideshare coverage.

Common Injuries in Los Angeles Accident Cases

Common injuries include neck and back injuries, herniated discs and broken bones. Others include knee and shoulder injuries that require surgery, concussions and other brain injuries, and spinal cord injuries. Some of these injuries do not show their full effect for days or weeks. That’s why prompt medical care and careful documentation matter so much. We work with each client’s doctors to understand the treatment so far and the care you may need in the future.

Compensation You May Be Able to Recover

Depending on the facts, compensation in a California personal injury claim may include past and future medical expenses and lost income. It can also cover reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, emotional distress and property damage. In a wrongful death case, family members may be able to recover for the loss of their loved one’s financial support, care and companionship.

California uses comparative fault. If you were partly responsible for an accident, your compensation drops by your percentage of responsibility. But you can still recover.

Prior Results

• $3.85 million settlement: wrongful death
• $700,000 settlement: car accident, back and neck injury
• $400,000 settlement: slip and fall, knee injury
• $250,000 policy limits settlement: car accident, back and neck injury
• $250,000 settlement: premises liability, concussion and mild traumatic brain 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. View all prior results.

Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court

Many personal injury cases settle without a lawsuit. When an insurer will not offer a fair amount, the case moves to court. In California, you generally have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit. In Los Angeles Superior Court, you generally file in the judicial district where the injury occurred. South Bay injury cases are typically filed in the Southwest District at the Torrance Courthouse, 825 Maple Avenue.

Claims against government agencies follow a much shorter timeline. Your claim may involve the City of Los Angeles, LA County, LA Metro, a school district or another public entity. If so, you generally must present a written claim within six months after the claim arises. For the City of Los Angeles, you file those claims with the City Clerk. These cases can arise from crashes with city vehicles or buses, dangerous road conditions and broken sidewalks. Jon has represented injured clients in matters involving public entities, and he moves quickly to protect these deadlines.

How a Los Angeles Personal Injury Case Works

Every case is different, but most follow a similar path:

1. Free consultation. Jon reviews what happened, your injuries and the insurance that may be available.
2. Investigation. We gather police reports, photos, video, medical records and witness statements. We consult experts when a case calls for it.
3. Treatment and documentation. While you focus on recovery, we track your medical care, lost income and how the injury affects your daily life.
4. Demand and negotiation. We present a fully supported claim to the insurance company and negotiate for a fair settlement.
5. Litigation if needed. If the insurer won’t pay what the case is worth, we file suit and prepare for trial.

What to Do After an Accident in Los Angeles

The steps you take after an accident can affect both your health and your claim:

1. Get medical care right away, even if you feel fine. Some injuries, including concussions, do not show symptoms immediately.
2. Call the police and ask how to get a copy of the report.
3. Photograph the scene, the vehicles or hazard, and your injuries. Collect witness names and phone numbers.
4. Do not give a recorded statement to the other side’s insurance company before speaking with a lawyer.
5. Keep your medical records, bills and records of missed work.
6. Contact a personal injury lawyer before deadlines approach, especially if the crash involved a government vehicle or property.

Serving the South Bay and All of Los Angeles County

Based in Redondo Beach, Jon handles cases throughout the beach cities and the communities around them. Crashes happen on Pacific Coast Highway and the Strand in Hermosa Beach, and on PCH and Sepulveda Boulevard in Manhattan Beach. They also happen near the 405 and 110 freeways in Torrance. In El Segundo, we represent people hurt in car and truck crashes near LAX. We also handle cases from the winding roads of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Beyond the beach cities, we represent clients in Hawthorne, Lawndale, Gardena, Carson, Lomita and throughout Los Angeles County.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a personal injury lawyer?

Not always. You may be able to resolve the claim yourself if your injuries were minor, you have fully recovered and the insurer is treating you fairly. A lawyer adds more value when your injuries are serious or ongoing, or when the other side disputes fault. The same goes for claims against a government entity and crashes with several insurance policies, such as rideshare and commercial vehicle crashes.

How much does it cost to hire a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer?

Olsson Law handles personal injury cases on a contingency-fee basis. There are no upfront attorney’s fees, and you pay no attorney’s fee unless we recover compensation for you. California requires a written contingency fee agreement. It must state the fee and explain how case costs affect the fee and your recovery (Business and Professions Code § 6147).

How long does a personal injury case take?

It depends mostly on your medical recovery. Your claim’s value usually becomes clear only after treatment ends or your doctors can estimate your future care. Cases that settle after treatment can resolve in months. Cases that go to litigation often take a year or more.

Who pays my medical bills while my case is pending?

Usually your own health insurance pays first, along with medical payments (MedPay) coverage if your auto policy includes it. Some providers will treat you on a lien and collect from your settlement. Health insurers and lien holders often have a right to repayment from your recovery. That’s why we work to reduce those balances.

Do you handle cases outside the South Bay?

Yes. Olsson Law represents clients throughout Los Angeles County and across California.

Will my case go to trial?

Most personal injury cases resolve without a trial. Even so, Jon prepares every case as though it may go to trial. If an insurer won’t make a fair offer, your claim is ready for court.

Talk to a Los Angeles Personal Injury Lawyer About Your Case

Insurance companies begin building their defense the day someone reports an accident. The sooner you call, the sooner we can preserve evidence and protect deadlines. Case reviews are free, and you pay no attorney’s fee unless we recover compensation for you. Contact Jon today.

This page provides general information about personal injury claims in Los Angeles. 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.