Manhattan Beach Car Accident Lawyer
Most Manhattan Beach car accident claims are paid by the at-fault driver’s insurer, but the details decide how much: who caused the crash, whose policy applies, how much coverage there is, and whether the road itself played a part. Sepulveda Boulevard, the city’s busiest corridor, is a state highway, so a crash blamed on the road goes to the State, not the city, and the claim is generally due in six months.
Manhattan Beach car accident lawyer Jon Olsson is based in nearby Redondo Beach and represents drivers, passengers and others hurt in auto accidents throughout Manhattan Beach and the South Bay. The consultation is free, and there is no attorney’s fee unless you recover compensation.
Manhattan Beach Car Accident Claims at a Glance
- Deadline to sue: generally two years for injuries (CCP § 335.1) and three years for damage to your car (CCP § 338).
- Claims against a public agency: generally due within six months (Gov. Code § 911.2). That means the State (Caltrans) for Sepulveda Boulevard and the City of Manhattan Beach for city streets and city vehicles.
- DMV report: each driver must file an SR-1 with the DMV within 10 days if anyone was injured or killed, or property damage is over $1,000 (California DMV).
- Minimum insurance: only $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident for injuries (California Department of Insurance).
- Partial fault: reduces your recovery by your share of fault but doesn’t bar it (CACI No. 405).
- Cost: free consultation, and no attorney’s fee unless we recover compensation for you.
Why Jon’s Corporate Defense Experience Helps Your Manhattan Beach Car Accident 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 Common Are Car Crashes in Manhattan Beach?
Between 80 and 114 people a year were killed or injured in reported Manhattan Beach crashes in the years shown below. Late-night crashes stand out: from 2021 through 2023, Manhattan Beach ranked in the top quarter of about 90 similar-sized California cities for injury crashes between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m., and in 2022 it ranked 7th for people killed or injured in alcohol-involved crashes.
The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) compares Manhattan Beach with about 90 California cities of 25,001 to 50,000 people, with No. 1 the worst (OTS methodology).
| Year | All crashes: killed or injured (rank) | Alcohol-involved: killed or injured (rank) | Nighttime crashes (rank) | Hit-and-run crashes (rank) | Speed-related crashes (rank) | Cities ranked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 98 (43rd) | 16 (32nd) | 12 (22nd) | 11 (22nd) | 13 (58th) | 93 |
| 2022 | 114 (28th) | 26 (7th) | 13 (18th) | 7 (42nd) | 15 (36th) | 90 |
| 2021 | 97 (28th) | 15 (20th) | 11 (22nd) | 5 (44th) | 8 (68th) | 93 |
| 2019 | 80 (52nd) | 8 (57th) | 6 (58th) | 6 (43rd) | 12 (60th) | 94 |
The figures count only reported crashes. The first two data columns count people killed or injured; the others count crashes. Nighttime means 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. We left out 2020, when pandemic-era traffic was unusually light. Data current as of October 2026; 2023 is the most recent year OTS has ranked. For pedestrian and bicycle crash data, see our Manhattan Beach personal injury lawyer page.
Where Do Car Accidents Happen in Manhattan Beach?
Sepulveda Boulevard. The city’s main north-south route is part of State Route 1, in Caltrans right-of-way (Caltrans project record). Commuter traffic, frequent signals and drivers turning in and out of shopping centers set up rear-end and left-turn crashes. If the road’s design or condition contributed, the claim generally goes to the State within six months.
Rosecrans Avenue, Marine Avenue, Manhattan Beach Boulevard and Aviation Boulevard. These east-west and cross-town routes carry commuters across town, with crashes at signalized intersections and during lane changes in rush-hour traffic.
Downtown and near the pier. Narrow streets, street parking and heavy foot traffic lead to parking-related crashes, doorings and collisions with pedestrians and cyclists.
Who Pays After a Manhattan Beach Car Accident?
Usually the at-fault driver’s liability insurer. When that isn’t enough, or the driver can’t be found, other coverage may apply, and more than one policy can apply to the same crash.
| What happened | Usual source of payment |
|---|---|
| Another driver caused the crash | That driver’s auto liability policy |
| The at-fault driver had no insurance or not enough | Your own uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage, if you have it |
| Hit-and-run driver who can’t be found | Your own UM coverage, if you meet California’s rules for unidentified drivers, including physical contact and a police report within 24 hours (Ins. Code § 11580.2) |
| The driver was working, such as on a delivery or company errand | The employer’s commercial policy may also apply |
| An Uber or Lyft was involved | Rideshare coverage: at least $50,000 per person while the driver is logged in and waiting, and $1 million once a ride is accepted (Pub. Util. Code § 5433) |
| A drunk driver caused the crash | The driver’s policy, and punitive damages may be available against the driver (Taylor v. Superior Court) |
| A road defect on Sepulveda or a city street contributed | The State or the City, through a government claim filed within six months |
Can I Recover the Lost Value of My Car?
Often, yes. In California, damage to your car is generally measured by the lesser of the cost to repair it or the drop in its value. If the car is repaired but is still worth less than before the crash, you can generally recover the repair cost plus that remaining loss in value, up to what the car was worth before the crash (CACI No. 3903J). You can also generally recover the reasonable cost of renting a similar car while yours is being repaired or replaced (CACI No. 3903M).
For newer and high-value vehicles, insurers often pay for the repair but resist paying for the lost value. Photos of the car before and after, the repair estimate and invoice, and a professional appraisal help show what the crash actually cost you.
What If the Crash Affects My Work or Business?
You can claim the income you’ve already lost and the income you’re likely to lose in the future. When an injury limits the work you can do, California juries compare what you probably would have earned without the injury with what you can still earn (CACI No. 3903D).
For salaried employees, pay stubs and an employer letter usually show the loss. For business owners, consultants and other self-employed people, it takes more: tax returns, profit-and-loss statements, canceled contracts or engagements, and sometimes an expert who can explain what the injury has cost the business.
What Should I Do After a Car Accident in Manhattan Beach?
- Call 911 if anyone is hurt, and get medical care the same day, even if you feel fine. Concussion symptoms can take hours or days to appear (CDC).
- Report the crash to the Manhattan Beach Police Department, 420 15th Street, (310) 802-5140 (MBPD). After a hit-and-run, report it within 24 hours to protect your uninsured motorist claim.
- Exchange information with the other driver: name, address, driver’s license number, vehicle identification number and insurance information (Vehicle Code § 16025).
- Photograph everything: both cars, the intersection, skid marks, signals and your injuries. Get names and phone numbers of witnesses, and ask nearby businesses to save security video.
- File an SR-1 with the DMV within 10 days if anyone was hurt or damage is over $1,000.
- Get the police report. Request it through the city’s public records portal with the incident or report number, your name and date of birth, and the date, time and location of the crash. The city says traffic collision reports can take up to three weeks. Questions go to Police Records at (310) 802-5150.
- Talk to a lawyer before giving the other driver’s insurer a recorded statement, and keep every medical bill, repair estimate and record of missed work.
How Jon Builds a Manhattan Beach Car Accident Case
- Liability: the police report, photos, intersection and business video, witness statements and, when needed, vehicle data and a reconstruction expert.
- Coverage: every policy that could pay, including the other driver’s, any employer’s or rideshare company’s, and your own UM/UIM coverage.
- Damages: medical records and bills, proof of lost income and earning capacity, and documentation of your car’s repair cost and lost value.
- Resolution: a fully documented demand to the insurer and negotiation. If the insurer won’t pay a fair amount, Jon files suit and prepares the case for trial.
Learn more about car accident claims, or see our Manhattan Beach personal injury page for pedestrian, bicycle and other injury claims.
Manhattan Beach Car Accident FAQs
A pothole or bad road design on Sepulveda caused my crash. Who do I file against?
Generally the State of California, since Sepulveda Boulevard is part of State Route 1. The claim goes to the Department of General Services Government Claims Program, generally within six months. For a city street, the claim goes to the City of Manhattan Beach.
The driver who hit me had no insurance. Can I still recover?
Possibly, through your own uninsured motorist coverage, if you have it. The same coverage can apply when the at-fault driver’s limits are too low to cover your losses.
Do I have to report the crash to the DMV?
Yes, if anyone was injured or killed or property damage is over $1,000. Each driver must file an SR-1 with the DMV within 10 days, whether or not the police made a report.
Can I get paid for my car’s lost value even after it’s repaired?
Often, yes. California generally allows the repair cost plus any remaining loss in value, up to the car’s pre-crash value. Insurers often resist paying the lost value, so documentation matters.
How much does a car accident lawyer cost?
Nothing up front. Olsson Law works on contingency: the fee is a percentage of what we recover for you, and if there’s no recovery, you owe no attorney’s fee. California requires that agreement to be in writing (Bus. & Prof. Code § 6147).
How long does a car accident case take?
It depends mostly on your medical recovery, since a claim’s value usually isn’t clear until your doctors know what future care you’ll need. Cases that settle after treatment can resolve in months; cases that go to litigation often take a year or more.
Talk to a Manhattan Beach Car Accident Attorney Today
Video gets recorded over, witnesses forget, and claims against the State or city are generally due within six months. Call Jon Olsson at (310) 304-4756 or contact us online for a free consultation. There is no attorney’s fee unless you recover.
Jon also represents people hurt in car accidents in nearby Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, El Segundo and Torrance.
This page provides general information about car accident claims in Manhattan Beach. 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.