Redondo Beach Personal Injury Lawyer

Jon Olsson is a Redondo Beach personal injury and accident lawyer and the founder of Olsson Law, PC. He represents people hurt in car, bicycle, motorcycle, and pedestrian crashes, drunk-driving crashes, slip and falls, dog bites, and other accidents in Redondo Beach and across the South Bay. The first consultation is free, and you pay no attorney’s fee unless you recover compensation.

Key Facts About Redondo Beach Personal Injury Claims

• Deadline to sue: generally two years from the injury (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1). For property damage, such as your car or bike, generally three years (CCP § 338(c)).
• Claims against a government agency: usually due within six months (Gov. Code § 911.2). In Redondo Beach that can mean the City, the State (for Pacific Coast Highway), Los Angeles County, or Metro.
• Partial fault: your recovery is reduced by your share of fault, but your claim isn’t barred.
• 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: Redondo Beach cases are typically filed at the Southwest District’s Torrance Courthouse.
• Cost: free consultation, and no fee unless we recover money for you.

Why Jon’s Corporate Defense Experience Helps Your Redondo Beach 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 Often Are People Hurt in Redondo Beach Crashes?

More often than in most California cities its size. From 2019 through 2023, Redondo Beach ranked in the top 20 of about 105 similar cities for total crash injuries and deaths in four of five years. It ranked in the top 10 for bicyclists every year from 2020 through 2023, and in the top 10 for motorcyclists in four of the five years.

The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) compares Redondo Beach with about 105 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).

The figures count only reported crashes, and bicyclist figures include e-bikes. Alcohol-involved crashes jumped in 2022, when Redondo Beach ranked 1st of 104 with 78 people killed or injured, and stayed high in 2023 (8th). Data current as of October 2026; 2023 is the most recent year OTS has ranked.

Who Is Responsible for PCH, the Pier, and the Bike Path?

It depends on exactly where you were hurt. Within a few blocks of the waterfront, Redondo Beach has city streets and the pier, a state highway (PCH), a beach bike path maintained partly by the county and partly not, and a Metro station. A claim sent to the wrong agency, or filed after six months, can fail before it starts.

To hold a public agency responsible, you usually need to show the road or path was dangerous and that the agency caused the problem or had time to fix it and didn’t (Gov. Code § 835). Because the deadline is short and the details matter, Jon moves quickly to protect these claims.

Redondo Beach Accident Cases We Handle

Bicycle and E-Bike Accidents

Redondo Beach ranked in the top 10 for bicyclists killed or injured every year from 2020 through 2023. The 22-mile beach bike path runs through Redondo Beach on its way to Torrance Beach. It passes through the pier parking structure, where signs tell riders to dismount at the pier entrance and King Harbor. Riders, walkers, and skaters share the path there. Our Redondo Beach bicycle and e-bike accident guide covers the local rules, insurance, and claims in depth.

Motorcycle Accidents

Redondo Beach ranked in the top 10 for motorcyclists killed or injured in four of the five years from 2019 through 2023, including 2nd in 2019. Nationally, the other vehicle was turning left in 42% of fatal two-vehicle motorcycle crashes, according to NHTSA. Read more on our Redondo Beach motorcycle accident lawyer page.

Pedestrian Accidents Near the Pier and Riviera Village

The pier, the waterfront, and Riviera Village draw heavy foot traffic. Redondo Beach ranked 9th for pedestrians killed or injured in 2020 and 12th in 2019. Drivers must yield to pedestrians in marked and unmarked crosswalks (Vehicle Code § 21950). Read more on our Redondo Beach pedestrian accident lawyer page.

Car Accidents on PCH, Aviation, and Artesia

Redondo Beach’s busiest roads include Pacific Coast Highway, Aviation Boulevard, Artesia Boulevard, and Torrance Boulevard. A crash caused by the design or condition of PCH can mean a claim against the State, with a six-month deadline. Read more on our Redondo Beach car accident lawyer page.

Truck Accidents

Delivery and commercial trucks serve the pier, the South Bay Galleria, and Riviera Village. The trucking company controls the evidence, including driver logs and onboard data, and federal rules require carriers to keep drivers’ duty-status records for only six months (49 C.F.R. § 395.8(k)(1)), so that evidence must be preserved quickly. Read more on our Redondo Beach truck accident lawyer page.

Slip and Fall Accidents

Wet or broken surfaces on the pier, in parking structures, and at shopping centers cause many falls. Property owners must use reasonable care in managing their property (Civil Code § 1714), and if the City owns the property, a claim is generally due within six months. Read more on our Redondo Beach slip and fall lawyer page.

Other Injury Cases

• Drunk-driving crashes: in 2022 Redondo Beach ranked 1st of 104 similar cities for people killed or injured in alcohol-involved crashes, and 3rd for nighttime crashes. The claim is usually against the driver and their insurer, since a bar is generally not liable for serving an adult (Civil Code § 1714(c)) unless it served an obviously intoxicated minor (Business and Professions Code § 25602.1), and drunk driving can support punitive damages (Taylor v. Superior Court).
• Rideshare accidents: Uber or Lyft coverage depends on whether the driver had the app on and was carrying or on the way to pick up a passenger.
• Premises liability: injuries from unsafe conditions on someone else’s property, such as broken stairs, poor lighting, or loose railings.
• Brain injuries: common in bike, motorcycle, and pedestrian crashes and falls; symptoms may not appear right away.
• Dog bites: owners are generally liable even if the dog never bit anyone before (Civil Code § 3342).
• Wrongful death: a spouse, domestic partner, children, and certain other family members can bring a claim (CCP § 377.60).

What to Do After an Accident in Redondo Beach

1. Call 911 and get medical care. The Redondo Beach Police Department responds to crashes on city streets. For the most serious injuries, the nearest Level I trauma center is Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, one of five in Los Angeles County.
2. Document everything. Photograph the scene, vehicles, injuries, and any hazard. Get names and phone numbers of witnesses. Ask nearby businesses for video right away, because security footage is often recorded over.
3. Get the police report. Request it from the Redondo Beach Police Department Records Unit, either online through its records request portal or by mail to Redondo Beach Police Department, ATTN: Records, 401 Diamond St., Redondo Beach, CA 90277. Give as much detail as you can, such as the case number; the date, approximate time, and location of the crash; and the names and dates of birth of the people involved. Include a copy of your government-issued photo ID.
4. Don’t give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer until you have talked with a lawyer.
5. Keep your medical records and bills, and follow your doctor’s treatment plan.
6. Watch the deadlines. Claims against a public agency are generally due within six months.

What If the Other Driver’s Insurance Isn’t Enough?

It often isn’t. A hospital stay or surgery can cost more than California’s $30,000 per-person minimum. Other sources of recovery may include:

• Your own uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage, if the at-fault driver has no insurance or too little
• Commercial or employer policies, when the driver was working, such as a delivery or company vehicle
• Rideshare coverage, which can reach $1 million when an Uber or Lyft driver is carrying a passenger or on the way to pick one up
• Homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, for dog bites and many falls on private property

A lawyer can find every available policy early, before you accept a settlement that closes the claim.

Should You Accept an Early Settlement Offer?

An insurer may offer to settle within days or weeks of a Redondo Beach crash, often before you’ve finished treatment or know how much work you’ll miss. Accepting usually means signing a release, and once it’s signed, the claim generally can’t be reopened, even if an injury turns out to need surgery or months of therapy.

Most insurance releases also waive claims you don’t know about yet. California law protects people from giving up unknown claims unless the release says so expressly (Civ. Code § 1542), so insurers routinely include that waiver.

Before you consider any offer:

• Finish treatment, or get a doctor’s opinion on future care, so the offer can be measured against what your injuries will actually cost.
• Account for liens. A health plan, Medi-Cal, or a provider treating you on a lien may be repaid out of the settlement, which shrinks what you take home.
• Watch the deadline. Talking with an insurer doesn’t stop the two-year clock to file suit (CCP § 335.1), or the six-month deadline for claims against the City or Caltrans.
• Look for other coverage first, including your own UM/UIM policy, since a release with one insurer can affect claims against others.

What Compensation Can I Get After a Redondo Beach Accident?

• Economic damages: medical bills (past and future), lost wages, lost earning capacity, and property damage
• Non-economic damages: pain and suffering, emotional distress, and inconvenience
• Wrongful death: the family’s lost financial support and household services, and the loss of their loved one’s love, care, and companionship

Being partly at fault doesn’t stop you from recovering. Since Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975), California has used “pure comparative fault”: the award is reduced by your share of fault, so even someone mostly at fault can recover something.

How Does a Personal Injury Case Work?

1. Free consultation. Jon reviews what happened and tells you whether you have a claim.
2. Investigation. He gathers the police report, video, witness statements, and medical records, and he brings in experts when needed.
3. Treatment. You focus on getting better while Jon documents your injuries and costs.
4. Demand and negotiation. Once your treatment is far enough along to value the claim, he presents it to the insurer and negotiates.
5. Lawsuit, if needed. If the insurer won’t pay a fair amount, he files suit in Los Angeles Superior Court. Most cases still settle before trial.

Where Are Redondo Beach Injury Lawsuits Filed?

Most personal injury lawsuits are filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court district where the injury happened (LASC general order). Redondo Beach is in the Southwest District, so cases are typically filed at the Torrance Courthouse, 825 Maple Avenue. Most cases settle before trial, but filing in the right court protects your claim and gives you subpoena power to get evidence.

Redondo Beach Personal Injury FAQ

Can I sue the bar that served the drunk driver who hit me?

Usually not. California generally protects bars and restaurants from liability for serving an adult who later causes a crash (Civil Code § 1714(c)). The main exception is when a bar sells to an obviously intoxicated minor who then causes the injury. Your claim is usually against the driver and their insurer, plus your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage if their insurance falls short.

I was hurt on the bike path near the Redondo Beach Pier. Who is responsible?

If another rider, walker, or driver caused the crash, the claim is usually against that person. If the path itself was dangerous, responsibility depends on where you were: Los Angeles County maintains most of the beach bike path, but not the stretch from First Avenue in Hermosa Beach to the south end of the Redondo Beach Pier. A claim against a public agency generally must be presented within six months.

How much does a personal injury lawyer cost in Redondo Beach?

Nothing up front. Olsson Law works on a contingency fee, so the fee is a percentage of what you recover, and you owe no attorney’s fee if there is no recovery. California requires contingency fee agreements to be in writing (Business and Professions Code § 6147), and you’ll review yours before signing.

Will my case go to trial?

Most cases settle without a trial. If the insurer won’t make a fair offer, Jon is prepared to file suit and take the case to court.

How long does a personal injury case take?

Mostly it depends on your medical recovery. Settling before your treatment ends or your condition stabilizes risks leaving future costs uncovered. Many claims resolve through negotiation; cases that go to litigation often take a year or more.

Should I accept the insurance company’s first offer after a Redondo Beach accident?

Not before you know the full extent of your injuries. A settlement usually requires signing a release that ends the claim for good, including injuries that haven’t shown up yet.

Serving Redondo Beach and the South Bay

Jon represents clients throughout North Redondo, South Redondo, King Harbor, and Riviera Village, and in nearby Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Torrance, El Segundo, and Palos Verdes. We also handle cases throughout Los Angeles County and California.

Talk to a Redondo Beach Personal Injury Lawyer Today

If you or a family member was hurt in Redondo Beach, call Jon Olsson at (310) 304-4756 or contact us online for a free consultation. There is no fee unless you recover.

This page provides general information about personal injury claims in Redondo Beach and the South Bay. 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.