Torrance Personal Injury Lawyer
If you were hurt in Torrance, whether in a crash on Hawthorne Boulevard, a fall near Del Amo Fashion Center, or a dog bite, you’re likely facing medical bills, missed work, and an insurance company that wants to settle fast and cheap. You don’t have to handle it alone. Jon Olsson is a South Bay personal injury lawyer who spent six years defending personal injury cases at a large law firm before representing injured people. He personally handles every case the firm takes. The consultation is free, and there is no attorney’s fee unless we recover.
Key Facts About Torrance 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, generally three years (CCP § 338(c)).
- Claims against a government agency: usually due within six months (Gov. Code § 911.2). That includes the City of Torrance and, for Pacific Coast Highway and Western Avenue, the State of California.
- Partial fault: your recovery is reduced by your share of fault, but your claim isn’t barred.
- Dog bites: owners are generally liable even if the dog never bit anyone before (Civil Code § 3342).
- Cost: free consultation, and no attorney’s fee unless we recover.
Why Jon’s Corporate Defense Experience Helps Your Torrance 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 Torrance Crashes?
Between about 570 and 760 people a year were killed or injured in Torrance crashes from 2019 through 2023, which puts Torrance near the middle of California cities its size. Older pedestrians are the exception: Torrance ranked in the top 20 for pedestrians 65 and older in four of those five years.
The California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) compares Torrance with about 60 California cities of 100,001 to 250,000 people and ranks them by injuries and deaths for their size, with No. 1 the worst (OTS methodology).
| Year | All crashes: killed or injured (rank) | Pedestrians 65+ (rank) | Pedestrians under 15 (rank) | Bicyclists (rank) | Motorcyclists (rank) | Cities ranked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 647 (32nd) | 9 (14th) | 8 (5th) | 36 (24th) | 29 (40th) | 62 |
| 2022 | 620 (41st) | 8 (16th) | 5 (20th) | 44 (15th) | 31 (35th) | 61 |
| 2021 | 616 (36th) | 6 (19th) | 2 (45th) | 25 (29th) | 37 (18th) | 60 |
| 2020 | 567 (27th) | 4 (35th) | 6 (4th) | 25 (26th) | 34 (14th) | 61 |
| 2019 | 756 (29th) | 9 (10th) | 2 (46th) | 32 (27th) | 29 (16th) | 59 |
The figures count only reported crashes. Because only a handful of children are hurt in a given year, Torrance’s ranking for child pedestrians swings widely, from 4th in 2020 and 5th in 2023 to the mid-40s in 2019 and 2021. Motorcyclist rankings have improved, from the top 20 in 2019 through 2021 to the bottom half in 2022 and 2023. Data current as of October 2026; 2023 is the most recent year OTS has ranked.
Who Is Responsible for Hawthorne Boulevard, PCH and Torrance City Streets?
It depends on the road. Pacific Coast Highway and Western Avenue belong to the State, city streets belong to the City of Torrance, and Hawthorne Boulevard is in the middle of a transfer from the State to the City. When a road’s design or condition causes a crash or fall, the claim goes to whichever agency is responsible, generally within six months (City of Torrance).
| Where you were hurt | Responsible party | Where the claim goes | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| City streets, sidewalks, city property, city vehicles and Torrance Transit buses | City of Torrance | City Clerk, 3031 Torrance Blvd., Torrance, CA 90503. The city requires a signed original and does not accept faxed or emailed claims. | 6 months |
| Pacific Coast Highway and Western Avenue | State of California (Caltrans) | Department of General Services Government Claims Program | 6 months |
| Hawthorne Boulevard north of PCH (State Route 107) | Historically the State. The state has moved to transfer it to the City of Torrance (California Transportation Commission), so the responsible agency may depend on when you were hurt. | The State or the City, depending on the date; consider presenting a claim to both | 6 months |
| The beach bike path at Torrance Beach | Los Angeles County (L.A. County) | Los Angeles County | 6 months |
| Private property, such as a store, shopping center, apartment complex or parking structure | The owner or business (Civil Code § 1714) | The owner’s liability insurer | 2 years to sue |
To hold a public agency responsible, you usually need to show the road was dangerous and that the agency caused the problem or had time to fix it and didn’t (Gov. Code § 835). Missing a six-month government deadline can end a claim before it starts, so if a public agency may be involved, call a lawyer early.
Torrance Accident Cases We Handle
Car Accidents on Hawthorne, Torrance Boulevard and Crenshaw
Torrance’s busy roads include Hawthorne Boulevard, Torrance Boulevard, Crenshaw Boulevard, Pacific Coast Highway and the 405. For police reports, the SR-1 form and other next steps, see our Torrance car accident lawyer page.
Motorcycle Accidents
OTS counted 29 to 37 motorcyclists killed or injured in Torrance each year from 2019 through 2023. Many crashes happen when a driver turns left in front of a rider or changes lanes without seeing one, and insurers often try to blame the rider. For police reports and next steps, see our Torrance motorcycle accident lawyer page.
Truck Accidents
Heavy trucks serve the Torrance Refinery and the industrial area along 190th Street in north Torrance, and use the 405. Truck cases often involve commercial insurance and several responsible parties, and driver logs and onboard data must be preserved quickly. For more, see our Torrance truck accident lawyer page.
Other Injury Cases
- Pedestrian accidents: drivers must yield to pedestrians in marked and unmarked crosswalks (Vehicle Code § 21950), and older pedestrians are hurt in Torrance at a higher rate than in most similar cities.
- Bicycle accidents: riders are hit by cars on city streets or hurt on the beach bike path at Torrance Beach.
- 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 and slip and falls: stores, shopping centers, apartment complexes and parking structures must use ordinary care.
- Dog bites: owners are generally liable regardless of the dog’s history.
- Brain injuries: concussions can affect memory, mood and work for years, and symptoms may appear late.
- Wrongful death: a spouse, domestic partner, children and certain other family members can bring a claim (CCP § 377.60).
What to Do After an Injury in Torrance
- Get medical care. Call 911 for serious injuries. The nearest Level I trauma center is Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, one of five in Los Angeles County. See a doctor even if you feel fine, because some injuries take days to show symptoms.
- Report it. The Torrance Police Department usually handles crashes on city streets. If you’re hurt at a business, ask the manager for an incident report and a copy.
- Document everything: photos of the scene, damage and your injuries, plus names and phone numbers of witnesses.
- Keep records of medical bills, receipts and pay stubs showing missed work.
- Be careful with insurers. You don’t have to give the other side’s insurer a recorded statement, and what you say can be used to reduce your claim.
- Get advice before signing a release or accepting an offer. An early offer may not cover future treatment.
How to Get a Torrance Police Report
Wait at least 15 days after the crash. Then buy the report online through LexisNexis, or request it by mail or in person from the Torrance Police Department Records Division, 3300 Civic Center Drive, Torrance, CA 90503. Hit-and-run and fatal crash reports may be delayed. Details are on the Torrance Police Department’s website.
What If the Other Driver’s Insurance Isn’t Enough?
It often isn’t. Since January 1, 2025, California drivers must carry only $30,000 in bodily injury coverage per person and $60,000 per accident (California Department of Insurance). A hospital stay or surgery can cost more than that. 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
- 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
How a Torrance Personal Injury Case Works
- Free consultation. Jon reviews what happened and tells you honestly whether he can help.
- Investigation. Police and incident reports, photos, video, witness statements and records that show fault.
- Treatment. You focus on recovery while we track your medical care and costs.
- Demand. Once your condition is stable, we send the insurer a demand documenting your full losses.
- Negotiation. Many claims settle at this stage.
- Lawsuit, if needed. If the insurer won’t pay a fair amount, we file in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Most cases still settle before trial.
Where Are Torrance Injury Lawsuits Filed?
Personal injury lawsuits are filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court district where the injury happened. The Torrance Courthouse at 825 Maple Avenue hears cases from the part of Torrance west of Western Avenue. If you were hurt east of Western, your case may be filed in a different courthouse, and the court’s filing locator decides.
What Compensation Can You Recover?
- Economic damages: current and future medical bills, lost wages, reduced earning ability 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 Much Does a Personal Injury Lawyer Cost?
We work on contingency. The consultation is free, you pay nothing up front, and there is no attorney’s fee unless we recover. Under Business and Professions Code § 6147, contingency agreements must be in writing. Before you sign, we walk you through the percentage and how case costs are handled.
Torrance Personal Injury FAQ
I was hurt on a Torrance Transit bus or by a city vehicle. What should I do?
Get medical care and a copy of any report, then act quickly. Torrance Transit is a City of Torrance department, so a written claim generally must be filed with the City Clerk within six months before you can sue (Gov. Code § 911.2). The city requires a signed original and does not accept faxed or emailed claims.
My child was hit by a car in Torrance. How long do we have to bring a claim?
A child’s own injury claim usually has more time, because the two-year deadline generally doesn’t start running until the child turns 18 (CCP § 352). That extra time doesn’t apply to everything: a claim against a city or other public agency still generally must be presented within six months, and a parent’s own claims can have shorter deadlines. Get advice early either way.
When should I hire a personal injury lawyer?
As soon as you can after getting medical care. Video gets recorded over, witnesses forget, and deadlines keep running.
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.
Serving Torrance and the South Bay
Jon represents injured people throughout Torrance and nearby Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, El Segundo and Palos Verdes, and handles cases throughout Los Angeles County and California.
Talk to a Torrance Personal Injury Lawyer Today
If you or a family member was hurt in Torrance, call Jon Olsson at (310) 304-4756 or contact us online for a free consultation. There is no attorney’s fee unless we recover.
This page provides general information about personal injury claims in Torrance. 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.