Santa Monica Car Accident Lawyer
Santa Monica Car Accident Lawyer
Santa Monica Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyer
Hurt in Santa Monica? Here is what to know.
- Yaghmai Law Firm represents Santa Monica injury victims, plus matters in Venice, Pacific Palisades, Brentwood, Westwood, Mar Vista, and the broader Westside corridor along the I-10 and PCH.
- Our Santa Monica caseload concentrates at the I-10 (Santa Monica Freeway) terminus, the PCH (SR-1) transition at the I-10 west end, the Lincoln Boulevard arterial, the Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevard east-west spines, and the Ocean Avenue / Main Street / 4th Street downtown grid.
- Statute of limitations is two years per CCP 335.1. Government-entity claims require written notice within six months per Government Code 911.2.
- Contingency fee. No recovery, no fee.
- Call or text (888) 800-6731 or submit your case online.
Santa Monica sits at the western terminus of Interstate 10 (Santa Monica Freeway), where it meets State Route 1 (Pacific Coast Highway). Major surface streets include Lincoln Boulevard, Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica Boulevard, Ocean Avenue, and Olympic Boulevard. The Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica Pier, and beachfront generate continuous foot, bicycle, and electric-scooter traffic year-round. Santa Monica is one of the most pedestrian- and bike-dense cities in California, and it has been a hub for electric-scooter rentals since 2018, which produces a distinctive case mix.
Yaghmai Law Firm represents Santa Monica drivers, passengers, pedestrians, cyclists, scooter riders, and rideshare passengers on a contingency engagement. The firm investigates liability using SMPD and CHP reports, preserves dashcam, traffic-cam, and Promenade/Pier surveillance footage, coordinates medical care at facilities like Providence Saint John’s, and either negotiates with the carrier or files suit at the LASC West District. You pay no attorney fees unless we recover.
Were you or your loved ones hurt in a Santa Monica car accident?
Recent CHP-Reported Incidents in Santa Monica
The list below is pulled from California Highway Patrol public incident data for Santa Monica and updated automatically as new reports come in.
Showing 152 CHP-reported incidents from the last 180 days. Source: California Highway Patrol public dispatch feed.
1:32 AM
I-10 EB E at Cloverfield Blvd onramp
Hit-and-run, no injuries reported
West LA
10:46 AM
239 20th St
Hit-and-run, no injuries reported
West LA
3:40 PM
I-10 E at 20th St
Collision, no injury reported
West LA
2:21 PM
I-10 E at Cloverfield Blvd onramp
Collision, no injury reported
LAFSP
2:20 PM
I-10 E at Cloverfield Blvd onramp
Collision, no injury reported
West LA
9:05 PM
I-10 WB W at Cloverfield Blvd offramp
Collision, no injury reported
West LA
5:11 PM
I-10 EB E at 20th St
Collision, injury status unknown
LAFSP
5:06 PM
I-10 WB W at 20th St onramp
Collision, ambulance dispatched
West LA
5:04 PM
I-10 E at Cloverfield Blvd
Collision, injury status unknown
West LA
8:57 AM
I-10 EB E at S Centinela Ave
Collision, no injury reported
LAFSP
Showing incidents 0+ hours old. Data is provisional and may be updated as investigations conclude. The presence of an incident in this list does not imply fault or liability.
180-day summary
Total
152
Major injury
0
Minor injury
0
Hit & run
20
Motorcycle
5
Pedestrian
0
Collisions per day, last 180 days
Santa Monica Car Accident Case Types
Santa Monica is built around the I-10 terminus at PCH, plus the Lincoln Boulevard and Wilshire Boulevard arterials. The transition between freeway and surface street at the I-10 / PCH interface is one of the most geometrically complex pieces of road on the Westside, and the Ocean Avenue bluff frontage adds pedestrian and cyclist exposure. The case mix follows that geometry.
- I-10 (Santa Monica Freeway) terminus crashes where the freeway empties onto Lincoln and PCH – rear-end and lane-change wrecks dominate during weekend and commute peaks.
- PCH (Highway 1) coastal collisions through the Santa Monica / Pacific Palisades stretch and the McClure Tunnel approach.
- Lincoln Boulevard corridor incidents – signal-cycle, left-turn-pocket, and pedestrian-crosswalk conflicts on the city’s primary north-south arterial.
- Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevard wrecks through the downtown SM commercial spine and into Brentwood and West LA.
- Pedestrian and bicycle injuries on the 3rd Street Promenade, Ocean Avenue bluff path, and the Marvin Braude Beach Path crossings.
- Rideshare and delivery-vehicle crashes at the Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica Place, Tongva Park, and the airport (SMO) drop-off zones.
Compensation in a Santa Monica Car Accident Case
Santa Monica PI claims file at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles. LASC routes every unlimited general-jurisdiction PI matter in LA County to its Central District Personal Injury Court. The Santa Monica Courthouse on Main Street hears non-PI civil, family-law, and unlawful-detainer matters but does not handle unlimited PI. From Santa Monica that means a 16-mile drive in on the I-10. Westside panels at Mosk read differently than southeast or south LA panels on damages valuation, which we factor into mediation strategy.
Economic damages: medical specials (Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center, Cedars-Sinai for major trauma, plus the orthopedic and PT providers along Wilshire and Lincoln), lost wages, future earning capacity, and property damage.
Non-economic damages: pain, suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. Civil Code 3333.4 (Proposition 213) bars these for uninsured drivers and DUI plaintiffs.
Pure comparative fault under Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804.
UM/UIM under Insurance Code 11580.2 for uninsured and hit-and-run incidents.
California Law That Governs Your Santa Monica Case
None of these deadlines are negotiable.
- Statute of limitations: two years (CCP 335.1); one year from discovery for medical malpractice (CCP 340.5).
- Government claims: six months (Gov Code 911.2) against City of Santa Monica, SMPD, Santa Monica-Malibu USD, LA County, LA Metro (E Line, formerly Expo Line), Big Blue Bus, Caltrans, the State.
- SR-1 reporting: CVC 16000 within ten days.
- Hit-and-run: CVC 20001 and 20002.
- Scooter regulations: CVC 21235 governs motorized scooter operation (helmet under 18, no riding on sidewalks, no two-up riding, headlight required after dark).
- Comparative fault: Li v. Yellow Cab Co.
- Proposition 213: Civil Code 3333.4.
Speak to a Santa Monica car accident lawyer
Why Santa Monica Residents Choose Yaghmai Law Firm
Santa Monica clients work with Yaghmai Law Firm because the firm is responsive, multilingual, runs on contingency, and operates entirely remotely. Houtan Yaghmai personally handles every case in English, French, and Persian, with Spanish interpreters as needed.
“After years of working with people from Santa Monica, I have learned that what matters most is feeling like someone is in your corner. That is what I try to be.”
— Houtan Yaghmai, Esq., President & Managing Attorney
You can verify Houtan’s California State Bar license at apps.calbar.ca.gov/attorney/Licensee/Detail/298487.
Santa Monica Car Accident FAQ
How long do I have to file a Santa Monica case?
Two years from the date of the incident under CCP 335.1. If a public entity is involved – City of Santa Monica, LA County, Caltrans for the I-10 / SR-1, LA Metro for E Line / Big Blue Bus incidents – a written government claim is required within six months under Government Code 911.2.
Where would my Santa Monica case be filed?
At the Stanley Mosk Courthouse downtown. LASC routes unlimited PI to its Central District Personal Injury Court. The Santa Monica Courthouse on Main Street handles other civil categories – family, unlawful detainer, non-PI civil – but not unlimited PI.
Do you handle I-10 (Santa Monica Freeway) terminus crashes?
Yes. The I-10 terminus at PCH and Lincoln is one of the most geometrically complex pieces of road on the Westside and is a recurring source of catastrophic-injury cases. We pull CHP reports, Caltrans data on the transition geometry, and any Santa Monica or Caltrans surveillance from the McClure Tunnel approach.
What about PCH crashes through Santa Monica and Pacific Palisades?
Yes. PCH between Will Rogers State Beach and the Palisades-Topanga line is a heavy mixed-use corridor with surfer / pedestrian / cyclist exposure plus high-speed coastal traffic. We pull CHP reports and lifeguard / county surveillance where available.
What if the at-fault driver had no insurance?
UM/UIM coverage on your own auto policy under Insurance Code 11580.2 carries the claim. Hit-and-run treatment is the same. We check household stacking.
What if I was partly at fault?
California is a pure comparative fault state under Li v. Yellow Cab Co. Recovery is reduced by your share, never barred.
What does the firm charge?
Nothing if there is no recovery. Pure contingency.
Will my case settle or go to trial?
Most settle. Many at mediation. The ones that should be tried, we try.
Related Practice Areas
These pages cover the case types Santa Monica clients ask about most.
Reviewed by Houtan Yaghmai, Esq., President & Managing Attorney. Admitted to practice law in California (State Bar No. 298487). He represents personal injury and immigration clients statewide.
Last updated: May 30, 2026.
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