Sherman Oaks Car Accident Lawyer

Sherman Oaks Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyer

Hurt in a Sherman Oaks car accident? Here is what to know.

• Our office is in Sherman Oaks, and we handle car-accident claims for residents and visitors injured along Ventura Boulevard, the 405 freeway corridor through the Sepulveda Pass, the 101 freeway, and the 405/101 interchange.
• We represent drivers, passengers, motorcyclists, cyclists, and pedestrians injured anywhere from the Sherman Oaks Galleria to Notre Dame High School to the residential streets south of the 101.
• California gives you 2 years from the date of a Sherman Oaks crash to file a personal-injury lawsuit under CCP § 335.1; 3 years to sue for property damage; and only 6 months to file a government-claim if a city, county, MTA bus, or state vehicle was involved (Gov Code § 911.2).
• No fees unless we recover money for you. Free case review.
• Call or text (888) 800-6731 or submit your case online.

Yaghmai Law Firm, APC represents Sherman Oaks drivers, passengers, motorcyclists, and pedestrians who have been hurt in collisions across the San Fernando Valley. Our office sits in Sherman Oaks itself, which means we know the local crash patterns, the local roadway design problems, and how Los Angeles County juries evaluate Sherman Oaks plaintiffs.

Most Sherman Oaks car-accident claims are filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court Stanley Mosk Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles, where unlimited-jurisdiction personal-injury cases have been routed since the Spring Street Personal Injury Hub was phased out on January 8, 2024. We try, settle, mediate, and arbitrate cases out of that courthouse for clients across the 91403, 91423, and 91436 zip codes.

Recent CHP-Reported Incidents in Sherman Oaks

Recent California Highway Patrol incidents inside the Sherman Oaks geographic bounding box:

No Win, No Fee Representation

We handle every Sherman Oaks car-accident case on a pure contingency. You pay nothing up front, nothing during the case, and nothing at the end unless we recover compensation for you. There is no charge for your initial consultation, and you owe us nothing if we do not win.

Types of Sherman Oaks Car Accident Cases We Handle

Sherman Oaks generates a specific mix of car-accident matters because of its geography — the 405 freeway climbing the Sepulveda Pass, the 101 freeway cutting across the southern edge of the neighborhood, and the dense Ventura Boulevard commercial corridor. The crashes we see most often:

• 405 freeway pile-ups in the Sepulveda Pass. The northbound 405 climbing from the 101 toward the Skirball Center is one of the slowest, most rear-end-prone stretches of freeway in California. Stop-and-go traffic, frustrated lane changes, and texting drivers produce multi-car chain collisions almost daily.
• 405/101 interchange crashes. The transition ramps between the 101 and 405, particularly the southbound 405 to eastbound 101 ramp and the westbound 101 to northbound 405 ramp, generate sideswipe and merge-fail collisions because of the short merge length and frequent lane-shifting.
• Ventura Boulevard intersection collisions. Ventura Boulevard from Coldwater Canyon to White Oak is a busy four-to-six-lane arterial with frequent unprotected left turns at signalized intersections (Hazeltine, Sepulveda, Kester, Woodman). Left-turn-across-traffic crashes and rear-end crashes at red lights are common.
• Sepulveda Boulevard and Coldwater Canyon south-of-Ventura crashes. The canyon roads dropping into the city from Mulholland produce single-vehicle run-off-road crashes and head-on crashes when drivers cross the center line on the curves.
• Rideshare and food-delivery driver collisions. The Sherman Oaks Galleria area and Ventura Boulevard restaurants produce heavy Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, and Uber Eats traffic; we handle passenger-injury and pedestrian-hit-by-rideshare cases under Public Utilities Code § 5433 and the Period 1/2/3 insurance framework.
• MTA Metro Bus and Big Blue Bus collisions. Metro lines 150, 240, 233, and 761 plus LADOT and Antelope Valley Transit Authority buses all run through Sherman Oaks; if a public-agency bus was involved, the 6-month government-claim deadline under Gov Code § 911.2 applies and the case requires a different early procedural posture.

Common Causes of Sherman Oaks Car Accidents

We see distracted driving (texting, GPS-mounting, eating during commute), speeding on the 405 north of the 101, fatigued driving by commuters who live in the Conejo Valley and work downtown, drivers running yellow lights on Ventura Boulevard, drivers cutting across multiple lanes to reach the 405 on-ramps, and impaired drivers leaving Ventura Boulevard restaurants and bars at closing time. We also see pedestrian-vs-vehicle crashes at the Hazeltine Avenue and Van Nuys Boulevard crosswalks.

Common Injuries in Sherman Oaks Car Crashes

Whiplash and cervical strain are by far the most common. We also see disc herniations (lumbar and cervical) requiring epidural injections or fusion, traumatic brain injuries (concussion through severe TBI), broken wrists and clavicles from steering-wheel impact and airbag deployment, knee and ankle fractures, internal organ injuries from seatbelt loading, and PTSD and post-concussive depression following high-speed collisions on the 405 or 101.

What Your Sherman Oaks Car Accident Case Is Worth

Sherman Oaks personal-injury cases are filed at the Los Angeles Superior Court Stanley Mosk Courthouse, 111 North Hill Street in downtown Los Angeles, where all unlimited-jurisdiction PI matters are routed per LASC Local Rule 2.3 and the General Order on Personal Injury Cases following the January 8, 2024 phase-out of the Spring Street PI Hub. Trial drive from Sherman Oaks is roughly 12 miles down the 101 to the 110, typically 35 to 60 minutes depending on time of day.

LA County jury panels for Stanley Mosk include voters drawn from across the basin, which tends to give Sherman Oaks plaintiffs broader demographic mix than purely Valley-side juries. Case value depends on medical-bill totals, time off work, the credibility of the injury (whether MRI or EMG findings corroborate complaints), the defendant’s insurance limits, and whether the defendant has umbrella coverage. We have settled six-figure Sherman Oaks rear-end cases and tried seven-figure 405-freeway pile-up cases involving spinal fusion and TBI.

California Law That Applies to Sherman Oaks Car Crashes

Sherman Oaks crashes are governed by California Vehicle Code, California Civil Code, and California Code of Civil Procedure. The core statutes:

• CCP § 335.1 — 2-year statute of limitations for personal injury.
• CCP § 338(c) — 3-year statute of limitations for property damage.
• Gov Code § 911.2 — 6-month government-claim deadline (Metro Bus, LADOT, City of LA vehicles, state vehicles).
• Pure comparative fault under Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804 — even if you are partially at fault, you recover for the percentage attributable to the other driver.
• CVC §§ 22350, 22107, 21703, 23152 — speed, unsafe lane changes, following too closely, and DUI as negligence per se when violation caused the crash.
• Proposition 213 — uninsured drivers may have non-economic damages limited.
• CVC § 16000 — 10-day SR-1 reporting requirement when injury occurred or damage exceeded $1,000.
• Ins Code § 11580.2 — UM/UIM coverage rules for uninsured or underinsured drivers.

Why Sherman Oaks Residents Choose Yaghmai Law Firm

Houtan Yaghmai grew up in the San Fernando Valley, the firm is headquartered in Sherman Oaks, and Houtan personally handles every car-accident case from intake to settlement or trial. There is no associate handoff, no paralegal-runs-the-case routine. When you call our office, you talk to the lawyer who is going to try your case if it does not settle.

“Calling a lawyer can feel like one more thing on a long list. I try to keep the first call short and give you a clear answer about what you are looking at.”

— Houtan Yaghmai, Esq., President & Managing Attorney

We represent Sherman Oaks clients in English, French, and Persian fluently. We use a certified Spanish interpreter when a Spanish-speaking client retains us. No office visits required — we run the case by phone, text, video, and e-signature, and we come to the hospital, your home, or your job site if you need us to.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is a Sherman Oaks car-accident lawsuit filed?

In the Los Angeles Superior Court Stanley Mosk Courthouse, 111 North Hill Street, downtown Los Angeles. LASC Local Rule 2.3 and the post-2024 General Order route all unlimited-jurisdiction personal-injury cases originating in LA County to an Independent Calendar department at Stanley Mosk. The Spring Street Personal Injury Hub was phased out effective January 8, 2024.

How long do I have to sue for a Sherman Oaks car accident?

2 years from the date of the crash for personal injury under CCP § 335.1. 3 years for property damage under CCP § 338(c). Only 6 months if a Metro Bus, LADOT vehicle, City of LA vehicle, County of LA vehicle, or state vehicle was involved — Gov Code § 911.2 imposes a 6-month government-claim deadline before you can even file a lawsuit.

What if I was partly at fault for the Sherman Oaks crash?

California follows pure comparative fault under Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804. Even if you are 30% or 50% or 70% at fault, you still recover for the percentage attributable to the other driver. Your damages are reduced by your percentage of fault but never zeroed out.

I was hit by an Uber or Lyft driver in Sherman Oaks. Who pays?

It depends on which Period the rideshare driver was in. Period 1 (app on, no ride accepted): driver’s personal auto is primary, plus a $200,000 TNC excess policy under Public Utilities Code § 5433. Period 2 (ride accepted, en route to pickup) and Period 3 (passenger in vehicle): Uber/Lyft’s $1 million third-party liability policy applies. We have handled passenger-injury claims along Ventura Boulevard and on the 101 against both Uber and Lyft.

How much does it cost to hire a Sherman Oaks car-accident lawyer?

Nothing up front. We handle every Sherman Oaks case on contingency. We advance every cost of the case — investigators, medical records, accident reconstruction experts, deposition transcripts — and we only get paid if we recover money for you. The free initial consultation has no strings attached; you do not have to retain us to get our honest read on your case.

Do I need to come to your office in Sherman Oaks?

No. We run cases remotely by phone, text, email, video conference, and e-signature. We come to you for documents, intake, and major case milestones if needed. If you are still in the hospital or on bed rest after a Sherman Oaks crash, we will come to your hospital room or your home for the initial sign-up.

What if a Metro Bus or LADOT vehicle hit me in Sherman Oaks?

You have only 6 months under Gov Code § 911.2 to file a formal government-claim with the public entity, and that is a hard prerequisite to filing a lawsuit. Missing the 6-month deadline almost always kills the case. Call us immediately if a public-agency vehicle was involved — we file the government claim within the deadline, and we know which agency (LA Metro, LADOT, City of LA, County of LA, State of California) to serve.

What languages does the firm handle?

Houtan Yaghmai personally speaks fluent English, French, and Persian (Farsi). For Spanish-speaking Sherman Oaks clients, we provide a certified Spanish interpreter at no cost during meetings, depositions, and court appearances.

Related Practice Areas

Sherman Oaks car accidents often involve more than a simple two-vehicle collision. We also handle:

• Car Accident Lawyer (Los Angeles)
• Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
• Uber Accident Lawyer
• Lyft Accident Lawyer
• Pedestrian Accident Attorney
• Brain Injury Lawyer
• Wrongful Death Attorney
• Personal Injury Hub

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.