Best Car Accident Lawyers in Los Angeles, California

The 10 firms, ranked

Which one fits your case

• Location: pick a firm with an office near you so meetings are easy. See the area guide below.
• Severity: for a death, paralysis, brain injury or surgery, favor firms with published seven-figure results in similar cases: Jacoby & Meyers, Pacific Attorney Group, BANA Law, Morgan & Morgan.
• Soft-tissue and rear-end cases: a firm with a rear-end verdict, like Jennie Levin's, knows the defense playbook on treatment.
• Government involved: if a city vehicle, bus or road defect played a part, call this week. The claim is due within 6 months. Omega Law Group reports a roadway defect result.
• Timing: close to the 2-year mark, ask on the first call whether the firm can file before the deadline.
• Language or after-hours: The Accident Guys, Farahi, BANA and Omega state Spanish service. Several list 24/7 lines.

How we rank

We scored each firm on four weighted factors: 40% published car-crash and auto-injury results (dollar figures the firm or a press release reports), 25% focus on vehicle crash cases, 20% public rating volume (Google review counts as shown on Expertise.com, or FindLaw and Avvo counts), and 15% access (free consultation, stated languages, 24/7 phone, number of Los Angeles County offices). Ratings are third-party and change often. Results are firm-reported unless noted, and past results do not predict yours. Firms do not pay to be listed or ranked. We left out firms whose phone or address we could not confirm.

Top rated car accident lawyers in Los Angeles

On review volume, four firms stand out. On Expertise.com (page updated Nov 5, 2026), Jacoby & Meyers shows 5.0 on Google from 2,170 reviews, Omega Law Group 4.9 from 526, the Law Offices of Jennie Levin 5.0 from 511, and BANA Law 4.9 from 347. Morgan & Morgan's own Los Angeles page shows 4.7 from 9,602, a count that may include its other offices. The Accident Guys show 4.9 from 256 reviews on FindLaw and Avvo. Stars tell you how clients felt about service. They do not tell you who wins large cases, so read the published results in each entry too.

Car accident lawyer near me: how to narrow this list

Start with where you live or where the crash happened, using the area guide below. Then match the case: a rideshare crash points to firms with rideshare results (Jacoby & Meyers, BANA Law); a surgery points to firms with published surgery results (Pacific Attorney Group); a rear-end crash with disputed treatment points to a firm with a rear-end verdict (Jennie Levin). Call two or three. Ask who will handle your case day to day, the fee percentage before and after a lawsuit, and who pays case costs if you lose. Check the lawyer's license on the State Bar site before you sign.

How much does a car accident lawyer cost in California

Car accident lawyers in California almost always work on contingency: no fee unless they recover money. None of the 10 firms here publishes its percentage. One California injury firm (blairramirezlaw.com) says rates are typically 33% if the case settles before a lawsuit and 36% to 40% once a suit is filed. That is one firm's statement, not a State Bar figure. California Business and Professions Code 6147 requires the agreement to be in writing, to state the rate, to explain how costs affect your share, and to say the fee is not set by law and can be negotiated.

Deadline to file a car accident claim in California

You have 2 years from the injury to file a lawsuit for injury or death caused by someone else's negligence (Code of Civil Procedure 335.1). The deadline is much shorter if a public entity is involved, such as an LAPD car, a Metro bus, a city truck or a dangerous road. A written claim to the agency is due no later than 6 months after the claim arises (Government Code 911.2(a)). Uninsured motorist claims have their own 2-year limit to sue, settle or demand arbitration (Insurance Code 11580.2(i)). Talk to a lawyer well before any of these dates.

What to do after a car accident in Los Angeles

Get medical care first and keep every record. Photograph the cars, the road, signals and your injuries. Get the other driver's name, plate, license and insurer, and the names of witnesses. If the other driver fled, report it to police, or to the CHP on unincorporated roads, within 24 hours. Your uninsured motorist claim depends on it. Tell your own insurer promptly. Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurer or sign a release before you talk to a lawyer. If a government vehicle or road condition was involved, the 6-month claim clock is already running.

Rear-ended on the 405, 101 or 10

Stop-and-go traffic on the 405, 101 and 10 makes rear-end hits common. Even when fault is clear, insurers often argue that the injury was minor or that treatment was not needed. Jennie Levin's firm reports an $823,045.93 net jury verdict for a couple rear-ended by a box truck at a red light, where the defense made exactly that argument. If a work truck hit you, the employer can also be liable. For 101 crashes in the Valley, Sweet James has an Encino office. For 405 crashes in the South Bay, Farahi Law Firm has two offices in Torrance.

Whiplash and neck injury claims

Neck injuries often show up hours or days after a crash, and insurers use that gap to cut offers. See a doctor quickly, follow the treatment plan, and keep notes on missed work and daily limits. If imaging later shows a disc injury and surgery is advised, the value of the claim changes a lot. Pacific Attorney Group reports a $6.0M result for neck and low back surgery and a $4.0M result for neck surgery, both in truck crashes. Do not settle a neck claim before your doctor can say whether you will need more care.

Uninsured driver: California UM coverage

If the at-fault driver has no insurance, your own policy can pay. California auto liability policies must include uninsured motorist (UM) coverage unless you and the insurer deleted it in a signed writing (Insurance Code 11580.2(a)). Insurers must offer limits of $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident (11580.2(m)). Underinsured coverage applies when the other driver's limits are too low. Disputes over UM claims can go to arbitration, and you must sue, settle or demand arbitration within 2 years of the accident. Find your declarations page and check your UM limits now.

Lowball offer from the insurer

An early offer usually comes before your treatment is finished and before anyone has priced future care or lost earning capacity. Once you sign the release, the claim is closed for good. Ask the adjuster for the offer in writing and how it was calculated. Then collect your medical bills, wage records and a doctor's view on future care before you answer. A lawyer working on contingency gets paid only from what is recovered, so the free consultation is the time to ask whether the offer is fair and what fee you would pay on any increase.

Rideshare (Uber/Lyft) crashes

Rideshare coverage depends on what the driver's app was doing. From the moment a driver accepts a ride until the ride ends, California requires $1,000,000 in primary coverage for death, injury and property damage (Public Utilities Code 5433(b)). With the app on but no ride accepted, the minimums are $50,000 per person, $100,000 per incident and $30,000 for property, plus $200,000 in excess coverage (5433(c)). With the app off, only the driver's personal policy applies. Screenshot your trip receipt. Jacoby & Meyers reports a $19,000,000 rideshare passenger settlement, and BANA Law a $3.4M rideshare result.

Hit and run in Los Angeles

If the driver who hit you is never found, your own uninsured motorist coverage can treat the car as uninsured. California sets three conditions. The unknown car must have made physical contact with you or your vehicle. You must report the crash to police, or to the CHP in unincorporated areas, within 24 hours. You must file a sworn statement with your insurer within 30 days (Insurance Code 11580.2(b)). A near miss that forced you off the road without contact does not qualify. Ask nearby businesses for camera footage right away, before it is recorded over.

Los Angeles car accident lawyers by area

Downtown: Morgan & Morgan (633 West Fifth Street). No other firm on this list gives a Downtown street address on the pages we checked.

Westside (Century City, Westwood, Mid-City, West Hollywood): Jacoby & Meyers, BANA Law, Pacific Attorney Group, Omega Law Group, Law Offices of Jennie Levin, McNicholas & McNicholas, The Accident Guys.

San Fernando Valley: Sweet James (Encino, on Ventura Blvd.).

South Bay: Farahi Law Firm (two Torrance offices).

Long Beach: Pacific Attorney Group (4058 Orange Ave, (562) 268-1320) and Jacoby & Meyers (111 W Ocean Blvd, 4th Floor).

Not sure which lawyer to call?

Not sure? The Los Angeles County Bar lawyer referral service, SmartLaw: 213-243-1525 smartlaw.org. The service says it is certified by the State Bar of California.

FAQ

How long do I have to file a car accident lawsuit in Los Angeles?

Two years from the injury under California Code of Civil Procedure 335.1. If a city, county or state agency is involved, a written claim is due within 6 months under Government Code 911.2.

How much does a car accident lawyer cost in California?

Most work on contingency, so you pay only from a recovery. None of the firms on this list publishes its percentage. One California injury firm says 33% before suit and 36% to 40% after suit is common. The rate must be in a written contract and is negotiable (Business and Professions Code 6147).

Who are the top rated car accident lawyers in Los Angeles?

By Google review count on Expertise.com (Nov 2026): Jacoby & Meyers 5.0 from 2,170, Omega Law Group 4.9 from 526, Law Offices of Jennie Levin 5.0 from 511, and BANA Law 4.9 from 347. Ratings come from third parties and change often.

What if the other driver had no insurance?

Your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage can pay. California policies include it unless you waived it in writing. You must sue, settle or demand arbitration within 2 years of the accident (Insurance Code 11580.2).

What if I was hit by an Uber or Lyft driver?

California requires $1,000,000 in coverage from the moment the driver accepts a ride until the ride ends. With the app on but no ride accepted, the minimums are $50,000 per person and $100,000 per incident (Public Utilities Code 5433).

What should I do after a hit and run?

Report it to police, or the CHP on unincorporated roads, within 24 hours, and send your insurer a sworn statement within 30 days. Your UM coverage applies only if the other car made physical contact (Insurance Code 11580.2(b)).

Should I accept the first insurance offer?

Not before you know your full medical picture. Once you sign a release, the claim is closed. A free consultation with a lawyer from this list costs nothing.

How do I check a lawyer's license?

Search the attorney's name on the State Bar of California licensee search at apps.calbar.ca.gov. Each firm entry above links to it.