Los Angeles Accident Guide
If you were hurt in a crash in Los Angeles, this guide shows where to get your police report, how to file a claim against the City or County, which intersections and freeways see the most crashes, and the deadlines that matter. Each fact links to the official source.
How do I get a police accident report in Los Angeles?
It depends on who wrote the report. LAPD handles most crashes on city streets, the Sheriff (LASD) covers unincorporated areas and contract cities, and CHP covers freeways. LAPD reports can be bought online after at least 45 days or by mail for $19. CHP reports are online or by CHP 190 form.
| Agency | How to request | Wait, fee, and rules |
|---|---|---|
| LAPD (city streets in the City of Los Angeles) | Online: through the LexisNexis portal linked on LAPD’s Request a Traffic Report page. Mail: the Traffic Collision Report Request form (PDF) to Los Angeles Police Department, Records and Identification Division, Document Processing Unit, P.O. Box 30158, Los Angeles, CA 90030. | Wait at least 45 days after the crash. Mail fee: $19.00 check or money order payable to LAPD (no cash). Reports involving an arrest, a death, or a juvenile, and reports from before February 1, 2016, are mail only. Source: LAPD: Request a Traffic Report |
| LA County Sheriff (unincorporated areas and contract cities) | Call (562) 345-4441 to request and set a pickup appointment, or mail a written request to Records and Identification Bureau, Attention: Records Inquiry Non-Law Enforcement Section, 12440 East Imperial Highway, Suite 400 West, Norwalk, CA 90650. | By mail you must include notarized ID. Pickup is by appointment, Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Your local station may have copies of incidents from about the last six months. Source: LASD Records and ID Bureau FAQ |
| CHP (freeways and state highways) | Online: CHP Online Crash Report System. In person or mail: CHP 190 form (PDF) to any CHP Area office. | Online reports are usually ready about 8 business days after the crash. Fee: $10 for 1 to 25 pages, $10 more per added 25 pages; check or money order. Attach a copy of your ID or have the form notarized. Source: CHP: Request a Crash Report; CHP 190 instructions |
Long Beach has its own police department, so a crash inside Long Beach city limits is not an LAPD report. If the report gets the facts wrong or blames you, read what to do when a California collision report blames you.
Who is allowed to get a copy of the crash report?
California limits crash reports to people with a proper interest. That includes drivers, injured people, passengers, vehicle or property owners, parents of injured minors, guardians, and their lawyers or insurance companies. You will usually need ID and the report number, date, and location. A lawyer can request it for you.
- The rule is in Vehicle Code §20012.
- Have the date, time, location, names, and report (DR) number if you have it.
How do I file a claim against the City of Los Angeles?
File a written Claim for Damages with the Los Angeles City Clerk within six months of an injury. You can file online at claims.lacity.org, mail the signed paper form, or deliver it to City Hall, Room 395. The City does not accept emailed or faxed claims. The City Attorney then investigates.
| Way to file | Details |
|---|---|
| Online | City of Los Angeles Claim for Damages portal. You get a claim number right away. If the portal errors, submit without attachments and add documents later. |
| Sign the Claim for Damages form (PDF) and mail it to Office of the City Clerk, 200 North Spring Street, Room 395, City Hall, Los Angeles, CA 90012. | |
| In person | Same address (entrance on Main Street), Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except City holidays. |
| Questions and status | Form by mail: (213) 978-1133. Status of a filed claim: email attclaimsubmit@lacity.org with your claim number, or see the City Attorney Claims page. |
Source: City Clerk: Claim for Damage. Tripped on a broken city sidewalk? See suing a California city or county over a broken sidewalk.
How do I file a claim against Los Angeles County?
Mail or hand deliver a signed claim to the Executive Officer of the Board of Supervisors, Attention: Claims, 500 West Temple Street, Room 383, Los Angeles. Use one form for each injured person. Injury claims are due within six months. The claims unit answers questions but does not give legal advice.
- Form: County of Los Angeles Claim Form (PDF). Instructions: Board of Supervisors: Claims for Damages.
- Phone: 213-974-1440 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) or ExecutiveOffice@bos.lacounty.gov.
Other Los Angeles public agencies
| Agency | How to file |
|---|---|
| LA Metro (buses and trains) | In person or by mail only; emailed claims are rejected. Legal Services, One Gateway Plaza, MS: PL4, Los Angeles, CA 90012, 213-922-7644. Metro Legal Services |
| LAUSD (school district) | Mail the district form to the address on its second page; no hand delivery. (213) 241-3120. LAUSD Liability Claims |
| Caltrans (state highways) | Claims of $12,500 or less: form DOT LD-0274 to the District 7 Claim Office, 100 S. Main St., 13th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90012, 213-897-0816. Caltrans: Submit a Damage Claim |
| Other State agencies | DGS Government Claims Program ($25 fee or fee waiver request). DGS: File a Claim |
What is the timeline for a government claim in California?
For an injury, you generally have six months to file the claim. The agency then has 45 days to act, and silence counts as a denial. After a written denial you usually have six months to sue. If no proper written notice is sent, the lawsuit deadline is generally two years.
| Stage | Usual deadline | Law |
|---|---|---|
| 1. File the claim | Within 6 months of the injury | Gov. Code §911.2 |
| 2. Missed it? Ask to file late | Within a reasonable time, no later than 1 year | Gov. Code §911.4 |
| 3. Agency decides | 45 days; no answer counts as a denial | Gov. Code §912.4 |
| 4. File the lawsuit | 6 months after written denial notice; 2 years if no proper notice | Gov. Code §945.6 |
| 5. Late claim denied | Ask the court for relief within 6 months | Gov. Code §946.6 |
Exceptions can shorten or lengthen these dates. For the general two-year rule and other deadlines, read how long you have to file a personal injury claim in California.
What are the most dangerous intersections in Los Angeles?
In LAPD collision data for 2022 through 2024, the intersections with the most reported crashes were 3rd Street and Vermont Avenue, Roscoe and Van Nuys Boulevards, Roscoe and Sepulveda Boulevards, and Figueroa Street and Slauson Avenue. Several of the top ten sit in Panorama City and South Los Angeles.
| Rank | Intersection | Area | Reported collisions, 2022 to 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3rd St and Vermont Ave | Koreatown | 39 |
| 2 | Roscoe Blvd and Van Nuys Blvd | Panorama City | 38 |
| 3 | Roscoe Blvd and Sepulveda Blvd | Panorama City | 37 |
| 4 | Figueroa St and Slauson Ave | South LA | 37 |
| 5 | La Brea Ave and Obama Blvd | Baldwin Hills | 34 |
| 6 | Venice Blvd and Western Ave | Mid-City | 33 |
| 7 | Nordhoff St and Tampa Ave | Northridge | 33 |
| 8 | Figueroa St and Manchester Ave | South LA | 33 |
| 9 | Sherman Way and Van Nuys Blvd | Van Nuys | 32 |
| 10 | Imperial Hwy and Main St | South LA | 31 |
Method: counts of LAPD traffic collision records with both streets listed, January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2024, combining both street orders. These are LAPD-reported collisions only, not every crash. Data pulled October 27, 2026 from LAPD Traffic Collision Data from 2010 to Present (City of Los Angeles Open Data). Area names are general locations.
Many of these crashes involve people walking or riding. See your rights after being hit by a car as a pedestrian and who pays after a bicycle or e-bike crash. If the driver fled, read what happens after an uninsured or hit-and-run crash.
Which Los Angeles freeways have the most crashes?
In CHP crash records for 2024 within Los Angeles city limits, US-101 had the most freeway crashes, followed by I-110, I-5, I-405, and I-10. Together these five freeways accounted for most freeway crashes CHP reported in the city that year, along with thousands of injuries.
| Freeway | Crashes | People injured | People killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| US-101 (Hollywood and Ventura Freeways) | 3,067 | 1,739 | 5 |
| I-110 (Harbor Freeway) | 2,884 | 1,106 | 4 |
| I-5 (Golden State and Santa Ana Freeways) | 2,578 | 1,227 | 4 |
| I-405 (San Diego Freeway) | 2,382 | 1,251 | 3 |
| I-10 (Santa Monica and San Bernardino Freeways) | 1,903 | 768 | 1 |
| SR-118 (Ronald Reagan Freeway) | 552 | 348 | 5 |
Method: CHP Crash Reporting System (CCRS) records for calendar year 2024 where the city is Los Angeles and the crash is marked as on a freeway, grouped by route (both directions). CCRS reflects CHP reports, and recent data can change as reports are reviewed. Data pulled October 27, 2026 from CCRS on the California Open Data Portal.
Freeway crashes often involve big rigs and rideshare drivers. See our pages on California truck accidents and rideshare accident claims.
Do I need to report the crash to the DMV?
Yes, if anyone was hurt or killed, even slightly, or property damage was over $1,000. Each driver must file form SR-1 with the DMV within 10 days, even if police made a report. Your insurance agent, broker, or lawyer can file it for you. Skipping it can lead to a license suspension.
- File online or on paper: DMV: Report of Traffic Accident (SR-1). Law: Vehicle Code §16000.
- If someone was hurt, a written report to CHP or the city police is also due within 24 hours: Vehicle Code §20008.
Where do I file an injury lawsuit in Los Angeles?
Most Los Angeles injury lawsuits are filed in Los Angeles Superior Court. New cases are filed in the judicial district where the crash happened, and the court’s Filing Court Locator tells you which courthouse. Central District cases go to the Stanley Mosk Courthouse at 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles.
- Stanley Mosk Courthouse: 111 N. Hill St., Los Angeles, CA 90012, (213) 830-0800. Source: LA Superior Court contact list (PDF)
- Find your courthouse: LA Superior Court Filing Court Locator. Court home: lacourt.org.
What should I do next after a Los Angeles crash?
Get medical care, keep every bill and record, request the crash report, and write down your deadlines. File a government claim within six months if a public agency may share blame. Tell your insurer promptly, but think before giving a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer about your injuries.
- Step by step: what to do after a car accident in California.
- How value is judged: what your California personal injury case may be worth.
- Low policy limits: how underinsured motorist coverage works in California.
- By crash type: car accidents, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, and rideshare accidents.
- Forms you may need: California injury forms, insurer claim lines, medical records, and liens.
- Other cities: see all California accident guides.
Deadlines and next steps depend on facts this page can’t see. You can talk with Geller Legal about your options. Call 213-770-4870. No fee unless we recover.*
Contact Geller LegalCall 213-770-4870*Under our written contingency fee agreement, if there is no recovery you owe no attorney fees and do not have to repay the case costs we advanced. Medical bills and other non-litigation expenses remain your responsibility. Offices in Los Angeles and Oakland.
This page is general information about California law and Los Angeles procedures, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Fees, forms, and agency procedures change; confirm with the linked official source. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Attorney advertising. Geller Legal, a dba of The Geller Firm, Inc.