Car Accident Lawyer in North Hollywood, CA
After a crash on Lankershim Boulevard or the 170, the other driver’s insurance company starts building its version of events almost immediately. We know that process from the inside. NMF Law Group, APC represents injured people across California, including North Hollywood, and your consultation is free.
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Driving in North Hollywood: Where the Risk Concentrates
North Hollywood is not its own city. It is a neighborhood within the City of Los Angeles, in the San Fernando Valley, and that detail matters for your claim. State Route 170, known as the Hollywood Freeway, and US 101 run through or border the neighborhood, while Lankershim Boulevard, Magnolia Boulevard, and Laurel Canyon Boulevard carry local traffic through it.
North Hollywood station is served by both the Metro B Line and the Metro G Line, and the NoHo Arts District is part of the same community. A transit station and an arts district can put drivers on the same streets as people on foot, cyclists, buses, and rideshare cars pulling over for pickups. A crash in that setting can involve more than one vehicle, more than one insurance policy, and sometimes a public agency.
Before founding NMF Law Group, APC, attorney Joshua B. Adelpour spent nearly a decade defending insurance companies, public entities, and property owners, rising to partner at an insurance defense firm. He knows how the other driver’s insurance company will value your auto accident claim because he used to work on that side of the table. The firm now represents injured people exclusively.
What to Do After a North Hollywood Car Accident
- Call 911 if anyone is hurt, and get medical care the same day even if you feel fine. Adrenaline can hide injuries.
- Photograph the vehicles, the lanes, the traffic signals, and your visible injuries before anything moves.
- Get the name, license plate, and insurance information for every driver involved, plus contact details for witnesses.
- If a rideshare driver was involved, ask whether the app was on and whether a passenger was in the car.
- Note nearby businesses that may have cameras. Footage can be recorded over quickly.
- Get the police or CHP report number from the responding officers.
- Decline recorded statements from the other driver’s insurer, and sign nothing before you talk to a lawyer.
The LAPD North Hollywood Community Police Station, on Burbank Boulevard, serves the North Hollywood community. Whichever agency responded to your crash, keep the report number. We use it to request the collision report and check it against what the other driver tells their insurer.
How Insurance Works After an Auto Accident in North Hollywood
The other driver’s liability policy
For policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, Vehicle Code section 16056 sets California’s minimum auto liability limits at $30,000 per person, $60,000 per accident, and $15,000 for property damage. A serious injury can cost far more, so we look for every available policy before any settlement is discussed.
Your own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage
If the at fault driver had no insurance, drove away, or carried limits lower than your own underinsured motorist limits, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage on your own policy may help, depending on its terms. People sometimes have this coverage without realizing it, so we review your declarations page early. Read more about uninsured motorist claims.
Rideshare coverage
If an Uber or Lyft driver caused your crash, or you were hurt as a passenger, Public Utilities Code section 5433 sets required coverage based on what the driver was doing at that moment. During an active ride, $1,000,000 in coverage is required. While the driver is logged into the app and waiting for a request, the required coverage is at least $50,000 per person, $100,000 per incident, and $30,000 for property damage, plus at least $200,000 in excess coverage. If the app was off, the driver’s personal auto policy is usually where the claim starts.
Fault, Deadlines, and Claims Against the City of Los Angeles
Shared fault
California follows comparative negligence. If you were partly at fault, your recovery is reduced by your share of fault rather than eliminated. When more than one party contributed to the crash, Civil Code section 1431.2 generally limits each defendant’s responsibility for non economic damages, such as pain and suffering, to that defendant’s percentage of fault.
The two year deadline
Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1 generally gives you two years to file a lawsuit for injuries caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another. Evidence like video footage and witness memory fades long before then.
The six month deadline for public entities
Because North Hollywood is part of the City of Los Angeles, a crash involving a city vehicle or a dangerous condition on a city street may lead to a claim against the City of Los Angeles itself. Government Code section 911.2 requires a claim for injury against a public entity to be presented within six months after the claim accrues, and Government Code section 835 addresses when a public entity can be liable for a dangerous condition of its property. The same six month rule generally applies to other public entities, such as a public transit agency whose bus was involved. If a public vehicle or road condition played any part, call us right away.
Other Personal Injury Cases We Handle in North Hollywood
As a personal injury lawyer for North Hollywood residents, Joshua B. Adelpour also represents people hurt in pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, and motorcycle accidents, along with slip and fall injuries, dog bites, and wrongful death claims. Our office is in Warner Center, and our Woodland Hills personal injury lawyer page explains how we handle those cases. We speak English and Spanish.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file after a North Hollywood car accident?
Generally two years from the crash under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. If a public entity such as the City of Los Angeles is involved, Government Code section 911.2 requires a claim to be presented within six months after the claim accrues. Starting early protects both deadlines.
What if the driver who hit me had no insurance or drove away?
Uninsured motorist coverage on your own auto policy may cover your injuries when the at fault driver has no insurance or cannot be identified after a hit and run, depending on your policy terms. Report the crash to police right away, the same day if you can, and notify your own insurer.
What if I was partly at fault for the crash?
California follows comparative negligence. Your recovery is reduced by your share of fault, not eliminated. Do not let an adjuster decide who was to blame before a lawyer has reviewed the evidence.
Who pays if an Uber or Lyft driver hit me in North Hollywood?
It depends on what the driver was doing. Public Utilities Code section 5433 requires $1,000,000 in coverage during an active ride and lower limits while the driver is logged in and waiting for a request. If the app was off, the driver’s personal auto policy is usually the starting point.
What does a North Hollywood auto accident attorney cost?
Nothing up front. The consultation is free, and there are no attorney’s fees unless we win.
Learn more about how we handle car accident cases, see our Los Angeles car accident lawyer page, or browse every case type on our personal injury page. Contact us online or call (213) 800-0706 for a free consultation, Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM. There are no attorney’s fees unless we win.
If the other driver caused your North Hollywood crash, our guide to not at fault car accidents in California covers the first ten days step by step.