El Sereno is a community in the City of Los Angeles. If you were hurt in a crash or a fall there, LAPD handles the report and claims for dangerous streets go to the City of Los Angeles. This page covers both, and how our Los Angeles personal injury attorneys can help.
Looking for a El Sereno personal injury lawyer? B&D Law Group, APLC handles El Sereno car, truck, motorcycle, pedestrian and premises injury cases, and the first consultation is free.
Getting your collision report
LAPD’s Hollenbeck Community Police Station is at 2111 E. 1st St., and its page lists El Sereno among the communities it serves. LAPD’s Central Traffic Division, 251 E. 6th St., covers the Hollenbeck Area.
- Request an LAPD report online through LexisNexis, starting at least 45 days after the collision.
- Or by mail: LAPD’s request page lists a $19 fee by check or money order to LAPD Records and Identification Division, P.O. Box 30158, Los Angeles, CA 90030.
- Reports involving an arrest, a fatality or a juvenile are not released online (LAPD traffic reports).
Crashes on freeways are generally investigated by the California Highway Patrol, which patrols freeways within the City of Los Angeles. CHP reports are requested on form CHP 190.
El Sereno streets in the city’s plan
The city’s Northeast Los Angeles Community Plan describes Huntington Drive as the principal commercial east-west corridor in El Sereno and Eastern Avenue as its most prominent north-south commercial street.
Filing a claim against the City of Los Angeles
If a city street, sidewalk or signal defect contributed to your injury, file the claim online at claims.lacity.org or by mail or in person with the Office of the City Clerk, 200 N. Spring St., Room 395, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Email and fax are not accepted. If the city denies the claim in writing, a lawsuit generally must follow within six months of that notice (Government Code section 945.6).
Courts serving El Sereno
The Los Angeles Superior Court’s Rule 2.2(b) list of courthouses does not include a courthouse in El Sereno. Courthouses on the list include the Alhambra Courthouse, 150 W. Commonwealth Ave., in the Northeast District, and the East Los Angeles Courthouse, 4848 E. Civic Center Way, in the Central District. Court rules decide which courthouse hears a personal injury case, and those rules have changed in recent years. If your case goes to court, we handle the filing.
El Sereno injury claim can cover
California law sorts personal injury damages into a few categories:
- Economic damages: objectively verifiable money losses, such as medical expenses, lost earnings and the cost of repairing or replacing property (Civil Code section 1431.2).
- Non-economic damages: subjective losses such as pain, suffering, emotional distress and loss of companionship (same section).
- Punitive damages: available only in limited cases, when it is proven by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant acted with oppression, fraud or malice (Civil Code section 3294).
What a particular claim is worth depends on the injuries, the evidence and the insurance available, so we review each case individually and never promise a result.
How a El Sereno personal injury case usually moves
- Free consultation. You tell us what happened and we explain your options. There is no attorney fee unless we recover compensation for you.
- Investigation. We gather the collision or incident report described above, photos, witness information and your medical records.
- Claim and negotiation. We present the claim to the insurance company and negotiate for a fair settlement.
- Government claim if needed. If the City of Los Angeles or another public agency may share responsibility, we prepare the written claim before the six-month deadline.
- Lawsuit if needed. If the case does not settle, we file a lawsuit in the proper California Superior Court and keep pushing toward trial.
Deadlines and fault rules that apply to every California injury claim
- Two years to file a lawsuit. Most personal injury lawsuits must be filed within two years of the injury under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1.
- Six months for claims against a public agency. If a city, county or state agency may be responsible, for example because of a dangerous road condition or a government vehicle, a written claim generally must be presented within six months after the claim accrues under Government Code section 911.2. Missing that deadline can end the claim.
- Partly at fault does not mean no recovery. California uses pure comparative fault (Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804). If you share some of the blame, your compensation is reduced by your share rather than barred.
Cases we handle for people hurt in El Sereno
Our personal injury attorneys represent people injured in El Sereno in cases including:
You can also read about our past case results and what clients say about working with us.
El Sereno personal injury FAQ
How much does a personal injury lawyer cost in El Sereno?
B&D Law Group, APLC handles personal injury cases on a contingency fee, which means no attorney fee unless we recover compensation for you. The consultation is free.
How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in El Sereno?
Most California personal injury lawsuits must be filed within two years of the injury (Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1). If a city, county or state agency may be responsible, a written claim generally must be presented within six months (Government Code section 911.2).
What if I was partly at fault for the El Sereno accident?
California follows pure comparative fault (Li v. Yellow Cab Co.). If you share some of the blame, your compensation is reduced by your share rather than barred.
Can I make a claim against the City of Los Angeles for a El Sereno accident?
Yes, but California requires a written claim to the public agency before a lawsuit can be filed (Government Code section 945.4), and the claim generally must be presented within six months. The section above on public agency claims explains where City of Los Angeles claims go.
Where do I get my El Sereno accident report?
The “Getting your collision report” section above lists the agency that handles crashes inside city limits and how to request a copy. Freeway crashes are generally handled by the California Highway Patrol.
Nearby cities we serve
We also represent injured people in communities near El Sereno:
- Alhambra personal injury attorneys
- Monterey Park personal injury attorneys
- Boyle Heights personal injury attorneys
- Lincoln Heights personal injury attorneys
- Pasadena personal injury attorneys
- Our Los Angeles office
- All areas we serve
Talk to a B&D Law Group attorney
B&D Law Group, APLC represents people hurt in El Sereno and in the Los Angeles area from our Los Angeles office at 10700 Santa Monica Blvd, Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA 90025. The consultation is free, and we handle personal injury cases on a contingency fee, which means no attorney fee unless we recover compensation for you. Call (888) 977-2238 or send us your case details.
Attorney advertising. This page is provided for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Reading this page or contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Agency procedures, fees and data on this page were checked against official sources in October 2026 and can change. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.