If you were injured in a car crash, a fall or another accident in Lakewood, the first weeks decide a lot: which agency wrote the report, whether a public agency shares the blame, and which deadlines are already running. This page explains how those pieces work in Lakewood specifically, and how our Los Angeles personal injury attorneys can help.
Looking for a Lakewood personal injury lawyer? B&D Law Group, APLC handles Lakewood car, truck, motorcycle, pedestrian and premises injury cases, and the first consultation is free.
Getting your Lakewood collision report
The City of Lakewood says law enforcement services in Lakewood are provided under contract by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. For crashes inside city limits, the Lakewood Sheriff’s Station provides copies of traffic collision reports:
- You must be a party listed on the collision report, or an employee of an insurance agency representing one. People not listed as parties cannot purchase a report.
- Call the station at (562) 623-3500 before you go, with the file or report number of your case, to check that the report is available.
- Pick up the report in the station lobby at 5130 Clark Avenue, Lakewood, CA 90712, and pay the current fee by cash or check.
- The city’s Public Safety Officers, city employees dispatched by the Lakewood Sheriff’s Station, handle non-injury traffic collisions as non-emergency calls.
Freeway crashes are generally handled by the California Highway Patrol. The CHP Santa Fe Springs Area office, at 10051 Orr and Day Road in Santa Fe Springs, lists Lakewood among the southeast Los Angeles County cities it serves. The freeways its page names are Interstate 5, Interstate 105, Interstate 605, State Route 60 and State Route 91. The office’s phone is (562) 649-6800.
Major roads in Lakewood
The city’s 1996 General Plan Technical Background Report says the north and south arterials, Cherry Avenue, Paramount Boulevard, Lakewood Boulevard, Bellflower Boulevard and Pioneer Boulevard, connect with interchanges on the Artesia (91) and San Diego (405) Freeways. East and west access to the San Gabriel River (605) Freeway is provided by South Street, Del Amo Boulevard and Carson Street, and the Long Beach (710) Freeway can be reached directly from Del Amo Boulevard. The city is now updating its General Plan.
The California Office of Traffic Safety’s most recent crash rankings (2023 data) counted 433 people killed or injured in Lakewood crashes that year, including 23 pedestrians, 24 bicyclists and 18 motorcyclists, with 28 victims in alcohol-involved crashes. Among 103 California cities with populations of 50,001 to 100,000, Lakewood ranked 23rd for total victims, where 1st is worst. OTS weights its rankings by population and miles driven, so a rank is not a simple head count. (OTS crash rankings)
When the City of Lakewood or another public agency may be responsible
- City streets and sidewalks: to file a claim against the City of Lakewood, the City Clerk’s Claim Form page says to complete and submit its online form. For help completing the form or to request an alternative format, contact the City Clerk’s Office at 562-866-9771 or Ci*******@********ca.gov.
Whichever agency is involved, the six-month claim deadline below applies, so it is worth sorting out the right agency early.
Courts serving Lakewood
Los Angeles Superior Court’s Local Rule 2.3 requires unlimited personal injury cases to be filed at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, or the Michael D. Antonovich Antelope Valley Courthouse, 42011 4th Street West, Lancaster. If your case goes to court, we handle where and how it is filed.
Cases we handle for people hurt in Lakewood
Our personal injury attorneys represent people injured in Lakewood in cases including:
You can also read about our past case results and what clients say about working with us.
What a Lakewood 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 Lakewood 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 Lakewood 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.
Lakewood personal injury FAQ
How much does a personal injury lawyer cost in Lakewood?
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 Lakewood?
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 Lakewood 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 Lakewood?
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 Lakewood claims go.
Where do I get my Lakewood accident report?
The “Getting your Lakewood 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 Lakewood:
- Norwalk personal injury attorneys
- Downey personal injury attorneys
- Long Beach personal injury attorneys
- Westminster personal injury attorneys
- Torrance personal injury attorneys
- Anaheim 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 Lakewood 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.