Sherman Oaks sits where the 405 and the 101 meet, and Ventura Boulevard carries heavy traffic through the neighborhood every day. Because Sherman Oaks is part of the City of Los Angeles, crash reports come from LAPD and claims for dangerous streets go to the City of Los Angeles. This page walks through both, and how our Los Angeles personal injury attorneys can help.
Looking for a Sherman Oaks personal injury lawyer? B&D Law Group, APLC handles Sherman Oaks car, truck, motorcycle, pedestrian and premises injury cases, and the first consultation is free.
Getting your collision report
LAPD’s Van Nuys Community Police Station (6240 Sylmar Ave., Van Nuys) serves Sherman Oaks. To get an LAPD traffic collision report:
- Request it 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, and reports from before February 1, 2016, must be requested by mail (LAPD traffic reports).
Crashes on the 405 and 101 freeways are generally investigated by the California Highway Patrol, which has primary jurisdiction over freeways inside incorporated cities.
Sherman Oaks roads to know
The Sherman Oaks community plan names the San Diego (405) and Ventura (101) Freeways along with Ventura, Van Nuys and Sepulveda Boulevards and Riverside Drive as key routes. Caltrans is repaving the 405 between Victory Boulevard and Mulholland Drive, with construction that began in summer 2025 and is scheduled to finish in winter 2027 (Caltrans). Work zones change lane patterns and speeds, which is worth noting if your crash happened there.
Several Sherman Oaks streets appear on the City of Los Angeles High Injury Network, the city’s map of streets with the most traffic deaths and serious injuries, including Ventura Boulevard between Hazeltine Avenue and Woodman Avenue, Riverside Drive between Gentry Avenue and Van Nuys Boulevard, Woodman Avenue between Riverside Drive and Burbank Boulevard, and Hazeltine Avenue between Ventura Boulevard and Moorpark Street.
Filing a claim against the City of Los Angeles
If a city street, sidewalk or signal defect contributed to your injury, the claim goes to the City of Los Angeles. File 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.
Courts serving Sherman Oaks
The nearest civil courthouse is Van Nuys Courthouse East, 6230 Sylmar Ave., Van Nuys. Los Angeles Superior 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.
What a Sherman Oaks 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 Sherman Oaks 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 Sherman Oaks
Our personal injury attorneys represent people injured in Sherman Oaks in cases including:
You can also read about our past case results and what clients say about working with us.
Sherman Oaks personal injury FAQ
How much does a personal injury lawyer cost in Sherman Oaks?
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 Sherman Oaks?
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 Sherman Oaks 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 Sherman Oaks 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 Sherman Oaks accident report?
The “Getting your Sherman Oaks 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 Sherman Oaks:
- Van Nuys personal injury attorneys
- Encino personal injury attorneys
- North Hollywood personal injury attorneys
- Brentwood personal injury attorneys
- Hollywood personal injury attorneys
- Burbank 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 Sherman Oaks and across the San Fernando Valley 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.