Van Nuys is one of the City of Los Angeles’ largest San Fernando Valley communities and home to the Valley’s main courthouses. 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 Van Nuys personal injury lawyer? B&D Law Group, APLC handles Van Nuys 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 is at 6240 Sylmar Ave. Traffic collisions in the Valley are investigated by LAPD’s Valley Traffic Division in Panorama City.
- 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 the 405 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.
Van Nuys streets the city has flagged
LADOT’s Vision Zero program has named priority safety corridors drawn from the city’s High Injury Network, including Vanowen Street between Sepulveda Boulevard and Van Nuys Boulevard and Victory Boulevard between Fulton Avenue and Whitsett Avenue (LADOT report, 2021). On the 405, Caltrans is repaving between Victory Boulevard and Mulholland Drive, with completion currently anticipated in winter 2027 (dates may change), so work zones may be a factor in recent freeway crashes.
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).
The Van Nuys courthouses
Van Nuys has two Los Angeles Superior Court courthouses: Van Nuys Courthouse East, 6230 Sylmar Ave., which is in the Northwest District and handles general civil cases, and Van Nuys Courthouse West, 14400 Erwin St. Mall. 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 Van Nuys 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 Van Nuys 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 Van Nuys
Our personal injury attorneys represent people injured in Van Nuys in cases including:
You can also read about our past case results and what clients say about working with us.
Van Nuys personal injury FAQ
How much does a personal injury lawyer cost in Van Nuys?
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 Van Nuys?
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 Van Nuys 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 Van Nuys 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 Van Nuys 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 Van Nuys:
- Sherman Oaks personal injury attorneys
- Encino personal injury attorneys
- North Hollywood personal injury attorneys
- Burbank personal injury attorneys
- Woodland Hills personal injury attorneys
- Hollywood 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 Van Nuys 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.