Local office in Woodland Hills, CA22440 Clarendon St, Suite 200Directions

Rear-ended in Los Angeles?Talk to a lawyer for free.

Insurers usually look first at the driver behind, and whiplash pain can take hours to weeks to show up.

  • No fee unless we winWe only get paid when you get paid.
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A firefighter and an ambulance at a car crash at an intersection
Valero Group provided exceptional support after I was rear-ended.
Sam M.Valero Law Group clientGoogle review

Results that speak.Millions won for car accident clients.

We've won over $500 million for our clients, including the car accident cases below.

Recognized for excellence

Avvo Rating: Excellent, Top Rated Personal InjuryTop Rated by Super Lawyers
  • $6.25MPersonal injuryA confidential personal injury settlement.
  • $5MAuto accidentFor a husband and wife after the husband suffered a brachial plexus injury.
  • $2.34MAccident claimA win for a client injured in an accident.
  • $1.5MAuto accidentA win for a client injured in an auto accident.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes, and each case is different.

View all results

After a rear‑end crash in Los Angeles,what to do first.

From the scene to the insurer, in roughly the order each comes up.

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  • Get the crash on record
    Call 911 if anyone is injured. On a Los Angeles city street, the LAPD doesn't come out for every crash: with damage only and every driver licensed, it writes no report, and if someone has pain or minor visible injuries, the LAPD takes that report online. On a freeway, even inside the city, the CHP takes it. Either way, write down the other driver's name, license, plate and insurer.
  • A medical check, even without pain
    Car crashes are a common cause of neck pain. Whiplash, a soft-tissue injury also called a neck sprain or strain, may not be painful at first: it can take hours to weeks to develop, with dizziness, headache, or pain or stiffness in the neck, jaw, shoulders or arms. If symptoms start later, go back to a doctor then, and hold on to every record.
  • Photograph more than the dents
    Both cars, the damage, the road, the traffic around you and the other car's plate. If it's safe, have someone photograph your brake lights working: a driver in front who stops suddenly without signaling when there was a chance to, or drives without working brake lights, can share the fault. Get witnesses' names and phone numbers, and save any dash cam clip before it records over.
  • Tell your insurer, then watch the clock
    Report the crash to your own insurer, even if you'll claim against the other driver's. The other driver's insurer must acknowledge your claim within 15 days and accept or deny it within 40 days of proof, or say in writing why it needs more time (California claim rules).
  • The DMV's 10-day form
    If anyone was injured, even slightly, or the damage tops $1,000, each driver must file form SR-1 with the DMV within 10 days, whoever caused the crash. It's a separate duty from the police report, and the form also comes in Spanish. Keep a copy with your photos and records.
  • Two years, or six months
    Most injury lawsuits must be filed within two years. If a Metro bus, a City of Los Angeles vehicle or an LAUSD bus hit you from behind, a written claim is usually due within six months: online with the City Clerk, on Metro's form by mail or in person, or to LAUSD by mail.

When you're hit from behind,who pays?

Usually the driver behind, through their insurance. Your own coverage can pay as bills come in, or fill the gap if that driver had too little.

Your injuries

Medical bills, lost pay, pain and suffering

Your car

Repairs or its value

  • The other driver's property damage coverage
  • Your collision coverage, after your deductible
  • A similar rental car while yours is repaired, as loss of use
  • Uninsured motorist property damage, if the driver had no insurance and is identified
  • §21703California's rule against following too closelyNo driver may follow another vehicle more closely than is "reasonable and prudent" for the speed, the traffic and the road (Vehicle Code §21703). That's why insurers usually start with the driver behind. It isn't a presumption of fault: the evidence decides.
  • 51%of the cause before a crash can count against your ratesUnder California's insurance rules, a driver is "principally at fault" only if their part was at least 51% of the legal cause, and a driver hit from behind is presumed not to be, unless convicted of a moving violation in that crash (10 CCR §2632.13).
  • 80%What you keep if you were 20% at faultIf the other side says you braked without warning or your brake lights failed, California's pure comparative fault rule reduces your award by your share of the blame instead of erasing it.
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Our office in Woodland Hills

Rear-end collision lawyers,right here in Los Angeles.

Not every firm that advertises in Los Angeles has an office here. We do.

Our office is in Woodland Hills, inside Los Angeles city limits, just off Ventura Boulevard and the 101. Come in, or we'll come to you anywhere in Los Angeles County, at home or in the hospital.

Other offices nearbyPalmdaleOxnardRiverside

Why choose Valero Law Group?

We champion every case,big and small.

Whether your case is worth $5,000 or $5 million, we bring the same skill, attention and determination to every client we represent.

So don't let the size of your case keep you from seeking justice: every injury deserves serious representation. Let us fight for the compensation you're owed while you focus on what matters most, your recovery.

They made me feel like a priority, and they put my needs first as a client.

IsabelValero Law Group client

400+five-star Google reviews

Real reviews fromour clients.

  • Samuel M. smiling in the Valero Law Group office with his $881,000 settlement check
    Samuel M.$881,000
  • Victoria M. smiling in front of the Valero Law Group logo wall with her $625,000 settlement check
    Victoria M.$625,000
  • Karina C. smiling in the Valero Law Group office with her $625,000 settlement check
    Karina C.$625,000
  • Angela M. smiling and pointing to her $625,000 settlement check
    Angela M.$625,000
  • Destiny H. smiling with her $500,000 settlement check
    Destiny H.$500,000
  • Javier P. smiling in the Valero Law Group office with his $375,000 settlement check
    Javier P.$375,000
I can't thank Kyle and Ruby enough for their incredible support after my rear-end accident. From the first call, not only did they inform me, but they ensured I received the medical care I needed, and they never stopped fighting for me and my family.
Titilayo A.Google review
Read all 400+ of our reviews
Kyle Valero and the amazing employees of Valero Law Group helped answer all my questions about my case and made it very helpful by scheduling to see doctors.
Chels G.Google review
Leticia is amazing! She erased all of my stress that came with my car accident. Thank you for everything!
Delia V.Google review
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Al Barro Foundation: supporting over 400 orphans in Mexico

From the community, for the community.

Hablamos español.

We're a Hispanic-focused firm with native Spanish-speaking attorneys. We understand your family's needs, walk you through every step in your language, and fight to get you every dollar you deserve.

Organizations we support

Sponsor of the 2024 Share the Road Scholarship

Our community outreach
  • Al Barro Foundation
  • EUNIME por Tijuana, A.C.
…they speak excellent Spanish, know how to help, and look out for their clients' best interests.
Yesica H.Google review
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Organizations we support

Sponsor of the 2024 Share the Road Scholarship

Our community outreach
  • Al Barro Foundation
  • EUNIME por Tijuana, A.C.

Common questionsafter a rear‑end crash in Los Angeles.

Is the driver who hit me from behind always at fault?
Not automatically. Under California law, each driver must leave a reasonable and prudent distance and hold a safe speed for the traffic, weather and visibility, which is why insurers usually start with the driver behind. No law presumes that driver at fault, though: the evidence decides. Whoever is in front has duties too: to signal before stopping or slowing suddenly when there's a chance to, and to keep working brake lights. A front driver who braked hard with no signal when one could have been given, or whose brake lights failed, can carry part of the fault, or most of it.
Will a rear-end crash raise my insurance rates?
California limits rate increases for accidents you didn't cause (Insurance Code §491). Under the state's insurance rules, a driver whose car was hit from behind is presumed not principally at fault, as long as that driver wasn't convicted of a moving violation in the crash (10 CCR §2632.13).
My neck pain started the day after. Does that still count?
It can. MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine's health site, says whiplash pain may take hours to weeks to develop. See a doctor when it starts, say it followed the crash, and keep the records, which show what the crash did.
The LAPD didn't come. Do I still need a police report?
It helps to have one. On Los Angeles city streets, the LAPD writes no report for a damage-only crash when every driver is licensed, and when someone has pain or minor visible injuries, the LAPD takes that report online. On a freeway, the CHP takes the report. The DMV's SR-1 is separate and still due within 10 days if anyone was injured or the damage tops $1,000. We can request any report for you.
It was a chain crash on the freeway. Who pays?
Each driver's share of the fault is weighed separately; the car that hit you may have been pushed by the one behind it. Under Civil Code §1431.2, each at-fault driver pays for pain and suffering only in proportion to their own share, while medical bills, lost pay and repairs can be collected from any of them in full. On the 405, the 101, the 10 or any other freeway, the CHP investigates, so the report is the CHP's.
How long do I have after a rear-end crash?
Most injury lawsuits must be filed within two years of the crash (Code of Civil Procedure §335.1). If a Metro bus, a City vehicle or an LAUSD bus hit you, a written claim is usually due within six months; our Los Angeles bus accident page explains the steps. If it was an Uber or Lyft, see our Los Angeles Uber and Lyft accident page. Call us early so no deadline slips by.
Do you have an office in Los Angeles?
Yes. Our office is in Woodland Hills, inside Los Angeles city limits, at 22440 Clarendon St, Suite 200, Woodland Hills, CA 91367, and our Palmdale office serves the Antelope Valley. Come in if you like, or we'll come to you. Call (800) 985-9565 any time, 24/7.
What does a rear-end collision lawyer cost?
Nothing upfront. Your consultation is free, and no attorney's fees are owed unless we recover compensation for you. You may be responsible for case-related costs and expenses; we'll explain them before you sign.
Attorney Kyle Valero
Kyle ValeroAttorney, Valero Law Group

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Have a question about a potential case?Talk to a Los Angeles rear-end collision lawyer today.

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