Car Accident Attorneys in Santa Clarita, California

January 1, 2026 / Comments Off

1. Owen, Patterson & Owen

Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian and bicycle accidents, rideshare accidents (Uber/Lyft), hit-and-run cases, wrongful death from auto accidents, uninsured/underinsured motorist claims, mass tort litigation, wildfire victim representation.

Case Types Handled: Rear-end collisions, head-on collisions, T-bone accidents, multi-vehicle pileups, drunk driving accidents, distracted driving accidents, commercial vehicle accidents, catastrophic injury cases, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, construction accidents, aviation accidents, boating accidents.

Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, medical lien resolution, property damage claims, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims, wrongful death claims, elder abuse claims, mass tort class action representation, attorney referral coordination.

Background: Firm established in 1977 with nearly 50 years of personal injury experience. Attorneys have achieved Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating. Selected by Super Lawyers. Reported 99 percent success rate. Recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for injury victims. Represented clients in landmark cases affecting policy development for vulnerable populations. Multiple attorneys on staff handle complex personal injury matters throughout California and beyond.

Location: 23822 W. Valencia Blvd #303, Santa Clarita, CA 91355

Contact: (800) 676-5295 | (661) 766-5567 | https://www.opolaw.com/

Consultation: Free consultation with no obligation. No recovery, no fee contingency arrangement. Attorneys available to visit clients at home or hospital if unable to travel.

2. Law Office of Robert J. Kaiser

Practice Focus: Car accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, bicycle accidents, boating accidents, pedestrian accidents, dog bite injuries, premises liability, burn injuries, catastrophic injuries, wrongful death claims.

Case Types Handled: Rear-end collisions, head-on collisions, multi-vehicle accidents, commercial truck collisions, drunk driving accidents, distracted driving cases, hit-and-run accidents, intersection accidents, highway accidents on I-5 and Highway 14.

Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, medical expense recovery, lost wage claims, pain and suffering claims, property damage claims, wrongful death claims.

Background: Attorney Robert J. Kaiser admitted to California State Bar in 1994, Bar #170010. Over 20 years of personal injury experience. J.D. from University of La Verne College of Law (1993). Trained at Grassini & Wrinkle under Lawrence P. Grassini (two-time Los Angeles Trial Lawyers Association Trial Lawyer of the Year). Selected as “Best Personal Injury Attorney” by Santa Clarita Signal Newspaper multiple times (2012, 2013, 2016). Member of Santa Clarita Valley Bar Association. Active community involvement throughout Santa Clarita Valley.

Location: 23550 Lyons Avenue, Suite 203, Santa Clarita, CA 91321

Contact: (661) 441-3446 | https://www.robertjkaiser.com/

Consultation: Free consultation with no obligation. No recovery, no fee contingency arrangement. Weekend and evening appointments available.

3. The Mason Law Firm

Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, bus accidents, construction site accidents, dog bites and animal attacks, slip and falls, burn injuries, nursing home abuse and neglect, product liability, wrongful death.

Case Types Handled: Multi-vehicle collisions, rear-end accidents, T-bone accidents, commercial vehicle accidents, catastrophic injury cases, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, electrocution injuries, food poisoning cases.

Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, medical bill recovery, lost wage claims, pain and suffering claims, property damage claims, wrongful death claims.

Background: Attorney Mason Rashtian admitted to California State Bar in 1997, Bar #192561. Firm established in 2006. Over 27 years of personal injury litigation experience. Former insurance defense attorney bringing unique perspective to plaintiff representation. AV Preeminent Rating with Martindale-Hubbell (highest possible rating). 10.0 Superb Rating on AVVO. A+ Rating with Better Business Bureau. Member of The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers. Named Top 10 Personal Injury Attorney by National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys. Admitted to U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, U.S. District Court Central District of California, and U.S. District Court Southern District of California. Member of Santa Clarita Valley Bar Association, San Fernando Valley Bar Association, and Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA).

Location: 28494 Westinghouse Place, Suite 202, Valencia, CA 91355

Contact: (661) 270-5677 | https://www.mrscvlaw.com/

Consultation: Free case evaluation. Zero fee guarantee with no upfront costs. No recovery, no fee contingency arrangement.

4. Law Office of Robert M. Mansour

Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, dog bites and animal attacks, brain injuries, construction accidents, premises liability, wrongful death, estate planning.

Case Types Handled: Rear-end collisions, T-bone accidents, multi-vehicle collisions, drunk driving accidents, distracted driving accidents, highway accidents, intersection collisions, soft tissue injuries, severe injury cases.

Background: Attorney Robert M. Mansour admitted to California State Bar in 1993, Bar #169118. Former insurance defense attorney with over 10 years defending major insurance companies before switching to plaintiff representation. J.D. from Southwestern University School of Law. B.A. from Occidental College. Named “Lawyer of the Year” by Santa Clarita Valley Bar Association in 2010. Named “Trial Attorney of the Year” by Barry Bartholomew & Associates in 2004. President of Santa Clarita Valley Bar Association (2009-2010). Recognition from “Top Verdicts” in 2021 for one of the highest verdicts in California. Served as arbitrator and mediator with Los Angeles Superior Court. Member of California State Bar and Santa Clarita Valley Bar Association.

Location: 28212 Kelly Johnson Pkwy, Suite 110, Santa Clarita, CA 91355

Contact: (661) 414-7100 | [email protected] | https://www.valencialawyer.com/

Consultation: Free consultation for personal injury cases. Contingency fee arrangement. Credit cards accepted (Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, Discover).

5. Cohen & Marzban Law Corporation

Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, rideshare accidents (Uber/Lyft), slip and fall accidents, dog bites, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, wrongful death, premises liability.

Case Types Handled: Rear-end collisions, head-on collisions, T-bone accidents, multi-vehicle pileups, highway accidents on I-5 and Highway 14, drunk driving accidents, distracted driving accidents, commercial vehicle accidents, catastrophic injury cases.

Background: Firm has nearly 50 years of experience representing personal injury victims. Bob M. Cohen serves as Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Better Business Bureau of Southern California and Silicon Valley. Deep understanding of California law and tactics needed to secure favorable outcomes. Practice extends throughout Southern California including Santa Clarita Valley.

Location: Serves Santa Clarita, California and surrounding areas in Southern California

Contact: https://losangelespersonalinjury.attorney/locations/personal-injury-attorney-in-santa-clarita

Consultation: Free consultation. No attorney fees unless successful recovery. Contingency fee basis. Attorneys available to visit clients at home or hospital anywhere in Southern California.

Car Accident Laws and Regulations in California

Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Claims: Two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit under California Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1. Failure to file within this period generally results in loss of the right to pursue compensation through the courts.

Statute of Limitations for Property Damage Claims: Three years from the date of the accident to file a property damage claim.

Government Claims Exception: Claims against government entities (city buses, state vehicles, poorly maintained roads) must be filed within six months of the accident, significantly shorter than standard personal injury claims.

Fault vs. No-Fault Insurance State Status: California is an at-fault (tort) state. The driver determined to be at fault for causing the accident is responsible for paying for resulting injuries and property damage. Injured parties may pursue compensation through the at-fault driver’s insurance company or through civil litigation.

Comparative Negligence Rules: California follows a “pure comparative negligence” system under California Civil Code Section 1431.2. An injured party can recover compensation even if found partially (or mostly) at fault for the accident. However, the compensation award is reduced by the percentage of fault attributed to the injured party. For example, if found 30% at fault for an accident with $100,000 in damages, the injured party may recover $70,000.

Minimum Auto Insurance Requirements: California requires liability insurance with minimum coverage of 15/30/5:

$15,000 for injury or death to one person
$30,000 for injury or death to more than one person
$5,000 for property damage

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage: Not required by law but strongly recommended. Uninsured drivers who are injured in accidents cannot recover non-economic damages (pain and suffering) regardless of fault, though they may still pursue economic damages like medical bills and lost wages.

Damage Caps: California does not impose general caps on non-economic damages in most personal injury cases. However, uninsured drivers are prohibited from recovering non-economic damages unless the at-fault driver was intoxicated or convicted of a DUI-related felony.

Accident Reporting Requirements: Drivers must report accidents to the California DMV within 10 days if anyone was injured or killed, or if property damage exceeded $1,000. Failure to report may result in license suspension.

Hit-and-Run Laws: Leaving the scene of an accident is a criminal offense with severe penalties. Drivers must stop, exchange information, and render aid if needed.

Seat Belt Laws: California requires all drivers and passengers to wear seat belts. Children under 8 years old and under 4’9″ must be in an appropriate car seat in the back seat.

Dram Shop Liability: California has limited dram shop liability. Social hosts generally cannot be held liable for serving alcohol to adults who later cause accidents. However, liability may attach for serving alcohol to minors who subsequently cause accidents.

Vicarious Liability for Vehicle Owners: California law may hold vehicle owners financially responsible for accidents caused by individuals they permitted to drive their vehicle.

Wrongful Death Claims: Wrongful death lawsuits must be filed within two years of the death. Eligible claimants include the deceased’s spouse, domestic partner, children, and potentially other dependents.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the deadline to file a car accident lawsuit in California?

A: California law provides a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims arising from car accidents, calculated from the date of the accident. Property damage claims have a three-year deadline. However, claims against government entities must be filed within six months. Certain exceptions may toll (pause) the statute of limitations, including cases involving minors (deadline begins when child turns 18), mentally incapacitated individuals, or situations where injuries were not immediately discoverable. Missing these deadlines typically bars any future legal action, making consultation with an attorney essential soon after an accident.

Q: How does California’s pure comparative negligence rule affect my car accident claim?

A: Under California Civil Code Section 1431.2, you can recover compensation even if you share fault for the accident. Your recovery is reduced proportionally by your percentage of fault. If you are 20% responsible for an accident with $50,000 in total damages, you may recover $40,000 (the remaining 80%). Unlike some states that bar recovery if you are 50% or more at fault, California allows recovery even if you are 99% at fault, though the award would be minimal. Insurance adjusters frequently invoke comparative negligence during settlement negotiations to reduce claim values.

Q: What are the minimum insurance requirements for California drivers?

A: California Vehicle Code Section 16056 requires all drivers to carry liability insurance with minimum coverage of $15,000 per person for bodily injury, $30,000 per accident for bodily injury to multiple persons, and $5,000 for property damage (commonly written as 15/30/5). These minimums often prove insufficient for serious accidents involving multiple injuries or extensive property damage. While uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is optional, it provides critical protection when at-fault drivers lack adequate insurance. Driving without required insurance can result in fines, license suspension, and vehicle impoundment.

Q: What damages can I recover in a California car accident lawsuit?

A: California allows recovery of both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include medical expenses (past and future), lost wages and earning capacity, property damage, and other quantifiable financial losses. Non-economic damages encompass pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium. California does not impose general caps on non-economic damages in most personal injury cases. However, uninsured drivers cannot recover non-economic damages except in specific circumstances involving intoxicated at-fault drivers.

Q: How do I file a claim if a government vehicle caused my accident in Santa Clarita?

A: Claims against government entities in California require compliance with the California Tort Claims Act. You must file an administrative claim with the relevant government agency within six months of the accident, which is significantly shorter than the standard two-year statute of limitations. For accidents involving City of Santa Clarita vehicles, file with the city. For Los Angeles County vehicles or poorly maintained county roads, file with the county. For California state vehicles or state highway conditions, file with the California Department of General Services. The claim must include specific information about the incident, injuries, and damages. If the agency denies the claim or fails to respond within 45 days, you may then file a lawsuit in court within six months of the denial.