for Over 30 Years











Los Angeles Personal Injury Lawyer | California Accident Attorney
Steven M. Sweat, Personal Injury Lawyers, APC is a Los Angeles personal injury law firm representing accident victims throughout California. With more than 30 years of exclusive plaintiff-side personal injury practice, our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for clients injured in car accidents, motorcycle collisions, truck crashes, slip and fall incidents, premises liability cases, and wrongful death matters across Los Angeles County and California.
Founding attorney Steven M. Sweat has been recognized by Super Lawyers every year since 2012, holds the Avvo 10.0 “Superb” rating, and is a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the National Trial Lawyers Top 100. Our personal injury attorneys handle all cases on a contingency-fee basis — no fee unless we win — and offer free, confidential consultations 24 hours a day. Bilingual English/Spanish services are available.
“We are not the lawyers on the back of the bus or front of the billboard. We are real attorneys helping real people get real results.”
— Steven M. Sweat, Founding Attorney
| Quick Answer What does a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer do? A Los Angeles personal injury lawyer represents people who have been injured by someone else’s negligence — in car accidents, motorcycle collisions, truck crashes, slip and falls, premises liability incidents, and wrongful death cases. The attorney investigates liability, gathers medical and damages evidence, negotiates with insurance companies, and litigates in court if a fair settlement is not offered. How much does a personal injury lawyer cost in California? Reputable California personal injury attorneys work on a contingency-fee basis — there is no upfront cost, no hourly rate, and no fee at all unless the attorney recovers money for you. The fee is a percentage of the eventual settlement or verdict. How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in California? In most cases, two years from the date of the injury under California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1. Claims against government entities require a formal claim within six months under California Government Code § 911.2. Missing these deadlines typically forecloses your right to recover. Source: Steven M. Sweat, Personal Injury Lawyers, APC — 30+ years California personal injury practice. Super Lawyers (2012–present), Avvo 10.0, Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. |
Why Choose Our Los Angeles Personal Injury Law Firm
Choosing the right personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles is one of the most consequential decisions you will make after an injury. The wrong firm can cost you tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in settlement value. Insurance companies maintain internal databases on every personal injury law firm in California — they know which attorneys try cases and which ones settle quickly for low offers. Your attorney’s reputation directly determines what is offered.
30+ Years of Exclusive California Personal Injury Practice
Steven M. Sweat has practiced exclusively on the plaintiff side of personal injury law in California since 1994. Our firm does not handle defense work, criminal cases, or transactional matters. Every case in the office is a personal injury or wrongful death claim — which means our attorneys, paralegals, and investigators are specialists, not generalists.
Verifiable, Independent Credentials
Many attorney rating systems are pay-to-play. The credentials that matter are independently awarded based on peer review, case results, and verified outcomes:
- Super Lawyers — recognized every year since 2012 (fewer than 5% of California attorneys)
- Avvo Rating: 10.0 “Superb” — the platform’s highest tier
- Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum — membership requires verified seven- or eight-figure recoveries
- National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 — invitation-only based on trial verdicts
- BBB A+ Rating — clean complaint record across three decades of practice
Direct Attorney Access — No Case Managers
At many high-volume Los Angeles personal injury firms, clients never speak to an attorney after intake. Cases are handled by paralegals or non-attorney case managers who funnel files toward quick settlements. At Steven M. Sweat, Personal Injury Lawyers, APC, every consultation is conducted by an attorney, and Steven M. Sweat is personally involved in every case the firm accepts. You will know exactly who is handling your file at every stage.
No Fee Unless We Win — Contingency Representation
Our personal injury attorneys handle every case on a contingency-fee basis. You pay nothing upfront, nothing during the case, and nothing at all if we do not recover money on your claim. Initial consultations are completely free and fully confidential under California Evidence Code §§ 950–962, even if you do not ultimately retain the firm. Bilingual English/Spanish services are available.
Los Angeles Car Accident Lawyers
Unfortunately, California has some of the highest car accident rates in the United States. The sheer volume of motor vehicle traffic on our freeways and surface streets especially in urban areas like Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, the Inland Empire and other metropolitan locations lends itself to motor vehicle collisions. While many of these crashes are fairly minor, there are a significant number of car accidents that result in serious bodily injury or even death due to the level of impact involved. These include rear end collisions, T-bone accidents, drunk driving crashes, and distracted driving collisions. When two or more cars collide, many factors need to be considered to determine who may be legally at fault and against whom claims should be filed. Our Los Angeles personal injury attorney has 30+ years of California personal injury experience filing car accident claims, and litigating and going to trial if necessary.
Motorcycle & Bicycle Accident Attorneys in Los Angeles
Southern California offers pretty great weather almost year-round. This allows for enjoying the open road on bicycles and motorcycles for a majority of the time. Unfortunately, not everyone is looking out for a person riding a bicycle or motorcycle on our Southland roadways. When a rider isn’t seen or unsafe maneuvers like lane changing without warning occur, bike and motorcycle riders can be struck and seriously injured or even killed. Oftentimes, insurance adjusters and even police officials tend to unfairly blame the biker. Whether you have been injured on a bicycle or motorcycle, we have helped hundreds of accident victims just like you prove legal fault and obtain money for medical expenses, lost income and the physical and emotional pain caused by these types of collisions.
Los Angeles Pedestrian Accident Lawyers
Walking in cities like Los Angeles can be a great way to get exercise but, there are too many motor vehicle operators that don’t yield to pedestrians on our California streets. The California Vehicle Code provides legal protection in many instances and requires drivers to allow people to safely cross roadways on foot. When a pedestrian is struck by a car, truck or SUV, the potential for significant bodily injury is great given the lack of any physical protection for the person traveling on foot. In the past three decades, the personal injury lawyer at our Los Angeles firm has helped obtain maximum compensation for serious injuries like fractures, head trauma and even death for pedestrian accident victims and their families.
Truck & Commercial Vehicle Accident Attorneys
When a car operator, bicyclist, motorcycle rider or pedestrian is struck and injured or killed by a commercial vehicle like a big rig freight hauler, a delivery truck or driver, an Uber or Lyft operator or anyone driving a company vehicle, additional analysis must be done. In these accidents, it is important to determine whether not only the driver but, the owner and operator should be held legally at fault. Under California law, if an employee is operating in the “course and scope” of his employment at the time he or she causes a personal injury, the employer may be found liable. There are also significant insurance coverage issues that come into play in commercial vehicle accident claims that are different from your typical car accident case. We have the expertise in these areas to provide the best chance of holding all legally responsible parties accountable and obtaining compensation from all sources available.
Train, Bus, Boat & Aviation Accident Claims
Collisions and other mishaps can occur while riding in a train, airplane, bus, boat, or other type of vehicle. California has commuter and freight trains that can derail or collide with cars at railroad crossings. In areas like San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco and other coastal areas, people like to recreate on boats and ships (including cruise ships) on our oceans and lakes and boats can collide with each other, capsize or catch on fire. Buses form a good portion of our public transportation network and tour buses, shuttle buses and limos in and around tourist destinations and airports can cause injuries to passengers using these services. Our Los Angeles personal injury lawyer has expertise in helping persons injured in these types of “non-traditional” vehicle crashes.
California Premises Liability Lawyers
Property owners (including both residential and commercial), have a duty to maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition. Too often, though, landlords, store owners, restaurant operators and even homeowners allow dangerous conditions to exist that they either know about or should know about, which can cause a person on the property to be seriously hurt. These instances include slip or trip and falls, being burned or injured by smoke or fire, being electrocuted, being struck by falling objects, getting run over in a parking lot, being bitten by a dog, drownings in swimming pools, being assaulted by staff or other patrons in stores, hotels or clubs, many other types of personal injury scenarios. Whether or not you are entitled to compensation for this type of incident from the person who owns, operates or maintains the premises requires legal analysis. We have helped hundreds of these types of accident victims of more than three decades.
Los Angeles Workplace Injury Attorneys
Being injured on the job and not able to work is one of the most devastating events that a person can experience. Whether you work in a factory or an office, there is always a chance that a mishap can occur that can cause a serious injury to your back, head, arms or legs or some other important body part. If the injury is caused by someone other than your employer (like a driver that hits you while you are driving for your employer or a manufacturer of defective equipment), a personal injury attorney in Los Angeles may be able to help you file a claim against that person or entity. Even if this isn’t the case, any serious injury on the job will usually entitle you to file a California Workers Compensation claim. This allows you to get medical treatment at the expense of the employer or their insurance company. It may also entitle you to be paid for the time you are not able to work and to be awarded a lump sum amount at the conclusion of the claim based upon your “disability rating.”
Catastrophic Injury & Brain Injury Attorneys
In the scenarios mentioned above and many other instances where negligence or wrongdoing causes someone to be harmed, significant personal injury claims are our area of expertise. These include serious fractures and other orthopedic injuries, damages to the spine, traumatic brain injury and head trauma, serious burns causing skin damage and scarring, amputations of legs or arms, paralysis, and coma or vegetative state cases. We have helped the victims of these types of horrendous, life-altering bodily injury claims and their families recoup money to cover present and future medical expenses, lost income and earnings, cost of home health care, and other liabilities. The personal injury lawyer at our Los Angeles firm has also argued for just and fair compensation for physical pain and emotional distress for victims and their families for more than 30 years in catastrophic injury claims.
California Wrongful Death Attorneys
Losing a loved one is the most difficult life altering event that can happen to a spouse, child, parent or close relative. If the cause of death was an act of negligence or wrongdoing on the part of another person or business employee, California law states that the victims family is entitled to be compensated for lost financial support as well as the the loss of love, society, comfort and companionship that will be missed out on forever. We have represented families of accident victims killed due to motor vehicle crashes, dangerous conditions on private and public property, assaults and batteries, dangerous products, on the job accidents, and numerous other types of accidents, mishaps and calamities. We are the California wrongful death attorneys with the know-how and experience to advocate for families grieving the loss of a child, parent or spouse and arguing for just and fair compensation in these cases.
Sexual Assault & Abuse Civil Claims Attorneys
When a child or an adult is the victim of sexual abuse, it is the most extreme violation imaginable and causes a lifetime of emotional issues. Our personal injury attorney has helped many Los Angeles victims of sexual abuse in many different scenarios recover money to compensate them for this trauma. This includes sexual assaults in institutional settings like hospitals, schools, churches and community organizations.
California Elder Abuse Attorneys
Elderly people in nursing homes and other care facilities as well as other adults who are dependent upon care givers are very vulnerable to physical, emotional and financial abuse. For this reason, California law provides protection and laws meant to compensate such victims in the event they are abused or taken advantage of while under the care of others. Our office has fought for over 30 years to protect the rights of these victims.
California Employment Law Claims
Losing a job and income to support your family can be devastating. Many times, lay offs are related to business decisions but, sometimes, the motivation for a termination from employment can be wrongful or unlawful. Both California and Federal Law protect employees from being terminated due to their age, gender, race, physical disability, pregnancy, serious medical condition and many other categories. These laws also protect employees from being retaliated against for requesting medical leave, complaining about unsafe work conditions, complaining about sexual harassment, refusing to engage in illegal conduct and other forms of protected activities. The law also requires hourly employees to be paid on time including overtime and to be provided meal and rest breaks. We have represented employees throughout Los Angeles and the State of California who have been the subject of illegal employer conduct.
Contact a Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorney Today
With offices throughout California including all parts of Los Angeles County and the ability to come see you at home or in the hospital, we try to make it as easy as possible to obtain the legal advice you need if you are the victim of negligence or wrongdoing causing bodily harm or the death of a loved one. Initial consultations are always free and we charge no fees unless and until money is recovered. Call our offices 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles. Don’t settle for less than the very best!
No Fee Until We Win Your Case

The Los Angeles Personal Injury Guide
Voted Top 1% of Personal Injury Lawyers in California
FAQs
Client Reviews
I have known Steven for some time now and when his services were required he jumped in and took control of my cases. I had two and they were handled with the utmost professionalism and courtesy. He went the extra mile regardless of the bumps in the road. I can not see me using any other attorney and...
Steven was vital during our most trying time. He was referred by a friend after an accident that involved a family member. While he was critical and lying in the hospital, Steven was kind, patient and knowledgeable about what we were going through. Following our loss, Steven became a tough and...
Mr. Sweat is a pitbull in the courtroom as well as settlement negotiations - You can't have a better equipped attorney in your corner! It is a pleasure working as colleagues together on numerous cases. He can get the job done.
Because of Steven Sweat, my medical support was taken care of. Plus, I had more money to spare for my other bills. Steven is not only an excellent personal injury lawyer, providing the best legal advice, but also a professional lawyer who goes beyond his call of duty just to help his clients! He...
I must tell anyone, if you need a great attorney, Steve sweat is the guy! I had an awful car accident and had no idea where to turn. He had so much to deal with because my accident was a 4 car pile up. Not to mention all the other cars were behind me and they were not wanting to settle in any way!...
I believe I made the best choice with Steven M Sweat, Personal Injury. I was very reluctant to go forward with my personal injury claim. I had a valid claim and I needed a professional attorney to handle it. I felt so much better when I let Steven take my case. His team did everything right and I am...
I have to say that Steve has been exemplary! I met Steve at a point with my case that I was ready to give up. He took the time and dealt with all of my concerns. Most importantly, he was present and listened to what I was going through. He was able to turn things around, put me and my case on the...
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Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorney Blog
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How to File a Personal Injury Claim in California: Step-by-Step Guide ★ QUICK ANSWER To file a personal injury claim in California: (1) get medical attention immediately, (2) document the scene and preserve evidence, (3) report the accident correctly — including filing a California SR-1 form within 10 days if anyone was injured, (4) do not give recorded statements or accept early settlement offers, (5) consult…
Car Accident Compensation in California: What You’re Entitled to Claim ★ QUICK ANSWER After a car accident in California, you are entitled to claim: all past and future medical expenses, lost wages and lost earning capacity, vehicle repair or replacement, rental car costs, other out-of-pocket expenses, pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and — for married victims — loss of consortium.…
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