Consistent Success
for Over 30 Years
for Over 30 Years
About Steven M. Sweat, Personal Injury Lawyers, APC
Steven M. Sweat, Personal Injury Lawyers, APC is a West Los Angeles law firm that represents people injured by someone else’s negligence, and the families of those killed, throughout Southern California. Founded in 1999 by trial attorney Steven M. Sweat, who has practiced law for over 30 years, the firm handles injury cases on contingency — no attorney’s fee unless we recover money for you — and serves clients in English and Spanish.
Who We Are
Steven M. Sweat grew up in a working-class family and paid his own way through college and law school by waiting tables, working in factories, and selling door to door. He graduated cum laude from Florida State University in 1992, earned his law degree from California Western School of Law in 1995, and opened his own practice in 1999 to represent individuals against insurance companies and corporate defendants. You can read more in Steven M. Sweat’s attorney profile.
We work on one side of the courtroom. Our clients are injured people and grieving families, and our opponents are the insurers and businesses responsible for paying them. That focus shapes everything about how we prepare a case.
How We Handle Your Case
An injury claim is decided by evidence, and the insurance company starts building its file the day of the incident. From the first call, our job is to get ahead of that:
- Investigating liability — police and CHP reports, scene photos and video, witness statements, and expert analysis when the case calls for it.
- Documenting your losses — medical records and bills, lost income, and how the injury has changed your daily life.
- Finding every source of coverage — the at-fault party’s liability policy and, where it applies, your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.
- Dealing with the insurers — adjusters talk to us, so you are not pressured into a recorded statement or an early release.
- Preparing every case for trial — if a fair settlement is not offered, we file suit and litigate.
A Note From Our Office
“The mistake I see most often after more than 30 years is waiting too long to get advice. By the time some people call, they have already given a recorded statement or signed a release they did not understand. A consultation costs nothing, and the earlier we hear from you, the more evidence we can preserve.” — Steven M. Sweat
What It Costs to Hire Us
Nothing up front. We handle personal injury cases on a contingency fee, under a written agreement as California Business and Professions Code section 6147 requires. Our fee is a percentage of what we recover for you; if there is no recovery, there is no attorney’s fee. Learn more about our no-fee-until-money-recovered policy and our free evaluation of personal injury claims.
Results and Recognition
Representative results our firm has obtained for clients include:
- $2,000,000 — auto accident on the 110 Freeway in Los Angeles involving a Tesla operating in self-driving mode; the client required spinal fusion surgery.
- $1,500,000 — sexual assault of a patient at a mental health facility in Orange County.
- $1,300,000 — wrongful death following a slip and fall on ice outside a commercial building in San Bernardino County.
- $1,100,000 — wrongful death after a dog attack in the Antelope Valley, recovered from the County of Los Angeles after more than two years of litigation, including appeals.
Past results do not guarantee, warrant, or predict the outcome of any future case. Every case depends on its own facts. See all of our recent case results.
Steven M. Sweat has been selected to Super Lawyers – Southern California every year since 2012, holds a 10.0 Avvo rating, and is a member of The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. He serves as an honorary board member of the Los Angeles Trial Lawyers’ Charity and is a member of the Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles, the Consumer Attorneys of California, the American Association for Justice, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. Details and verification sources are on our awards, recognition, and client results page and our other awards page.
Cases We Handle
Vehicle accidents
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bus accidents
- Train and railroad accidents
- Airplane accidents
- Boating accidents
- Cruise ship accidents
Premises and product cases
- Premises liability
- Slip and fall
- Negligent security
- Amusement park accidents
- Elevator and escalator accidents
- Dog bites
- Product liability
Serious injuries and wrongful death
Abuse and neglect
Employment claims
See all of our practice areas.
Offices and Meeting Locations
Our main office is in West Los Angeles. We also meet clients in Glendale, West Covina, Ontario, Palmdale, Huntington Beach, Chula Vista, Torrance, and Santa Fe Springs, and we represent injured people throughout California, including Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Kern counties. Addresses and direct phone numbers for every location are listed at the bottom of this page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to talk to a lawyer at your firm?
The consultation is free, and there is no obligation. If we take your injury case, we work on contingency: no attorney’s fee unless we recover money for you.
¿Hablan español?
Sí. Se habla español. Spanish-speaking clients can work with our office from the first call through the end of the case. Visit our Spanish-language page.
How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in California?
In most cases, two years from the date of injury under California Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1. Claims against a city, county, or state agency usually require a written government claim within six months under Government Code section 911.2. Other deadlines can apply, so call as soon as you can.
Do I have to come to your Los Angeles office?
No. We can meet at any of our locations across Southern California, and most cases can get started with a phone call.
What should I bring to my free consultation?
Whatever you have: the police or CHP report number, photos, the other party’s insurance information, medical records and bills, and any letters or emails from an insurance company. If you do not have these yet, call anyway — gathering them is part of our job.
Talk to Us About Your Case
Call 866-966-5240 toll free or 310-592-0445 in Los Angeles, or send us a message. The consultation is free, and se habla español.