Consistent Success
for Over 30 Years
for Over 30 Years
Long Beach Personal Injury Lawyer
Serving accident and injury victims in Long Beach, the South Bay, and throughout Los Angeles County — over 30 years of California trial experience. No fee unless we recover compensation for you.
| Quick Answer If you were injured in an accident in Long Beach, California, you generally have two years from the date of the injury to file a personal injury claim (California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1). Long Beach’s heaviest injury risks come from the Port of Long Beach and I-710 commercial truck corridor, the I-405 and I-605 freeways, and the Pacific Coast Highway and beachfront corridors. Steven M. Sweat, Personal Injury Lawyers, APC represents injured Long Beach residents on a contingency-fee basis — no fee unless we recover compensation. Free consultation: 866-966-5240. |
If you or a family member was injured in an accident in Long Beach or anywhere in Los Angeles County, Steven M. Sweat, Personal Injury Lawyers, APC is here to help. Long Beach is the second-largest city in Los Angeles County — home to more than 450,000 residents and the seventh-largest city in California. It is also home to the Port of Long Beach, which together with the neighboring Port of Los Angeles forms the busiest container-port complex in the Western Hemisphere. That combination of dense urban traffic, heavy commercial trucking, miles of coastline and beach recreation, a major university, and year-round events produces some of the highest accident exposure in Southern California.
Our firm has represented personal injury and wrongful death victims throughout California for more than 30 years, including clients across Long Beach and the South Bay. We handle car accidents, truck and commercial-vehicle accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian and bicycle collisions, slip and fall injuries, rideshare accidents, negligent security, dog bites, and wrongful death claims. There is no fee unless we recover compensation for you.
Long Beach / Los Angeles County: 310-592-0445 | Toll-free: 866-966-5240 | Free consultation, 24/7 | Se Habla Español
Case Results — Long Beach and Los Angeles County Personal Injury
Our firm has recovered significant compensation for accident victims throughout Los Angeles County and Southern California. The following are verified results from our practice (see our full case results page):
| Recovery | Case Type | Description |
| $2,000,000 | Auto Accident | Young woman struck and killed when a vehicle crossed the double-yellow line into the HOV lane on the 405 Freeway near West Los Angeles. Full policy limits recovered for the family. |
| $1,000,000 | Motorcycle Crash Fatality | Young woman struck and killed when a vehicle crossed the double-yellow line into the HOV lane on the 405 Freeway near West Los Angeles. Full policy limits recovered for the family. |
| $485,000 | Pedestrian Accident | Elderly gentleman struck by a large delivery truck. |
| $450,000 | Truck v. Auto | Client rear-ended by a semi-truck, sustaining back injuries and a mild traumatic brain injury. |
| $435,000 | Auto v. Motorcycle | Collision caused by a car making a left-hand turn in front of a motorcyclist — Los Angeles, CA. |
| $350,000 | Commercial Vehicle v. Passenger Car | Commuter on the 10 freeway rear-ended at high speed by a commercial work truck; pre-existing back condition worsened, requiring surgery. |
| $350,000 | Auto Accident — Torrance, CA | South Bay collision involving a police vehicle. |
| $300,000 | Auto v. Big-Rig Truck | Client unable to stop before going underneath the trailer of a big-rig that was hung up attempting a U-turn on the freeway; neck and back injuries requiring emergency transport and orthopedic care. |
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is evaluated on its own merits.
Personal Injury Claims in Long Beach, California
Long Beach presents a uniquely complex personal injury environment shaped by several factors few California cities share:
- The Port of Long Beach and the I-710 truck corridor. The port complex generates an extraordinary concentration of big-rig, container, and drayage truck traffic. The I-710 (Long Beach Freeway) funnels much of that commercial traffic to and from the port and carries one of the heaviest diesel-truck volumes in the state, producing frequent and often catastrophic truck-involved collisions.
- Coastal and recreational corridors. Pacific Coast Highway, Ocean Boulevard, the downtown waterfront, Belmont Shore, and the beach bike path concentrate pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists alongside heavy vehicle traffic — a mix that produces high rates of crosswalk, dooring, and right-of-way collisions.
- Dense events, nightlife, and a major university. The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, the Long Beach Convention Center, the Aquarium of the Pacific, downtown Pine Avenue nightlife, and California State University, Long Beach (roughly 40,000 students) all create sudden traffic surges, elevated DUI risk, and high rideshare pickup and drop-off volume.
When an accident happens in Long Beach — on a freeway, near the port, along the coast, or on a surface street — the at-fault party’s insurance company begins building its defense immediately. Having an experienced Los Angeles County personal injury attorney on your side from day one makes a significant difference in the outcome of your claim.
Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle in Long Beach
Our firm handles the full range of personal injury and wrongful death cases arising from accidents in Long Beach and throughout Los Angeles County:
| Case Type | How We Help Long Beach Injury Victims |
| Car Accidents | Long Beach is served by the I-405, I-710, and I-605 freeways and high-volume surface arterials including Pacific Coast Highway, Long Beach Boulevard, Atlantic Avenue, and 7th Street. We handle Long Beach car accident claims from investigation through settlement or trial under California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1. |
| Truck & Commercial-Vehicle Accidents | The Port of Long Beach and the I-710 corridor make commercial trucking the defining injury risk in this city. Big-rig, container, drayage, and delivery-vehicle crashes frequently involve multiple liable parties — the driver, the motor carrier, and the cargo owner — and are governed by federal FMCSA regulations. ELD data, black-box records, and dashcam footage can be lost within days. |
| Pedestrian Accidents | Pacific Coast Highway, downtown, the waterfront, and the Metro A Line crossings create heavy pedestrian exposure. California Vehicle Code § 21950 requires drivers to yield to pedestrians at all crosswalks, marked and unmarked. |
| Motorcycle Accidents | Long Beach’s freeway ramps, the Traffic Circle, and PCH create significant hazards for riders. Failure-to-yield, unsafe-lane-change, and left-turn collisions are the most frequent. California’s pure comparative-fault rule (Civil Code § 1714) protects riders even when partially at fault. |
| Bicycle Accidents | Long Beach is one of the most bike-friendly cities in the region, with extensive lanes and the beach path. Under CVC § 21200, cyclists have the same rights and duties as motorists. We have recovered substantial compensation for cyclists struck by cars, trucks, and rideshare vehicles. |
| Uber & Lyft Rideshare Accidents | The Convention Center, downtown nightlife, CSULB, and the Grand Prix make Long Beach a high-volume rideshare market. Rideshare injury claims involve complex, shifting insurance coverage depending on the driver’s app status at the time of the crash. |
| Slip & Fall / Premises Liability | Hotels, the waterfront, restaurants, parking structures, and retail properties throughout Long Beach carry premises-liability exposure. Property owners must maintain reasonably safe conditions; when they fail, injured visitors may seek compensation. |
| Wrongful Death | When a loved one is killed by another’s negligence, eligible family members may bring a wrongful death claim under California Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60. Our firm has handled wrongful death cases arising from freeway, truck, and premises incidents across Los Angeles County. |
| Dog Bites | California Civil Code § 3342 imposes strict liability on dog owners for bites in public places or where the victim was lawfully on private property. There is no ‘one free bite’ rule in California. |
| Negligent Security | Apartment complexes, parking structures, bars, and commercial properties must provide reasonable security. When inadequate security leads to an assault, robbery, or shooting, the property owner may be held liable. Our firm has recovered seven-figure results in negligent-security cases. |
Dangerous Roads and Intersections in Long Beach
These corridors account for a disproportionate share of serious-injury accidents in Long Beach:
| Road / Intersection | Why It’s Dangerous |
| I-710 (Long Beach Freeway) | The primary port-truck corridor in the region. Extreme big-rig and drayage volume terminating at the port produces frequent rear-end, under-ride, and lane-change truck collisions — often with catastrophic injuries. |
| I-405 (San Diego Freeway) | Heavy commuter volume through the city with chronic congestion, abrupt speed changes, and weaving that drive a high rate of rear-end and sideswipe crashes. |
| I-605 (San Gabriel River Freeway) | Along the city’s eastern edge; high-speed merges and interchange transitions create dangerous merge-point collisions. |
| Pacific Coast Highway (SR-1) | A major surface arterial carrying vehicles, motorcyclists, cyclists, and pedestrians together — a mix that produces frequent left-turn, right-of-way, and pedestrian collisions. |
| Long Beach Traffic Circle (PCH / Lakewood Blvd / Los Coyotes Diagonal) | A multi-entry traffic circle that is notoriously confusing, producing frequent merging and failure-to-yield collisions. |
| Long Beach Blvd & Atlantic Ave | Dense surface arterials with heavy transit, pedestrian, and cyclist activity and numerous signalized intersections. |
Why Choose Steven M. Sweat, Personal Injury Lawyers, APC
Founding attorney Steven M. Sweat has practiced exclusively on the side of injured plaintiffs for more than 30 years. He has been recognized by Super Lawyers every year since 2012, holds the Avvo 10.0 “Superb” rating, and is a member of the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Our firm handles every case on a contingency-fee basis — no fee unless we recover compensation — and provides bilingual representation in English and Spanish. We offer free, confidential consultations 24/7 and will travel to your home or hospital when injuries prevent you from coming to us.
Frequently Asked Questions — Long Beach Personal Injury Claims
How long do I have to file a personal injury claim after an accident in Long Beach?
In most cases, California law gives you two years from the date of the injury to file a personal injury lawsuit (Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1). If a government entity is involved — for example, a City of Long Beach or transit vehicle — you generally must file a government tort claim within six months (Government Code § 911.2). Because evidence in truck and serious-injury cases can disappear within days, you should speak with an attorney as soon as possible.
Where will my Long Beach personal injury case be filed?
Long Beach cases are handled within the Los Angeles County Superior Court system, with many filed at the Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse in downtown Long Beach (the Southeast District). Our firm regularly litigates cases throughout Los Angeles County courts.
What makes Port of Long Beach and I-710 truck accidents different from a regular car accident?
Commercial-truck cases are governed by federal FMCSA regulations and frequently involve several liable parties — the driver, the motor carrier, the cargo owner, and maintenance contractors. Critical evidence such as electronic logging device (ELD) data, the truck’s ‘black box,’ and dashcam footage can be overwritten or lost quickly, so early investigation and evidence preservation are essential.
How much does it cost to hire a Long Beach personal injury lawyer?
Nothing up front. We handle personal injury and wrongful death claims on a contingency-fee basis, which means you pay no attorney fees unless and until we recover compensation for you. Initial consultations are always free.
What is my Long Beach injury case worth?
The value of a claim depends on the severity of your injuries, your medical treatment and future care, lost income, and the impact on your daily life, along with the available insurance coverage. You can review our firm’s actual case results for examples of recoveries we have obtained for clients in similar circumstances.
| Injured in Long Beach? Get a Free Consultation. Call 310-592-0445 (Los Angeles County) or 866-966-5240 toll-free, 24/7. There is no fee unless we recover compensation for you. Se Habla Español. Request your free, confidential consultation: victimslawyer.com/contact-us |