Consistent Success
for Over 30 Years
for Over 30 Years
Long Beach Personal Injury Lawyer
If you or a family member was injured in an accident in Long Beach, Steven M. Sweat, Personal Injury Lawyers, APC is here to help. Long Beach is the seventh-largest city in California and home to more than 466,000 residents. It anchors the southern end of Los Angeles County, hosts the Port of Long Beach — the second-busiest container port in the United States — and sits at the intersection of three major freeways: the I-405, I-710, and I-605. That combination of port truck traffic, freeway volume, and dense urban streets makes Long Beach one of the most accident-prone cities in Southern California.
Our firm has represented personal injury and wrongful death victims throughout California for more than 30 years. We handle car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian and bicycle collisions, slip and fall injuries, rideshare accidents, dog bites, wrongful death, and all other personal injury claims arising from accidents in Long Beach and throughout Los Angeles County. There is no fee unless we recover compensation for you.
Call 866-966-5240 for a free consultation — available 24/7. Se Habla Español.
Case Results — Long Beach and Los Angeles County Personal Injury
Our firm has a documented record of recovering significant compensation for accident victims throughout Southern California. Representative results include:
| Recovery | Case Type | Description |
| $2,000,000 | Auto Accident | Client struck on the 110 Freeway in Los Angeles — driver operating a Tesla in self-driving mode. Back and neck injuries requiring fusion spinal surgery. |
| $1,300,000 | Premises Liability / Wrongful Death | Slip and fall on ice in front of a commercial structure following a major storm resulting in wrongful death — San Bernardino County, CA. |
| $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. Full policy limits recovered on behalf of the family. |
| $485,000 | Pedestrian Accident | Elderly gentleman struck by a large delivery truck. |
| $450,000 | Truck vs. Auto | Client rear-ended by a semi-truck in the Antelope Valley. Back injuries and mild traumatic brain injury — Antelope Valley, CA. |
| $350,000 | Commercial Vehicle vs. Passenger Car | Commuter rear-ended by a commercial work truck on the 10 Freeway near Covina at significant speed. Pre-existing back condition aggravated, required surgery — West Covina, CA. |
| $300,000 | Big Rig Accident | Client traveling on the 60 Freeway near Corona when a big rig tractor-trailer became hung up on a curb. Client’s vehicle went underneath the trailer. Neck and back injuries requiring emergency transport and orthopedic care. |
| $100,000 | Trucking / Big Rig Accident | Driver run off road by a truck making an unsafe lane change on the 10 Freeway — Los Angeles, CA. Full policy limits recovered. |
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is different. Contact us for a free evaluation of your specific claim.
Personal Injury Claims in Long Beach, California
Long Beach presents a uniquely complex personal injury landscape driven by three converging factors:
- Port of Long Beach traffic. The port moves more than 9 million TEUs (container units) per year, generating a constant stream of heavy commercial truck traffic on the I-710 and surrounding streets. Collisions involving port drayage trucks and semi-rigs are among the most catastrophically injurious accident types in the region.
- Freeway convergence. The I-405, I-710, I-605, and SR-91 all pass through or border Long Beach, creating dense, high-speed traffic corridors with elevated accident rates. The I-710/I-405 interchange in Lynwood is one of the most dangerous interchanges in Southern California.
- Pedestrian and cyclist vulnerability. Long Beach has historically ranked among California’s most dangerous cities for pedestrian safety. Pacific Coast Highway, 7th Street, and Downtown Long Beach generate serious crosswalk and midblock collision injuries year-round.
When an accident happens in Long Beach, the at-fault driver’s insurance company immediately begins working to minimize the payout. Having an experienced Long Beach personal injury attorney on your side from the start protects your rights and maximizes your recovery.
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 one of the most congested cities in California, with heavy commuter traffic on the 405, 710, and 91 freeways and high-volume surface streets including Pacific Coast Highway, Willow Street, and Atlantic Avenue. We handle all Long Beach car accident claims from initial investigation through trial. |
| Truck & Commercial Vehicle Accidents | The Port of Long Beach — the second-busiest container port in the United States — generates massive daily commercial truck traffic on the I-710, I-405, and surrounding surface streets. Semi-trucks, container rigs, port drayage trucks, and delivery vehicles (UPS, Amazon, FedEx) cause catastrophic injuries when they collide with passenger cars. These cases often involve multiple liable parties: the trucking company, the cargo owner, the port terminal operator, and the vehicle manufacturer. |
| Motorcycle Accidents | Long Beach’s warm climate and urban layout make it a year-round motorcycle city. Dangerous lane changes, failure-to-yield collisions, and dooring incidents are common on major corridors including PCH, Anaheim Street, and the I-605 on-ramps. California law protects motorcyclists from discriminatory bias in injury claims. |
| Pedestrian Accidents | Long Beach has historically ranked among California’s most dangerous cities for pedestrian safety. The Long Beach stretch of Pacific Coast Highway, 7th Street, and the area around Downtown Long Beach and the Transit Mall generate serious crosswalk and midblock pedestrian collision injuries. California Vehicle Code § 21950 mandates driver yielding at all marked and unmarked crosswalks. |
| Bicycle Accidents | Long Beach has invested heavily in protected bike lanes along 2nd Street, Broadway, and the beach path, yet collisions between cyclists and motor vehicles remain common. Dooring accidents in street-side parking zones and failure-to-yield crashes at intersections are particularly frequent. We have recovered millions for injured cyclists throughout Los Angeles County. |
| Uber & Lyft Rideshare Accidents | Long Beach’s proximity to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and its own active nightlife corridors generate significant rideshare traffic. Rideshare injury claims are complex — insurance coverage shifts across three distinct periods depending on whether the driver was available, en route to a pickup, or transporting a passenger at the time of the crash. |
| Slip & Fall / Premises Liability | Long Beach’s hotels, restaurants, retail centers (Shoreline Village, 2nd & PCH, The Pike Outlets), apartment buildings, and public spaces all carry premises liability exposure. Property owners who fail to maintain safe conditions can be held accountable for injuries suffered by visitors and tenants. |
| Wrongful Death | When a loved one is killed in an accident caused 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 collisions, port-area truck accidents, and premises liability incidents throughout Los Angeles County. |
| Dog Bites | California Civil Code § 3342 imposes strict liability on dog owners for bites occurring in public places or when the victim was lawfully on private property — regardless of whether the dog has bitten before. Long Beach’s parks, beaches, and residential neighborhoods generate a significant volume of dog bite injury claims. |
| Catastrophic & Spinal Cord Injuries | Accidents near the Port of Long Beach and on the 710 freeway corridor frequently produce catastrophic injuries including spinal cord damage, traumatic brain injury, and severe burns. These cases involve complex damages calculations — often exceeding $1 million — and require experienced legal representation from the outset. |
Dangerous Roads and Intersections in Long Beach
The following roads and intersections account for a disproportionate share of serious injury accidents in Long Beach:
| Road / Intersection | Why It’s Dangerous |
| I-710 (Long Beach Freeway) | Primary port truck corridor — one of the highest commercial vehicle volumes of any urban freeway in the U.S. Rear-end, sideswipe, and runaway truck crashes are frequent, especially near the Willow Street and PCH exits. |
| I-405 / I-710 interchange (Lynwood) | Multi-lane merge zone where heavy trucks and passenger cars converge at speed. Among the most accident-prone interchanges in Southern California. |
| Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) | High-speed arterial with pedestrian crossings, driveways, and mixed commercial traffic. PCH in Long Beach ranks among the most dangerous surface streets in LA County for pedestrians and cyclists. |
| Atlantic Avenue & Willow Street | High-volume intersection near Long Beach Memorial Medical Center. Heavy pedestrian traffic, bus routes, and commercial vehicles create frequent collision risk. |
| 7th Street corridor (Downtown Long Beach) | Dense urban stretch with pedestrian crossings, transit stops, and bar/restaurant district foot traffic — particularly dangerous at night. |
| Anaheim Street & Long Beach Blvd. | High-frequency intersection with multiple bus lines and heavy pedestrian crossings. Chronic left-turn and failure-to-yield crashes. |
| Cherry Ave & Pacific Coast Highway | Major arterial cross near residential neighborhoods. Speeding and red-light violations are frequent contributing factors. |
| 2nd Street (Belmont Shore) | Narrow commercial street with on-street parking — dooring incidents and pedestrian/cyclist conflicts are common. |
For more on truck accident claims on the I-710 corridor, see our guide: 710 Freeway Truck Accident Lawyer — Long Beach Injury Guide.
Proving a Personal Injury Case in California
Most personal injury claims in Long Beach are based on negligence. Four elements must be proven by a preponderance of the evidence:
| Element | What Must Be Proven |
| Duty of Care | The defendant owed a legal duty to the plaintiff. All drivers owe a duty of reasonable care to others on the road. Property owners owe duties of care to visitors. Employers owe duties to third parties injured by their employees’ negligence. |
| Breach of Duty | The defendant breached that duty through negligent or reckless conduct — running a red light, speeding, distracted driving, failing to maintain a safe premises, or violating trucking regulations. |
| Causation | The breach was a substantial factor in causing the plaintiff’s injuries — the ‘substantial factor’ test used in California (CACI 430). |
| Damages | The plaintiff suffered actual, compensable damages: physical injury, medical expenses, lost income, property damage, and/or pain and suffering. |
California also recognizes negligence per se — when a defendant violates a statute such as a traffic law, that violation can establish breach of duty automatically. For example, a truck driver who violates a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) hour-of-service regulation and causes a crash has committed negligence per se.
Courts and Deadlines: Filing a Long Beach Personal Injury Lawsuit
Personal injury lawsuits arising from Long Beach accidents are filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court. The courthouse with jurisdiction over Long Beach is:
- Long Beach Courthouse — 275 Magnolia Ave., Long Beach, CA 90802 (handles civil cases for the Long Beach area)
California Personal Injury Statute of Limitations
General personal injury claims: 2 years from the date of injury (California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1).
Claims against government entities: 6 months to file a Government Tort Claim (Government Code § 911.2). This applies to accidents involving the City of Long Beach, Long Beach Transit (LBT), Long Beach Unified School District, Metro, or Caltrans-maintained roads.
Claims involving minors: The statute of limitations is tolled until the minor turns 18, then runs for 2 years.
Missing these deadlines permanently bars your right to recover compensation. Contact our firm as soon as possible after your accident.
Compensation Available in Long Beach Personal Injury Cases
California law allows accident victims to recover both economic and non-economic damages:
- Medical expenses — All past and future costs: emergency care, surgery, hospitalization, physical therapy, medication, and long-term rehabilitation.
- Lost wages and lost earning capacity — Income lost during recovery and any permanent reduction in your ability to earn a living.
- Pain and suffering — Physical pain, emotional distress, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and loss of enjoyment of life.
- Property damage — Cost to repair or replace your vehicle or other damaged property.
- Loss of consortium — Compensation available to a spouse or domestic partner for loss of companionship and support.
- Punitive damages — Available in cases of egregious or intentional misconduct, such as a DUI accident or a trucking company that knowingly violated safety regulations.
California’s pure comparative fault rule (Civil Code § 1714) means you can recover even if you were partially at fault — your recovery is simply reduced by your percentage of fault. Insurance companies routinely inflate your assigned fault to reduce their payout. Our attorneys counter this aggressively.
How Much Does a Long Beach Personal Injury Lawyer Cost?
Our firm handles all personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis:
- No upfront cost. You pay nothing to retain our firm.
- No fee unless we win. Our fee is a percentage of the amount we recover, agreed upon in writing before representation begins.
- We advance all costs. Court filing fees, expert witnesses, investigations — all fronted by our firm. If we recover nothing, you owe us nothing.
- Free consultation. Call 866-966-5240 any time — no obligation.
What to Do After an Accident in Long Beach
- Call 911. Report the accident and request medical assistance. A police or CHP report establishes a contemporaneous record of the crash.
- Seek immediate medical care. Long Beach has two Level II trauma centers — MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center and St. Mary Medical Center. TBI, internal injuries, and spinal damage often have no immediate symptoms. Gaps in treatment are used by insurers to minimize claims.
- Document everything. Photograph the scene, all vehicles, your injuries, road conditions, and any signals or signs. Collect names, contact info, and insurance information from all drivers and witnesses.
- Do not give a recorded statement. The at-fault driver’s insurer will contact you quickly. You are not legally required to provide one, and doing so routinely harms your claim.
- Do not accept an early settlement offer. Initial offers routinely undervalue claims — often before the full extent of your injuries is known.
- Contact a Long Beach personal injury attorney immediately. Evidence disappears, witnesses become unreachable, and surveillance footage is overwritten. Early legal representation protects your rights from day one.
Why Choose Steven M. Sweat, Personal Injury Lawyers, APC
- 30+ Years of California Personal Injury Experience. Steven M. Sweat (State Bar #181867) has exclusively represented personal injury and wrongful death victims since 1995.
- Super Lawyers — 14 Consecutive Years (2012–2025). Awarded to fewer than 5% of California attorneys.
- Avvo Rating 10.0 (Superb). The highest possible rating based on experience, results, and peer endorsements.
- National Trial Lawyers — Top 100. Among the top 100 plaintiff trial lawyers in California.
- Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Reserved for attorneys who have achieved verdicts or settlements exceeding $1 million.
- No Fee Unless We Win. Contingency fee representation — you pay nothing unless we recover compensation.
- Bilingual: English and Spanish. Serving Long Beach’s diverse community in both languages.
- All of Los Angeles County and Southern California. Long Beach, Torrance, Compton, Carson, Signal Hill, Lakewood, Bellflower, and beyond.
Related Practice Areas
- Car Accident Lawyer — Representing car accident victims throughout Los Angeles County.
- Truck & Commercial Vehicle Accidents — Semi-truck, port drayage, and commercial carrier accident claims.
- Motorcycle Accident Lawyer — Protecting injured motorcyclists throughout Southern California.
- Bicycle Accident Attorney — Recovering compensation for cyclists injured by negligent drivers.
- Pedestrian Accident Attorney — Representing pedestrians struck at crosswalks and intersections.
- Uber & Lyft Rideshare Accidents — Navigating complex rideshare insurance coverage periods.
- Slip & Fall / Premises Liability — Holding property owners accountable for unsafe conditions.
- Brain Injury Attorney — Representing TBI victims and their families.
- Wrongful Death Lawyer — Pursuing justice for families who have lost a loved one to another’s negligence.
- 710 Freeway Truck Accident Guide — In-depth legal guide to I-710 corridor truck accident claims.
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 California, the general statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years from the date of injury under CCP § 335.1. If your accident involved a government entity — such as the City of Long Beach, Long Beach Transit, Metro, or Caltrans — you must file a Government Tort Claim within six months under Government Code § 911.2. Missing these deadlines permanently bars your right to compensation. Contact us immediately after your accident.
Can I sue a trucking company for an accident near the Port of Long Beach?
Yes. If a commercial truck driver caused your accident, you may have claims against the driver personally, the trucking company (under respondeat superior or negligent hiring/supervision), the cargo owner, the port terminal operator, and the vehicle or equipment manufacturer, depending on the facts. Port-area truck accident cases often involve federal FMCSA regulations, electronic logging device (ELD) data, and port terminal security footage — all of which require swift action to preserve. Call us immediately after any port-area truck accident.
What if I was hit by a Long Beach Transit bus?
Accidents involving Long Beach Transit (LBT) or any other public bus operator involve government entity liability. You must file a Government Tort Claim within six months of the date of injury under Government Code § 911.2. Failure to do so will permanently bar your claim. Our firm has experience handling government entity accident claims in Los Angeles County and can guide you through the administrative claims process.
What is my Long Beach accident case worth?
Case value depends on injury severity, total medical costs, lost wages and earning capacity, pain and suffering, and the strength of fault evidence. Port-area truck accident cases and wrongful death cases typically produce the highest-value claims. Call 866-966-5240 for a free case evaluation.
What if I was partially at fault for the accident?
California’s pure comparative fault rule (Civil Code § 1714) allows you to recover even if you were partially responsible. Your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you are found 25% at fault and your total damages are $300,000, you recover $225,000. Insurance adjusters routinely inflate your assigned fault — our attorneys push back aggressively.
Do I need a lawyer for a Long Beach personal injury claim?
You are not required to hire an attorney, but represented claimants consistently recover significantly more — even after attorney fees — than those who handle claims on their own. This is especially true in truck accident cases, wrongful death cases, and any claim involving a government entity, where procedural requirements are strict and the consequences of mistakes are severe.
How much does it cost to hire a Long Beach personal injury attorney?
Our firm works on a contingency fee basis — no upfront cost, no fee unless we win. We advance all litigation expenses. The fee is a percentage of the amount recovered, agreed upon in writing before representation begins.
Does Steven M. Sweat handle cases throughout Los Angeles County?
Yes. Our firm serves accident victims throughout Los Angeles County and all of Southern California — including Long Beach, Torrance, Carson, Compton, Signal Hill, Lakewood, Bellflower, Downey, and all surrounding communities — as well as Orange County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, and Ventura County.
Contact a Long Beach Personal Injury Lawyer — Free Consultation
If you were injured in an accident in Long Beach or anywhere in Los Angeles County, do not wait. Evidence fades, port surveillance footage is overwritten within days, and insurance companies begin building their defense immediately. The sooner you have an experienced personal injury attorney on your side, the better your outcome is likely to be.
Steven M. Sweat, Personal Injury Lawyers, APC offers a free, no-obligation consultation to all accident victims. We will review the facts of your case, explain your legal options, and tell you honestly whether we believe you have a claim worth pursuing.
Call: 866-966-5240
No fee unless we win. | Available 24/7 | Se Habla Español.