uninsured motorist lawyer Los Angeles, CA

Were you injured in an accident with an uninsured driver in Los Angeles, CA?

At Goldberg Injury Lawyers, we are trusted uninsured motorist lawyers with more than 40 years of experience handling these exact claims.

If you were hit by an uninsured driver in Los Angeles, you may be dealing with painful injuries, a totaled car, and the realization that the person who caused it all has nothing to collect from. Our founder has handled uninsured and underinsured motorist cases since 1984. Our Los Angeles, CA uninsured motorist lawyer can take over the fight while you focus on healing. Schedule a free consultation today.

Uninsured Motorist Lawyer Los Angeles, CA

An uninsured motorist attorney represents injured people whose claims must be paid by their own insurance company because the at-fault driver carried no liability coverage. The claim comes from the uninsured motorist provision of your own auto policy, and it also applies in many hit and run situations. Underinsured motorist coverage works the same way when the responsible driver has some insurance, just not enough of it to cover the costs.

These cases follow different rules than ordinary injury lawsuits. Most are decided through arbitration rather than a jury trial, and the insurer you’ve paid premiums to for years becomes your legal opponent. About one in six California drivers carries no insurance at all, according to Insurance Information Institute data, so these claims come up constantly on Los Angeles roads.

Types of Uninsured Motorist Cases We Handle in Los Angeles

Goldberg Injury Lawyers has focused on uninsured and underinsured motorist work for decades. These claims arise from nearly every kind of crash that happens on Los Angeles streets and freeways. Here are the matters our office sees most often.

Car accidents. Crashes caused by uninsured drivers on the 101, the 405, and surface streets across the city. We investigate fault, document injuries, and present the claim to your carrier the same way we would present it to a jury.
Hit and run accidents. Los Angeles has one of the worst hit and run problems in the country. When the driver is never identified, your uninsured motorist coverage often becomes the only realistic source of recovery.
Underinsured motorist claims. A minimal policy gets exhausted fast after a serious injury. We pursue the gap between the at-fault driver’s coverage and your own underinsured motorist limits.
Uninsured motorist arbitration. Most UM disputes are decided by a private arbitrator instead of a judge and jury.
Bicycle accidents. Many riders don’t realize their own auto policy can cover them when an uninsured driver hits them on a bike. We evaluate every policy.
Pedestrian accidents. People struck by uninsured or fleeing drivers while walking may be able to claim under their own auto coverage or a resident relative’s policy.
Motorcycle accidents. Riders suffer serious injuries, and adjusters often try to shift blame onto them. We push back with evidence, not arguments.
Wrongful death. When an uninsured driver causes a fatal crash, we help surviving family members pursue every available source of compensation.

Why Choose Goldberg Injury Lawyers as my Uninsured Motorist Lawyer in Los Angeles, CA?

The Lawyer Other Lawyers Call on UM Claims

Barry P. Goldberg has practiced law in California since 1984, the year he earned his J.D. from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. He is known across the state as “The UM Guru” and is frequently consulted by other attorneys on difficult uninsured and underinsured motorist questions. In 2020, he authored “Mastering Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Arbitrations” for The Advocate, the publication of the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, and he served that same year as President of the San Fernando Valley Bar Association. Super Lawyers named him to its Top 100 list for Southern California in 2021, his tenth consecutive year holding the designation. Our uninsured motorist practice is at the center of what our firm handles.

Results for Seriously Injured Clients

Since Barry founded the firm in 2005, our testimonials show that we have recovered millions of dollars for clients living with brain injuries, spinal damage, fractures, and other serious harm, and we have handled hundreds of arbitrations and mediations. Every consultation is free. We will explain your coverage honestly before you commit to anything.

Understanding Uninsured Motorist Cases

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Uninsured Motorist Cases

An uninsured motorist claim pays the same categories of damages you could have recovered from the at-fault driver, up to your policy limits. You still have to prove the other driver was negligent. California follows comparative negligence rules, which reduce your recovery by your own percentage of fault, so a Los Angeles uninsured motorist attorney works hard to keep that percentage on the other driver. Recoverable damages generally include:

Medical expenses, both past bills and the cost of future care
Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
Pain, suffering, and emotional distress
Wrongful death damages for surviving family members

Your recovery is capped by the uninsured motorist limits you purchased. That is why the coverage amounts on your declarations page matters.

What Are Important Aspects of an Uninsured Motorist Case?

The most important thing to understand is that your own insurer can be the opposing party. They are likely to favor the insurance company they represent and attempt to reduce or deny your claim to the fullest extent that they can. That relationship comes with traps that don’t exist in ordinary injury claims. What you say to an insurance representative can be used against you.

Never sign a release or settlement paperwork without review. Signing the wrong document can destroy an underinsured motorist claim entirely.
Insurers sometimes low-ball these claims expecting that unrepresented people won’t push back through arbitration.
Hit and run claims carry additional proof requirements and strict reporting obligations.
Your policy requires cooperation with your insurer, but you are never required to accept its valuation of your injuries.

What Is the Uninsured Motorist Case Timeline?

Every case moves at its own pace, and serious injury claims with disputed coverage take longer than straightforward ones. Most follow the same broad stages.

Reporting the crash to law enforcement and to your own insurance carrier
Medical treatment and documentation of your injuries
Investigation of fault, coverage, and the at-fault driver’s insurance status
A formal demand for arbitration, which preserves the deadline while the claim is negotiated
Settlement talks, mediation, or a contested hearing, where selecting the arbitrator is one of the most strategic decisions in the case

What Should You Bring to Your Uninsured Motorist Consultation?

Bring what you have and don’t worry about what you don’t. Your first meeting is free. You will leave understanding your coverage and your realistic options. We can obtain most records ourselves. If you have them, bring these items to your appointment:

The declarations page of your auto policy, plus any policies covering household relatives
The police report or report number
Photos of the vehicles, the scene, and your injuries
Medical records and bills gathered so far

California Legal Resources for Uninsured Motorist Cases

California maintains official resources where you can confirm the rules that shape these claims. Here are a few reliable starting points:

The California Courts self-help center explains the statute of limitations, which is generally two years from the date of injury.
The official Legislative Information site publishes section 335.1 of the Code of Civil Procedure, the two-year limitations period for personal injury actions.
The California Legislative Information site publishes Insurance Code section 11580.2, which requires every auto bodily injury liability policy in California to include uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.

Deadlines in uninsured motorist claims can be preserved differently than lawsuit deadlines, so speak with an uninsured motorist attorney in Los Angeles, CA before assuming you have more time.

Reach Out to Goldberg Injury Lawyers to Schedule a Consultation

If an uninsured or underinsured driver injured you, get answers before you talk numbers with any adjuster. Consultations with a Los Angeles uninsured motorist lawyer at our firm are free, and we respond to new inquiries promptly. We can review your coverage, explain your options, and tell you honestly what can be done next. Contact us today for more information.

Uninsured Motorist Statistics in Los Angeles

uninsured motorist lawyer in Los Angeles, CA Uninsured motorist claims in Los Angeles often begin with a crash in which the responsible driver either carried no coverage or never stopped long enough to be identified. City collision data shows how frequently injured people in Los Angeles, CA are left without an at-fault insurer to pursue, which is why the uninsured motorist provision of your own policy carries so much weight in this city.

According to LAPD data reviewed by NBC Los Angeles, the city recorded more than 7,500 hit-and-run crashes involving injuries each year from 2022 through 2024, and only about 1% of those crashes led to an arrest.
An analysis of LAPD records by Crosstown LA found that traffic deaths in Los Angeles have outnumbered homicides for three straight years, with more than 300 people killed in collisions each year since 2022.
The Los Angeles Department of Transportation reports that nearly half of the people killed in city traffic crashes were walking or riding a bicycle.
In unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County, the Department of Public Health attributes roughly 30% of pedestrian deaths between 2015 and 2024 to hit-and-run crashes.

Since an arrest follows only a small fraction of injury hit-and-runs, most victims never learn who hit them, let alone whether that driver had insurance. For pedestrians and cyclists, who account for a large share of traffic deaths on city streets, a claim under their own auto policy or a household member’s policy is frequently the only dependable path to compensation. A Los Angeles uninsured motorist attorney can identify which policies apply before the claim moves forward.

Factors That Affect the Outcome of Your Uninsured Motorist Case

The value of an uninsured motorist claim, and the time it takes to resolve, depends on several factors that an uninsured motorist lawyer in Los Angeles, CA evaluates from the first meeting. The following considerations tend to carry the most weight in these claims.

The coverage available to you. Your recovery cannot exceed the uninsured motorist limits you purchased, but your own policy may not be the only one in play. Policies held by relatives in your household can sometimes provide additional coverage, and locating every applicable policy early often changes what a claim is worth.
Evidence of the other driver’s fault. You must still prove that the uninsured driver was negligent. A police report, statements from independent witnesses, and video from dashboard cameras or nearby businesses can establish fault before the insurer has an opportunity to dispute it. Photographs of the vehicles’ final positions and damage patterns can also help an accident reconstructionist explain how the collision occurred.
Confirmation of the driver’s insurance status. An uninsured motorist claim requires showing that the at-fault driver had no applicable coverage or could not be identified. Insurers sometimes delay a claim while they investigate this question, so verifying the driver’s status early keeps the file moving. In Los Angeles, where thousands of injury crashes each year involve drivers who leave the scene, this question arises often.
The severity of your injuries. Fractures, spinal injuries, and head trauma typically support larger claims than soft-tissue injuries, particularly when a treating physician documents lasting limitations or the need for future care. Injuries that require surgery or keep you from returning to work generally carry greater weight in settlement negotiations and arbitration.
Consistency of medical treatment. A delay between the crash and your first appointment, or long breaks during treatment, gives the adjuster an argument that something other than the collision caused your symptoms. Following your doctor’s plan and attending every appointment protects the credibility of your claim.
Prior injuries or medical conditions. A pre-existing condition does not bar recovery, but the insurer will look for one. Medical records showing how the crash aggravated an earlier condition help separate new harm from old and support a fair valuation of the claim.
What you told the insurance company. Adjusters for your own carrier often request a recorded statement early in the claim. An offhand remark about feeling fine, or a guess about speed or distance, can later be used to reduce the value of the claim.
Proof of financial losses. Pay stubs, employer letters, and tax returns establish lost income, while bills and receipts document medical and out-of-pocket costs. Claims supported by clear financial records are harder for an insurer to discount.
How promptly the claim is protected. Uninsured motorist claims carry their own deadlines, and waiting too long can jeopardize recovery entirely. Acting early also preserves evidence such as surveillance footage, which is often recorded over quickly.

Los Angeles Uninsured Motorist Lawyer FAQs

How much does it cost to hire an uninsured motorist attorney in Los Angeles?

Your first consultation with our firm is free, and you are under no obligation to hire us. Injury claims are commonly handled through personal injury contingency fees. Any fee arrangement, including how case costs will be handled, is explained in writing before you sign an agreement.

What happens during a free consultation?

A Los Angeles, CA uninsured motorist lawyer reviews how the crash happened, the injuries you sustained, and the policies that may apply, including your declarations page and any household policies. You will leave with an honest assessment of your claim and the next steps, with no pressure to decide on the spot.

Can I make an uninsured motorist claim after a hit-and-run in Los Angeles, CA?

Uninsured motorist coverage generally extends to crashes caused by drivers who flee and are never identified. However, these claims carry stricter proof and reporting requirements. Reporting the crash to police promptly and preserving photos, witness names, and video is especially important.

Does my uninsured motorist coverage apply if I was walking or riding a bike?

Depending on your policy language, uninsured motorist coverage may apply when you are struck as a pedestrian or cyclist, and it can sometimes extend to relatives in your household. Many riders are surprised to learn that uninsured motorist coverage may cover cyclists hurt by drivers who carry no insurance. We can review your policy during a consultation.

What if the at-fault driver had some insurance, just not enough?

You may be able to pursue an underinsured motorist claim under your own policy. Resolving the claim against the at-fault driver improperly can affect your rights against your own carrier, so an attorney can make sure both claims are handled in the correct order.

Do I need a lawyer if my own insurance company is handling the claim?

In an uninsured motorist claim, your insurer takes on the role the at-fault driver’s insurer would normally play, and its financial interest runs against paying the full value of your injuries. An uninsured motorist attorney in Los Angeles understands how carriers evaluate these files and when a dispute should proceed to arbitration.

How long does an uninsured motorist claim take to resolve?

Claims involving minor injuries may resolve within months after treatment ends. Serious injury claims that proceed to arbitration can take a year or longer. Several factors affect how long UM arbitration takes, including the scope of discovery and the scheduling of the hearing.

What if I was hit by a driver fleeing from police?

Drivers who flee from officers are often uninsured, which makes uninsured motorist coverage an important source of recovery. Our police pursuit accident attorneys can evaluate every potential source of compensation after a pursuit-related collision in Los Angeles, CA.

Can I sue the uninsured driver directly?

You generally can, but a judgment has little practical value if the driver has no assets or income to collect from. Most people recover through their own uninsured motorist coverage instead. If the driver owns property or was working for an employer at the time of the crash, pursuing those parties may be worthwhile.

What if I do not know how much uninsured motorist coverage I have?

Your limits appear on the declarations page of your auto policy. If you cannot locate it, we can request a copy from your carrier. Reviewing your uninsured motorist coverage amounts at the start of a claim helps set realistic expectations for recovery.

Important Resources for Los Angeles Uninsured Motorist Cases

Most Dangerous Locations for Uninsured Motorist Accidents in Los Angeles

Collision data points to corridors where serious crashes occur repeatedly. KTLA reported on an analysis of LAPD records showing that many of the city’s most dangerous intersections sit near freeway ramps.

Dangerous Streets

Figueroa Street and Slauson Avenue: The city’s most dangerous intersection, with 17 felony hit-and-run collisions over four years.
Sepulveda Boulevard and Roscoe Boulevard: A Panorama City crossing two blocks from the 405.
Vermont Avenue: A South Los Angeles corridor with heavy pedestrian traffic, including its intersection at Florence Avenue.
Western Avenue: A busy arterial through dense neighborhoods with frequent bus stops and heavy foot traffic.

Dangerous Highways

I-110 Harbor Freeway: Its exits feed directly into several of the most crash-prone intersections in South Los Angeles.
I-405 San Diego Freeway: Congestion and ramp traffic contribute to crashes on the freeway and nearby Valley streets.
US-101 Hollywood and Ventura Freeways: Stop-and-go commuter traffic produces frequent rear-end and lane-change collisions.
I-10 Santa Monica Freeway: Heavy volumes between downtown and the Westside lead to frequent multi-vehicle crashes.

What Are Important Local Resources for Los Angeles Uninsured Motorist Cases?

The agencies and facilities below can help you report a crash, obtain medical treatment, and address insurance concerns after a collision with an uninsured or unidentified driver in Los Angeles, CA.

Los Angeles Police Department: 1-877-275-5273, the non-emergency line for reporting a crash on city streets or following up on a hit-and-run investigation.
LA General Medical Center: (323) 409-1000, a Level I trauma center in Boyle Heights.
California Department of Insurance: 800-927-4357, the consumer hotline for concerns about how an insurer is handling your claim.
California Victim Compensation Board: 800-777-9229 for help with certain crime-related expenses, which may include injuries from a hit-and-run.

Goldberg Injury Lawyers does not endorse and is not affiliated with any of the organizations listed above. This information is provided for your convenience only.

About Goldberg Injury Lawyers

Goldberg Injury Lawyers is led by founder Barry P. Goldberg, a personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles, CA whose bar admissions extend beyond the California state courts to the federal district courts in California, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. Barry also serves as a volunteer mediator and CRASH settlement officer for the Los Angeles Superior Court, which gives him a practical view of how injury claims are evaluated from the neutral’s side of the table. His work for clients has earned a 10 “Superb” rating and a Client’s Choice Award from AVVO, and he is the trademark owner of “The Injury Law Professionals.”

What Our Clients Say

★★★★★

“Barry was extremely helpful with complex UM and UIM issues. He clearly understands the insurance coverage issues involved and was able to explain them in a practical and easy to understand way. He was responsive, knowledgeable, and professional throughout the process. I really appreciated his guidance and attention to detail, and I would highly recommend him!”

Joshua Adelpour

Read more reviews on our Google Business Profile.

Additional Resources for Los Angeles Uninsured Motorist Cases

Contact Goldberg Injury Lawyers

An uninsured motorist claim places you across the table from an insurer you have paid for years, and you deserve an advocate who understands how those carriers operate. Goldberg Injury Lawyers offers a free initial consultation to people hurt by uninsured, underinsured, and hit-and-run drivers in Los Angeles, CA. Contact us to schedule your consultation.