--- title: "Hermosa Beach Personal Injury Attorney | Call Jacob" canonical: "https://www.calljacob.com/areas-we-serve/hermosa-beach-personal-injury-attorney/" description: "Hermosa Beach ranked 3rd of 103 similar cities for injured cyclists in 2023. Answers on HBPD reports, PCH projects and deadlines. Free consultation." --- # Hermosa Beach Personal Injury Attorney Los Angeles County For a city of its size, Hermosa Beach has an unusual number of injured cyclists ([OTS](https://www.ots.ca.gov/media-and-research/crash-rankings-results/?wpv-wpcf-year=2023&wpv-wpcf-city_county=Hermosa%20Beach)). The 2023 tally was **18**, a ranking of 3rd among 103. If you were hurt on a bike, a motorcycle or on foot in this compact beach town and are thinking about talking to a Hermosa Beach personal injury attorney, the questions people ask us most are answered below, each with the local facts behind it. - [Cyclists](#h-why-does-hermosa-beach-rank-so-high-for-cyclists) - [Motorcyclists](#h-how-do-motorcyclists-fare-in-hermosa-beach) - [Beach and bar crowds](#h-does-the-beach-and-bar-crowd-affect-a-claim) - [Police reports](#h-who-takes-the-police-report-in-hermosa-beach) - [PCH and Hermosa Avenue projects](#h-what-is-the-city-changing-on-pch-and-hermosa-avenue) - [Deadlines and courthouse](#h-when-must-i-file-and-in-which-courthouse) ## Why does Hermosa Beach rank so high for cyclists? The state’s figures give the count, not the cause, but the setting explains a good deal. The city is a grid roughly 15 blocks wide and 40 blocks long with Pacific Coast Highway down the middle ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermosa_Beach,_California)). Along the sand runs The Strand, the beach path that carries walkers, joggers and cyclists about 20 miles from Torrance Beach north to Santa Monica, and the Hermosa Valley Greenbelt trail parallels it inland. Riders come and go across those few blocks between the beach, the shops and PCH. 2023 measure Hermosa Beach Rank of 103 Bicyclists killed or injured 18 3 Bicyclists under 15 4 4 Motorcyclists killed or injured 9 10 Pedestrians killed or injured 7 23 Alcohol-involved victims 10 31 Speed-related crashes 10 34 All victims killed or injured 60 44 A rank of 1 is the worst in the group. Four of the injured cyclists were younger than 15, the 4th-highest figure among comparable cities, which matters for families: a child’s claim has its own timing rules, and a parent’s medical bills are part of it. Our [bicycle accident](https://www.calljacob.com/personal-injury/bicycle-accidents/) page covers dooring, right hooks and the other common ways drivers hit riders on beach-town streets. ## How do motorcyclists fare in Hermosa Beach? Not well. Riding a motorcycle here carried more risk than in most comparable cities: Hermosa placed 10th of 103 in 2023, with 9 riders among the injured or killed. These numbers exclude freeway crashes, so they reflect riding on PCH, Pier Avenue and the local grid rather than on the 405. Motorcycle claims often turn on a left-turning driver who says the rider “came out of nowhere.” Insurers also blame a rider’s speed; the [motorcycle accident](https://www.calljacob.com/personal-injury/motorcycle-accidents/) page shows how both arguments are tested against the physical evidence. ## Does the beach and bar crowd affect a claim? ### Events and nightlife Hermosa draws crowds for beach volleyball, surfing, cycling and its bars, and the AVP Hermosa Beach Open has been held here since 1969 ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermosa_Beach,_California)). Pier Avenue, which leads to the Hermosa Beach Pier, is one of the city’s main areas for shopping, dining and entertainment. The 2023 data show both sides of that. Alcohol was a factor for **10** of the people hurt (31st of 103). HBPD also logged **105** DUI arrests in 2023. On the arrest list the order runs the other way, from the fewest arrests at 1 to the most at 103, so Hermosa’s place at 93rd means it had among the most arrests of any comparable city, a sign of active enforcement rather than a crash ranking. ### Who pays For your claim, a crash near Pier Plaza can bring in more than one source of recovery: the at-fault driver’s liability policy, your own uninsured motorist coverage if that driver is uninsured, and, for a rideshare passenger, the Uber or Lyft policy that applies during a trip. A visitor from out of town who is hurt here has the same rights as a resident. ## Who takes the police report in Hermosa Beach? Hermosa Beach has its own police force. The **Hermosa Beach Police Department** works from the Civic Center at 540 Pier Avenue, next to City Hall, and is open 24 hours ([City of Hermosa Beach](https://hermosabeach.gov/our-government/city-departments/police-department/about-the-hermosa-beach-police-department)). Collision reports for city streets come from HBPD; ask the officer for the number before you leave and write down the officer’s name. Need Where Police report HBPD, 540 Pier Avenue Level I trauma Harbor-UCLA Court district Southwest Harbor-UCLA Medical Center’s Level I status comes from the state’s trauma-center list ([EMSA](https://emsa.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/71/2025/08/California-Designated-ACS-Verified-Trauma-Centers-8.22.25.pdf)). **Tip:** Bike crashes on The Strand or a side street often have no police report unless someone asks for one. Call the department, and photograph the scene, the bike and any car door or curb involved. ## More questions from Hermosa Beach ### Does my son’s or daughter’s age change the timeline? For the lawsuit, yes. In California, the two years generally do not start running against a child until the 18th birthday. The six-month government-claim deadline gets no such pause, so file that early. ### I was hurt on The Strand. Who is responsible? It depends on what happened: another rider, a pedestrian, a business, or a hazard on the path. Each has different insurance and different rules. ### The driver who hit me was arrested. How does that help? A DUI arrest by Hermosa Beach police gives the claim strong proof that the driver was impaired, and a driver who chose to drive drunk can face punitive damages in a civil case. ### I’m visiting from out of state. Can I still bring a claim here? Yes. The case is governed by California law and is generally filed in the Southwest District, much of it can be handled remotely, and the [case evaluator](https://www.calljacob.com/case-evaluator/) lets you send the details from home. ## What is the city changing on PCH and Hermosa Avenue? Two capital projects target the city’s busiest corridors. ### Pacific Coast Highway For **Pacific Coast Highway**, the city and Caltrans completed a 2015 Project Study Report covering signal synchronization, medians, accessibility, and pedestrian and transit upgrades intended to reduce unsafe turning movements; the city secured **$1.8 million** for the environmental phase ([City CIP 143](https://stories.opengov.com/hermosabchca/published/_27oKzEDI4A)). ### Hermosa Avenue On **Hermosa Avenue** from Herondo Street to 25th Street, a separate project calls for curb extensions, parking daylighting so drivers can see people at crossings, median changes and accommodations for bicycles, with targeted work at 4th, 6th, 19th, 24th and 25th Streets ([City CIP 193](https://stories.opengov.com/hermosabchca/published/pfbNi_V-Dlv)). ### Why the plans matter Why should an injured person care about capital plans? They identify where the city and the state saw safety problems, which can support a claim that a dangerous condition of public property contributed to a crash. PCH belongs to the State as Route 1, so a design-related claim there goes to the State within six months ([Gov. Code §911.2](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV§ionNum=911.2)), while a claim over Hermosa Avenue would go to the city. ## When must I file, and in which courthouse? Situation Deadline Public claim 6 months A driver 2 years ([CCP §335.1](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CCP§ionNum=335.1)) Property damage 3 years California divides fault. Riding against traffic on Hermosa Avenue might cost a cyclist 20% of the award; it would not cost the claim ([CACI 405](https://www.justia.com/trials-litigation/docs/caci/400/405/)). Under General Order 2024-GEN-003-00 ([LASC](https://lascpubstorage.blob.core.windows.net/cpw/LIBOPSCivil-119-GeneralOrderReAssignmentandTransferofPersonalInjuryCases%28EffectiveMay17,2024%29.pdf)), the district follows the place of the crash, which means a case from The Strand, Pier Plaza or PCH is generally filed in the **Southwest District**, whose local courthouse sits on Maple Avenue in Torrance ([LA County locator](https://locator.lacounty.gov/lac/Location/3176785/los-angeles-county-superior-court---southwest-district---torrance-courthouse)). ## Representing riders and walkers in Hermosa Beach We represent cyclists, motorcyclists, pedestrians and drivers hurt in Hermosa Beach, residents and visitors alike. Our first request on a Hermosa case goes to HBPD for the collision report, and we check the crash location against the PCH and Hermosa Avenue project limits. When a crash happens near one of the Hermosa Avenue intersections singled out for work, such as 19th or 24th Street, we handle the six-month claim against the city alongside the injury claim. Other Hermosa matters we take on include Uber and Lyft passenger injuries after a night on Pier Avenue, [car accidents](https://www.calljacob.com/personal-injury/car-accidents/) on PCH, slip-and-fall injuries in restaurants and bars, dog bites and wrongful death claims. We come to clients who cannot travel; ask for a Hermosa Beach bicycle accident lawyer when you call. You can consult us without charge; if your claim produces no money, you owe us no fee. Our number is **(888) 952-2952**. [En español](https://www.calljacob.com/es/): la misma información para los ciclistas y sus familias. _General information for cyclists, riders and families after a crash on The Strand or PCH. Not legal advice._ ## Sources 1. [OTS 2023, Hermosa Beach](https://www.ots.ca.gov/media-and-research/crash-rankings-results/?wpv-wpcf-year=2023&wpv-wpcf-city_county=Hermosa%20Beach) — OTS 2. [Hermosa Beach](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermosa_Beach,_California) — Wikipedia 3. [About HBPD](https://hermosabeach.gov/our-government/city-departments/police-department/about-the-hermosa-beach-police-department) — City of Hermosa Beach 4. [Trauma list, 2025](https://emsa.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/71/2025/08/California-Designated-ACS-Verified-Trauma-Centers-8.22.25.pdf) — EMSA 5. [CIP 143, PCH](https://stories.opengov.com/hermosabchca/published/_27oKzEDI4A) — City of Hermosa Beach 6. [CIP 193, Hermosa Ave](https://stories.opengov.com/hermosabchca/published/pfbNi_V-Dlv) — City of Hermosa Beach 7. [Gov. Code §911.2](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV§ionNum=911.2) — Legislature 8. [CCP §335.1](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CCP§ionNum=335.1) — Legislature 9. [CACI 405](https://www.justia.com/trials-litigation/docs/caci/400/405/) — Justia 10. [Torrance Courthouse](https://locator.lacounty.gov/lac/Location/3176785/los-angeles-county-superior-court---southwest-district---torrance-courthouse) — LA County 11. [2024-GEN-003-00](https://lascpubstorage.blob.core.windows.net/cpw/LIBOPSCivil-119-GeneralOrderReAssignmentandTransferofPersonalInjuryCases%28EffectiveMay17,2024%29.pdf) — LASC ## Find Out How Much Your Case Is Worth Complete the form for a free, no-obligation case evaluation. ## What Our Clients Say ![Yelp](/images/optimized/yelp-59c58f.webp) "I cannot recommend the Law Offices of Jacob Emrani as a law firm, AND My Case Manager “Katie Taghipour more! They are an exceptional law firm and Katie was excellent – she made sure I was taken care of, was ALWAYS AVAILABLE , and Most of all SHE CARES! 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Talk to Jacob 24/7 [Get Your Free Consultation](/contact-us/) ## Explore Our Practice Areas [ ![](/images/practice-areas/en/slip-fall-02-simple-black-outline-drawing-of-a-bicycle-on-a-light-gray-ba.webp) ### Bicycle Accidents ](/personal-injury/bicycle-accidents/)[ ![](/images/practice-areas/en/slip-fall-03-simple-black-and-white-line-drawing-of-a-bus-shown-from-the-.webp) ### Bus Accidents ](/personal-injury/bus-accident/)[ ![](/images/practice-areas/en/slip-fall-04-line-drawing-of-a-truck-and-a-car-colliding-head-on-with-imp.webp) ### Car Accidents ](/personal-injury/car-accidents/)[ ![](/images/practice-areas/en/slip-fall-05-line-drawing-of-a-laptop-with-a-cracked-screen-showing-jagge.webp) ### Defective Products ](/personal-injury/defective-products/)[ ![](/images/practice-areas/en/slip-fall-06-a-stick-figure-person-possibly-a-personal-injury-attorney-st.webp) ### Dog Bites ](/personal-injury/animal-attacks/)[ ![](/images/practice-areas/en/slip-fall-07-black-and-white-line-drawing-of-an-electric-scooter-with-a-l.webp) ### Electric Scooter ](/personal-injury/electric-scooter-accidents/)[ ![](/images/practice-areas/icons/lemon-law-vehicle-icon.svg) ### Lemon Law ](/practice-areas/lemon-law/)[ ![](/images/practice-areas/en/slip-fall-08-black-and-white-line-drawing-of-a-sport-motorcycle-shown-fro.webp) ### Motorcycle Accidents ](/personal-injury/motorcycle-accidents/)[ ![](/images/practice-areas/en/slip-fall-09-line-drawing-of-a-person-standing-next-to-a-traffic-light-wi.webp) ### Pedestrian Accidents ](/personal-injury/pedestrian-accidents/)[ ![](/images/practice-areas/en/slip-fall-10-line-drawing-of-a-person-with-closed-eyes-and-multiple-spots.webp) ### Premises Liability ](/personal-injury/premises-liability/)[ ![](/images/practice-areas/en/slip-fall-11-line-drawing-of-a-smartphone-displaying-an-image-of-a-car-on.webp) ### Rideshare Accidents ](/personal-injury/rideshare-accidents/)[ ![](/images/practice-areas/en/slip-fall-12-black-and-white-line-drawing-of-a-semi-truck-with-a-large-re.webp) ### Truck Accidents ](/personal-injury/truck-accidents/)[ ![](/images/practice-areas/en/slip-fall-13-black-and-white-icon-of-an-envelope-with-a-dollar-bill-insid.webp) ### Workers Compensation ](/personal-injury/workers-compensation/) ## We get results for our clients ### $6,000,000 #### Auto Accident An auto accident is a collision between two or more vehicles on the road, which can result in property damage, personal injury, or death. ### $4,000,000 #### Truck Accident A truck accident refers to an incident involving a large commercial truck or 18-wheeler, which can result in significant damage and serious injuries. ### $2,000,000 #### Pedestrian Accident A pedestrian accident is an incident where a person walking on foot is hit by a vehicle, which can result in serious injuries or death. ### $1,500,000 #### Medical Malpractice Medical malpractice refers to a failure by a medical professional to follow accepted standards of care, which can result in harm to a patient.