UCLA Law Trained Attorneys in Encino
Language matters in insurance claims. When a car driver hits a motorcycle rider in Encino, the insurer calls it a "motorcycle accident" because that phrase puts the focus on you. What actually happened is that a car driver failed to yield, failed to check a mirror, or failed to see a lawfully operating vehicle. We reframe the narrative around the car driver's negligence.
Arya Firoozmand handles motorcycle accident cases in Encino and files at Van Nuys Courthouse West. He understands the bias riders face in the claims process and counters it with evidence.
Knows Encino: Ventura Blvd, the 101/405, the Van Nuys Courthouse
I grew up in the San Fernando Valley, graduated from El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills, and attended UCLA Law School. I know Encino well. I've spent many hours on Ventura Blvd, many breakfasts at Coral Tree Cafe, and many dinners at what is probably the best Italian spot hidden on the second floor of a strip mall near the Land Rover dealership, Gio Cucina. I know the Ventura Boulevard corridor, the Balboa area, and how insurance companies respond to claims in this part of LA.
The Facts Behind Your Injury Claim
Which roads generate the most crashes, where the ambulance takes you, what the law requires, and how long you have to act. This is what we know about Encino cases before we even look at yours.
The convergence of US-101 and I-405 near Encino is one of the most congested and crash-prone freeway interchanges in Los Angeles. High-speed merging, lane changes, and stop-and-go conditions create constant collision risk.
Paramedics route to Northridge Hospital (Level II Trauma). Encino Hospital Medical Center is on Ventura Boulevard but is not a trauma center. Critical cases go to UCLA Ronald Reagan (Level I).
California is the only U.S. state where motorcycle lane splitting is explicitly legal (Vehicle Code §21658.1). When done safely at a reasonable speed differential, fault cannot be assigned to the rider solely because they were lane splitting.
Insurance adjusters routinely inflate rider fault to reduce payouts. California's pure comparative negligence rule means you can still recover even if partially at fault — but only if your attorney actively counters the insurer's fault-shifting narrative.
What Makes Your Injury Case Different
The 101/405 interchange is one of the most congested and dangerous freeway junctions in the country. Multi-vehicle crashes here almost always involve more than one at-fault party and more than one insurance policy. If you only pursue the driver who hit you, you are probably leaving money on the table. Finding every policy takes legwork, and it needs to start immediately.
Ventura Boulevard through Encino has medical offices, restaurants, and retail packed into a dense commercial strip. Pedestrian accidents, parking lot fender-benders that turn into real injury claims, and premises incidents at commercial properties are all part of the caseload here.
If you were bitten by a dog at Balboa Park, California law is clear: the owner is liable, full stop. Civil Code 3342 is a strict liability statute. The fight is not about whether the owner pays. It is about making sure the insurance company covers the full cost: the ER, the plastic surgeon, the time off work, the scar.
Defendants in Encino are more likely to carry umbrella policies well above their primary limits. We know that going in, and it changes how we build the demand. Cases file at Van Nuys Courthouse.
The Collision Patterns We See Here
The 101/405 interchange generates a disproportionate share of the serious cases we handle from Encino. High-speed merging, sudden stops, and aggressive lane changes produce multi-car pileups where figuring out who hit whom requires the CHP report, dashcam footage, and sometimes an accident reconstructionist.
Ventura Boulevard is the pedestrian and premises corridor. Balboa Boulevard gets the park-adjacent cyclist and dog bite cases. Sepulveda and Hayvenhurst carry the residential and school zone traffic that produces lower-speed but still serious injuries, especially during morning drop-off.
A recent Encino case involved three vehicles on the 405 where each driver's insurance company blamed the other two. Another was a pedestrian struck in a crosswalk on Ventura by a driver making a right on red. A third was a dog attack at Balboa Park where the owner's homeowner policy initially denied the claim. Each required a completely different approach.
Crash Data
Most Dangerous Intersections
Recent Crashes
View all crash reports in Encino →Compensation Available in Your Case
Motorcycle crash injuries include fractures, road rash, traumatic brain injury, and spinal damage. The medical costs alone can be life-altering. Here is what your claim should include.
Medical Expenses
Encino Hospital, trauma surgery, neurological evaluation, and rehabilitation. Motorcycle injuries from the 405 or Balboa Blvd are often severe.
Lost Wages & Earning Capacity
Motorcycle crash recovery keeps you off the road and off the job. We recover your lost income and any future wage reduction.
Pain & Suffering
The pain from broken bones, road rash, and surgical recovery is compounded by the emotional impact. California law compensates both.
Motorcycle Damage
Full replacement value of your motorcycle, helmet, and all protective gear damaged in the crash.
Permanent Disability & Scarring
Severe road rash leaves permanent scars. Crushed joints and nerve damage may limit your mobility for life. We pursue compensation for all of it.
Punitive Damages
Drivers who were texting, drunk, or road raging when they struck you on Ventura Blvd or the 101 face potential punitive damages.
Call us Today. No fee until you win!
818-224-7940What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident
Motorcycle accidents cause catastrophic injuries. Your actions in the immediate aftermath directly affect your ability to recover full compensation.
Move to safety and call 911
If you can move, get clear of traffic. The 405 and 101 through Encino move fast. Call CHP for freeways, LAPD for surface streets.
Do not remove your helmet at the scene
Spinal injuries can worsen if you move your neck. Keep the helmet on if you feel any pain, numbness, or disorientation.
Photograph the scene thoroughly
Road surface, oil slicks, debris, skid marks, final vehicle positions, and your visible injuries. Get the intersection or on-ramp in the shot.
Get the driver's information
Insurance card, license plate, driver's license, and phone number. If they claim they didn't see you, write that down.
Seek emergency medical care
Encino Hospital Medical Center handles trauma evaluations. Motorcycle injuries need immediate and thorough documentation.
Contact Westwood Law before speaking to insurers
Arya Firoozmand fights rider-bias tactics from day one. Don't let the adjuster build a narrative before we do.