UCLA-Trained Attorneys in Encino
California Vehicle Code 21950 requires drivers to yield to pedestrians in every crosswalk, marked or unmarked. That is not a gray area. But insurance companies treat it like one. They will argue you were distracted, that you darted out, that the driver could not have seen you. The only thing that shuts those arguments down is evidence collected in the first 72 hours.
Arya represents pedestrian victims across Encino and takes these cases seriously because the injuries are almost always life-changing. Broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, spinal damage. He files at Van Nuys Courthouse West, where he has tried cases before and understands what the local jury pool responds to.
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 Vehicle Code §21950 requires drivers to yield to pedestrians in marked and unmarked crosswalks. Violation of this duty is negligence per se — the driver was automatically negligent, and the only remaining question is the extent of your damages.
Even when a driver clearly violated pedestrian right-of-way, insurers routinely claim the pedestrian was looking at a phone, crossed outside the crosswalk, or wore dark clothing. We build the documentary record — camera footage, police reports, and expert reconstruction — that counters these arguments.
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
Recent Crashes
Compensation Available in Your Case
Pedestrians absorb the full force of a collision. The medical bills alone can reach six figures before you even start physical therapy. Your compensation should reflect every cost, present and future.
Medical Expenses
Encino pedestrian accidents along Ventura Blvd and Balboa Blvd produce serious injuries. ER visits, surgery, neurological evaluations, and rehab costs are fully recoverable.
Lost Wages & Earning Capacity
Encino has a lot of professionals who can't afford to be out of work. Lost paychecks and long-term limitations on your career are both part of the damages we pursue.
Pain & Suffering
Physical pain from the impact, plus the emotional toll. Many pedestrian accident victims develop a lasting fear of walking near traffic.
Permanent Disability
Crushed bones, spinal cord damage, and traumatic brain injuries are common in pedestrian strikes. If your life has been permanently altered, your compensation should reflect that.
Future Medical Costs
Pedestrian injuries frequently require years of physical therapy and follow-up surgeries. We work with your doctors to project what those costs will be.
Punitive Damages
If the driver was impaired, distracted, or ran from the scene, California law allows punitive damages to punish that conduct.
Call us Today. No fee until you win!
818-224-7940What to Do After a Pedestrian Accident
Pedestrian accidents cause severe injuries. Protecting your legal claim starts at the scene — here is what to do.
Call 911 immediately
Request police and an ambulance. If you're on the ground, don't try to get up until paramedics arrive.
Seek emergency medical care
Encino Hospital Medical Center is close. Go there or to the nearest ER. Pedestrian crash injuries often worsen in the hours after the accident.
Get the driver's information
Insurance card, license plate, and driver's license number. Don't let them leave without it.
Photograph the scene
Capture the crosswalk, traffic signals, vehicle damage, and your injuries. The busy stretches of Ventura Blvd and Balboa Blvd in Encino are well-documented accident zones.
Identify witnesses
Other pedestrians, diners at nearby restaurants, or drivers who pulled over. Independent witnesses make insurers take your claim seriously.
Contact Westwood Law
Arya Firoozmand handles Encino pedestrian cases and knows how to get surveillance footage from local businesses before it's overwritten. Time matters.