UCLA-Trained Attorneys in Westwood
If you were the victim of a hit-and-run accident in Westwood, California, you may feel like there is nowhere to turn — but your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage may provide the same compensation the at-fault driver's insurer would have owed. Westwood Law investigates every evidence lead, including traffic cameras along Wilshire Boulevard, and fights your own insurer to honor your policy.We Lived Here Before We Practiced Here
Curt and I both went to law school at UCLA, and we lived in Westwood the whole time. We've watched the Village change and transform as businesses came and went. We also know what it's like to make the trek out to Pasadena for a game at the Rose Bowl, and what that drive turns into when everyone leaves at once.
Why Your Case Is Different
The overwhelming majority of recorded collisions here happen at San Diego Freeway interchanges rather than on Village streets. Wilshire, Sunset and Santa Monica Boulevard all cross the 405 inside this neighborhood, and those crossings account for most of the injury crashes on record.
California requires insurers to offer uninsured motorist coverage. When a hit-and-run driver flees and cannot be identified, your own UM coverage typically steps in — paying the same benefits your liability insurer would owe if you had been injured by an identified, uninsured driver.
California consistently ranks among the states with the highest hit-and-run accident rates — Los Angeles in particular has documented this problem for years. Law enforcement and traffic camera networks have improved identification rates, but many drivers are never found. Having counsel ensures you pursue all available compensation options.
What We Know About Westwood
- UCLA and its medical centers:A campus population in the tens of thousands plus two major hospitals means heavy pedestrian, cyclist and rideshare volume concentrated in a small area. Claims here frequently involve institutional defendants and commercial policies rather than individual drivers.
- The Wilshire high-rise corridor:One of the densest concentrations of residential towers in Los Angeles, with the parking structures, driveways and valet operations that come with them. Premises and backing-collision claims in this corridor usually involve professional property management and their insurers.
- Westwood Village:A 1920s planned commercial district built for the campus, with short blocks, heavy foot traffic and constant loading activity. Right-of-way and visibility are the recurring disputes in pedestrian claims here.
Crash Data
Most Dangerous Intersections
Recent Crashes
Compensation Available in Your Case
Medical Expenses
Emergency care and ongoing treatment — covered under your UM policy up to policy limits.
Lost Wages
Income lost during recovery — recoverable under your UM coverage.
Pain & Suffering
Non-economic damages — your UM insurer owes the same compensation that the at-fault driver would owe.
Property Damage
Vehicle damage — covered under collision coverage or, in some cases, UM property damage coverage.
Future Medical Costs
Ongoing treatment for serious injuries — your UM claim can include future medical needs.
Underinsured Coverage
If the driver is identified but underinsured, UIM coverage can bridge the gap between their limits and your full damages.
Call us Today. No fee until you win!
818-224-7940What to Do After a Hit and Run Accident
Even without identifying the at-fault driver, your recovery options are real. These steps preserve both the evidence and your insurance options.
Stay at the scene and call 911
A police report documents the incident and is required for a UM insurance claim.
Gather any information about the fleeing vehicle
License plate (full or partial), make, model, color, and direction of travel — report to police immediately.
Photograph the scene and your injuries
Damage to your vehicle, tire marks, debris, and your physical injuries.
Get witness contact information
Bystanders may have seen the plate or vehicle details. Their accounts support your UM claim.
Notify your insurer promptly
UM claims must be reported to your insurer in a timely manner. Do not delay notification.
Contact Westwood Law
UM insurers defend claims just like liability insurers do. Having counsel ensures you're not shortchanged on your own policy.