California Personal Injury Lawyer

California has more drivers, more vehicles, and more miles of freeway than any other state. From the I-405 in Orange County to the Bay Bridge in San Francisco, millions of people take to the road every day. One negligent driver can turn an ordinary commute into a life-changing injury.

Tien Law Firm fights for people injured in car accidents and other preventable crashes throughout Southern and Northern California. We have offices in Irvine, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Founding attorney Sonya Tien has more than a decade of experience representing injured Californians. She has been named a Super Lawyers Rising Star for seven years and has maintained a perfect 10.0 Avvo rating for thirteen consecutive years.

Call (888) 919-8889 to speak with a California personal injury lawyer today.

Serving Accident Victims From San Diego to Sacramento

Every region of California has its own dangerous roads, local police agencies, and trauma centers. Tien Law Firm brings local knowledge to every case, wherever it happened.

Orange County Car Accident Lawyer

Our Irvine office serves injury victims throughout Orange County, including Irvine, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Huntington Beach, Garden Grove, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Fullerton, Orange, Tustin, and Mission Viejo.

Orange County crashes often happen on:

I-5 and I-405, especially at the El Toro “Y,” where the two freeways merge near Irvine and Lake Forest
SR-91 (Riverside Freeway), one of the most congested commuter routes in the state, through Anaheim, Yorba Linda, and the Santa Ana Canyon
SR-55, SR-57, and SR-22, including the busy “Orange Crush” interchange near Angel Stadium
SR-73, SR-133, SR-241, and SR-261 toll roads, where high speeds lead to severe crashes

Seriously injured Orange County crash victims are often treated at UCI Medical Center in Orange, the county’s Level I trauma center. Others are treated at Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, and Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach and Irvine.

Los Angeles Car Accident Lawyer

Our Los Angeles office represents injured people across Los Angeles County, including Downtown LA, Hollywood, the San Fernando Valley, Long Beach, Pasadena, Santa Monica, Glendale, Burbank, Torrance, Inglewood, and West Covina.

LA’s freeway network is among the most heavily traveled in the country. Serious crashes happen regularly on:

I-405 (San Diego Freeway) through the Sepulveda Pass, near LAX, and across the South Bay
I-10 (Santa Monica and San Bernardino Freeways) between Santa Monica, Downtown LA, and the San Gabriel Valley
US-101 (Hollywood and Ventura Freeways) through Hollywood and the Valley
I-110 (Harbor Freeway) and the I-5 (Golden State Freeway) through the downtown interchange
I-710 (Long Beach Freeway), a major truck corridor serving the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach
I-605, SR-60, and SR-134, connecting the region’s suburbs

Los Angeles crash victims are often treated at Level I trauma centers. These include LAC+USC Medical Center in Boyle Heights, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Westwood, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in West Hollywood, and Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance.

San Diego Car Accident Lawyer

Tien Law Firm serves San Diego County, including San Diego, Chula Vista, Oceanside, Escondido, Carlsbad, El Cajon, La Mesa, and Encinitas.

San Diego’s most dangerous roads include:

I-5, from the San Ysidro border crossing through Downtown San Diego to Oceanside and Camp Pendleton
I-15, a heavily traveled corridor through Escondido and the Inland North County
I-8, through Mission Valley and east toward El Cajon
I-805, SR-163, SR-94, and SR-52, which carry heavy commuter traffic through central San Diego

Injured San Diegans are often treated at Scripps Mercy Hospital in Hillcrest, UC San Diego Health, Sharp Memorial Hospital in Kearny Mesa, Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, and Palomar Medical Center in Escondido.

San Francisco and Bay Area Car Accident Lawyer

Our San Francisco office serves the Bay Area, including San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Berkeley, Daly City, San Mateo, Fremont, Hayward, and Walnut Creek.

Bay Area crashes frequently happen on:

I-80 and the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge, among the busiest crossings in the state
US-101, through the Central Freeway, the Bayshore Freeway, and the Peninsula toward San Jose
I-280, connecting San Francisco to Daly City and Silicon Valley
SR-1 (19th Avenue), a high-volume city corridor with frequent pedestrian crashes
I-880 (Nimitz Freeway) and I-580 in the East Bay, with heavy truck and commuter traffic

San Francisco’s Level I trauma center is Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. Crash victims are also treated at UCSF Medical Center, California Pacific Medical Center, Highland Hospital in Oakland, Stanford Health Care in Palo Alto, and Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose.

Sacramento Car Accident Lawyer

Tien Law Firm serves the Sacramento region, including Sacramento, Elk Grove, Roseville, Folsom, Citrus Heights, Rancho Cordova, Davis, and West Sacramento.

Sacramento-area crashes often happen on:

I-5 and I-80, major interstate routes carrying long-haul trucks through the capital
US-50, connecting Downtown Sacramento to Rancho Cordova, Folsom, and Lake Tahoe
SR-99, a high-crash corridor running south through Elk Grove toward the Central Valley
Business 80 (Capital City Freeway), a congested route through the city’s core

Seriously injured crash victims in the region are often taken to UC Davis Medical Center, the area’s Level I trauma center. Others are treated at Sutter Medical Center Sacramento, Mercy San Juan Medical Center in Carmichael, and Kaiser Permanente medical centers in South Sacramento and Roseville.

Personal Injury Cases We Handle Across California

Car accidents are at the center of our practice. We also help clients injured in all types of preventable crashes, including:

Car accidents and rear-end collisions
Freeway and highway accidents
Truck and 18-wheeler accidents
Motorcycle accidents, including lane-splitting crashes
Uber and Lyft rideshare accidents
Pedestrian accidents
Bicycle accidents
Hit-and-run accidents
Drunk driving (DUI) accidents
Bus and public transit accidents
Wrongful death

Common Car Accident Injuries

California crashes often happen at freeway speeds or in dense city traffic, and the injuries can be severe. We represent clients suffering from:

Traumatic brain injuries and concussions
Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
Neck and back injuries, including whiplash and herniated discs
Broken bones and fractures
Internal injuries
Burns, scarring, and disfigurement
Amputations
Emotional trauma and PTSD

Depending on your case, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, future medical care, lost wages, lost earning capacity, property damage, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.

What to Do After a Car Accident in California

Call 911 and get medical attention, even if your injuries seem minor.
Report the crash. The California Highway Patrol generally handles freeway crashes. Local police, such as the LAPD, SFPD, or San Diego Police Department, handle city streets.
Document the scene with photos of the vehicles, your injuries, road conditions, and nearby exit signs or intersections.
Collect information from the other drivers and any witnesses.
Report the crash to the DMV within 10 days if anyone was injured or killed, or if property damage was over $1,000. This is done with an SR-1 form.
Do not give recorded statements to the other driver’s insurance company.
Call Tien Law Firm at (888) 919-8889 before accepting any settlement.

How Tien Law Firm Builds Strong Injury Claims

Insurance companies have teams of adjusters and lawyers working to pay you as little as possible. We level the playing field by:

Investigating immediately, including obtaining CHP and police reports, traffic camera and dashcam footage, and witness statements
Working with accident reconstruction and medical experts to prove fault and the full value of your injuries
Identifying every source of compensation, including at-fault drivers, employers, trucking companies, rideshare insurance policies, and your own uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage
Handling all communication with insurers so you can focus on recovery
Preparing every case as if it will go to trial, which gives us leverage in settlement negotiations

Why Injured Californians Choose Sonya Tien

Offices in Irvine, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, with representation for clients throughout Southern and Northern California
More than a decade of personal injury experience
Super Lawyers Rising Star for seven years, an honor given to a small percentage of attorneys
A perfect 10.0 Avvo rating for thirteen consecutive years
Personal attention: you work directly with an attorney who knows your case and returns your calls

Frequently Asked Questions About California Personal Injury Claims

How long do I have to file a personal injury lawsuit in California? In most cases, California’s statute of limitations for personal injury is two years from the date of the injury. If a government agency is involved, such as a city bus or a dangerous road condition, you generally must file a formal claim within six months.

Can I recover compensation if I was partly at fault? Yes. California follows a pure comparative fault rule. Your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault, but you can still recover even if you were mostly to blame.

How much car insurance are California drivers required to carry? Since January 1, 2025, California drivers must carry at least $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident in bodily injury coverage, plus $15,000 in property damage coverage. Many serious injury claims exceed these limits, which is why we look for every available source of compensation.

What if the driver who hit me was uninsured or fled the scene? You may be able to recover through your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage. Insurers often fight these claims, so having an attorney matters.

Do I need a lawyer if the insurance company already made an offer? Early offers are often far below what a claim is worth. Talk with an attorney before you sign anything, because accepting a settlement usually ends your right to further compensation.

How much does it cost to hire Tien Law Firm? Nothing upfront. Our California personal injury law firm works on a contigency fee so that we only get paid if we recover compensation for you.

Talk to a California Personal Injury Lawyer Today

Your crash may have happened on the 405 in Irvine, the 101 in Los Angeles, the Bay Bridge, the I-5 in San Diego, or US-50 in Sacramento. Wherever it happened, Tien Law Firm is ready to fight for you.

Call (888) 919-8889 to speak with California personal injury attorney Sonya Tien about your accident.