Glendale and Burbank sit where four freeways meet, and the traffic shows it. If you've been in a crash anywhere from Brand Boulevard to the Burbank airport, one call to us gets you an attorney, a tow, a body shop, and rental car help, free to you.

Who responds, and where your report comes from

• City streets in Glendale: the Glendale Police Department.
• City streets in Burbank: the Burbank Police Department.
• Freeways (the 5, 134, 2, and 210): the California Highway Patrol (CHP).

Ask the officer for the report number before you leave. You'll request the report later from whichever agency responded, and your attorney and insurer will both want it.

Freeways and corridors we hear about

The interchanges where the 5, 134, and 2 meet, the 210 through La Cañada and Sunland, and busy surface streets like Glendale Avenue, Brand Boulevard, Olive Avenue, and Victory Boulevard. Freeway crashes often mean a tow from a shoulder or a center divider. Don't stand between cars on the freeway; wait somewhere safe for CHP.

What we can arrange near you

• A tow to a body shop you choose, or one we've checked nearby.
• An introduction to a licensed, independent accident attorney. Your attorney can also refer you to doctors who treat accident injuries.
• Help with a rental car, often covered by insurance.

Neighborhoods we serve

Downtown Glendale, Adams Hill, Montrose, La Crescenta, Downtown Burbank, the Media District, Magnolia Park, Sun Valley, and the surrounding area.

The Valley has some of the busiest freeways in Los Angeles County: the 405, the 101, the 118, and the 170. If you were in a crash in Van Nuys, Sherman Oaks, North Hollywood, Encino, or anywhere in between, call us. We'll line up an attorney, a tow, a body shop, and rental car help, free to you.

Who responds, and where your report comes from

• Surface streets: most of the Valley is part of the City of Los Angeles, so the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) usually responds.
• Freeways (the 405, 101, 118, 170, and 5): the California Highway Patrol (CHP).
• Separate cities like Burbank, San Fernando, and Calabasas have their own police or sheriff coverage.

Get the report number and the officer's name before you leave the scene. That's how you'll request the report later.

Freeways and corridors we hear about

The 405 through the Sepulveda Pass, the 101/405 interchange in Sherman Oaks, the 170 through North Hollywood, and long surface streets like Ventura, Sepulveda, Van Nuys, Victory, and Roscoe Boulevards. Stop-and-go freeway traffic means a lot of rear-end collisions, and those often cause neck and back pain that shows up a day or two later.

What we can arrange near you

• A tow to a body shop you choose, or one we've checked in the Valley.
• An introduction to a licensed, independent accident attorney. Your attorney can also refer you to doctors who treat accident injuries.
• Help with a rental car, often covered by insurance.
• Help in English, Español, العربية, and Русский.

Neighborhoods we serve

Van Nuys, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, North Hollywood, Encino, Tarzana, Reseda, Northridge, Panorama City, North Hills, Woodland Hills, Canoga Park, and the rest of the Valley.

From Boyle Heights to El Monte, the 5, 10, 60, and 710 carry some of the heaviest truck and commuter traffic in Southern California. If you were in a crash here, one call gets you an attorney, a tow, a body shop, and rental car help, free to you. Hablamos español.

Who responds, and where your report comes from

• Boyle Heights and other City of LA neighborhoods: the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).
• Unincorporated East Los Angeles: crashes in unincorporated LA County are usually handled by the California Highway Patrol (CHP).
• Cities with their own police, like Montebello, Alhambra, Monterey Park, and El Monte: that city's police department.
• Freeways (the 5, 10, 60, 710, and 605): the CHP.

Not sure who took the report? Ask for the officer's name and report number at the scene, and we'll help you figure out the rest.

Freeways and corridors we hear about

The East LA Interchange where the 5, 10, 60, and 101 meet, the 710 with its heavy truck traffic, the 60 through Monterey Park and Montebello, and the 10 through Alhambra and El Monte. Crashes with commercial trucks can involve several insurance companies at once, which is when experienced help matters most.

What we can arrange near you

• A tow to a body shop you choose, or one we've checked nearby.
• An introduction to a licensed, independent accident attorney, including Spanish-speaking attorneys. Your attorney can also refer you to doctors who treat accident injuries.
• Help with a rental car, often covered by insurance.

Neighborhoods we serve

Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles, Lincoln Heights, El Sereno, Montebello, Monterey Park, Alhambra, Rosemead, San Gabriel, El Monte, Pico Rivera, and the surrounding area.

The moments after a car accident are disorienting. This is an honest guide to what actually matters in those first 24 hours, written for anyone dealing with it in Greater Los Angeles.

At the scene

Check yourself and others for injuries first. If anyone is hurt, call 911 immediately. Even if everyone seems okay, call the police and ask for an officer. A police report creates an official record that protects you later. While you wait, exchange insurance information, license plate numbers, and contact details with the other driver.

Take photos of everything: both vehicles, the damage, the road, any skid marks, the traffic signals, and the area around you. The more you document, the better.

One more thing: don't apologize or say "I'm sorry" at the scene, even just to be polite. An insurance company can use a simple apology later to suggest you admitted fault.

In the hours after

See a doctor or an injury specialist as soon as you can, even if you feel fine. Whiplash, soft tissue injuries, and spinal strain often don't show symptoms for 24 to 72 hours. Getting checked early creates a medical record of your injuries from the start. If you wait, the insurance company may argue your injuries weren't caused by the accident.

Let your own insurance company know the accident happened. You don't need to give a full statement yet. Keep every receipt: towing, the rental car, medical visits, and any work you missed.

If the other driver's insurance calls you

You're not legally required to give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurance company. Their goal is to settle your claim quickly and for as little as possible. It's fine to tell them you need time, or that you're working with a coordinator or attorney first.

What we can take care of

One call to us starts everything: a tow if your car can't be driven, a body shop, and an introduction to a licensed attorney, who can also refer you to doctors who treat accident injuries. You focus on recovering. We coordinate the rest.

After a collision, your insurance company will probably suggest a "preferred" repair shop. What they may not mention is that in California, you have the legal right to choose your own. Here's what to know before you hand over your keys.

Your rights as a California driver

California law prohibits insurance companies from requiring you to use a specific repair shop. You can take your car to any licensed body shop you like. If your insurer pressures you to use theirs, you can push back. If they keep pushing, that's worth reporting to the California Department of Insurance.

What separates a good shop from a bad one

Look for shops with I-CAR Gold Class certification, which means their technicians are trained to current repair standards. If you drive a newer car, ask whether the shop is certified by your manufacturer. Many brands require specific tools and training for structural repairs.

Ask these questions before agreeing to anything:

• Do you use OEM (original manufacturer) parts or aftermarket parts?
• Can I get a written estimate before you start?
• What warranty do you give on parts and labor?
• Will you bill my insurance directly?

A shop that hesitates on any of these is a warning sign.

Watch out for supplements

Sometimes more damage turns up once repairs begin. A good shop documents it and explains it clearly to you and your insurer. They don't just add charges without telling you. Ask upfront how they handle this.

How we help

We only work with body shops across Greater Los Angeles that we've checked for quality, fair pricing, and how they treat customers. We'll connect you at no cost, and we stay involved to make sure the repair goes smoothly.

One of the things we hear most is, "I need to see a doctor, but I can't afford it right now." If that's you, you should know that you may be able to get medical care after an accident without paying anything upfront.

What a medical lien is

A medical lien is an agreement between you, your medical provider, and usually your attorney. The provider treats you now and agrees to wait to be paid until your case is resolved. In exchange, they have a legal right to be paid from any settlement or judgment. What happens if there's no recovery depends on your specific agreement, which is why it's important to understand what you're signing.

This isn't a loophole. It's a common, legal arrangement designed for personal injury cases, and it's how many accident victims in California get quality care they couldn't otherwise afford right after a crash.

What kind of care you can get

Through lien-based providers, accident victims can often get orthopedic consultations, chiropractic care, pain management, MRIs and other imaging, and referrals to specialists, without paying out of pocket upfront. That matters for your health, and it also matters for your case, because records from qualified specialists document your injuries from early on.

What to watch out for

Not every provider accepts personal injury liens, and many general practitioners don't work with them at all. Read any lien agreement carefully before you sign it, or have your attorney review it.

How to find a doctor who works on a lien

Ask your attorney. Personal injury attorneys work with doctors who treat accident injuries and understand how liens work, and they can refer you to the right ones for your injuries. If you don't have an attorney yet, call us and we'll connect you with one.

Rideshare accidents are more complicated than ordinary crashes because more than one insurance policy can be involved. Which one applies depends mostly on one question: what was the driver's app doing at the moment of the crash?

Why the app status matters

California law requires Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare companies to carry insurance for their drivers, but the amount changes with what the driver was doing:

• App off: the driver is just a private driver. Their personal auto insurance applies.
• App on, waiting for a ride request: the rideshare company's coverage is limited. State law sets minimums of $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for injuries, and $30,000 for property damage, plus additional excess coverage.
• On the way to a pickup, or with a passenger in the car: the rideshare company's policy must provide at least $1 million in liability coverage.

These are minimums set by the California Public Utilities Code and can change. The actual policy limits in your case are something your attorney can confirm.

If you were the passenger

Passengers are usually covered no matter which driver caused the crash. If another driver was at fault, there may be a claim against that driver's insurance too.

What to save

• Screenshots of the trip in your app: the driver's name, car, plate, and the trip receipt with the time.
• The driver's insurance information and the other driver's, if another car was involved.
• The police report number. On freeways the CHP responds. On city streets, usually LAPD or the Sheriff's Department.
• Photos of both cars, the scene, and any injuries.

Report the accident in the app as well. Be careful what you write: stick to facts, and don't describe your injuries as "fine" before you've seen a doctor.

Talk to an attorney before giving statements

Rideshare companies and their insurers have experienced claims teams. You're not required to give a recorded statement to another party's insurer. An attorney experienced with rideshare cases can tell you which policies apply and handle the communication for you.

Finding out the other driver has no insurance is a sinking feeling. It doesn't always mean you're out of options. Often the answer is in your own policy.

Check your own policy first

California insurers must offer uninsured motorist (UM) coverage with every auto policy. Many drivers have it without realizing it. You only don't have it if you turned it down in writing. Look at your policy's declarations page, or call your agent and ask:

• Do I have uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage? What are the limits?
• Do I have uninsured motorist property damage coverage, or collision coverage?
• Do I have medical payments (MedPay) coverage?

Underinsured coverage can also help when the other driver has insurance, but not enough to cover your injuries.

Deadlines are different for UM claims

Under California Insurance Code section 11580.2, an uninsured motorist claim generally has to be moved forward within two years of the accident: by suing the uninsured driver, by reaching an agreement with your insurer, or by formally demanding arbitration. Simply notifying your insurer isn't always enough. This is one of the most common ways people lose coverage they paid for.

If you didn't have insurance either

Under Proposition 213, an uninsured driver generally can't recover pain and suffering damages, even when the other driver was at fault. Medical bills and lost wages can usually still be recovered. There are exceptions, for example when the at-fault driver was convicted of drunk driving.

Don't skip these steps

• Call the police and get a report number, even if the other driver begs you not to.
• Photograph their driver's license, plate, and car. Uninsured drivers sometimes give false information.
• Tell your own insurance company about the accident promptly.
• File a DMV SR-1 report within 10 days if anyone was hurt or damage is over $1,000.

When the other driver drives away, you're left with the damage and no one to call. In California, leaving the scene of an accident is a crime, and there are specific steps that protect your own coverage. Some of them have short deadlines.

Right away

• Don't chase the other car. Your safety comes first, and following them can put you at risk or complicate your claim.
• Call 911 if anyone is hurt. Otherwise call the police non-emergency line. On a freeway, call the CHP.
• Write down everything you remember while it's fresh: partial plate, make, model, color, damage to their car, direction they went.
• Look for witnesses and cameras. Nearby businesses, homes with doorbell cameras, buses, and other drivers' dash cams. Footage is often recorded over within days.

Two deadlines that protect your coverage

If you plan to use your uninsured motorist coverage, California Insurance Code section 11580.2 generally requires that a hit-and-run be reported to the police within 24 hours and that a claim be filed with your insurer within 30 days. For injury claims involving an unidentified driver, the law also generally requires that the other vehicle actually made physical contact with you or your car.

What your own insurance may cover

Depending on your policy, uninsured motorist coverage can help with injuries, and collision coverage can help repair your car. Some property damage coverages only apply if the other driver is identified, which is one more reason the police report and any video matter.

We can help with the car and the claim

We can arrange a tow, connect you with a body shop, and introduce you to an attorney who handles hit-and-run cases, at no cost to you.

A fast offer can feel like relief. But the first number an insurance company puts on the table is usually where negotiations start. Before you accept anything, here's what to know.

Don't sign a release until you understand it

Accepting a settlement almost always means signing a release, which ends your claim for good. If your injuries turn out to be worse than you thought, you generally can't go back for more. Many injuries, like back and neck injuries, take weeks to show how serious they are.

California's rules for insurance companies

California's Fair Claims Settlement Practices Regulations set rules insurers must follow when handling claims. Among other things, an insurer generally has to acknowledge a claim within 15 days and accept or deny it within 40 days of receiving proof of the claim, and it can't misrepresent the facts or the policy to you. If you believe an insurer is treating you unfairly, you can file a complaint with the California Department of Insurance.

What helps you

• Keep records of everything: medical visits, bills, prescriptions, missed work, rides, and receipts.
• Follow your doctor's treatment plan. Gaps in treatment are one of the most common reasons insurers lower their offers.
• Put things in writing. Ask the adjuster to explain the offer in writing, and keep notes of every call: date, name, and what was said.
• Don't feel rushed. A deadline set by the adjuster isn't the same as a legal deadline. Know your actual filing deadline.

When to talk to an attorney

If you were hurt, a free consultation before you accept an offer is usually worth it. An attorney can tell you whether the offer accounts for your medical costs, lost income, and future care, and can deal with the adjuster for you. Injury attorneys typically work on contingency. Case costs are separate, and your written fee agreement explains how they're handled.

Short answer: find out which agency wrote the report (LAPD, CHP, or the Sheriff's Department), then request a copy from that agency. Your insurance company and attorney will both ask for it.

Step 1: Know who responded

• City streets in Los Angeles: usually the LAPD.
• Freeways and state highways: usually the California Highway Patrol (CHP).
• Unincorporated areas and some contract cities: the LA County Sheriff's Department.
• Other cities like Glendale, Burbank, Pasadena, Santa Monica, or Beverly Hills: that city's own police department.

At the scene, ask the officer for a report or incident number and their name or badge number. It makes the request much faster.

Step 2: Request the copy

LAPD: traffic collision reports can be requested online through LAPD's website (via its records partner) or by mail to the Records and Identification Division. Reports involving an arrest, a minor, or a death are usually mail-only. There's a small fee; check the current amount on lapdonline.org.

CHP and other agencies: contact the office that handled the crash, or check its website for its request form.

Who can get it: in California, collision reports are released to people involved, such as the drivers, injured people, vehicle owners, and their insurers and attorneys (Vehicle Code section 20012).

When: reports usually take a few days to a couple of weeks to be ready.

Don't skip the DMV form

A police report doesn't replace the DMV's SR-1 form. If anyone was hurt, or property damage was over $1,000, each driver generally has to file an SR-1 within 10 days. More on California's reporting rules.

Short answer: an insurer "totals" a car when fixing it costs too much compared with what the car was worth. In California, the payout is based on what a comparable car costs, and it should also include certain fees. Here's what to check before you accept.

What "totaled" means

Each insurer compares the repair cost (plus the car's salvage value) with the car's actual cash value, what it was worth right before the crash. If repairing doesn't make financial sense, they declare it a total loss and pay you the car's value instead of fixing it.

What the payment should include

Under California's auto claim rules (California Code of Regulations, title 10, section 2695.8), a cash settlement for a total loss is based on the cost of a comparable vehicle, minus your deductible if it's your own insurer, and generally also covers:

• Sales tax on a comparable car,
• One-time transfer fees, and
• The unused part of your registration fees.

Any adjustments the insurer makes to the comparable car's price (for mileage, condition, options) must be itemized and explained.

How to check the offer

• Ask for the valuation report and the list of comparable cars they used.
• Check the comparables: same year, make, model, trim, mileage, and options, sold near you.
• Gather proof of your car's condition: recent repairs, new tires, upgrades, and service records.
• If you still owe money on the car, the payment usually goes to your lender first. Gap coverage, if you have it, may cover the difference.

If you disagree, explain why in writing with your own comparables. If you believe the insurer isn't following the rules, you can file a complaint with the California Department of Insurance.

Short answer: not always. If no one was hurt and the other driver's insurer is paying fairly for your car, you can often handle it yourself. If anyone was injured, or fault is disputed, a free consultation with an attorney is usually worth it.

You can often handle it yourself when

• No one was hurt, not even sore the next day.
• Fault is clear, and the other driver's insurer has accepted it.
• The insurer is paying for repairs and a rental without a fight.

It's usually worth talking to an attorney when

• Anyone was injured, especially if you went to the ER, need follow-up care, or missed work.
• Fault is disputed, or the insurer says you were partly to blame.
• The other driver had no insurance, or it was a hit-and-run.
• A commercial vehicle, truck, or Uber/Lyft was involved, since several insurers may be involved.
• The insurer wants a recorded statement or pushes you to sign a release quickly.

What it costs

Injury attorneys in California usually work on contingency: no upfront fee, and their fee is a percentage of what they recover. Case costs are separate, and your written fee agreement explains how they're handled. A first consultation is typically free, and talking to an attorney doesn't commit you to hiring them.

How we help

We can connect you with a licensed California attorney for a free consultation, and handle the tow, body shop, and rental side. You're never required to use any attorney we mention.

Accidents Connect wants everyone to be able to use this website and get help after an accident, including people with disabilities.

What we do

• We aim to follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Level AA.
• We check text contrast, text size, and the size of buttons and links on phones and computers.
• Forms have labels, and the site can be used with a keyboard.
• Images that carry information have text descriptions.

Other ways to reach us

Everything on this site can also be done by phone. Call or text (818) 252-9170, 24 hours a day, or email info@accidentsconnectpro.com. If you use a relay service, dial 711.

Tell us about a problem

If something on this site is hard to use, please email info@accidentsconnectpro.com with the page and what happened. We'll work to fix it and help you in the meantime.

This policy explains what information Accidents Connect Inc. ("Accidents Connect," "we," "us") collects through accidentsconnectpro.com and by phone, how we use it, and who we share it with.

Information we collect

• Information you give us: your name, phone number, email address, preferred language, and details about your accident (such as the type of accident, when and where it happened, whether anyone was hurt, and what help you need), and any photos of the damage or scene you choose to upload.
• Information from partners who apply to join our network: business name, contact details, license number, years in practice, and service areas.
• Information collected automatically: basic technical data your browser sends, such as IP address, browser type, and pages visited, which our hosting provider may log for security and performance. We also keep our own daily visit totals (for example, how many people visited, which pages they viewed, the website or search engine they came from, and how many tapped a call button). To count each visitor once per day, we use a one-way code made from the IP address and browser that changes every day and can't be used to identify you. We don't store IP addresses for this, and we don't use cookies for it.
• Website analytics: we use Google Analytics to understand how many people visit, which pages they read, and how they reach us (for example, whether they tapped a call button or sent the callback form). Google Analytics uses cookies and collects data such as pages viewed, approximate location (city level), device and browser type, and how you arrived at our site. We don't send your name, phone number, or accident details to Google Analytics, and we've turned off Google's advertising features. See "Your choices" below to opt out.
• Information that stays on your device: the scene checklist and accident report kit save what you type, and any photos you add, only in your own browser. We do not receive that information unless you choose to send it to us.

How we use your information

• To call or text you back about your accident, in your preferred language.
• To connect you with the attorney, towing company, body shop, or rental company you ask us to connect you with.
• To coordinate scheduling and follow-up with those professionals at your request.
• To review partner applications.
• To operate, secure, and improve our website, and to comply with the law.

Who we share it with

• Professionals you ask to be connected with. We share your contact information and accident details (including any photos you upload) with the partner attorney, towing company, body shop, or rental company that matches your request. These partners are independent businesses and pay us marketing fees to participate in our network. Once they have your information, their own privacy practices apply.
• Service providers that help us run the website and handle form submissions (for example, our website host and email provider), only as needed to provide those services.
• Google, which provides our website analytics. Google's use of this data is described at policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites.
• When required by law, or to protect the rights and safety of you, us, or others.

We do not sell your information to data brokers, marketers, or lead buyers. Accidents Connect does not refer anyone to medical providers.

Your choices and rights

• Calls and texts: you can opt out of texts at any time by replying STOP, and you can ask us to stop calling you.
• Access and correction: you can ask to see, correct, or delete the information we have about you by emailing info@accidentsconnectpro.com or calling (818) 252-9170. We'll verify your identity before acting on the request.
• California residents: depending on the circumstances, California law may give you additional rights, such as the right to know what personal information we collect and how we share it, and the right to request deletion. We won't treat you differently for using these rights.
• Analytics opt-out: if your browser sends a Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal, we don't load Google Analytics at all. You can also block analytics cookies in your browser settings, or install Google's opt-out add-on at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

Cookies, Do Not Track, and Global Privacy Control

We use Google Analytics cookies to measure how the site is used. The scene checklist and report kit save your entries in your own browser's storage. We do not use advertising or retargeting cookies, and we don't sell or share your personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising. We honor Global Privacy Control signals as described above. Our website does not respond differently to the older "Do Not Track" signal, which most browsers no longer support.

How long we keep it, and security

We keep your information only as long as we need it to help you and to meet legal and business requirements. We use reasonable safeguards to protect it, but no method of transmission or storage is completely secure.

Children

Our website is not directed to children under 13, and we don't knowingly collect information from them. If a minor was in an accident, a parent or guardian should contact us.

Changes to this policy

If we make material changes, we'll update the effective date at the top of this page and post the new version here.

Contact us

Accidents Connect Inc.
468 N Camden Drive, Suite 200, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
info@accidentsconnectpro.com · (818) 252-9170

By using accidentsconnectpro.com or our phone service, you agree to these terms.

What we are, and what we aren't

Accidents Connect Inc. is an independent accident coordination and referral service. We are not a law firm, a medical provider, a towing company, a body shop, or an insurance company. We don't give legal, medical, or financial advice, and contacting us does not create an attorney–client relationship with us or with any attorney.

Partners are independent

The attorneys, towing companies, body shops, and rental companies we connect you with are independent businesses. They pay us marketing fees to participate in our network. They, not Accidents Connect, are responsible for the services they provide. You're never obligated to hire anyone we connect you with, and you're free to choose your own attorney or repair shop.

No guarantees

We don't guarantee or predict the outcome of any claim, case, or repair, or how long anything will take. Any fee or cost arrangement is between you and the professional you hire, and should be in writing.

Information on this site

Our guides, checklist, deadline lookup, and other tools are general information only. Laws change and every situation is different. Confirm deadlines and your rights with a licensed California attorney.

Your information

How we collect, use, and share your information is described in our Privacy Policy.

Acceptable use

Please don't submit false information, other people's information without their permission, or anything unlawful through our forms.

Limitation of liability

To the extent allowed by law, Accidents Connect is not liable for indirect or consequential damages arising from your use of this site or from services provided by independent partners.

Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of the State of California.

Contact

Accidents Connect Inc., 468 N Camden Drive, Suite 200, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 · info@accidentsconnectpro.com · (818) 252-9170