A sideswipe collision was reported on Oct 14, 2025 at approximately 10:40 AM on SR-170 near Burbank Boulevard in North Hollywood, California. Raining weather was noted at the time. 1 person was injured. This crash was classified as a truck accident case.
If you were involved, the other driver's insurance company may have already contacted you with a settlement offer. Early offers are almost always lower than what your claim is actually worth. Insurers count on people settling before they understand the full extent of their injuries. You have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury claim in California, but key evidence like surveillance footage and witness memories doesn't last that long. A free consultation with our senior attorneys costs you nothing and helps you understand your options.
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I grew up in the San Fernando Valley, graduated from El Camino Real High School and UCLA Law School, and I've spent my career representing people who were hurt because someone else wasn't paying attention. I take these cases personally because I've watched families in this community deal with the aftermath of serious crashes. If you were injured, I want to hear what happened.
Arya Firoozmand, Esq.
Founding Partner · UCLA Law
You're not a case number here. Every case I take is personal.
Could the road be at fault?
Not Every Crash Is the Driver's Fault
Some crashes are caused by dangerous road conditions: poor sight lines, missing signage, bad signal timing, or roads that weren't designed for the traffic they carry. In California, cities, counties, and Caltrans can be held liable when they knew or should have known about a dangerous condition and failed to fix it. If the road played a role in this crash, you may have a claim against the government agency responsible for maintaining it.
Injured at a Dangerous Intersection? The City May Owe You Compensation.
When a road or intersection is poorly designed, the government agency responsible for maintaining it can be held liable. If you were seriously hurt, talk to a senior attorney about whether a dangerous road design claim applies to your case.
Government claims are often subject to strict filing deadlines. An attorney can help you understand what applies to your situation.
Next steps
What to Do After a Truck Accident
Get medical attention immediately
Even if you feel fine, get checked out. Some of the most serious injuries from crashes, like internal bleeding and traumatic brain injuries, don't always show symptoms right away. A medical record from the day of the crash also becomes critical evidence later.
Preserve the truck's black box and FMCSA records
Commercial trucks carry electronic logging devices and event data recorders that capture speed, braking, and hours of service. Trucking companies can overwrite or "lose" this data fast. An attorney can send a spoliation letter to preserve it before it disappears.
Identify every liable party, not just the driver
Truck crashes often involve the driver, the trucking company, the freight broker, the vehicle manufacturer, and the maintenance provider. Each one may carry separate insurance policies. Knowing who to pursue is the difference between a partial recovery and full compensation.
File your government tort claim before April 14, 2026
If a government entity is responsible for this crash, whether because of road design, missing signals, or a government vehicle, you have a strict six-month deadline to file a tort claim. That deadline is April 14, 2026. Miss it and you lose your right to sue entirely, no matter how strong your case is.
Talk to a personal injury attorney before the insurance company
Insurance adjusters will reach out quickly, and they're not calling to help you. They want a recorded statement and a fast settlement before you understand what your case is actually worth. A free consultation with an attorney costs you nothing and protects everything.
Trucking accident law
Why Truck Accident Claims Are Different
Commercial trucking is one of the most regulated industries in the country. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sets rules on driver hours of service, vehicle maintenance, cargo securement, and drug testing. When a truck driver or trucking company violates these regulations and someone gets hurt, those violations become powerful evidence.
Here's the part most people don't know: trucking companies send their own investigators to the crash scene within hours. They're already building a defense before you've even left the hospital. A spoliation letter, sent by your attorney to the trucking company, legally requires them to preserve the black box data, driver logs, maintenance records, and any dashcam footage. Without that letter, evidence disappears.
Truck crashes also involve multiple defendants. The driver, the carrier, the freight broker who hired them, and the company that last serviced the truck may all share liability. Each one carries separate insurance, sometimes in the millions. Identifying all responsible parties is how you maximize recovery.
Our founding partners trained at UCLA Law and built L&F Brown on a simple idea: take fewer cases, fight harder on each one. You work directly with a senior attorney from your first call through settlement. No hand-offs, no assembly line.
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Dangerous road design
Road Design Factors in Sideswipe Crashes
Sideswipe crashes often point to lane design problems: faded lane markings, narrowing lanes that force drivers to merge without warning, confusing lane drops, and poor merge geometry. When two vehicles collide side-to-side while traveling in the same direction, the road layout is worth scrutinizing.
Poorly designed on-ramps and off-ramps are a common culprit. Short merge lanes that don't give drivers enough distance to match traffic speeds, combined with limited sight lines from curves or walls, create predictable crash patterns. If multiple sideswipe crashes have occurred at the same location, that pattern is evidence of a design deficiency.
This crash occurred during midday hours, when traffic volumes are moderate but speeds tend to be higher due to less congestion. Higher travel speeds reduce reaction time and increase crash severity, especially at intersections with short yellow intervals.
Were You Injured in This Crash?
If you or someone you love was hurt in this crash, our attorneys can help you understand your options. We handle cases on contingency, so you pay nothing unless we win.
Frequently asked questions
Common Questions About This Type of Crash
Who is liable in a truck accident?
Multiple parties can be liable: the truck driver, the trucking company (the carrier), the freight broker who hired the carrier, the company that loaded the cargo, and the maintenance provider. Each may carry separate insurance policies. Identifying all liable parties is essential to maximizing your recovery.
What is a spoliation letter and why does it matter?
A spoliation letter is a legal notice sent to the trucking company requiring them to preserve all evidence related to the crash: black box data, driver logs, maintenance records, dashcam footage, and drug test results. Without this letter, trucking companies can legally overwrite electronic data on regular maintenance cycles. Time is critical.
What FMCSA regulations apply to truck accident cases?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration sets rules on driver hours of service (max 11 hours driving in a 14-hour window), mandatory rest breaks, vehicle maintenance schedules, cargo securement, and drug and alcohol testing. Violations of any of these regulations can be used as evidence of negligence in your case.
How do I know if my injuries are serious enough to file a claim?
There's no minimum injury threshold for filing a personal injury claim in California. If someone else's negligence caused your injuries and you have medical bills, lost wages, or pain and suffering, you likely have a valid claim. Many injuries that seem minor at first, like whiplash or soft tissue damage, can develop into chronic conditions. Get a medical evaluation and a legal consultation.
What is the government tort claim deadline of April 14, 2026?
If a government entity shares responsibility for this crash, whether through road design, a government vehicle, or maintenance failures, you must file a government tort claim within six months of the incident. For this crash, that deadline is April 14, 2026. This is separate from the two-year statute of limitations. Miss it and your claim against the government is gone permanently, even if the road design was clearly at fault.
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