Hit as a Pedestrian on Lost Hills Road in Calabasas: What to Know

Arya Firoozmand, Esq. — Founding Partner

Local Calabasas Injury Attorney · UCLA Law

Arya Firoozmand is the founding partner at L&F Brown. He grew up in Woodland Hills — minutes from Calabasas — graduated from El Camino Real High School and UCLA Law School, and has spent his career representing injured clients across the West Valley.

Lost Hills Road is one of the main north-south arterials through Calabasas - running from the 101 interchange down through the commercial corridor near Calabasas Commons and into the residential areas beyond. Pedestrians cross it at designated crosswalks, near Calabasas Commons, and at various points along its length. If you were hit by a car while walking on or near Lost Hills Road, here's the immediate and legal picture.

Who Responds

Calabasas is not part of the City of Los Angeles, so LAPD does not respond to crashes here. Pedestrian accidents on Lost Hills Road are handled by LASD Lost Hills Station. Call 911 immediately. Even if you feel you can handle things yourself, a law enforcement report is essential for any injury claim. The LASD report documents the scene, the parties, and the officer's initial observations about what happened.

California Law Strongly Protects Pedestrians

California Vehicle Code gives pedestrians the right of way in marked crosswalks and requires drivers to exercise due care to avoid hitting pedestrians even outside designated crosswalks. This doesn't mean pedestrians can cross anywhere without any consequence - stepping off a curb without looking into fast-moving traffic on Lost Hills Road creates comparative fault issues. But California's pure comparative fault system means even a pedestrian who shares some responsibility for the accident can still recover proportionally for their damages.

The legal burden in pedestrian cases tends to shift more quickly to the driver than in car-on-car accidents. Drivers are held to a high standard of care around pedestrians, and failing to see a pedestrian who was visible and in the roadway is negligence.

What to Do Right Now

Don't move if you're injured. Spinal and internal injuries from being struck by a vehicle can be worsened by movement. If you can, stay in place until emergency responders arrive. Call 911 or have someone call for you.

Get to West Hills Hospital and Medical Center. At 7300 Medical Center Drive in West Hills, West Hills Hospital is the closest emergency facility to the Calabasas area. Pedestrian injury cases routinely involve injuries that don't announce themselves immediately - internal bleeding, traumatic brain injury, spinal damage. A same-day evaluation is not optional. It is also the first link in the chain of medical documentation that connects your injuries to this specific crash.

Document the scene if you're physically able. Photographs of where you were struck, the vehicle, the crosswalk or crossing area, traffic signals, skid marks. This documentation should happen before anything is cleared. If you're unable to do it yourself, a bystander or someone who arrives with you can help.

Get witness information. People who saw the impact, people who saw your position in the road before the crash, people who can describe the driver's behavior - all of these witnesses are valuable. Get names and phone numbers before they leave the scene.

Crosswalk vs. Non-Crosswalk Scenarios

If you were in a marked crosswalk on Lost Hills Road when the driver hit you, liability is strong. Drivers are legally required to yield to pedestrians in marked crosswalks. A driver who fails to yield in a crosswalk is in clear violation of Vehicle Code and is generally liable.

If you were crossing outside a marked crosswalk - jaywalking - you may share comparative fault. How much depends on the specifics: were you visible, was the driver exercising reasonable care, what were the traffic and lighting conditions? California's pure comparative fault system allows recovery even when the pedestrian shares some responsibility, but the percentage attributable to you affects your net recovery.

What Compensation Is Available

Pedestrian injuries from vehicle strikes are often severe - vehicles are large and fast, pedestrians have no protection. Recoverable damages include: all medical expenses from emergency care at West Hills Hospital through surgery, rehabilitation, and future care; lost wages; pain and suffering; and in cases of permanent injury, ongoing damages that can be substantial.

Cases from pedestrian accidents on Lost Hills Road and throughout Calabasas are handled at the Chatsworth Courthouse. If you want to understand your claim and your options, a Calabasas pedestrian accident lawyer can evaluate the facts at no cost.

Our Calabasas personal injury attorneys handle pedestrian accident cases on contingency. Call today to discuss what happened.