Santa Monica Personal Injury & Workers' Compensation Lawyers
Nordanyan Law represents accident victims and injured workers throughout Santa Monica — from the Third Street Promenade and Silicon Beach to the Pier and PCH. With over $150 million recovered, we take on the insurance companies so you can focus on recovery.
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No fees unless we win your case.
Santa Monica workers' compensation and injury claims: quick answers
- Where your workers' comp case is heard
- Workers' compensation claims from Santa Monica are heard at the WCAB Marina del Rey district office, 4720 Lincoln Blvd, 2nd floor, Marina del Rey, CA 90292. Nordanyan Law files and appears there on your behalf, so you do not need to go.
- Deadline to report a work injury
- In California you must report a work injury to your employer within 30 days, and file a workers' compensation claim within one year of the injury (Labor Code § 5400 and § 5405). Missing the 30-day report can cost you benefits, so report it even if you are unsure how badly you are hurt.
- Deadline to file an injury lawsuit
- A California personal injury lawsuit must generally be filed within two years of the injury (Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1). A claim against a city, county, or state agency must be presented within six months (Government Code § 911.2), which is the deadline people miss most often.
- What it costs
- Nothing upfront. Nordanyan Law handles Santa Monica personal injury cases on contingency, and the workers' compensation fee is paid out of the recovery only if the case succeeds. The consultation is free.
- Languages
- Nordanyan Law handles cases in English, Spanish, and Armenian, with attorneys and staff who speak all three — not an interpreter line.
- Do you have to come in
- No. Nordanyan Law handles the consultation, document signing, and the entire Santa Monica case by phone, text, email, and video. The firm's only office is in Van Nuys, and most clients never visit it.
Serving Injured Santa Monica Workers & Accident Victims
Santa Monica sits at the western terminus of the 10 freeway, where it meets Pacific Coast Highway and the beach. Its economy blends technology ("Silicon Beach"), tourism, hospitality, and retail — and its walkable, bike- and scooter-friendly streets create a high volume of pedestrian and cyclist traffic.
Santa Monica sees frequent pedestrian, bicycle, and e-scooter collisions alongside vehicle crashes on the 10 terminus, PCH, Lincoln, and Ocean. The city has more shared-mobility traffic than almost anywhere in the county, and scooter and bike cases carry complications ordinary car crashes do not: the rider is usually far more badly hurt than anyone in a vehicle, liability may involve the scooter operator as well as a driver, and the app's terms of service will be produced immediately as a reason you supposedly cannot sue. Injured victims are often treated at Providence Saint John's or UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center. We pursue every coverage layer and handle your medical liens from start to finish.
Santa Monica's workforce splits between technology and creative firms, tourism and hospitality, healthcare, and retail. The tech and agency employers along Colorado and in the Bergamot area produce a steady volume of cumulative trauma claims — carpal tunnel, neck and shoulder injuries from workstation setup, and repetitive strain — which are compensable under California law even though they build over months rather than happening in a single moment. Hotels and restaurants along Ocean and the Third Street Promenade generate lifting, burn, and slip injuries, housekeeping work in particular carrying high rates of back and shoulder trauma. Providence Saint John's and UCLA Santa Monica are major healthcare employers with the patient-handling and workplace-violence injury rates common to hospitals, and the city itself employs a substantial municipal workforce including lifeguards and public works crews.
Providence Saint John's Health Center on Santa Monica Boulevard and UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center on 16th Street take most seriously injured people in the city. Ask for your emergency department records from the first visit — in scooter and bicycle cases especially, that initial record is what ties your injuries to the collision rather than to some later event, and it is the document the other side will scrutinise. In a workers' compensation claim your employer's insurer generally directs your treating physician for the first 30 days through its Medical Provider Network. You can name your own doctor in advance by predesignating in writing before an injury, and you can request a change after 30 days.
Which Workers' Comp Board Hears a Santa Monica Claim
California assigns workers' compensation cases to a Workers' Compensation Appeals Board district office based on the ZIP code where the injury happened. For Santa Monica, that is the WCAB Marina del Rey district office.
WCAB Marina del Rey
4720 Lincoln Blvd, 2nd floor
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
(310) 482-3820
You almost certainly will not go there. Nordanyan Law files the paperwork, appears at hearings and conferences, and handles depositions on your behalf. Most Santa Monica clients resolve an entire workers' compensation case without ever setting foot in a board office. Office assignments can change, so if you want to confirm yours, the state publishes a ZIP lookup at dir.ca.gov — or call us and we will check it for you.
What To Do in the First 48 Hours in Santa Monica
- 1
Get medical attention the same day. Riders thrown from a bike or scooter routinely have head, wrist, and shoulder injuries that feel manageable at the scene and are considerably worse two days later.
- 2
If a shared scooter or bike was involved, photograph the vehicle including its ID number before you leave, and report the incident in the app. Operators can and do remove damaged units from service quickly, and the unit's identifier is what ties the maintenance history to your case.
- 3
Do not assume the app's terms of service end your claim. Those agreements are routinely raised to argue you waived your rights, and California courts have limited how far such waivers reach, particularly where the injury involves a defective vehicle or a negligent driver rather than ordinary riding risk.
- 4
Call the police and get a report number. Santa Monica PD covers city streets including Ocean, Lincoln, Wilshire, and the Promenade area; the CHP handles the 10 and PCH where it runs through state jurisdiction.
- 5
If you were hurt at work, report it in writing and ask for a DWC-1 claim form within 30 days (Labor Code § 5400). Then decline to give any insurer a recorded statement until you have spoken to a lawyer.
Personal Injury Lawyers in Santa Monica
Hurt in Santa Monica by someone else's negligence? You pay nothing unless we win.
Car & Vehicle Accident Lawyers in Santa Monica
We pursue every coverage layer after a Santa Monica collision, including underinsured-motorist coverage.
Workers' Compensation Lawyers in Santa Monica
Injured on the job in Santa Monica? Benefits are owed regardless of fault. We have handled 7,500+ comp cases.
Why Santa Monica Clients Choose Nordanyan Law
No Fee Unless We Win
You pay nothing upfront. Our fee comes from your settlement — if we don't win, you don't pay.
Bilingual Team
Our attorneys and staff speak English, Spanish, and Armenian to serve our diverse community.
$150M+ Recovered
We have the track record to prove we deliver results. Our aggressive approach maximizes your recovery.
7,500+ Clients
Thousands of injured workers and accident victims across Southern California have trusted us.
Direct Attorney Access
You work directly with your attorney — not a paralegal or case manager. Your calls get returned.
Local Knowledge
We know Santa Monica's courts, judges, and the insurance adjusters who operate here.
Directions from Santa Monica
Our Van Nuys office is conveniently accessible from Santa Monica via major freeways.
Results for Santa Monica Area Clients
$5,500,000
Workers' Compensation
$2,245,735
Workers' Compensation
$1,495,206
Workers' Compensation
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. See methodology.
Santa Monica Frequently Asked Questions
I was hit while riding a bike or e-scooter in Santa Monica. Do I have a claim?
Likely yes. Cyclists and scooter riders have the same right to recover for injuries caused by a negligent driver as anyone else, and Santa Monica's dense bike and scooter traffic produces frequent collisions. These cases can also involve the scooter company or a defective product. We'll identify every responsible party in a free consultation.
Do you handle pedestrian accidents on PCH or near the Pier?
Yes. Pacific Coast Highway, Ocean Avenue, and the Pier area see heavy pedestrian and tourist traffic and serious vehicle-versus-pedestrian collisions. Pedestrian injuries tend to be severe, and we pursue the driver's policy plus any available underinsured-motorist coverage.
What does it cost to hire you for a Santa Monica case?
Nothing upfront. We work on contingency for injury and accident cases — you pay no fee unless we recover for you. The consultation is always free.
Which workers' compensation board hears a Santa Monica claim?
Santa Monica workers' compensation claims are heard at the WCAB Marina del Rey district office at 4720 Lincoln Blvd, 2nd floor, Marina del Rey, CA 90292 — the closest board to the city, and not the downtown Los Angeles office. California assigns the venue by the ZIP code where the injury happened. Nordanyan Law files and appears there for you, so most Santa Monica clients never attend themselves.
How long do I have to file after a Santa Monica injury?
Report a work injury to your employer within 30 days and file the workers' compensation claim within one year of the injury (Labor Code § 5400 and § 5405). A personal injury lawsuit must generally be filed within two years (Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1). If your claim is against the City of Santa Monica — a dangerous street or bike lane condition, a city vehicle, the pier, or a municipal bus — you must present a government claim within six months (Government Code § 911.2). Santa Monica cases hit that six-month rule more often than most, because so many involve city streets, bike infrastructure, and the pier.