Sherman Oaks and Encino are neighbors: along Ventura Boulevard, they meet at the 405. If you were hurt in a crash on Ventura, Van Nuys or Sepulveda Boulevard, a fall at a store or another accident in Sherman Oaks, you can talk to a Sherman Oaks personal injury lawyer from our office in Woodland Hills, in the west Valley. We handle the insurance companies and the paperwork so you can focus on getting better.
This page covers who handles a crash report in Sherman Oaks, what to do if a city street or city vehicle was involved, and Sherman Oaks' main roads. It's general information, not legal advice.
Sherman Oaks at a glance
- Part of
- The City of Los Angeles
- Ventura Boulevard
- Sherman Oaks' section runs from Fulton Avenue west to the 405
- Main north-south streets (1998 community plan)
- Van Nuys and Sepulveda Boulevards
- LAPD stations
- Van Nuys Community Police Station; part of Sherman Oaks is in the West Valley area
Sources: LAPD: Van Nuys Community Police Station (opens in a new tab); LAPD: West Valley Community Police Station (opens in a new tab)
- Emergency room
- Sherman Oaks Hospital, 4929 Van Nuys Boulevard
Source: Sherman Oaks Hospital: Contact us (opens in a new tab)
Who handles a crash report in Sherman Oaks?
On Sherman Oaks' streets, the LAPD. The LAPD lists Sherman Oaks under its Van Nuys Community Police Station, and lists part of Sherman Oaks under its West Valley station, whose area ends at the 405. Either way, the LAPD's Valley Traffic Division investigates traffic collisions for its Valley Bureau. Freeway crashes, on the 405 or the Ventura Freeway, are generally handled by the CHP. If you can, get the report number from the officer at the scene.
If anyone was hurt, the drivers involved must also make a written report within 24 hours to the CHP or, inside a city, to the CHP or the city police department, and report the crash to the DMV within 10 days (Vehicle Code §20008 (opens in a new tab); §16000 (opens in a new tab)). Our car accident page walks through the other steps.
Sources: LAPD: Van Nuys Community Police Station (opens in a new tab); LAPD: West Valley Community Police Station (opens in a new tab); LAPD: Valley Traffic Division (opens in a new tab)
What if a city street, sidewalk or city vehicle was involved?
Sherman Oaks is part of the City of Los Angeles, so a claim over a dangerous city street or sidewalk, or a crash with a city vehicle, usually starts with a written claim filed with the Los Angeles City Clerk, generally within six months of the incident. The City says only the City Clerk can accept it. Our Los Angeles page explains that process, claims involving Metro, the County or federal vehicles, and where injury lawsuits are filed.
Sources: City of Los Angeles, Sherman Oaks-Studio City-Toluca Lake-Cahuenga Pass Community Plan (1998) (opens in a new tab); Los Angeles City Attorney: Claims (opens in a new tab); Los Angeles City Clerk: Claim for Damage (opens in a new tab); Government Code §911.2 (opens in a new tab)
Sherman Oaks' main roads
The City's 1998 community plan describes Sherman Oaks as bounded by Fulton Avenue on the east and the San Diego Freeway (the 405) on the west, with Van Nuys and Sepulveda Boulevards as its two main north-south streets and Ventura Boulevard lined with shops and offices (community plan (opens in a new tab)). North of the Ventura Freeway, North Sherman Oaks reaches up to Burbank Boulevard (Van Nuys-North Sherman Oaks plan (opens in a new tab)).
For emergency care, Sherman Oaks Hospital has an emergency room at 4929 Van Nuys Boulevard (hospital (opens in a new tab)). In an emergency, call 911.
How we can help in Sherman Oaks
- Car AccidentsRear-end crashes, intersection collisions, hit-and-runs and uninsured drivers.
- Slip & FallFalls on wet floors, broken stairs, uneven walkways or poorly lit property.
- Motorcycle AccidentsRiders hurt by careless drivers, unsafe lane changes and left turns.
- Dog BitesBites and attacks by someone else's dog, in public or on private property.
Sherman Oaks questions
Do you have an office in Sherman Oaks?
Our office is in Woodland Hills, in the west San Fernando Valley. We take cases from Sherman Oaks and the rest of the San Fernando Valley, and from anywhere in California. Call us or start a free case review, and we'll talk about what happened and your options.
Which LAPD station covers Sherman Oaks?
Mostly the Van Nuys Community Police Station, which lists Sherman Oaks among the communities it serves. The LAPD's West Valley station, whose area ends at the 405, also lists part of Sherman Oaks. For a traffic collision, the LAPD's Valley Traffic Division handles the investigation, so ask the officer at the scene for the report number.
Sources: LAPD: Van Nuys Community Police Station (opens in a new tab); LAPD: West Valley Community Police Station (opens in a new tab); LAPD: Valley Traffic Division (opens in a new tab)
I tripped on a broken sidewalk in Sherman Oaks. Who is responsible?
It depends on who owns and controls the spot where you fell. If it's City of Los Angeles property, a written injury claim generally has to be filed with the City Clerk within six months. You'd also need to show a dangerous condition that caused your fall and that a City employee created, or that the City knew or should have known about in time to fix it or protect against it.
Sources: Government Code §911.2 (opens in a new tab); Government Code §835 (opens in a new tab); Los Angeles City Attorney: Claims (opens in a new tab)