Santa Barbara’s beaches, downtown and university neighborhoods attract cyclists, riders and visitors year-round, and Highway 101 runs straight through the city. If you were injured here because of someone else’s carelessness, a personal injury lawyer can help you understand your claim and deal with the insurance companies. The Law Office of Brent D. Rawlings represents injured people across Santa Barbara and the South Coast. Your first consultation is free.
Whether you were struck on a bike downtown, hurt in a crash on the 101 or injured on someone’s property, the first questions are the same: who is responsible, which insurance applies and what you should do now. We answer those questions and take over communication with insurers.
In the California Office of Traffic Safety’s 2023 comparison of 103 similar-sized cities, Santa Barbara ranked 1st for bicyclists killed or injured (131 victims). It ranked 4th for motorcyclist victims (32) and 9th for pedestrian victims (41). In total, 492 people were killed or injured in Santa Barbara crashes that year.
Mild weather, a dense downtown, beach paths and a large student population mean many people travel by bike, e-bike or scooter, often on streets shared with heavy car traffic.
Santa Barbara MTD carried more than 4.8 million passenger trips in fiscal 2025. If an MTD bus, a city vehicle or a dangerous public road contributed to your injury, a written government claim is usually required within six months.
For collisions between passenger vehicles, see our Santa Barbara car accident lawyer page.
Dooring, right hooks and drivers failing to yield at intersections cause many cycling injuries. We gather camera footage, photos of the bike and helmet, and witness accounts to prove what happened. See bicycle accidents and e-bike accidents.
Riders on Highway 101, Highway 154 and coastal roads face distracted drivers and sudden lane changes. See motorcycle accidents.
Visitors, students and nightlife crowds rely on rideshare. Which policy applies depends on the driver’s app status. Read can you sue Uber or Lyft after a car accident and see rideshare accidents.
Under California Civil Code §3342, a dog owner is generally liable for bites in public places such as beaches and parks, or where the victim was lawfully present. See dog bite injuries.
We also handle slip and fall injuries at hotels, restaurants and rentals, hit-and-run accidents (47 fatal or injury hit-and-runs in 2023, per OTS) and wrongful death claims.
Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital is a Level I adult trauma center and receives patients from all of Santa Barbara County and parts of Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties. Keep every record and bill from your treatment, and follow your care plan.
The City of Santa Barbara’s 2025 Safe Streets survey named several focus corridors with recurring collisions:
Knowing these patterns helps us request the right records, signal timing data and camera footage.
Most claims settle through negotiation. If a lawsuit is needed, it is generally filed in the superior court for the county where the injury happened. The general deadline is two years from the date of injury. Read what to do after a car accident in California.
Value depends on medical costs, lost income, pain and suffering, future care and insurance limits. Shared fault reduces but does not bar recovery. See how much is my personal injury case worth.
We help clients in Downtown and Lower State, the Mesa, the Westside, the Eastside and Milpas, the Riviera, Upper State, the Waterfront, Oak Park and Las Positas, as well as nearby Goleta. To the south, see our Ventura County personal injury attorney page.
Wherever the accident happened in Santa Barbara, the first steps are similar: get medical care, report the incident, keep photos, records and receipts, and be careful about giving a recorded statement to the other side’s insurer before you understand your options.
Ready to talk? Contact us for a free consultation.
Every Santa Barbara injury case depends on its facts: how the accident happened, what evidence exists, the injuries involved and the insurance coverage in place. Our approach is to learn those details first, explain the process in plain language and keep you informed at each stage.
California generally allows two years to file a personal injury lawsuit, and claims against a public agency have much shorter deadlines, so it helps to get advice early.
Answers to common questions from people injured in Santa Barbara.
Get medical care, call police and photograph the scene, your bike and helmet. Note nearby cameras and collect witness contacts.
Usually the at-fault driver’s insurer. Your own coverage may help if that driver is uninsured or underinsured.
Usually the claim goes through the rideshare company’s commercial insurance, depending on the driver’s app status at the time.
The owner is generally liable under California Civil Code §3342, even if the dog never bit anyone before.
Generally two years from the date of injury, or six months for a written claim against a public agency.
Yes. Collect the report number, photos and witness contacts before leaving; much of the rest can be handled remotely.
You can still recover. Your award is reduced by your share of fault.
