Fatal Car Crashes Long Beach

Traffic collisions resulting in the loss of life create complex legal and financial challenges for surviving family members. Long Beach remains one of the most dangerous cities in California regarding traffic safety. Recent state crash data ranks Long Beach as the 8th deadliest city in California over the last decade. By the end of 2025, Long Beach recorded 53 deadly crashes. This follows 36 fatalities in 2023, a decrease from 45 in 2022, but these numbers remain significantly higher than the pre-pandemic average of roughly 27 traffic deaths per year between 2013 and 2019. The city has acknowledged this critical issue through its "Safe Streets Long Beach" initiative, a Vision Zero plan adopted in 2020 that aims to eliminate traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries by 2026.

Families navigating the aftermath of a fatal crash often require legal guidance to understand their rights under California law. Benji Personal Injury Accident Attorneys provides legal counsel to residents of Long Beach who have lost a loved one due to the negligence of another driver. This page outlines the relevant statutes, filing deadlines, and local factors that influence wrongful death claims in this jurisdiction.

Legal Basis for Wrongful Death Claims in California

When a fatality occurs due to the negligence, recklessness, or intentional act of another party, the legal remedy is known as a wrongful death claim. These actions are governed by the California Code of Civil Procedure (CCP) § 377.60. The purpose of this statute is to allow surviving family members to seek compensation for the losses associated with the death of their loved one.

A wrongful death lawsuit is a civil action. It proceeds separately from any criminal charges the state might file against the driver responsible for the crash. While a criminal case punishes the offender, the civil claim focuses on providing financial relief to the bereaved family.

Eligibility to File a Claim

California law restricts who may file a wrongful death lawsuit. The statute establishes a hierarchy of survivors who have standing to bring a claim. Under CCP § 377.60, the following parties are generally eligible:

• The surviving spouse or registered domestic partner of the decedent.
• Children of the decedent.
• Grandchildren of the decedent (if the children are deceased).
• Other persons who would be entitled to the property of the decedent by intestate succession, such as parents or siblings, if there is no surviving spouse, domestic partner, children, or grandchildren.

If none of the above exist, or under specific circumstances involving financial dependence, the following individuals may also have standing to file a wrongful death claim, provided they can demonstrate actual financial reliance on the decedent:

• Parents of the decedent who were financially dependent.
• Stepchildren or putative spouses who were financially dependent on the decedent. A putative spouse is someone who believed in good faith they were validly married to the decedent, even if the marriage was legally invalid.
• Minors who resided with the decedent for at least 180 days prior to death and were dependent on the decedent for at least 50% of their support.

High-Risk Corridors and Crash Factors in Long Beach

Establishing liability often involves analyzing where and how the accident occurred. Long Beach Police data and state records highlight specific corridors where fatal accidents frequently happen, forming what the city refers to as its "High Injury Network." Understanding these patterns assists in investigating the cause of the crash and informs the city's "Safe Streets Long Beach" initiatives aimed at improving safety.

Data indicates that pedestrians are particularly vulnerable in Long Beach. Pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists together account for 65% of all traffic deaths and serious injuries in Long Beach, despite being involved in only 14% of collisions. Since 2020, most traffic fatalities in the city have involved pedestrians. For example, in 2022, 27 out of 45 traffic deaths, or 60%, were pedestrians. Common factors cited in these incidents include speeding, distracted driving, and hit-and-run offenses. Long Beach also ranks among the top U.S. cities for speeding-related traffic deaths, with 39.9% of its traffic fatalities involving speeding.

High-risk locations identified in local reports and the city's High-Injury Network include:

• Seventh Street: Particularly the sections near California State University, Long Beach (CSU Long Beach).
• Atlantic Avenue and Sixth Street: This intersection sees frequent accidents, often attributed to vehicles speeding from the nearby 710 freeway exit.
• Pacific Coast Highway (PCH)
• Long Beach Boulevard
• Anaheim Street
• Pacific Avenue

Damages Recoverable in a Fatal Crash Lawsuit

The compensation available in a wrongful death case is divided into economic and non-economic damages. These damages aim to cover the financial costs incurred by the death and the intangible losses suffered by the family.

Punitive damages are generally not available in a wrongful death claim itself in California. However, punitive damages can be recovered by the decedent's estate through a separate legal action known as a "survival action" (California Code of Civil Procedure § 377.30). A survival action seeks to recover damages the decedent suffered from the time of injury until their death, such as medical expenses incurred prior to death. If the defendant's conduct was malicious, oppressive, or fraudulent, punitive damages may be awarded in a survival action to punish the wrongdoer and deter similar conduct.

California Comparative Negligence Laws

Liability in car accidents is not always straightforward. In some cases, the decedent may have held partial responsibility for the accident. California operates under a "Pure Comparative Negligence" system (CCP § 1714). This legal doctrine ensures that a plaintiff can still recover damages even if the decedent was partially at fault.

Under this rule, the court determines the total damages and then reduces the award by the percentage of fault attributed to the decedent. For example, if a jury determines the total damages are $1,000,000 but finds the decedent was 40% at fault for the crash, the family would receive $600,000. This rule applies regardless of the degree of fault, meaning recovery is possible even if the decedent was more than 50% responsible.

Statute of Limitations

Strict deadlines apply to filing wrongful death lawsuits in California. Failing to file within these timeframes typically results in the permanent loss of the right to sue. The deadlines differ depending on the defendant involved.

Standard Statute of Limitations: For most cases involving private individuals or companies, the claim must be filed within two years of the date of the decedent's death under California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1.

Government Entity Claims: If the fatal crash was caused by a government vehicle (such as a city bus or police car) or a dangerous road condition maintained by the City of Long Beach or the state, the timeline is much shorter. A special administrative claim must be filed with the appropriate government agency within six months of the incident. If this claim is denied, a lawsuit may then be filed, but strict adherence to the initial six-month deadline is mandatory.

Legal Assistance for Long Beach Residents

Navigating the aftermath of a fatal car crash involves securing police reports, analyzing accident reconstruction data, and managing communications with insurance carriers. Benji Personal Injury Accident Attorneys assists families in Long Beach by managing these legal burdens. Our firm investigates the specific circumstances of the collision, identifies all liable parties, and ensures that claims meet all procedural requirements and deadlines.