Ventura County Personal Injury & Employment Lawyer

Injured or treated unfairly at work in Ventura County? From truck crashes on the 101 to wrongful termination at major Conejo Valley employers, we represent seriously injured people, families and employees across the county.

On this page: High-risk roads · Cases we handle · Employment · Courts · After a crash · Fees · FAQ

Smith Trial Group represents injured people, families and employees throughout Ventura County, including Ventura, Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Camarillo, Moorpark, Newbury Park, Westlake Village, Santa Paula, Fillmore, Ojai and Port Hueneme. The county links Los Angeles to the Central Coast, and its freeways carry heavy commuter traffic alongside trucks serving the Port of Hueneme, the farms of the Oxnard Plain and the Santa Clara River Valley, and the region’s distribution centers.

High-Risk Roads in Ventura County

• U.S. 101 (Ventura Freeway): the county’s main corridor, including the steep Conejo Grade between Camarillo and Newbury Park, where truck brake failures and speed differences cause serious crashes.
• SR-118 (Ronald Reagan Freeway): commuter traffic between Simi Valley, Moorpark and the San Fernando Valley, including the curves of the Santa Susana Pass.
• SR-23 (Moorpark Freeway): the north–south link through Thousand Oaks and Moorpark.
• SR-126 (Santa Paula Freeway): agricultural and through-truck traffic between Ventura, Santa Paula, Fillmore and Santa Clarita, with two-lane stretches east of Fillmore.
• Pacific Coast Highway (SR-1) and SR-33: coastal traffic through Oxnard and Point Mugu, and the mountain route to Ojai, both popular with motorcyclists and cyclists.

Cases We Handle

• Truck and big rig crashes on the 101, 118 and 126.
• Car, motorcycle and rideshare accidents.
• Pedestrian and bicycle accidents, including along the coast and in downtown Ventura and Oxnard.
• Crashes caused by dangerous road conditions, which involve public-entity claim deadlines.
• Wrongful death and catastrophic injuries, including brain and spinal cord injuries.

Employment Cases for Ventura County Workers

Ventura County’s workforce includes biotech and life sciences, aerospace and defense contractors serving Naval Base Ventura County, healthcare systems, agriculture and logistics. We represent employees in:

• Wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment and retaliation.
• Defense contractor whistleblower and healthcare fraud whistleblower matters.
• Severance agreement review and executive employment disputes.
• Unpaid wages and overtime, including misclassification.

Courts and Public Entities

Most civil cases arising in Ventura County are filed in the Ventura County Superior Court at the Hall of Justice, 800 South Victoria Avenue, Ventura. Federal cases are heard in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Western Division, in Los Angeles. Claims against the County of Ventura, a city or Caltrans generally require a written government claim within six months before a lawsuit can be filed. For most discrimination and retaliation claims under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act, a complaint must first be filed with the Civil Rights Department to obtain a right-to-sue notice.

After a Crash

1. Get medical care and follow your treatment plan.
2. Report the crash to the California Highway Patrol or local police and get the report number.
3. Photograph the vehicles, the scene, your injuries and any road hazards.
4. Collect witness names and contact information.
5. Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer or sign a release before speaking with a lawyer.

No Fee Unless We Win

We handle injury cases on contingency, so you pay no attorney’s fees unless we recover compensation. Consultations are free and confidential, by phone or by video. See also Santa Clarita personal injury lawyer and Los Angeles personal injury lawyer.

Serving Ventura County

Ventura County clients are served from our Valencia office in the Santa Clarita Valley, with consultations available by phone or video.

Smith Trial Group – Valencia
27951 Smyth Dr, Unit 101
Valencia, CA 91355
Ventura County line: (805) 297-1012
Toll-free: 855-202-2232
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–6 p.m.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I have to file a personal injury lawsuit after a crash in Ventura County?

In most California injury cases, you have two years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit (Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1). If a city, the County of Ventura or Caltrans may be responsible, for example because of a dangerous road condition, a written government claim generally must be filed within six months. Because these deadlines can be short, it is best to speak with a lawyer as soon as possible.

Who is responsible for a truck crash on the 101 Conejo Grade?

Depending on the facts, responsibility can extend beyond the driver to the trucking company, the shipper or loader, a maintenance contractor or the manufacturer of a failed part. Steep grades such as the Conejo Grade put heavy demands on brakes, so maintenance records, electronic logging data and dashcam footage are often central evidence and should be preserved quickly.

Do you handle employment cases in Ventura County?

Yes. We represent employees across Ventura County in wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, whistleblower, wage and severance matters, including employees of biotech, aerospace and defense, healthcare, agriculture and logistics employers. Most California discrimination and retaliation claims begin with a complaint to the Civil Rights Department.

Which court will hear my case?

Most Ventura County civil cases are filed in the Ventura County Superior Court at the Hall of Justice in Ventura. Federal cases arising in Ventura County are heard in the Central District of California, Western Division, in Los Angeles. Some employment cases are resolved in private arbitration if the employee signed an arbitration agreement.

Do I need to meet in person?

No. Consultations are available by phone or video, and most of the work on a case can be handled remotely. Clients who prefer to meet in person can do so at one of our offices.

How much does it cost?

Consultations are free and confidential. Injury cases are handled on a contingency fee, so you pay no attorney’s fees unless we recover compensation for you.