Chatsworth is home for this firm. The office sits at 9520 Topanga Canyon Boulevard, Suite 102, between Devonshire Street and the 118, and most of the roads people call about are ones the attorney drives every week. A left turn across Topanga Canyon at dusk. A delivery truck backing out of a De Soto Avenue loading dock. A dog off leash near Stoney Point. When a client describes an intersection here, there is no need to look it up.
That proximity changes how a case gets built. At Manoukian Law Firm, Vaheh Manoukian is the attorney you meet, the attorney who reads your records, and the attorney who prepares the file as though it will be tried. If coming to the office is difficult, he meets clients at home, at the hospital, or by phone and video instead.
What to do after an injury in Chatsworth
- Get medical attention the same day, even if you feel able to walk away. Delay is the single most common problem in an otherwise strong claim.
- Make sure a report is taken and write down the responding agency and the report number before anyone leaves the scene.
- Photograph everything: vehicle positions, the hazard, lighting, signage, skid marks and any nearby cameras.
- Ask the business or property owner in writing that week to preserve video. Many systems overwrite in days.
- Collect names and phone numbers for witnesses. Near the Metrolink station and along the industrial blocks, most people are passing through and will not be found later.
- File a DMV form SR-1 within ten days if anyone was injured or property damage exceeded $1,000, as Vehicle Code 16000 requires.
- Keep a short daily note about pain, missed work and activities you cannot do.
- Speak with an attorney before giving a recorded statement to any insurance company.
Injury cases we handle in Chatsworth
Car accident claims make up the largest share of the work here, and the ones on Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Devonshire Street usually turn on right of way and speed rather than anything exotic. What settles them is a clean record built early.
Chatsworth carries more commercial traffic than most Valley communities because of the warehouse and light industrial corridors near De Soto and Lassen. A truck accident case brings the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations into play, along with hours of service records, maintenance files and electronic logging device data. Those records have retention limits, so a written preservation demand goes out early rather than after a lawsuit is filed.
The 118 and the Santa Susana Pass draw riders, and a motorcycle accident claim often starts by correcting an assumption. Lane splitting is lawful in California under Vehicle Code 21658.1, and a rider who was splitting lawfully has not given up anything. On foot, pedestrian accident cases rest on Vehicle Code 21950, which requires drivers to yield in marked and unmarked crosswalks alike, a point that matters at the long unsignalized stretches near the Metrolink station.
Off the road, slip and fall claims in stores, lots and stairwells are decided on notice: whether the owner knew or should have known about the hazard, and whether it was repaired or warned about, under the duty of care described in Rowland v. Christian. Apartment complex injuries follow the same framework, with maintenance requests and prior complaints often doing the heavy lifting. In dog bite cases, Civil Code 3342 imposes strict liability on the owner when the injured person was lawfully in a public or private place, the bite is reported to the local health officer, and the dog is generally quarantined for ten days. Where a death has occurred, Code of Civil Procedure 377.60 sets out who may bring a wrongful death claim, with a separate survival action under section 377.30.
Where Chatsworth cases are handled
Collisions and incidents on Chatsworth surface streets are generally reported by the LAPD Devonshire Division. Crashes on the 118 itself are usually handled by the California Highway Patrol, which matters because the two agencies produce different reports on different timelines.
Emergency care generally means West Hills Hospital and Medical Center or Northridge Hospital Medical Center, both a short drive from most of the community. Whatever discharge paperwork you leave with, keep it. Records created in the first days carry more weight than a description written months later.
If a claim cannot be resolved and suit is filed, Chatsworth cases go to the Los Angeles Superior Court, and North Valley civil matters are generally handled at the Chatsworth Courthouse at 9425 Penfield Avenue, minutes from this office. Court assignments are set by the court and can change, so the filing location is confirmed case by case rather than assumed.
Why work with Manoukian Law Firm
Vaheh Manoukian earned his J.D. at the USC Gould School of Law, where he served in the Mediation Clinic and was published in the USC Business Law Digest, after a B.A. at UCLA. He was admitted to the State Bar of California in 2021, Bar number 333026, and belongs to the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, Consumer Attorneys of California and the San Fernando Valley Bar Association. He was named a Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2026, and the firm holds a 5.0 rating on Google.
Because the office is in Chatsworth, a scene can be visited while conditions are unchanged, documents can be signed in person, and a meeting can happen on short notice. Consultations are free, the firm works on a contingency fee, and there is no fee unless we recover for you. Calls are answered 24 hours a day in English, Spanish and Armenian. There is more on the about page, and past matters are described on the case results page. Neighboring communities are covered on the Northridge and Porter Ranch pages.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to bring a claim in Chatsworth?
Generally two years from the date of injury under Code of Civil Procedure 335.1. If a public entity is involved, such as a city street or sidewalk defect, a written claim is generally due within six months under Government Code 911.2, and a lawsuit deadline follows the rejection of that claim.
The other driver says I was partly at fault. Does that end my claim?
No. California follows pure comparative negligence after Li v. Yellow Cab, so a share of fault reduces recovery rather than barring it. Fault percentages are often argued from the physical evidence, which is another reason to document the scene early.
What if the driver who hit me had no insurance?
Your own policy may respond. California’s minimum liability limits have been 30/60/15 under Vehicle Code 16056 since January 1, 2025, and insurers must offer uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage under Insurance Code 11580.2. Those claims carry their own notice requirements, so the policy is worth reviewing right away.
Can I meet the attorney if I cannot drive?
Yes. Meetings can be held at your home or in the hospital, or by phone and video. The office on Topanga Canyon Boulevard is available whenever you are able to come in, and you can reach it through the contact page.
If you were injured in Chatsworth, call (818) 818-5031 for a free consultation. The phone is answered 24/7, you will speak with the attorney who would handle your case, and there is no fee unless we recover for you.
