Santa Barbara County injury attorneys · South Coast to Santa Maria Valley · Any hour
Santa Barbara County Personal Injury Lawyer
Whether you were hit on the 101 near Gaviota, crashed on San Marcos Pass or fell at a Santa Ynez Valley tasting room, we help injured people in Santa Barbara County hold the right party accountable. Free review.
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Free Santa Barbara County case review
Send a short description of your injury; a lawyer, not a call center, reviews it and follows up.
Key Takeaways
- Highway 154 over San Marcos Pass and US-101 along the Gaviota coast are two of the county's most demanding drives.
- Broadside crashes at rural intersections can cause spinal and head injuries, and Isla Vista bike and scooter crashes often mean fractures and concussions.
- A claim against the County of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara MTD, a city like Santa Maria, or Caltrans usually has a six-month deadline Gov. Code 911.2.
- The CHP's Santa Barbara, Buellton and Santa Maria Areas take highway reports; city police or the Sheriff cover local roads.
Why people in Santa Barbara County choose Green Law Group
Isla Vista students, Santa Maria Valley field workers and wine country visitors choose Green Law Group because the founding attorney knows medicine, the review is free by phone or video, and our phones never close.
- Free case review. Start by phone or video.
- Operating-room background. Steven D. Green trained surgeons on spine and cardiac devices before he studied law. When a Lompoc ranch hand or a Goleta cyclist faces surgery, he reads the treatment plan with care.
- 5.0 stars on Google. Fifty-one people have reviewed us. Browse the client reviews.
- Day or night. We answer the phone 24/7.
Common causes of serious injuries in Santa Barbara County
Serious injuries here often trace back to mountain highways, the long US-101 corridor, rural intersections in the Santa Ynez Valley, and busy bike and pedestrian areas near the coast. Agricultural work in the north county brings its own hazards.
- SR-154, San Marcos Pass. Caltrans has repaired rockfall fencing and cleared debris on this route after storms. At the Foxen Canyon Road intersection near Los Olivos, Caltrans reports a pattern of broadside collisions and plans a roundabout. Read our car accident guide.
- US-101 through Gaviota. Caltrans runs rock scaling work here and has a project to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions near Gaviota Pass. For crashes with big rigs on the 101, see truck accident claims.
- Isla Vista and the South Coast. Bikes, scooters and people on foot share narrow streets and coastal routes with cars. See bicycle and pedestrian accidents.
- Wine country hospitality. Tasting rooms, hotels and event venues can be liable for unsafe stairs, wet floors or overserving guests. See premises liability.
- North county fields. Harvest crews face machinery, ladders and heat. Learn about workplace injuries.
Common injuries after accidents in Santa Barbara County
Mountain passes, rural crossroads and crowded student streets each leave their own injury pattern. Side-impact crashes hit the spine and head hardest, while bike and scooter falls tend to break bones.
- Spinal and head injuries from broadside crashes. A T-bone collision, like those Caltrans reported at Highway 154 and Foxen Canyon Road, strikes where the car has little crush space. It can cause spinal cord injuries or wrongful death.
- Neck and back injuries on US-101. Rear-end crashes in slowdowns near Gaviota rock work commonly cause neck injuries and back injuries.
- Fractures and concussions in Isla Vista. Riders thrown from bikes and scooters often break wrists and collarbones or hit their heads.
- Field injuries in the north county. Harvest work can mean ladder falls, machinery cuts and heat illness.
Getting your crash report
The CHP's Santa Barbara, Buellton and Santa Maria Area offices take highway crash reports. Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Lompoc and Guadalupe have their own police. The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office covers Isla Vista, Orcutt and the Santa Ynez Valley, plus Goleta, Carpinteria, Buellton and Solvang by contract.
Filing deadlines for Santa Barbara County injury claims
Most injury lawsuits have a two-year deadline CCP 335.1. A claim against a public entity is due far sooner, usually within six months Gov. Code 911.2. That covers the County of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District and all eight cities.
School districts and Caltrans fall under the same rule; a crash on SR-154 or US-101 caused partly by a road defect would involve the State. After a written rejection, you generally have six months to sue Gov. Code 945.6. A child's lawsuit deadline is paused until 18, but that pause does not apply to a government claim CCP 352. Use the Claim Clock to see your dates.
Injury cases we handle in Santa Barbara County
We handle highway and mountain-road crashes, cyclist and pedestrian injuries near the coast, falls at hospitality venues, farm and job-site injuries, and wrongful death claims across the county.
- Personal injury
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bicycle and pedestrian accidents
- Back injuries
- Neck injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Premises liability and slip and fall
- Medical malpractice
- Wrongful death
- Workplace injuries and workers' comp
For a quick estimate on a vehicle crash, open our California car accident settlement calculator.
Cities and communities we serve in Santa Barbara County
The City of Santa Barbara is the county seat. We serve all eight incorporated cities and the county's unincorporated communities.
- Santa Barbara
- Santa Maria
- Lompoc
- Goleta
- Carpinteria
- Guadalupe
- Solvang
- Buellton
- Isla Vista
- Orcutt
- Santa Ynez
- Los Olivos
- Cuyama Valley
Nearby counties
Santa Barbara County borders San Luis Obispo, Kern and Ventura counties. We take cases in all 58 California counties.
Reviewed by Steven D. Green, Esq. · Updated October 13, 2026
Client reviews
Every one of our 53 Google reviews is five stars.
“Steve and his team were always available, handled all insurance details and my questions always with complete professionalism.”
“Steven will cut right through the noise and directly tell you the objective facts, which I highly appreciated.”
“Working with Steven Green and Jen Kearney has been a very easy and smooth ride.”
Testimonials and reviews do not guarantee, warrant or predict the outcome of any legal matter. Every case is different.
Questions
Santa Barbara County personal injury FAQ
A car hit me on my bike or scooter in Isla Vista. What should I do?
Get checked for a concussion and fractures, even if you felt fine at the scene. Photograph the street, the vehicle and your bike or scooter before repairs, and keep any helmet. Isla Vista crashes are usually handled by the Sheriff's Office, so ask for the report number. The driver's insurance is usually the main source of payment, and your own auto policy may help.
How do I make a claim against MTD or the County of Santa Barbara?
Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District and the County are public entities, so a written claim is generally due within six months of the injury (Government Code section 911.2). If the claim is rejected in writing, a lawsuit usually must follow within six months of that notice (Government Code section 945.6). Cities such as Goleta and Lompoc follow the same rule.
I was hurt at the Highway 154 and Foxen Canyon Road intersection. Does the road design matter?
It can. Caltrans has reported a pattern of broadside collisions at that intersection near Los Olivos and plans a roundabout. If a dangerous highway condition helped cause your crash, the State may share responsibility, but a claim against Caltrans must be filed within six months. The other driver's fault is usually the starting point.
I was visiting wine country when I got hurt. Can you still help after I go home?
Yes. California law applies to a crash or fall in Santa Barbara County no matter where you live. Your free case review happens by phone or video, so you can recover at home while we deal with the insurer. Keep receipts from your trip and records from doctors at home.
Hurt in Santa Barbara County? We pick up day or night.
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