Best Car Accident Lawyers in Los angeles
ADAM HEPBURN
Car Accident Lawyers
Adam Hepburn is the managing partner of HHJ’s Personal Injury Division, specializing in catastrophic injuries, brain injuries, and wrongful death in San Diego County. Just two years after opening his firm, Adam was named a Super Lawyer as a personal injury attorney, an award reserved for only the top 2.5% of attorneys in the nation. Adam is responsible for litigating the most complex injury cases, including any car accident, motorcycle accident, or any serious injury valued over $1 million dollars. Since the firm’s opening in 2018, Adam has successfully recovered millions of dollars for his clients. Adam and his firm were also recently voted the “Best Litigation Firm” by their peers in the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Before becoming a well-respected car accident attorney, Adam’s interest in the law started when he attended the #1 public university in the world, U.C. Berkeley. Adam’s passion for serving the community led him to the California State Senate, where he assisted a state senator with public policy initiatives and constituent communications. His legislative experience ignited his passion for law, and he soon began working at the court in Oakland, California. After graduating U.C. Berkeley, Adam received a full-tuition merit scholarship to law school in San Diego, California, where his legal career took off.
Adam ranked amongst the top 5% of his class and often obtained the highest grade in his challenging law school courses. In addition to writing for his school’s Law Review, Adam earned his position on the school’s highly decorated Trial Advocacy Team and won many awards and trial competitions across the nation. Due to his trial skills and impressive scholastic abilities, Adam was hand-picked to work with the U.S. Navy JAG Corps in San Diego to help defend military members facing serious criminal charges. Adam also worked with the San Diego Public Defender’s Office where he litigated multiple jury trials with immense success even before he was admitted to the State Bar.
Early in Adam’s practice, he distinguished himself as a highly skilled trial attorney by litigating many trials against both the District Attorney’s Office and City Attorney’s Office with amazing results. Adam’s acquittal and dismissal rate was one of the highest in an office with over 200 attorneys. Wanting to develop his trial skills even further, Adam was hand selected and accepted into one of the most highly regarded trial skills programs in the world, The Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College in Dubois, Wyoming. Adam spent over a month training with the best trial lawyers in the world to perfect his craft. It was during this time that Adam decided to focus his career and talent to fighting against powerful and rich insurance companies trying to take advantage of injured victims. Adam now has a passion in representing victims with brain injuries and spine injuries resulting from car accidents in San Diego County. He works out of HHJ’s office in Carlsbad, where he represents residents of North County San Diego in many types of personal injury cases.
Deon Goldschmidt
Car Accident Lawyers
With years of experience, Deon Goldschmidt, Esq., has been practicing personal injury law for over 2 decades. He has successfully helped hundreds of accident victims claim damages from their injuries. In addition, Mr. Goldschmidt has gained extensive experience in the field of medical malpractice.
A native of Johannesburg, South Africa, he earned his law degree in 1992 from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. He is a member of the California Bar and is also admitted to practice in S.A. As an attorney Deon is committed to using his vast experience in personal injury law to assist clients in the San Diego area, where he resides.
Steve Barnes
Car Accident Lawyers
Steve Barnes founded The Barnes Firm with the goal of helping accident victims across the nation recover the best results possible from all types of cases: both large and small. He personified the goals we have as The Barnes Firm, and he took great pride in the legal team he helped assemble. That pride drives us to put in the time needed – day or night – to maximize our client’s case; because he knew that’s the kind of effort it takes to win.
As a former Marine Corps officer and combat veteran of the Gulf War, Steve also understood how important a disciplined focus can be when achieving a goal. His clear vision helps provide our team with the strength and resolve needed to take on our opponents: some of the biggest insurance companies and businesses in the world. They’ve come to learn that when they’re going up against The Barnes Firm, our lawyers will be prepared and determined to do what it takes to achieve a successful outcome for our clients.
The success our attorneys have had in the courtroom gives us significant leverage when we’re at the negotiation table, and our adversaries know that we won’t hesitate to take our client’s case to trial if that’s what it’ll take to get the best result possible.
Over the course of Steve’s 30+ year career as a personal injury attorney at both the law offices of Cellino & Barnes and The Barnes Firm, he was involved as counsel in scores of multi-million dollar cases, including motor vehicle accidents, construction accidents, severe burns, traumatic brain injury cases and medical malpractice litigation. Steve also acted as lead trial counsel in a products liability case venued in Manhattan that resulted in one of the largest settlements in American history.
Steve Estey
Car Accident Lawyers
Steve Estey is a founding partner of Estey & Bomberger, LLP where he specializes in cases other attorneys see as “unwinnable.” Steve is a compassionate person who understands the trauma his clients have suffered and works tirelessly to provide them the justice they deserve. He co-founded Estey & Bomberger with partner and law school friend Mike Bomberger, and they have collaboratively grown the mass torts and serious injury firm from its 1994 inception into one of the most formidable trial firms in California.
John Gomez
Car Accident Lawyers
John Gomez is the Firm’s founder and CEO. While also one of our nation’s leading and most decorated trial lawyers, he is first a devoted husband, father and community leader. He also works very hard to win with ethics and morality in every aspect of his life.
John grew up in a Navy family, moved around a lot as a kid, and so, learned to get along with and enjoy all kinds of people and communities. During high school in San Diego, he only wanted to play collegiate football. An injury his senior year forced him to start at a Junior College and it was there, working as a busboy at nights, that he decided to try hard in school for the first time.
John made his way to the University of San Diego where he graduated magna cum laude and as an Academic All American. Along the way, he worked as a busboy, waiter, bartender, bouncer, “repo” man, construction worker, painter and any other work he could find to pay the bills. One of his friends was attending law school and encouraged John to consider it. Thanks to him, John applied for and was accepted to attend Yale University, the #1 ranked law school in the world. After surfing all Summer, John arrived in New Haven to begin his studies with some of the most academically impressive people on the planet. Every day John would write down words from class that he didn’t understand. At home, John would define the words until, over time, he learned them all. John worked really hard to keep up and by the time of graduation, he felt like he belonged.
John began his career as a law clerk to the Honorable Marilyn Huff, an amazing mentor, judicial pioneer and leader. From there, he went to work in Los Angeles at Latham and Watkins, one of the world’s largest corporate law firms. There, and inspired by legends, John worked as hard as he possibly could to be the best civil litigator he could possibly be. After a few years though, John knew that he wanted to try cases, and that the firm’s billion dollar matters were not the kind of cases that he would be trying any time soon.
And so, John returned to San Diego to work at the United States Attorneys Office as a federal prosecutor. He tried as many cases as he could, and never lost. He loved being in the courtroom, and the camaraderie and excitement of the job, but decided he wanted to have a job in which he could showcase his trial skills for the “little guy” rather than the federal government. And so, he decided he wanted to become a civil plaintiffs lawyer.
John asked trusted judges for the names of the best plaintiffs lawyers in San Diego and he applied to them all. Legendary trial lawyer Craig McClellan was the only lawyer that responded and offered him a job. John spent the next five years learning and working on some of the biggest and most complex cases in the country. In 2005, he left to form Gomez Trial Attorneys. He wanted to do things his way and to build something that was truly his own.
He hired Amy Collins, still with the Firm, as his first employee. They started out with a card table and six files. The phone would never ring. But then, John started winning big trials. As he won again and again and again, the phone started ringing and the Firm began growing. John has always recognized and reinforced that trial work is one defining character and attribute of the Firm. That is why, to this day, one of the Firm’s core values is “We try cases to juries.”
Ramin Hariri
Car Accident Lawyers
Mr. Hariri graduated from the University of California, San Diego before attending Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. There, he was an Editor of the prestigious Entertainment Law Review. While attending law school, Mr. Hariri externed for the Honorable Judge Ellen Carroll for the Central District of California Federal Bankruptcy Court. He also volunteered at the Domestic Violence Clinic at the Chula Vista Courthouse in San Diego, assisting individuals who were victims of harassment and domestic violence.
In 2007, Mr. Hariri began his legal career working on behalf of several prominent national litigation defense firms. While at these firms, Mr. Hariri represented clients on a wide range of complex civil litigation matters, including: toxic torts, car accidents, trucking accidents, product liability, landlord/tenant disputes, environmental contamination issues, professional liability (malpractice), premises liability, business litigation, and personal injury claims.
Mr. Hariri’s extensive experience representing both Plaintiffs and Defendants gives him a keen understanding of the values, interests, and injuries that relate to each of his clients – whether they are on the defense side or the plaintiff’s side.
This balance of perspective allows him to pursue the best avenues to advocate on behalf of his client’s interests. Call to learn more about Hariri Law Group’s San Diego attorneys and how they can provide you with the best legal service.
BRIAN MITCHELL
Car Accident Lawyers
Brian Mitchell has been advocating for the rights of injured workers since 1996, the year he was admitted to the California State Bar. He started his career in San Diego and gained valuable experience litigating workers’ compensation and personal injury cases.
Mr. Mitchell graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a minor in Spanish, which he speaks fluently. After completing his undergraduate degree, Brian accepted an instructor position in Spain, teaching English to children, college students, and business professionals. He also made an extended work–study trip to Argentina before returning to San Diego to attend law school.
Brian began his own practice in 1999 and acted as CEO and managing partner of the Law Offices of Mitchell & Shea until 2015. He became a certified specialist in workers’ compensation and in 2004 and 2005, served as the San Diego chapter president of the California Applicant Attorney’s Association (CAAA), the largest state organization protecting the rights and interests of injured workers. He opened a second office in Los Angeles in 2007.
In 2016, Brian formed Mitchell Law Corporation and established offices in San Diego and Los Angeles. He opened a third office in Riverside in 2018 in order to service clients throughout Southern California. In 2019, he was named president of the Los Angeles chapter of CAAA, becoming one of the few members of the association to serve in that role at multiple city chapters. He also serves on the Latino Caucus Committee, which aims to uphold the rights of Hispanic workers throughout California. In that capacity, he has been to Sacramento to speak to elected officials, advocating for legislative change on behalf of immigrant workers in California.
Mr. Mitchell has handled numerous catastrophic injury cases throughout his career, successfully trying cases on behalf of clients who have sustained injuries resulting from burns, electrocution, and explosions. He has secured numerous lifetime permanent disability awards for clients after winning favorable judgments in cases tried before the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board. His broad knowledge and experience in workers’ compensation and personal injury law has resulted in notable success handling cases in which workers are injured due to a third party’s negligence.
CRAIG R. MCCLELLAN
Car Accident Lawyers
Craig McClellan has obtained more than 145 verdicts and settlements in excess of one million dollars, and is a three-time recipient of the “Outstanding Trial Lawyer Award” from the Consumer Attorneys of San Diego for cases in which million and multi-million dollar verdicts were obtained. He is the first and only personal injury attorney in San Diego selected for admission to the Inner Circle of Advocates, a prestigious invitation-only group of top plaintiff’s attorneys, limited to 100 members nationwide. One of his final arguments is featured in Million Dollar Arguments.
Associations & Memberships
He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, where he served as President of the San Diego Chapter. He is also a Master of the American Inns of Court, and a former Member of the Board of Directors of the San Diego Chapter of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers. Craig has the distinction of being voted by his peers as one of the Best Lawyers in America, as well as the Number 1 attorney by Super Lawyer” for San Diego. In addition to these recognitions, Craig earned a 10/10 “Superb” Avvo rating and was named one of 2015’s Top Lawyers in San Diego in Business Litigation by San Diego Magazine.
Public Appearances
He has appeared on public radio and television programs, including 60 Minutes, 20/20, and the McNeil-Lehrer Report. One of his cases is featured in No Contest by Ralph Nader and Wesley J. Smith. Craig has focused his career on complex, high stakes litigation. His cases include catastrophic personal injury and product liability cases as well as business and intellectual property litigation.
Education & Early Career
He began his practice of law with Luce Forward Hamilton & Scripps, eventually starting his own firm, now known as The McClellan Law Firm. He was a Captain in the United States Marine Corps and graduated from California Western School of Law.
The City of Angels’ Guardian: Why You Need a Top-Tier Car Accident Lawyer in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, a kaleidoscope of vibrant neighborhoods, iconic landmarks, and star-studded dreams. Yet, even cruising down the Pacific Coast Highway or navigating the bustling Hollywood Freeway, a car accident can shatter your world in seconds. The aftermath of a collision leaves you not just physically injured, but facing a mountain of medical bills, lost wages, and the emotional toll of the event. Navigating the complex legal maze of a car accident claim in Los Angeles can feel like deciphering a Hollywood script – confusing, fast-paced, and demanding expert guidance. Here’s where a top-tier car accident lawyer in Los Angeles steps in, becoming your unwavering advocate and champion of justice throughout the legal process. This comprehensive guide explores the immense benefits of retaining a skilled Los Angeles car accident attorney who will fight tirelessly to secure the maximum compensation you deserve while you focus on healing.
Understanding California’s Car Accident Laws and Your Rights
California follows a “fault” car accident system, meaning the driver who caused the accident is financially responsible for the damages of the injured party. A knowledgeable Los Angeles car accident lawyer can be your champion in the legal arena, helping you with the following:
- Establishing Fault and Liability: Building a strong case requires meticulous analysis of the accident scene, witness statements, police reports, and evidence like traffic camera footage or skid marks on the pavement. Your lawyer will work diligently to prove the other driver’s negligence, such as distracted driving, speeding, or reckless behavior, caused your injuries.
- Understanding Comparative Negligence: California follows a pure comparative negligence system. This means the amount of compensation you receive depends on the percentage of fault assigned to you in the accident. For example, if you’re deemed 10% at fault, your awarded damages will be reduced by 10%. Your lawyer will strategize to minimize any potential fault attributed to you and ensure California’s comparative negligence laws are applied fairly in your case.
- Maximizing Your Compensation: California law allows you to recover compensation for a variety of damages resulting from a car accident, including:
- Medical expenses (past, present, and future)
- Lost wages and lost earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Mental and emotional distress
- Property damage
- Vehicle repairs or replacement
- Punitive damages (in rare cases)
- Understanding California’s Statute of Limitations: There’s a strict deadline for filing a car accident lawsuit in California, typically two years from the date of the accident. Your lawyer will ensure all deadlines are met to protect your right to compensation. You can find more information on the Statute of Limitations on the website of the California Courts .
- Dealing with Insurance Companies: Both your own insurance company and the at-fault driver’s insurance company may be involved in your claim. Your attorney will handle all communication with insurance adjusters, ensuring they adhere to California’s insurance laws and regulations. They will aggressively negotiate for a fair settlement that reflects the full extent of your losses, not the initial offer from the insurance companies, which are often insufficient.
Beyond Legal Expertise: The Qualities of a Top-Tier Los Angeles Car Accident Lawyer
Not all Los Angeles car accident lawyers are created equal. Here’s what sets the best apart:
- Los Angeles Legal Prowess: Experience in the bustling Los Angeles legal system is crucial. Look for an attorney with a proven track record of success specifically in Los Angeles County, who understands the nuances of local courts, judges, and aggressive insurance companies in the area.
- Car Accident Law Specialists: Seek a lawyer who dedicates their practice solely to car accident law. This specialization ensures they possess the in-depth understanding of accident investigation, liability, damages, and the intricacies of California’s car accident system to effectively advocate for your rights in court if necessary.
- Accident Reconstruction Expertise: Complex car accident cases often benefit from accident reconstruction techniques. These techniques utilize physics, forensics, and witness accounts to analyze the collision and determine contributing factors. Your lawyer should have access to accident reconstruction experts who can strengthen your case with visual evidence and expert testimony.
- Medical Professional Network: Personal injury cases hinge on strong medical evidence. Your lawyer should have a network of trusted medical professionals in the Los Angeles area who can assess your injuries, document their severity, and forecast potential long-term impacts on your health and well-being. This can include specialists who understand the long-term effects of whiplash, traumatic brain injuries, or other injuries commonly sustained in car accidents.