Top 10 Best Car Accident Lawyers in San Diego: All the wonderful things about San Diego—the beautiful beaches, the pleasant weather, and the delicious tacos—won’t seem so wonderful if you’ve been in a car accident. If you are injured or your car is totaled, it will ruin your day no matter where the accident occurs.
If you have been in an accident, an experienced attorney can help you get back to enjoying your life as soon as possible. We have compiled a list of the best San Diego traffic accident attorneys to help you find reliable legal help. We have also included some tips on how to choose the right attorney for your specific needs.
Top 10 Best Car Accident Lawyers in San Diego
If you’re searching for a highly skilled personal injury attorney in San Diego, the following professionals are recognized for their expertise and success in handling complex cases. They have achieved significant settlements and verdicts for their clients, including those involved in car accidents, product liability, and other personal injury matters.
01. Gayle M. Blatt
California Bar Status: Active
Year of Admission to the California Bar: 1985
Law School Attended: Western California College of Law
Why are they on our list?
With over 30 years of experience, Gayle Blatt is a leading plaintiff attorney in San Diego. She has achieved millions in settlements and verdicts for clients in personal injury cases, including car accidents, burns, dog bites, and construction accidents. Blatt has also been involved in high-profile data breach cases and served on the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee for a class action lawsuit against Yahoo!
Notable Facts and Recognitions
# Board of Trustees, Western California School of Law
# Former President, San Diego Consumer Attorneys
# Former President, San Diego County Bar Association
Practice Areas
# Personal injuries
# Class actions
# Dog bites
Also Read: Top 10 Best Car Accident Lawyers in San Francisco
02. David S. Casey, Jr.
California Bar Status: Active
Year of Admission to the California Bar: 1974
Law School Attended: University of San Diego School of Law
Why are they on our list?
David Casey, Jr. has a distinguished career starting as a prosecutor and later joining his father’s firm, which is the oldest plaintiff law firm in San Diego. He leads the firm’s auto accident section and has won substantial amounts for clients in car, bicycle, and boating accidents. He was also involved in the Volkswagen emissions scandal, securing a $14.7 billion settlement.
Notable Facts and Recognitions
# Former President, American Trial Lawyers Association
# Past President, San Diego Trial Lawyers Association
# State Chairman, Senator Dianne Feinstein’s Judicial Selection Committee
Practice Areas
# Personal injuries
# Product liability
# Wrongful death
Also Read: Best all Car accident lawyers
03. Cynthia Chihak
California Bar Status: Active
Year of Admission to the California Bar: 1977
Law School Attended: Pepperdine University School of Law
Why are they on our list?
Cynthia Chihak is well-regarded for her work in personal injury law, with a focus on achieving favorable outcomes for clients.
Practice Areas
# Personal injuries
04. Robert J. Francavilla
California Bar Status: Active
Year of Admission to the California Bar: 1983
Law School Attended: University of San Diego School of Law
Why are they on our list?
Robert Francavilla has been defending injured clients for 40 years, with a focus on automobile accidents. He has achieved multimillion-dollar results and has been recognized as one of California’s top plaintiff lawyers.
Notable Facts and Recognitions
# Trial Lawyer of the Year, San Diego Consumer Attorneys
# Former President, San Diego Consumer Attorneys
# Member of the American Board of Trial Lawyers and the American Association for Justice
Practice Areas
# Personal injuries
# Aviation
05. James P. Frantz
California Bar Status: Active
Year of Admission to the California Bar: 1979
Law School Attended: Thomas Jefferson School of Law
Why are they on our list?
James Frantz has over 40 years of experience in defending clients in various injury cases, including car accidents and industrial accidents. His work includes high-profile cases such as the Mandalay Bay shooting and product liability matters.
Notable Facts and Recognitions
# Plaintiff Steering Committee for PG&E wildfire litigation
# Special Master, State Bar of California
# Member and Associate, American Board of Trial Lawyers
Practice Areas
# Personal injuries
# Collective grievances
# Wrongful death
06. Juan H. Gómez
California Bar Status: Active
Year of Admission to the California Bar: 1994
Law School Attended: Yale Law School
Why are they on our list?
Juan H. Gómez, with a background as a federal prosecutor, has achieved significant results in personal injury cases. He has won tens of millions of dollars for clients and is recognized as a top attorney in San Diego and beyond.
Notable Facts and Recognitions
# Board Member, San Diego County Bar Association and Chicano Federation
# President, San Diego Inn of Court (2022-2023)
# Member, American Board of Trial Lawyers
Practice Areas
# Personal injuries
# Fraud
Also Read: Top 10 Best Car Accident Lawyers in San Francisco
07. James R. Lance
California Bar Status: Active
Year of Admission to the California Bar: 1990
Law School Attended: Washington and Lee University School of Law
Why are they on our list?
James Lance is known for his significant personal injury experience and dedication to client advocacy. Notable cases include representing a family in a high-profile accident involving a diabetic driver.
Notable Facts and Recognitions
# Member, American Board of Trial Lawyers
# Former Board Member, Association of Commercial Trial Lawyers
# Volunteered for 9/11 victim families
Practice Areas
# Personal injuries
# Wrongful death
# Real estate disputes
08. Thomas D. Luneau
California Bar Status: Active
Year of Admission to the California Bar: 1990
Law School Attended: Western State University College of Law
Why are they on our list?
Thomas Luneau, with a background as a private investigator, brings a unique perspective to personal injury cases, particularly those involving complex commercial trucking accidents.
Notable Facts and Recognitions
# Member, American Board of Trial Lawyers
# Member, Interstate Highway Transportation Litigation Group, American Association for Justice
Practice Areas
# Personal injuries
# Product liability
# Maritime Law
09. Thomas D. Penfield
California Bar Status: Active
Year of Admission to the California Bar: 1974
Law School Attended: Western California College of Law
Why are they on our list?
Thomas Penfield, after a career in legal education, focuses on automobile and bicycle accidents, class actions, and product liability. His extensive experience and academic background contribute to his success in securing substantial settlements.
Notable Facts and Recognitions
# Diplomat, National Defense College of the American Association for Justice
# Past President, North San Diego County Bar Association
# Adjunct Professor, University of San Diego School of Law
Practice Areas
# Personal injuries
# Product liability
# Construction law
Also Read: Top 10 Best Car Accident Lawyers in San Francisco
10. Kevin F. Quinn
California Bar Status: Active
Year of Admission to the California Bar: 1982
Law School Attended: Western California College of Law
Why are they on our list?
Kevin Quinn has a distinguished career handling difficult cases and achieving notable results, including the largest single-plaintiff verdict in California in 2010. His work spans product liability, medical malpractice, and personal injuries.
Notable Facts and Recognitions
# Three-Time San Diego Outstanding Trial Lawyer of the Year
# Represented 9/11 attack victims’ families
# Member, American Board of Trial Lawyers
Practice Areas
# Personal injuries
# Product liability
# Wrongful death
How to File a Car Accident Lawsuit in California
As a driver in California, it is important to know the rules of the road. Knowing California laws can prevent you from getting a ticket even if you have not been in a traffic accident. If you have been in an accident, knowing the fault and insurance laws in California can help you determine if you need to hire a traffic accident lawyer after being in an accident.
California Statute of Limitations
A civil statute of limitations is the amount of time an injured person is allowed to sue the responsible party after an injury. Different types of injuries have different allowable time frames, and injuries caused by a car accident almost always fall into the category of personal injury statutes of limitations.
California generally allows two years from the injury to file a lawsuit. If you haven’t filed your claim within two years, there’s a good chance you’ve lost your chance.
California Laws for Car Drivers
In most states, drivers must have minimum auto insuranctoto register and drive a vehicle. California is no exception.
Some other driving laws unique to California include:
- Child seats. California requires children to ride in a car seat longer than most other states. Any child under four feet nine inches tall and eight years of age must ride in a car seat or booster seat. If you fail to do so, the driver may face a $100 fine for the first violation and higher fines for subsequent violations.
- Phones while driving. California does not allow the use of phones while driving if you are under 18, including hands-free systems. Drivers over 18 years of age can only use hands-free systems and are prohibited from using handsets while behind the wheel.
How to identify a fault in a traffic accident
California is a “fault” state when it comes to auto insurance.
When a driver is found responsible for an accident, anyone injured (whether through injury or property damage) can sue that driver. In most cases, instead of suing, the injured person simply files a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
The insurance companies of the drivers involved reach an agreement on who is truly at fault. They will analyze evidence such as the accident scene or the police report, but each company’s insurance adjusters will ultimately decide who is at fault and, therefore, which insurance should pay.
How can a lawyer help you?
The best San Diego car accident attorneys can help you focus on recovery after a car accident. Even after minor accidents, most people need some time to recover. Making sure you and your passengers are treated for injuries and taking care of damage to your vehicle is more than enough for anyone.
Add to that trying to investigate the accident to determine who was at fault, talking to the insurance companies involved, calculating damages, and deciding if and when you should consider filing a lawsuit, and the situation can become overwhelming. A good attorney can take many of these worries off your shoulders so you can focus on what is essential.
A good lawyer also has experience dealing with the courts and insurance companies. This means you can identify a fair offer and negotiate for the highest compensation possible with knowledge the average driver doesn’t have.
How to Find the Best Car Accident Lawyer in San Diego, CA
There are good and bad ways to find car accident lawyers. You can try calling the numbers you see on the billboards. You can try to find a phone book and choose your lawyer based on who has the most popular ad.
You can also search for a lawyer through referrals. If this doesn’t work, you can start with an Internet search. However, remember that you will need to know what to look for in a good car accident lawyer so you can find the right one for your case.
- Look for references. An excellent starting point when searching for a car accident lawyer is to ask friends, family, and colleagues for referrals. It is very likely that you know more than one person who has needed a lawyer in an accident case. When you find someone who has a reference, ask them specifically what they liked about working with the attorney.
- Ask about their experience. Ask the attorneys you are interviewing what their experience is. While some attorneys specialize exclusively in car accident cases, others are generalists who practice personal injury law and handle other cases, such as workers’ compensation. You can work with either, but you should make sure a generalist has worked on many car accident cases and knows the ins and outs of the insurance business.
- How much do you charge? San Diego traffic accident attorneys should work on a contingency fee basis. This means there are no upfront costs and the lawyer only gets paid if you get paid. Most contingent fee agreements are between 25 and 40%. This means that if they achieve a settlement or verdict at trial for $10,000, they are left with between $2,500 and $4,000, depending on the terms of their representation.
- Do they have experience in court? More than 95% of traffic accident lawsuits are resolved without going to trial. However, if your case is not resolved, you will have problems if your attorney has never taken a case to trial, cross-examined anyone, or presented closing arguments. Make sure your attorney has courtroom skills and can help you in different ways. A skilled litigator not only has a better chance of winning their case but can also encourage the other side to reach an agreement to avoid facing them in court.
