Find Lawyers in California, United States for Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
Practice Area Overview
It is important for a defendant not to ignore the deadline to answer the complaint, because doing so can lead a court to decide in favor of the plaintiff and award money damages. Many times, a defendant will have insurance that covers any allegations being made in a complaint. For example, if you are being sued for an auto accident, you probably have car insurance. If someone was injured on your property, you probably have homeowner’s insurance. If you believe you have insurance for the claims being made against you, immediately contact your insurance agent to report the claim and to provide information about the complaint. Failing to do this could result in an insurance company refusing to pay for any money damages awarded in the lawsuit. If you do not have insurance for the claims being made against you, it is important to contact an attorney so that they can protect your interests in court.
When you are a defendant in a civil lawsuit (a matter not involving a crime) you need to consult with a civil defense attorney who specializes in litigation (i.e., matters pending in court). Civil defense attorneys tend to specialize in a specific area. Some examples include: auto claims, homeowner claims, business/contract claims, property disputes, etc. Before hiring a lawyer, you should determine if a particular lawyer has experience in the subject matter relevant to the complaint. If you have insurance that covers a specific claim, your insurance company will typically hire and pay the lawyer for you.
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Cities
Keith G. Bremer has been identified by the well-recognized Los Angeles Daily Journal as one of California’s Top 100 Attorneys. He is a top 50 attorney in Orange County and has also been named as one of America’s Top 100 Attorneys. Keith Bremer is a member of the prestigious American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), he is an AV rated attorney by Martindale-Hubbell, and voted Super Lawyer by his peers for 11 years in a row (2009-2021). Mr. Bremer was invited to be, and is, a member...
James J. Brosnahan is named among the top 30 trial lawyers in the United States, according to the Legal 500 US . A lion of the trial bar , James J. Brosnahan is one of the most respected and recognized trial lawyers in the United States. Mr. Brosnahan has more than 50 years of experience in both civil and criminal trial work. He regularly undertakes complex cases that are about to go to trial. He has tried, to conclusion, 150 cases. The cases have ranged from anti-trust to wire fraud and from...
Steven Cologne was elected Managing Partner of the Firm in 2016. He devotes his practice to complex Tort and Commercial litigation in State and Federal Courts. In 2020, Mr. Cologne achieved the distinction of being certified as a Fellow in the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) effective May 2020. On May 4, 2020, he was admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia. Mr. Cologne joined Higgs Fletcher & Mack in 1999 after previously enjoying 15 years as an associate, partner ...
Luke Ellis is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell. He is a past and current selection for California Super Lawyers as well as The Best Lawyers in America. In 2012, he was selected as one of the Top 100 Attorneys Trial Lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers. Mr. Ellis was named Lawyer of the Year for 2014-Personal Injury, by Best Lawyers of America. In 2014 he was selected as one of the ‘Lions of Litigation’ by Berkeley Law (Boalt Hall), University of California. Mr. Ellis has one of the...
Andrew N. Kohn has a wide range of civil litigation and trial experience, primarily in the fields of personal injury, business litigation, and products liability. Drew has achieved Martindale-Hubbell’s highest rating for legal ability and ethical standards. In January 2014, Drew was elected to the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), and in October 2018, was elevated in rank from Member to Associate. Drew has also been selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America for 2019-202...
William Low practices in the areas of complex tort and business litigation, with a current emphasis on professional liability, privacy, information security, product liability, and healthcare. Mr. Low, an HFM Partner, also serves as general counsel for the firm, a role in which he regularly advises the firm’s lawyers on issues related to ethics, conflicts of interest and professional responsibility. In addition, he has served as an expert witness in legal malpractice cases. Throughout h...
TIMOTHY P. MURPHY - born Oakland, California, December 18, 1959. Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science, U.C. Berkeley, 1982. Juris Doctor Degree, cum laude, University of San Francisco School of Law, 1985. During law school, Mr. Murphy was granted membership in the prestigious McAuliffe Honor Society, and was awarded the American Jurisprudence Award in Constitutional Law. He was admitted to the California Bar in December, 1985. He is also admitted to practice before the United States D...
Michael Neil, a trial lawyer and senior partner of the firm, specializes in civil litigation with emphasis in personal injury, professional liability, products liability, as well as business litigation. Mr. Neil has tried over 140 Superior Court cases to jury verdict. He is a past Secretary/Treasurer and the current President of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel. Mr. Neil is a past President of the Association of Southern California Defense Counsel and holds the rank of Diplomat...
Dick Semerdjian is a founding partner of Schwartz Semerdjian and heads up the firm’s litigation department. Dick’s clients range from Fortune 100 and 500 publicly traded companies to small businesses and individuals. Dick is also experienced in both plaintiff and defense side work which lends to his unique ability to formulate creative and effective legal and resolution strategies in even the most complex of litigation matters. Over the span of his over 31 year career, Dick has be...
Janice Walshok has experience primarily in the fields of personal injury, including wrongful death, product liability, and insurance bad faith. She had the distinct honor of serving as a judicial extern for the Honorable John A. Houston for the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. Janice has successfully tried several jury trials, argued before the Second District Court of Appeal, and prevailed at the Ninth Circuit in upholding a corporate client’s defen...
Walter Yoka is a nationally recognized trial attorney with particular focus on products liability. He has tried numerous complex and high profile cases to verdict on behalf of Yoka & Smith’s corporate clients and successfully argued in California’s Supreme and Appellate courts. Among his many affiliations, Mr. Yoka is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, Product Liability Advisory Counsel and International Society of Barristers. He served as President of the Asso...
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