Gillin, Jacobson, Ellis & Larsen is one of California's premier
personal injury law firms.
Our track record has earned us an "AV" rating (highest possible)
by the prestigious Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, and we are listed
in its Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers.
Below is a partial list of our verdicts and settlements. From auto
accident injury cases to those involving defective products and harmful
drugs, we have the experience and resources to obtain fair settlements
for our clients.
$1.5 Million for a Bay Area man with internal injuries following a car accident.
GJEL Accident attorney Andy Gillin represented a 70-year old man injured in a car accident while driving in eastern Alameda County. After being taken to Stanford Hospital with major internal injuries, he made a full recovery of his physical injuries. There was some question, however, as to whether or not the accident had &knocked him into old age" in terms of his vitality, mental functioning, and ongoing fears. Farmers ultimately paid $1.5 million to settle the case.
$111.7 million for victims of unnecessary heart surgeries at Redding Medical Center.
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$90 Million SEGA settlement for intellectual property/ business litigation.
$19.5 million for Trade Secret violation.
$10.8 million for the wrongful death of a four-year-old girl in a case against a tire manufacturer and auto supply chain.
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$10.65 Million for the family of a construction foreman killed in a pipeline explosion.
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$9.2 million for victims of defective Sulzer hips.
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$6.975 million for a billboard worker permanently injured from a fall due to faulty decking.
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$6.5 million to a teenager seriously injured in a solo car rollover on a dangerous road.
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$5 million against construction companies for a truck/auto accident.
$4 million for relatives whose decedents' remains had been mishandled by a funeral home.
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$3.9 million for burn injuries to a high-tech worker caused when a glass bottle holding acid broke.
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$3.3 Million recovered for a California family in a case involving their former attorneys.
$3.25 million for two children burned when a smoke detector failed.
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$2.55 million for a mason injured in a tractor roll-over accident.
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$2 million for a client who was a passenger in
a friend's car that veered into an obstruction on a neighbor's lawn.
The car's airbag deployed and our client suffered an injury to her
eye. The defendants claimed our client's injury resulted from a defective
airbag. They further argued that the driver had no choice but to
veer off the roadway in order to avoid hitting a dog which had run
in front of the vehicle. We established that there was nothing defective
about the airbag, and that the injury occurred as a result of negligence
and driving at an excessive speed.
$1.9 Million for a pedestrian vs. auto accident.
In this case, GJEL accident attorneys represented a retired two-star General and his wife, who were pedestrians struck in a San Francisco crosswalk. The defendant was an employee of the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway, and Transportation District. The defendants attempted to avoid responsibility for their employee's actions, claiming that he was on a lunch break and thus not "on duty," despite the fact that he was driving a truck which was the property of the District. GJEL accident lawyers successfully resolved the case for $1.9 million, which covered the plaintiffs' resultant medical damages, future medical costs, and pain and suffering.
$1.9 Million for the wrongful death of a husband in a defective tire/rollover case.
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$1.781 Million for failure to diagnose a medical condition.
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$1.75 Million for the family of a woman killed in an accident on Interstate 80.
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$1.65 million to an elderly couple injured in a fall down restaurant stairs.
$1.3 Million for two elderly victims of a fall at a Richmond restaurant.
In this case, GJEL accident attorney Luke Ellis represented an elderly couple who had been directed to use a handicapped-accessible entrance by the owner of the restaurant. The defendants in this case were the restaurant's owners and landlord. During deposition, GJEL attorney Ellis elicited an admission from one of the owners of the restaurant that this entrance was not up to code, and discovered that the restaurant had been the site of another fall just a few years earlier. The case resulted in a $1.3 million payment to our clients which covered their medical expenses, pain and suffering, as well as the costs of a full-time medical attendant for one of our clients.
$1.2 million for a motorcyclist injured in a car accident.
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$1.1 million for a teenager who injured her shoulder in a low-impact auto accident.
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$1.1 million in a wrongful death case where a driver lost control of his car coming from a Christmas party.
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$1 million settlement for client who severely injured her hand when it became caught in the teeth of a gasoline-powered wood chipper
[Full Article].
$1 Million for a Concord woman who lost control of her minivan and struck a traffic pole after being sideswiped by a big rig. Her neck injury required two surgeries and several epidural injections, and complications from her pain medication led to further hospitalization and exploratory surgeries. GJEL attorney Jim Larsen showed that the driver of the big rig was responsible for the accident, and the trucking company that employed the driver paid its full insurance policy limits of $1,000,000 to our client.
$1 million for minor client who was a passenger
in a van which rear-ended a big rig on I-5. Expert analysis was used
to show that the truck lacked the proper reflective tape so that
it was not sufficiently visible for the driver of the van. Plaintiff's
medical costs, future disability and earning losses were all evaluated
and demonstrated through the use of expert consultants.
$780,000 recovered for five plaintiffs in a lawsuit against their Newark, California employer.
$750,000 for Plaintiff who was severely injured
while riding his motorcycle when defendant backed his pickup truck
into the street from a blind driveway. Defendant contested fault,
claiming that the motorcycle was speeding. Plaintiff's expert reconstruction
engineer demonstrated fault on the part of defendant and deposition
of Plaintiff's treating surgeon in Cleveland confirmed the severity
of his injuries and future disability.
$730,000 for a pedestrian vs. auto accident.
GJEL accident lawyer Luke Ellis represented a pedestrian injured while crossing a breezeway at Alameda Hospital in Alameda, California. Subsequent to her injury during the accident, our client developed Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, a condition from which she had previously suffered eight years prior to the accident. Attorney Luke Ellis aggressively pursued the insurance policies of the driver of the truck which struck our client, the driver's employer, and Alameda Hospital. The case result of $730,000 covered our client's past and future medical damages, wage loss, and pain and suffering.
$700,000 for rear-end auto accident that resulted
in two cervical spine surgeries for Plaintiff with a third recommended.
Defendant contended that the need for all surgery was due to preexisting
spine degeneration. Plaintiff used multiple depositions of Plaintiff's
treating spine surgeon to establish a causal connection between the
accident and the need for surgeries.
$700,000 for a motorcycle vs. auto accident in Marin County.
GJEL motorcycle accident attorneys represented a United States Forestry Worker who suffered an injury to his foot when a car traveling in the opposite direction swerved into his lane and collided head-on. Our attorneys recovered $200,000 above the defendant's automobile insurance policy in this case.
$690,000 for the victim of an auto accident in Berkeley.
In this case, GJEL accident attorneys represented the driver of a vehicle struck as a result of a high-speed pursuit through Berkeley. The defendant in this case was the manager of an auto repair shop in Oakland, who was in pursuit of a car stolen due to his negligence, when the thief crashed into our client. The case resulted in a $690,000 payment to our client.
$625,000 for the victim of a pedestrian vs. truck accident in Oakland.
GJEL accident lawyers represented a driver who had gotten out to check his truck for an oil leak in a line of stopped vehicles. The defendant driver backed his own truck into our client's vehicle, crushing our client's arm as it was pinned between the two vehicles. Accident attorney Luke Ellis obtained testimony from a number of eyewitnesses which placed the fault 100% on the defendant driver and discovered that the driver was without a permanent license, having been hired by the trucking company only recently. $625,000 was recovered for our client's past and future medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
$600,000 recovered for two plaintiffs in a lawsuit against their San Jose, California employer.
$600,000. After a non-injury accident on the Bay
Bridge, Plaintiff was struck by a drunk driver while waiting for
emergency vehicles, nearly knocked off of the bridge and severely
injured. Evaluation and deposition of numerous treating and consulting
physicians confirmed the extent of Plaintiff's current and future
disability and earning losses.
$575,000 for Plaintiff, an elderly woman, who suffered
a broken hip when scaffolding fell from a construction site onto
the sidewalk. Defendants denied responsibility for the scaffolding.
Plaintiff used industry expert consultants and depositions of numerous
employees of Defendant's to show fault on the part of Defendant.
Plaintiff used life care plan consultants and a video of testimony
from Plaintiff's family to confirm the severity of the injuries and
the traumatic effect on Plaintiff's lifestyle.
$475,000 for Plaintiff who suffered severe back
injuries requiring surgery when his mini-van was struck from behind
by an out of control big rig. Plaintiff used an expert radiologist
to confirm that through use of x-rays and MRI's that the accident
caused Plaintiff's need for back surgery.
$420,000 for a pedestrian vs. bus accident.
In this case, GJEL lawyer Jim Larsen represented the adult children of a Concord, California pedestrian. He was struck by a bus while crossing a street in his hometown. Though he was not in the crosswalk, and the bus company contended it was his fault, GJEL attorneys were able to obtain a result of $420,000 for our client.
$417,500 for the victim of a rear-end collision on Interstate 80.
In this case, GJEL accident attorneys represented a man who was rear-ended as he slowed down for traffic approaching Berkeley. While the defendant driver and his employer claimed that there was another car accident which caused him to brake suddenly and crash into our client, GJEL accident attorneys used the California Highway Patrol report of the accident to show that there were no other liability factors involved in the accident. The resulting $417,500 payment covered our client's medical damages, past and future wage loss, and pain and suffering.
$375,000 recovered for a Bay Area woman in a lawsuit against a pharmaceutical company.
$340,000 for a San Leandro woman who suffered leg injuries when a radiator broke away from the wall at San Leandro High School and pinned our client's right leg. Despite a complex set of defendants (the San Leandro Unified School District, the contractor for the radiator's control system, as well as the subcontractor), GJEL personal injury attorney Jim Larsen successfully resolved the case for $340,000, which covered the plaintiffs' resultant medical damages, future medical costs, and pain and suffering.
$338,000 for a passenger in an auto vs. SUV accident.
In this case, GJEL accident lawyers represented a Northern California client who sustained injury in an auto accident in Costa Mesa, California on her way to a youth group event. Despite a complex set of defendants-the driver of the van in which our client was a passenger and her insurance company, as well the youth group's insurance company-GJEL auto accident attorneys successfully recovered $338,000, which covered the plaintiffs' resultant medical damages, loss of future wages, and pain and suffering.
$325,000 for a Walnut Creek man injured in a car accident abroad.
GJEL accident lawyers represented a young man injured as a passenger in a car accident that occurred in England. The ultimate result was a payment of $325,000.
$325,000 for Plaintiff, an elderly diabetic, who
suffered injuries in a medical transport van, when the Defendant's
employee driver neglected to secure her wheelchair prior to beginning
transport. Defendant accepted fault, but claimed that the Plaintiff
had been fully disabled prior to the accident. Plaintiff used a consulting
life care expert and testimony from numerous family members to establish
that Plaintiff's quality of life had been severely diminished by
her accident injuries.
$325,000. Defendant's shuttle bus struck our elderly
client as he crossed a Berkeley street causing severely disabling
injuries. Defendant attempted to minimize the injuries and case value.
The extent of Plaintiff's damages were demonstrated through the use
of life care planning experts and testimony from Plaintiff's family
members.
$300,000 recovered in a lawsuit against a high-tech firm in Union City, California on behalf of five employees.
$300,000 for a man injured in a construction accident.
GJEL injury attorneys successfully represented a man whose foot was crushed while digging a utility trench at the site of a new housing development in Contra Costa County. Despite the fact that the OSHA investigation of the accident showed "no violation" by our client's employer, GJEL's lawyers showed that the defendants (the developer, landowner, and construction company) were aware of at least two prior trench failures and were well aware that the soil condition presented a significant hazard. The $300,000 result covered medical costs and past and future wage loss.
$300,000 for a minor wounded by a gunshot.
GJEL injury attorneys represented a young man from Richmond in his case against the management company of his apartment complex. Our client had become involved in a fight on the grounds of his complex when the resident manager, employed by the defendants, came in to break up the fight. Brandishing a gun, she accidentally shot our client in the side of his face. Despite the fact that the owners of the apartment complex claimed that they knew nothing about the manager having a gun and that the manager was acting outside the course and scope of employment, we ultimately recovered $300,000 from the management company and owner.
$300,000 for the victim of an auto accident in Oakland.
In this case, GJEL accident lawyers represented an Oakland woman who required knee surgery after sustaining injury as a result of a car accident in which occurred at a flashing red-light intersection. The defendant driver and his employer took the position that the accident was the fault of the Oakland woman, but they were not able to sustain that position after GJEL attorneys' investigation of the case. The result of this case was a $300,000 payment to our client.
$300,000 for a laborer in a lawsuit against his landlord.
GJEL injury attorneys represented a man who developed gangrene after the space heater he had purchased for his apartment burned and blistered his toes. The defendant landlord had been requested by our client and others to provide adequate heat for his apartment complex but had not paid for Pacific Gas and Electric to install the proper gas connection. The case resolved for $300,000, which covered our client's medical expenses and lost wages.
$285,000 for a pedestrian vs. auto accident.
In this case, GJEL accident attorney Jim Larsen represented a pedestrian injured in a crosswalk accident near Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Because the driver of the car that struck our client was uninsured, GJEL attorneys pursued the full limits of our client's underinsured motorist insurance policy with the California State Automobile Association. Through use of expert and eyewitness testimony, GJEL attorneys were able to show that the residual injuries to our client's head following the accident were significant. The case resulted in a $285,000 recovery for our client.
$265,000 for elderly plaintiff pedestrian knocked
down by backing vehicle resulting in serious injuries and severe
diminishing of quality of life shown through expert witnesses and
future cost of care evaluations.
$250,000 Trial Verdict in favor of the Plaintiff
in a moderate impact accident where Defendants accepted fault but
contended Plaintiff suffered no injuries. Through the use of medical
experts, including positions from Boston and UCSF, it was shown that
Plaintiff had suffered injuries causing bladder dysfunction and chronic
back pain, in the subject accident.
$248,000 for a man injured while trying to put out a fire.
In this case, GJEL attorneys represented a homeowner who broke his ankle while trying to put out a fire which had just started near his home. The fire had been started by two minor defendants playing with matches, who admitted this fact to police who arrived on the scene with the fire crew. The $248,000 case result covered our client's loss of wages, medical costs, and pain and suffering.
$235,000 for auto accident victims in Oakland, California.
In this case GJEL accident attorneys represented an elderly couple who sustained significant injuries as a result of an auto accident in Oakland, California. The couple was being driven to a dialysis center for weekly treatment when the car accident occurred. GJEL lawyers were able to show that the defendant driver service was negligent in its screening of the safety record of the driver, and that the driver failed to secure his passengers adequately prior to driving. The result of the case was a $235,000 payment to our clients.
$225,000. Automobile accident involving a severe
arm fracture for the Plaintiff during the last stages of her pregnancy.
Severe disability following the birth of her child was complicated
by accident related anxiety. A psychiatric consultant and Plaintiff's
treating orthopedic surgeon were used to confirm the severity of
the accident injuries on Plaintiff and her family, including he need
for scar revision and hardware removal surgeries.
$205,000 recovered for a young man who suffered a concussion injury in a fight at California High School in San Ramon. Our client's assailant and the San Ramon Unified School District were the defendants in this case. Through use of expert testimony, GJEL lawyers were able to show that the head injury suffered by our client significantly aggravated pre-existing cognitive deficits.
$200,000 for the victim of an auto accident.
GJEL accident attorneys represented the estate of an elderly plaintiff injured when the vehicle of her medical transport service was involved in an accident in Oakland, California. The defendants argued that it was the driver's fault for not securing our client with a seat belt. Despite the plaintiff's age and serious pre-existing medical conditions, GJEL accident attorneys recovered $200,000 for the plaintiff's estate.
$200,000 for a motorcycle vs. auto accident.
In this case, GJEL accident lawyers represented two motorcycle riders injured in an accident on the Silverado Trail in Napa County. GJEL attorneys successfully obtained the full policy limits of the defendant driver's insurance policy.
$200,000 for Plaintiff who suffered serious injuries
as a passenger in a head-on collision. Defendants acknowledge fault
but had insufficient insurance coverage and claimed to be unable
to contribute financially to any settlement. Investigation by Plaintiff's
investigators discovered available assets which defendant ultimately
contributed on top of the available insurance.
$197,500 for the victim of a truck accident on Interstate 80.
GJEL accident attorneys represented a CalTrans employee in this lawsuit against the contractor of a construction site on which our client was working. The defendant driver of the truck and his employers were held 100% responsible for the accident, which included multiple fractured ribs, contusions, and a head injury.
$190,000 for big rig vs. auto on freeway with closed
head injury residuals. Dispute of the existence of the head injury.
Plaintiff prevailed at binding arbitration through the use of effective
expert witnesses.
$175,000 for Plaintiff who suffered severe spinal
injuries in an automobile accident. Defendant's accepted responsibility
but contested the nature and extent of Plaintiff's injuries, and
the extent of her treatment and disabilities. Plaintiff prevailed
in a binding arbitration using video taped testimony from Plaintiff's
primary treating physician.
$150,000 for Plaintiff who was a passenger in a
friend's vehicle which lost control and was struck by a following
car. Plaintiff used two engineer experts and depositions of the Defendant
driver and his passengers to show the Defendant was not paying attention
and could have avoided striking the car in which Plaintiff was riding.
$130,000 for auto case with closed head injury.
Defendant attempted to minimize head injury. We were able to convey
the full effect of the injury through use of proper expert witnesses.
$125,000 for severe leg fracture when tractor-trailer
turned in front of motorcycle. Defendant trucking company denied
liability; plaintiff's accident reconstruction engineer confirmed
fault on the part of defendants.
$125,000 for young painter and father of two who suffered
disabling hand injury when defective apartment window broke. Defendants
denied the window defect. Plaintiff used industry experts to establish
the defect.
$120,000 for car vs. pedestrian accident in Berkeley.
Defendants acknowledged fault, but disputed the extent of Plaintiff's
injuries and disabilities. Plaintiff proved damaged through the use
of depositions of plaintiff's treating Kaiser Physicians.
$120,000 for Plaintiff who suffered a severe fracture
when a garbage truck pulled into his path as he was riding his motorcycle
to work. Accident reconstruction experts were used to show fault
on the part of the defendant and a deposition of Plaintiff's treating
orthopedic surgeon confirmed the severity of his injury and his need
for future surgery.
