Serious injuries change everything. We help you take the next step.
A serious injury can disrupt your health, work, finances, and family life all at once. GJEL represents injured people and families in San Jose and throughout Santa Clara County when another person, company, or public entity may be responsible for lasting harm.
Call (408) 955-9000 for a free case review. Our San Jose office is available 24/7, and there is no fee unless we win.
Find Out If You Have a Case Call (408) 955-9000
- More than $980 million recovered for injured clients
- 99% success rate
- Representing injured Californians since 1972
- No fee unless we win
Past results do not guarantee a future outcome. Every case depends on its own facts.
Personal injury help for San Jose residents and families
After a serious injury, it is rarely just one problem. You may need medical treatment while missing work. Bills can arrive before you understand how long recovery will take. An insurance company may ask for a statement or offer a settlement before you know the full effect of the injury.
A personal injury claim is meant to hold the responsible party accountable for the harm their conduct caused. That may include the cost of medical care, income you have lost, future financial losses, and the physical and emotional effects of the injury.
Our role is to investigate what happened, identify every potentially responsible party, document the full extent of the loss, and pursue compensation through negotiation or litigation. You remain in control of the important decisions while our team manages the legal work and communication with insurers.
Do I have a personal injury case?
A personal injury case generally requires evidence that someone owed you a legal duty, failed to act with reasonable care, and caused an injury and measurable losses as a result. The responsible party could be an individual driver, an employer, a business, a manufacturer, a property owner, or a government entity.
The answer is not always obvious at the beginning. More than one party may share responsibility. Important evidence may be held by an employer, insurance carrier, public agency, or company involved in making or maintaining a vehicle or product.
A free case review gives you a chance to explain what happened and learn whether further investigation makes sense. You do not need to organize every document or know who was at fault before calling. If we can help, we will explain the next steps. If the matter is outside our practice, we will give you a straightforward answer.
Personal injury cases we handle in San Jose
GJEL focuses on serious injury and wrongful death matters. Our San Jose personal injury practice includes the following types of cases.
Car accidents
A serious crash can involve disputed fault, multiple insurance policies, permanent injuries, or a driver who was working at the time. Our San Jose car accident lawyers page explains the steps to take after a crash, local road risks, insurance issues, and how vehicle claims are handled.
Truck and commercial vehicle accidents
Commercial vehicle cases can involve a driver, trucking company, contractor, maintenance provider, shipper, or another business. Records such as driver logs, inspection files, vehicle data, and company policies may become important. Learn more from our San Jose truck accident lawyers.
Motorcycle accidents
Motorcyclists can suffer severe injuries even when the other vehicle shows relatively little damage. These cases require a careful analysis of road position, visibility, vehicle movement, and the rider’s injuries. Visit our San Jose motorcycle accident lawyers page.
Bicycle and pedestrian injuries
People walking or riding a bicycle have little protection from the force of a vehicle impact. Claims may involve a careless driver, a work vehicle, a dangerous intersection, or another contributing condition. See how our San Jose bicycle accident lawyers and pedestrian accident lawyers approach these cases.
Rideshare accidents
Uber and Lyft claims can depend on what the driver was doing in the app when the incident occurred. Different insurance coverage may apply when the driver is offline, waiting for a request, traveling to collect a passenger, or completing a trip. Read more about Uber and Lyft accident claims.
Brain, spinal cord, and catastrophic injuries
Traumatic brain injuries, paralysis, severe fractures, burns, amputations, and other catastrophic injuries can require years of treatment or lifelong care. Building these claims may require medical specialists, rehabilitation records, vocational evidence, and a detailed assessment of future needs. Explore our resources for San Jose brain injury cases, paralysis injuries, and catastrophic injuries.
Dangerous roads and defective products
Sometimes an injury is caused or worsened by a dangerous road condition, defective vehicle component, or unsafe product. These cases may involve engineering evidence, maintenance history, prior incidents, product design, or government-claim requirements. Learn about claims involving dangerous roads and defective products.
Wrongful death
When negligent conduct causes a death, eligible family members may have a wrongful death claim. These cases require both careful legal work and respect for what the family is going through. Our San Jose wrongful death lawyers can explain the claims that may be available.
Compensation in a San Jose personal injury case
The compensation available depends on how the injury occurred, its effect on your life, the parties responsible, and the insurance or other resources available. A claim may include:
- Emergency treatment, hospitalization, surgery, medication, and rehabilitation
- Reasonably necessary future medical care
- Lost wages and reduced future earning capacity
- Property damage when applicable
- Physical pain and limitations
- Emotional distress and loss of enjoyment of life
- The cost of assistance or long-term care
- Wrongful death losses available to eligible family members
Insurance companies may focus on the bills that already exist while overlooking future care, reduced earning ability, or the daily effect of a permanent injury. We work to document both the immediate loss and the consequences that may continue after the case is resolved.
No lawyer can responsibly determine a case’s value from a short description alone. A meaningful evaluation requires evidence about liability, medical treatment, prognosis, financial losses, and available coverage.
How GJEL handles a personal injury claim
We listen and identify urgent issues
The process begins with understanding what happened, who was hurt, what treatment has occurred, and whether an immediate deadline or evidence issue needs attention.
We investigate responsibility
Depending on the case, the investigation may include incident reports, photographs, video, witness interviews, vehicle or product inspections, business records, public records, electronic data, and expert analysis. We also look beyond the most obvious defendant for employers, companies, property owners, manufacturers, public agencies, or insurers that may share responsibility.
We document the full effect of the injury
Medical records and bills are only part of the picture. We examine lost income, future treatment, reduced earning capacity, permanent limitations, household needs, and the ways the injury has changed daily life.
We handle insurance communications
Insurance adjusters may request recorded statements, broad medical authorizations, or a quick settlement. Once GJEL represents you, the legal team handles claim-related communication and presents evidence supporting the demand.
We negotiate and prepare for litigation
Some cases resolve through negotiation. Others require a lawsuit to obtain evidence, challenge disputed facts, or pursue fair compensation. We prepare the case based on its evidence and advise you about each material decision. Whether to accept a settlement remains your choice.
California personal injury deadlines
California gives an injured person a limited amount of time to bring a claim. Under California Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, many personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits must be filed within two years.
Claims involving a city, county, transit agency, or another public entity can have much shorter requirements. California Government Code section 911.2 generally requires a claim involving personal injury or death to be presented within six months.
Exceptions can change these deadlines, and calculating the correct date can be complicated. Evidence can also disappear long before a filing deadline expires. Contacting a lawyer promptly gives the legal team more time to preserve records and determine which rules apply.
Experience and results you can evaluate
GJEL has represented injured Californians since 1972. The firm has recovered more than $980 million for clients and reports a 99% success rate.
- $2,250,000 for a family after an unsafe driver caused a death
- $1,250,000 for a pedestrian struck by a car
- $425,000 for a client with traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries
Every case is different, and these results do not guarantee what will happen in another matter. Review additional verdicts and settlements and learn about GJEL’s personal injury attorneys.
If you are comparing firms, our guide explains how to choose a personal injury lawyer in San Jose.
No upfront legal fee
GJEL handles accepted personal injury cases on a contingency-fee basis. You do not pay an upfront attorney fee, and there is no attorney fee unless the firm obtains a recovery for you. The exact terms are explained in writing before representation begins.
A case review is free and does not obligate you to hire the firm.
Visit GJEL Accident Attorneys in San Jose
GJEL Accident Attorneys
1625 The Alameda #511
San Jose, CA 95126
Phone: (408) 955-9000
Open 24 hours
Our San Jose office serves injured clients throughout San Jose and Santa Clara County. Attorney Andy Gillin meets with San Jose clients at this office.
Talk with GJEL about your injury
You do not need to decide today whether to file a lawsuit. You only need enough information to make the next decision with confidence.
Tell us what happened, and we will review whether GJEL may be able to help. The conversation is free and confidential. Call (408) 955-9000 at any time.
A lawyer will personally review your case and call you shortly.
We’ll call from a local number and tell you when to expect us.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know whether I have a personal injury case?
You may have a case if another person, company, or public entity failed to use reasonable care and that conduct caused an injury and financial or personal losses. Responsibility is sometimes shared among several parties. A free review can help identify what should be investigated.
How much is my San Jose personal injury case worth?
Case value depends on the strength of the liability evidence, severity and permanence of the injury, past and future medical needs, lost income, effect on daily life, and available insurance or assets. A reliable assessment requires reviewing the facts and supporting records.
How much does a San Jose personal injury lawyer charge?
GJEL handles accepted cases on a contingency-fee basis. There is no upfront attorney fee, and the firm receives an attorney fee only if it obtains a recovery. The percentage, costs, and other terms are explained in writing before you decide to proceed.
How long will my personal injury case take?
The timeline depends on medical recovery, disputed responsibility, the number of parties, available evidence, and whether litigation becomes necessary. Some claims resolve through negotiation, while serious or contested cases can take longer.
Will I have to go to court?
Many claims settle without a trial, but settlement is not guaranteed. Filing a lawsuit may be necessary when responsibility is disputed, important evidence must be obtained, or the insurer will not offer fair compensation. GJEL will explain the options, and you decide whether to accept any settlement.
What should I do before contacting GJEL?
Prioritize medical care and keep any photographs, reports, insurance letters, receipts, and contact information you already have. Do not delay calling because records are incomplete. Your name, phone number, and a basic explanation of what happened are enough to begin a free review.