Bay Area Personal Injury Lawyer

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured, you’re likely facing an uphill battle. That battle isn’t just against physical pain. You’re also facing well-funded corporations and insurance companies trying to deny your right to fair compensation. At Danko Meredith, we stand with working people, not the powerful. Whether your injury was caused by a car crash, a defective product, or a PG&E wildfire, our trial-tested team is ready to hold those responsible fully accountable.

Our Bay Area personal injury lawyers have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for victims across California. Based in Redwood City, our attorneys are not intimidated by large corporations or government agencies, and we never settle for less than what our clients truly deserve. For a free consultation with trial-tested personal injury attorneys, contact our Bay Area law firm today. You can also reach our law office in Redwood City by calling (650) 453-3600.

California’s Personal Injury Statute of Limitations

Under California law, personal injury victims typically have two years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit. This deadline is critical; miss it, and you may permanently lose your right to compensation.

There are exceptions in limited circumstances, such as injuries to minors or delayed discovery of harm. But waiting too long can jeopardize your case. That’s why we urge you to speak with our personal injury attorneys as soon as possible after an accident.

When you’ve been hurt, time is critical. Insurance companies often try to rush injured victims into lowball settlements. At Danko Meredith, our personal injury attorneys can protect your rights, guide you through the legal process, and ensure you receive the maximum compensation the law allows.

Why Hire the Personal Injury Attorneys of Danko Meredith

Danko Meredith was founded in 2009 to do one thing: represent people seriously harmed by powerful entities. With over 120 years of combined experience and a track record of success in high-stakes litigation, our firm is known for standing up to giants and winning.

• $14.9 Million Brain Injury and Head Trauma – The passenger in a Beechcraft plane suffered serious head trauma when the pilot was forced to make a crash landing. When examining the plane’s engine, we found that the mechanic had placed sealant in the wrong place, which caused crucial nuts to loosen. This was done because of the confusing language in the engine’s repair manual, a recurring mistake other mechanics made in previous cases. The jury agreed that the poor language in the manual contributed to the crash and awarded our client $14.9 million.
• $11 Million Severe Burn Injury – Our client suffered severe burn injuries in a fuel-fed fire. The accident and her subsequent debridement and grafting treatment were so traumatic that she did not remember what happened. Despite the odds, we proved that her trauma was significant and had medical specialists attest to the different limitations she experienced as a result of what she experienced. In a confidential settlement, we were able to obtain an $11 million settlement from the defendant corporation.
• $5 Million Catastrophic Injury Explosion – An academic researcher at a university suffered serious injuries when her lab exploded while working with combustible gases. The university initially denied liability under workers’ comp statutes and later claimed that our client was negligent while working with her equipment. While pursuing compensation, we proved that our client was not a university employee and that the university approved the use of this equipment without providing proper training on its use. We secured a $5 million settlement for our client, and universities nationwide updated their lab safety practices.
• $2.9 Million Helicopter Crash Back Injury – Our client was a professional pilot who injured his back in a helicopter crash. The facility that had last overhauled the helicopter’s engine claimed that the pilot was at fault for failing to check oil levels before takeoff. Our investigation found that the overhaul facility failed to tighten a retaining nut that caused the engine to meltdown, and that the pilot saved his life by perfectly following emergency procedures during the crash. The jury found that the engine overhauler was fully responsible for the crash and awarded our client $2.9 million.

In addition to these cases, we’ve also secured multi-million dollar awards for our clients in confidential settlements, including a settlement from Firestone that prompted tire manufacturers to issue warnings to consumers about discarding old tires regardless of their apparent condition.

We Take on the Toughest Cases, and We Win

When you work with Danko Meredith, you’re not just hiring a personal injury lawyer; you’re hiring a committed team that will fight for you. It doesn’t matter if your case involves a corporation, a utility company, or the state—our attorneys are on your side.

We’re not your average law firm and don’t take average cases. At Danko Meredith, we focus exclusively on major, life-altering personal injury claims that demand serious trial experience and strategic firepower.

Here’s what sets our law firm apart:

• 99%+ success rate
• Hundreds of millions recovered
• Over 120 years of combined experience
• National reputation for wildfire and aviation litigation
• Trial lawyers who won’t back down

We’ve helped clients recover life-changing verdicts and settlements in some of California’s most challenging legal cases. To request a free consultation to discuss your personal injury case, contact our Redwood City law office today.

Understanding Personal Injury Law: Your Right to Be Made Whole

Personal injury law, also known as tort law, is the area of civil law that allows individuals who have been harmed by another party’s negligence, recklessness, or intentional conduct to seek financial compensation. The goal is not to punish the wrongdoer with criminal penalties, but to restore the injured person to the position they were in before the injury, as much as possible.

This legal framework applies to a wide variety of cases. Whether the harm results from careless driving, unsafe conditions, or corporate misconduct, personal injury law provides a path to justice and meaningful recovery.

Types of Personal Injury Cases

No matter how your injury occurred or the parties involved, Danko Meredith can investigate your case, identify all liable parties, and fight for the compensation you need to move forward. Some of the cases we most commonly handle in the Bay Area include:

Catastrophic Injuries

Some injuries are life-altering. We represent victims who have suffered traumatic brain injuries (TBI), major spinal cord injuries (SCI), loss of limbs, severe burns, and other catastrophic harm. These cases require extensive medical documentation, expert testimony, and long-term financial planning. We work with top economists, medical specialists, and life care planners to ensure our clients receive what they need, not just today, but for decades to come.

Wildfires and Utility Company Negligence

Our firm is nationally recognized for our work in California wildfire litigation. We’ve held PG&E accountable in multiple major fires, including:

• The 2010 San Bruno gas explosion
• The Butte Fire
• The North Bay Fires
• The Camp Fire
• The Dixie Fire

We represent homeowners, renters, business owners, and landowners whose lives have been turned upside down by preventable utility negligence. From structure loss and evacuation costs to emotional trauma and loss of life, we pursue every available avenue for justice.

Car, Truck, and Motorcycle Accidents

The Peninsula is crisscrossed by dangerous corridors like Highway 101, Interstate 280, Woodside Road, and El Camino Real. We frequently represent cases involving:

• Distracted or impaired drivers
• Dangerous road design or missing signage
• Commercial truck collisions
• Pedestrian and cyclist injuries

Our team of Bay Area personal injury attorneys investigates every angle of a car accident or semi-truck collision from police reports to black box data. We interview witnesses and all evidence to build a case that shows exactly how your crash happened and who is at fault.

Aviation Accidents

Whether you’re dealing with a helicopter crash, private jet malfunction, or fatal commercial airline incident, you need someone who understands aviation accidents inside and out. Attorney Mike Danko is an experienced pilot with more than 4,000 flight hours. He has served as an aviation consultant and expert witness in the U.S. and abroad. Our firm has litigated cases involving:

• Pilot error
• Mechanical failure
• Air traffic control mistakes
• Defective aircraft parts

We’ve represented victims and surviving family members in both domestic and international aviation disasters.

Wrongful Death

When negligence takes a loved one’s life, no lawsuit can bring them back, but accountability and justice still matter. We help surviving spouses, children, and parents file wrongful death claims for loss of companionship, emotional suffering, and future financial support. At Danko Meredith, our trial lawyers are especially sensitive to the emotional toll of these cases and are unrelenting in pursuing truth and compensation.

Product Liability and Dangerous Consumer Goods

From faulty medical devices to defective consumer products, we’ve handled major product liability cases involving:

• Prescription drug side effects
• Unsafe medical implants
• Flammable or explosive products
• Equipment failures in aviation or construction

Attorney Kristine Meredith’s previous background on the defense side of these kinds of claims gives us an insider edge when taking on billion-dollar manufacturers.

What Must Be Proven in a California Personal Injury Case

To win compensation in a personal injury claim, the injured party (the plaintiff) must establish four essential elements. Each plays a significant role in determining whether someone else can be held legally responsible for the harm caused.

Duty of Care

The first step is showing that the defendant (at-fault party) owed the plaintiff a duty of care. This duty is often based on the nature of the relationship between the parties or the circumstances surrounding the incident. For example, drivers have a legal obligation to operate their vehicles safely, just as property owners have a duty to maintain safe premises for visitors.

Breach of Duty

Next, the plaintiff must prove that the defendant breached that duty, typically through negligent or reckless conduct. This can include actions such as running a red light, failing to clean up a dangerous spill, or ignoring known fire hazards. A breach occurs when the defendant fails to act as a reasonable person would under similar circumstances.

Causation

Establishing causation means demonstrating that the defendant’s misconduct directly caused the plaintiff’s injuries. In other words, there must be a clear link between the negligent act and the harm suffered. It’s not enough that the defendant behaved carelessly; the plaintiff must show that the carelessness led to the actual injuries.

Damages

Finally, the plaintiff must prove they suffered real, measurable losses. These may include economic damages such as medical bills, lost income, and rehabilitation costs, as well as non-economic losses like pain and suffering, emotional distress, and diminished quality of life.

Successfully proving all four elements often requires extensive evidence: photos, witness statements, expert testimony, accident reconstructions, and medical evaluations. It also requires a deep understanding of California law and courtroom procedure. At Danko Meredith, we build compelling cases that clearly communicate the evidence and the legal theory, so that judges, juries, and insurance carriers can see the full picture.

The Role of a Personal Injury Attorney in Your Case

Hiring a personal injury lawyer isn’t just about filing paperwork; it’s about having a powerful advocate who can level the playing field against insurance companies, corporate defendants, and defense attorneys.

At Danko Meredith, our Bay Area personal injury attorneys take on the burden of building your case from day one. We investigate the facts, identify all liable parties, consult medical and financial experts, and develop a strategy tailored to your specific needs. We take care of all communications with insurers so that you’re never pressured into an early or unfair settlement.

Too often, injury victims unintentionally damage their own claims by giving recorded statements, signing documents without legal advice, or waiting too long to seek help. Working with an experienced trial lawyer from the beginning protects your rights and preserves your options, especially if litigation becomes necessary.

What to Bring When You Contact Our Law Firm

You don’t need to have everything figured out before speaking with our personal injury attorneys. But if you have documents such as a police report, medical records, discharge summaries, photos of the scene, or correspondence from insurance companies, bring them to your consultation. Even if you’re missing key details, we can launch an independent investigation to find out what really happened.

Your consultation is confidential, and we’ll let you know right away whether we believe you have a case and how we can help.

What Compensation Can You Recover in a Personal Injury Case?

Depending on the nature and severity of your injuries, you may be eligible to recover damages such as:

• Medical Expenses: Hospital bills, surgeries, rehabilitation, ongoing care
• Lost Wages: Income missed due to time off work, including projected future earnings
• Pain and Suffering: Emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, trauma
• Property Damage: Vehicle repairs, loss of valuables
• Punitive Damages: In rare cases involving gross negligence, such as a $50 million wrongful death case involving a two-year-old boy

At Danko Meredith, we leave no stone unturned in valuing your claim. Our attorneys consult with financial professionals and medical experts to ensure you’re not shortchanged now or in the future.

How the Personal Injury Process Works

We understand how overwhelming this journey can be. Here’s what to expect when you work with the Bay Area personal injury lawyers of Danko Meredith:

Step 1: Free Consultation

We begin with a no-obligation, confidential consultation. We’ll listen to your story, answer your questions, and determine if you have a valid claim. If we take your case, you pay nothing unless we win.

Step 2: Investigation and Case Building

Our team gathers all necessary evidence, accident reports, witness testimony, surveillance footage, expert evaluations, and medical records. We identify every possible liable party to maximize your compensation. We can do so quickly, as we did when we secured a $20 million injury settlement for an underground electrical explosion.

Step 3: Negotiation and Litigation

We attempt to resolve cases through strategic negotiation, but we never accept a lowball offer. If insurance companies won’t treat you fairly, we are fully prepared to go to trial.

Step 4: Settlement or Verdict

Most cases settle before trial, but we’re trial lawyers at heart. We’ve faced massive defense teams in court and emerged victorious. Our mission is simple: get justice for you.

Personal Injury Lawsuit Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to hire a personal injury lawyer?

At Danko Meredith, we work on a contingency fee basis. That means you don’t pay anything upfront, and we only get paid if we win your case.

What if I’m partly at fault for the accident?

California follows a comparative fault system. You can still recover damages even if you were partially at fault, though your compensation may be reduced. Let us evaluate the details of your case and explain your legal options.

Will I have to go to trial for my personal injury claim?

Most cases settle without going to trial. However, we prepare every case as if it will. Our trial readiness gives us leverage in settlement negotiations and ensures we’re always ready for litigation if needed.

How long will my personal injury case take?

The timeline depends on many factors, including the challenges of the case, the severity of the injury, cooperation from insurance companies, and whether a trial is necessary. Some cases resolve in months, others take over a year. We’ll give you a realistic outlook from day one.

How soon after my injury should I contact a lawyer?

As soon as possible. Early legal intervention helps preserve evidence, avoid missteps with insurance adjusters, and ensure all deadlines are met. The sooner you contact us, the stronger your case can be.

What if the person who hurt me doesn’t have insurance?

Even if the at-fault party is uninsured or underinsured, you may still have options. Your own auto policy, employer policies, or third-party liability coverage can apply. We’ll explore every available source of recovery.

Can I still file a claim if my injuries didn’t show up right away?

Yes. Some injuries, like soft tissue damage, internal bleeding, or concussions, may not become apparent until days or even weeks later. California law allows time for delayed discovery in some instances. A medical evaluation and legal review can help determine your rights.

Can you help me get medical treatment if I don’t have insurance?

Yes. We work with providers who treat patients on a lien basis, meaning you don’t pay upfront. Your bills are paid from your settlement or verdict.

Contact Our Personal Injury Lawyers in Redwood Shores, CA

If you’ve been seriously injured, don’t wait. The sooner you speak to our Bay Area personal injury attorneys, the better your chances of protecting your rights, preserving evidence, and securing fair compensation.

At Danko Meredith, we offer free consultations and take cases on a contingency fee basis. That means you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by reaching out. Let us show you how fearless legal representation can make a difference. Call us in Redwood City today at (650) 453-3600 or contact us online to schedule your consultation.