Our Success In Personal Injury Cases

It is our professional responsibility (and incentive) to maximize the value and return of your claim. The following list provides real life examples of just a small portion of our successes, though each case is different and this is not a guarantee of any particular outcome:

$1,250,000 – Automobile v. Golf Cart Collision: Our client was driving her golf cart within her retirement community. The driver of the vehicle behind her was distracted and crashed into the back of the golf cart, ejecting our client. She sustained an open ankle fracture, among other injuries, and required extensive rehabilitation. Our team was able to secure this settlement only 10 months after the accident without having to expose our 92-year-old client to years of litigation.

$1,250,000 – Product Liability: Our client was helping her husband unload and assemble a newly purchased grill. One of the parts had a concealed edge that was extremely sharp and sliced her hand. She required surgery and developed a chronic pain syndrome. The grill manufacturer, a multinational corporation, fought every aspect of the case for years. We came to trial ready to present our client’s case and the defendant finally agreed to pay the claim during a brief trial continuance.

$800,000 – Supermarket Slip & Fall: Our client was shopping at a national grocery chain buying supplies for a party she was hosting. She slipped on liquid that had accumulated on the floor, landing on her back and fracturing her spine. We were able to establish the water was coming from a leaking freezer the store failed to repair, turning this “zero offer” case into a strong recovery for our client.

$1,500,000 – Dangerous intersection/Wrongful Death: Our client (mother) turned left from a STOP sign into the path of a big rig which collided with her vehicle, killing her son who was in the backseat. The State of California (Cal Trans) pointed the finger at our client for years and denied any wrongdoing. Our firm discovered that the intersection had a long history of accidents and argued that Cal Trans should have installed a traffic signal years before the collision. The case settled just before trial.

$1,456,000 – Fall from Scaffold/Traumatic Brain Injury: Our client, a city building inspector, fell from a scaffold while inspecting a property that was being renovated. He alleged a mild traumatic brain injury which was heavily disputed by the defense attorneys who represented the contractors and property owner. The case settled just as trial was set to begin.

1,450,000 – Auto Collision/Wrongful Death: Our clients lost their 70-year-old mother in a freeway collision when another driver lost control of their vehicle.  We discovered the at-fault driver was “on-the-clock” and held the employer and their insurer accountable for the loss.

$1,250,000  – Auto Collision/Back Injury: Another driver pulled out in front of our client who had the right-of-way, causing his vehicle to flip over. The at-fault driver’s insurance company argued our client’s back pain and his need for spine surgery was the result of pre-existing injuries and degeneration. Facing the threat of litigation, the insurance company caved and settled the claim before a lawsuit was filed.

$1,100,000 – Motorcycle Accident/Back Injury: Our client was riding his motorcycle on the freeway when an inattentive driver struck him, throwing him from his bike. The defense accused him of “lane-splitting” and disputed the seriousness of his injuries for years before deciding to pay the full insurance policy limits.

$1,000,000 – Trip and Fall on City Street: 88-year-old woman tripped and fell on an LA City street, fracturing her pelvis. She needed multiple surgeries, hospitalization, and rehabilitation. A heavily litigated lawsuit against the City, Gas Company, and adjacent landowner eventually resulted in a $1,000,000 settlement.

$795,000 – Auto Collision/Spine Surgery: The defendant violated our client’s right of way, causing a heavy intersection collision that injured our client’s spine, requiring surgery.

$750,000 – Construction Site Fall/Wrongful Death: Our client’s adult son fell from a ladder while delivering materials to a construction site. The defendants argued our client fell because he was intoxicated and that the legal doctrine of Privette barred our client’s claims. After rebutting the defense’s arguments, the case eventually settled a few weeks before trial in San Diego County.

$650,000 – DUI Collision/Leg injuries: Our client was driving home from work late at night when an intoxicated driver hit him head-on. He sustained a fractured femur among other orthopedic injuries. The insurance policy limits were insufficient to compensate our client, so we litigated the case relentlessly until the defendant contributed a half-million dollars of their own money.

$460,000 – Slip and fall/Back Injury: Landscapers overwatered a planter outside of an office building. Our client, who was leaving the building, slipped on the water that had accumulated on the walkway. She aggravated a pre-existing low back injury during the fall and eventually had a surgery on her lumbar spine.

$300,000 – Auto collision/Shoulder injury: The defendant driver made an unsafe lane change and hit the side of our client’s vehicle. The insurance company argued this was a “low-impact” accident that could not have caused the shoulder injury claimed. Our firm was able to prove otherwise, which resulted in a favorable settlement.

Confidential – Dog Attack/Bite Injuries: The defendant dog owner failed to control his pit-bull. It latched onto our client’s arm who was protecting her own dog. She suffered several puncture wounds and lacerations on her arms, resulting in permanent scarring.

Confidential – Trip and fall/Hip Injury: Our client tripped on an awkwardly placed floor covering at a winery, resulting in a hip injury and surgery. The defense attorneys argued our client was to blame and had been drinking. After shooting down these arguments, the insurance company for the winery caved a month before trial and settled the claim to our client’s satisfaction.

Automobile vs. automobile – wrongful death: $3,600,000 The mid-twenties single, male artist/photographer was the front seat passenger in a vehicle driven by a friend who was not sufficiently experienced to drive a sports car. They lost control and the client parents tragically lost their son to a traumatic brain injury and other physical injuries. In this sensitive case where one family had to essentially bring a claim against the insurance of another family, we gently pushed the insurer to pay top dollar while maintaining the fragile relations between the families.

Automobile vs. pedestrian: $3,000,000 The male client was legally crossing the street to watch his son’s baseball practice at the high school when he was struck by a bus. Our firm investigated the case and was able to demonstrate that the bus driver “did not see” the pedestrian because he was not looking. Despite the bus driver’s assertion that the client darted out, witness interviews, depositions and accident reconstruction proved the driver’s negligence. The man struck his head and suffered from the effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and concussion.

Automobile vs. pedestrian: $1,000,000 The female client was crossing the street when she was struck by a car. Our firm investigated the case and was able to prove why adverse witness and police investigation reports were incorrect. The woman struck her head in the accident and suffered from the effects of minor traumatic brain injury (MTBI).

Automobile vs. automobile: $750,000 The male client gardener was rear-ended on Sunset Boulevard. After two years of trying to avoid back surgery, he finally had a disc replacement surgery and succeeded in eliminating his relenting nerve pain and he got back to his landscaping business.

Automobile vs. automobile: $650,000 The female client was rear-ended and ended up with chronic low back pain and shooting pain down her leg which the chiropractor could not heal. She had disc replacement surgery and returned to work as a real estate agent.

Automobile vs. automobile: $500,000 The female client was rear-ended on the freeway and developed fibromyalgia, a chronic and unrelenting nerve pain. The client’s treating chiropractor testified that the client would need regular chiropractic care for the rest of her life for pain management.

Automobile vs. pedestrian: $300,000 An elderly woman crossing Doheny Road at an unmarked crosswalk was struck by a car driven by an elderly man. The police report blamed the pedestrian for walking into the car. After investigating the case personally, we were able to convince the insurance company that the police report was incorrect, and that the driver should have been able to stop if he had been more attentive and careful.

Electric gate malfunctions: A sliding gate at an apartment building was not properly maintained and it malfunctioned; failing to reverse, it squeezed a young child who was hospitalized. After the bruises cleared, the pediatric neurologist at Kaiser cleared this patient with a good prognosis. Recovery for client: $40,000 in a blocked account, which will be there for him when he’s ready for college.

Intersection collision-red light dispute: This accident happened at 2 a.m. Each party said they had the green light and there were no witnesses. However, we investigated the intersection and discovered that the lights were controlled by a loop (sensors at the intersection, which trigger cycling of the lights) and the client was on the road, which usually has the green. Confronted with this indisputable evidence, the insurance paid its policy limits.

Bicycle accident and brain trauma: Teenage client jumped his bike in a vacant dirt lot that had become a neighborhood bike jumping track. He lost control and sustained a severe head trauma and brain injury, requiring a helicopter ride from Lancaster to Mayo Hospital and later to Ranch Los Amigos. Even though the insurance company argued strenuously that the client was recreating and assumed the risk of bike jumping, we argued that the property owner was negligent in allowing the bike ramps to be formed on the property. The insurance company paid $150,000.

Dangerous road and car accident leads to scarred lip: After getting the insurance policy limits from the at-fault driver ($100,000), our firm proved the roadway was negligently designed and constructed, which was the reason the cars crashed in the first place. After prolonged litigation, we recovered another $40,000.

Trip and fall over raised sidewalk causes broken femur requiring hip replacement: A tree root from an adjacent tree raised a city sidewalk. The property owner and manager were responsible, as well as the city. Our firm recovered $180,000.

Fall from shuttle at Hollywood Bowl leads to noninvasive back surgery: The Hollywood Bowl failed to sufficiently train their driver and he went too fast and the client fell out. Even though the client had a history of prior back problems, we recovered $350,000.

Defective Nissan air bag causes blindness in one eye in 13 year-old client: This product liability case helped pave the way to a recall forced by the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission. Even though Nissan initially denied responsibility, our firm sued and forced Nissan and other responsible parties to pay, recovering over $500,000 for the client.

Poorly maintained shopping basket at Home Depot tips over and fractures ankle: A shopping basket which was uneven and had worn out wheels tipped over when it was loaded with bricks, landing on the client’s leg. After ankle surgery and prolonged litigation against Home Depot, the maintenance company and the manufacturer of the shopping cart, Alfonso & Berriz, APC recovered $223,500 for the client.

Unsafe left turn causes intersection collision: A 42-year-old construction worker with degenerative disk disease lost three months of tile-setting work and got back to work after receiving epidural injections. We recovered $100,000 for the client.

Auto versus pedestrian fractures ankle: A 33-year-old career naval sailor was run over in a parking lot in Arizona and fractured his ankle. After multiple surgeries, our firm received $500,000 after a hard-fought battle with Allstate.

Science project goes bad and causes severe burns, which results in a multimillion-dollar (confidential amount) settlement: A 17-year-old young man about to graduate from high school was badly burned in chemistry class experiment. Attorneys at Alfonso & Berriz, APC filed suit against the teacher and school district after aggressively investigating the case. Crucial evidence of negligent training and inadequate safety equipment were developed in the case.

Defective bicycle forks break and cause separated shoulder: A 24 year-old Canadian citizen separated his shoulder when the forks on his mountain bike broke, sending him over the handlebars. The batch of metal used to make these forks was overly porous and weak, making it susceptible to failure. Our firm recovered $115,000 after hiring the metallurgist who proved the defect.

Insurance bad faith adjustment practices of delay and deny: After a roof leak resulted in water damage, the client’s insurance company took too long to pay the claim. As a result, mold grew in the house causing property damage and personal injury to the clients. We took the case and sued the insurance company, ultimately getting the case settled before trial for $650,000.

Trip and fall in a supermarket leads to a $75,000 settlement. The client was an elderly woman. She tripped over a pallet, which was left in front of the dairy case. She suffered an injury to her foot.

Trip and fall on a city sidewalk leads to a $100,000 settlement after extended litigation. The injury to the client’s wrist required surgery.

Automobile vs. bicycle injury: A seasoned bicycle rider was injured by a left turning motorist. The injuries included fractures and road rash. The case was settled for the policy limits of $250,000, including underinsurance (similar to uninsured motorist) coverage.

A minor rear-end accident causes injury a client’s lower back. The client who had a history of back problems was re-injured in a fairly minor rear-end collision. His back pain worsened, and he eventually was required to have a spinal operation. The insurance company had initially declined to pay because the forces in the crash were not great, and the client had previously been going to the doctor for his back. After retaining our firm, the insurance company paid approximately $125,000, and the attorneys negotiated substantial reductions in the liens of the health insurance companies.

A student was injured in a car crash, sustaining a fractured jaw. This was settled for $105,000 without the need to file a lawsuit suit.

Strong Legal Advocates On Your Side

We represent clients in Thousand Oaks, San Fernando Valley and throughout Ventura County. We know the complex process of filing a personal injury claim in California.

We are strong advocates for personal injury victims and are experienced trial lawyers. We know what it takes to find the best possible settlement or verdict for our clients. Let us fight for you. Call our firm at (818) 889-1577 or fill out our online form to schedule a free consultation. We take cases on a contingency basis, so there is no risk to meet with us.