Finding the best personal injury lawyer in Contra Costa County can be challenging with so many firms claiming to be “the best.” So, what sets Daniel Horowitz and his Lafayette-based law firm apart?
At our firm, you come first. We are dedicated to building strong relationships with our clients. When you call our office, you’ll speak to a real person located in Lafayette. Every team member knows your name and the details of your case.
Choose us for personalized, attentive service that prioritizes your needs.
No Fee Unless & Until You Recover
Our legal fee is ZERO until your case actually gets you money. When your injury case settles or results in a jury verdict at trial, the attorney fee is a percentage of your recovery. We have taken many personal injury cases to trial and arbitration with excellent results.
Why Call Our Accident Lawyers?
We understand that there are many excellent personal injury lawyers in the Walnut Creek area. Here are some differentiators that make our office the top choice for accident law in Contra Costa County:
Experience and Expertise: Daniel Horowitz has decades of experience in personal injury law, ensuring that you receive knowledgeable and skilled representation.
Proven Track Record: Our office has a history of successful case outcomes, demonstrating our ability to secure favorable results for our clients.
Personalized Attention: We prioritize giving each client the individual attention they deserve, tailoring our approach to meet your specific needs and circumstances.
Comprehensive Support: From initial consultation to final resolution, we provide comprehensive support, guiding you through every step of the legal process.
Local Knowledge: Being based in Contra Costa County, we have a deep understanding of the local legal landscape, which can be a significant advantage in your case.
Choosing Daniel Horowitz means choosing a dedicated, experienced, and successful team committed to achieving the best possible outcome for you.
The Best Personal Injury Team
Proven Victim Advocacy: Our personal injury team excels in proving your victim status in accidents. We act swiftly to gather evidence before it vanishes.
Medical Expertise: With extensive medical experience, our paralegals meticulously identify and document your injuries to ensure full compensation. Notably, our accident case paralegal, Michael Yates, is both a law school graduate and a licensed chiropractor.
MBA Expertise for Financial Damages: Our financial damage claims are meticulously reviewed by MBA and law student Molly Northrup, ensuring accuracy and thoroughness.
Renowned Personal Injury Trial Lawyer: Daniel Horowitz is one of the nation’s most renowned trial lawyers. The trial lawyer aspect of our practice sets us apart. For instance, in wrongful death cases, presenting a child’s baseball glove to the jury is far more impactful than a photograph or verbal explanation. We gather physical items in wrongful death or serious disability cases, anticipating a possible jury trial.
California’s accident laws provide strong protections if you are injured in a car crash. Our role is to streamline the legal process so you can focus on returning to your normal life and putting the accident behind you. Our team of personal injury lawyers and paralegals represents accident victims, never insurance companies or at-fault drivers. Understanding your rights and obligations after a car accident in California is essential. We explain these rights and we ensure that your case is handled properly.
What to Do Right After an Accident:
Save Your Dash Cam Video: If you have a dash cam, save the footage.
Take Pictures: Capture images of your car, the other car, the streets, and any debris from the accident. Videos are also helpful.
Gather Witness Information: Collect the names, phone numbers, and emails of witnesses. This is crucial as many at-fault drivers may invent stories after the fact. Witnesses are essential unless the other driver admits fault to the police.
Exchange Information: Exchange driver’s license and insurance information. Take pictures of their license plate, driver’s license, and insurance information. Don’t just write it down.
Get Medical Care: Call your primary care doctor. Go to Urgent Care. Go to your chiropractor. Take an ambulance offered at the scene and go to the Emergency Room. Do not “tough it out” if you are hurt. Early care can prevent further injury and speed your recovery.
What Are the Types of Damages in a Car Accident?
Medical Bills - Hospital, ER, Urgent Care, Chiropractic, Physicial Therapy, medications
Property Damage - Damage to your car, clothing damaged, items in the car that were damaged.
Pain & Suffering - This is the day to day harm, loss of ability to do things, not being able to lift your children (or grandchildren), can't walk, can't sit and relax.
Long Term Harm - These are the physical changes that will be get better and will burden you for a long time or even the rest of your life.
Emotional Injuries - PTSD, the reaction to pain, fear of losing one's job or business, depression are among the psychological harms that you can recover for.
Write down what hurts and what you cannot do. People forget the details of just how much pain they are in after an accident. When we help accident victims recover for their injuries it helps to have these notes so that you get fully compensated for everything you have suffered through following the accident. If you don't like writing, dictate into your phone.
Minimum Insurance Requirements
California Crash Reporting Requirements: What You Need to Know
If you’re involved in a car accident in California and anyone is injured, even slightly, you must report the crash to the DMV within 10 days. According to Vehicle Code Section 20008, drivers must also file a written report with the California Highway Patrol or the local police department within 24 hours if someone is hurt.
Missed the Deadline? We Can Help!
Don’t worry if you haven’t reported the accident yet. We can assist you, even if it’s been more than 10 days since the incident.
1. Who Pays for My Car?
A common question after an accident is, “Who pays for my car?” Typically, your insurance company covers the repair costs and then seeks reimbursement from the at-fault driver’s insurance to cover your deductible. This process works smoothly when the other driver is clearly at fault. If fault is disputed, you may need an attorney to recover your deductible. In some cases, the other driver may not have enough insurance to cover your car damage.
Under California accident law, vehicle owners must be financially responsible for accidents. According to the California Insurance Code, all drivers must have at least $15,000 per person and a total of $30,000 in insurance coverage, known as 15/30/5 coverage. This includes:
$15,000 for injury or death to one person
$30,000 for injury or death to multiple people in a single accident
$5,000 for property damage
2. Who Pays for My Injuries and Time off Work?
If the other driver lacks sufficient insurance to cover your injuries, your own insurance will step in. This coverage, known as “uninsured” or “underinsured” motorist coverage, ensures you are protected without raising your rates. As long as there is enough insurance money, you should not have to pay for long-term expenses. If the other driver has minimal insurance or no insurance we can help you make an underinsured or uninsured claim . Your insurance rates will not increase.
Get medical care if you have injuries. In Walnut Creek you have the John Muir emergency room,Kaiser emergency room and several urgent care medical centers including John Muir, Walnut Creek Urgent Care and Stat Med (in Lafayette). There are many excellent orthopedists and chiropractors who specialize in treating people who have suffered personal injuries. They may have some wait time so the ER or urgent care may be your best choice the day of the accident.
Medical Care is particularly important if you are a pedestrian hit by a car. The shock of the accident may mask serious underlying injuries. Learn more about Auto vs Pedestrian accidents.
Emphasizing the Importance of Medical Diagnosis in Accident Cases
Medical Diagnosis is Crucial: In personal injury settlements, having a medical diagnosis is essential. Simply saying “my neck hurts” or “I feel badly” isn’t enough. Doctors provide specific names for conditions, which is vital for your case. Insurance companies actually use computer systems that generate settlement offers. The correct diagnosis can trigger a better settlement range.
Doctor’s Confirmation: An injury isn’t considered a “personal injury” unless a doctor confirms it. Insurance company lawyers often downplay your pain unless it has the “stamp of approval” from a licensed medical professional. Insurance offers are based upon what you can prove and what a jury might award. You “word” that you hurt is not sufficient to obtain the best possible personal injury settlement.
Enhancing Your Case: A medical diagnosis can significantly enhance your chances of obtaining the best personal injury recovery. Symptoms like headaches or blurred vision need to be documented. Weeks of “feeling off” could be a diagnosable sprain or strain injury. Your “feelings” are important but a diagnosis greatly enhances the value both in settlement and in a personal injury trial.
Documentation: A formal diagnosis is invaluable in documenting your injuries, ensuring you receive the best possible settlement.
People ask, “If I already had an injury can I recover if the car accident made it worse?”
The answer is “yes”.
Think about it. Do you know anyone who hasn't had some prior injury (after let's say the age of 18)? Whatever the other driver made worse is their responsibility. Any other rule would be unfair.
“What if I am out of shape?”
That is not their business. Your personal health is your private business and they invaded it by causing an accident. You have a right to be left alone. If some is negligent and hurts you, they have to pay.
The area code for Contra Costa County is most often 925. You will also see 510 (which is mostly Alameda County) and 341 (new). Of course anyone can get a 925 phone number but this is at least an indication that the lawyer might be local. You can Google “Contra Costa County Car Accident Attorney” but when you click on the website check the address. using this search about 2/3 of the non-sponsored attorneys are truly in the county.
Beware lawyers who “trash talk” other lawyers. In truth there is not one single “best lawyer”. When choosing among the many excellent lawyers in our county, the personal “fit” and ease of communication can be the determining factor. At our office we create an atmosphere where all lawyers and paralegals have a connection to each case. As individuals, we specialize and focus on certain cases but we are familiar with each of our clients by name and sight. We find that this is the basis for a strong and successful relationship.
One trick that we have found works is to use the search terms and include the telephone area code. It looks like this “Car Accident Lawyer 925". You will still get the sponsored ads but the unsponsored results will include almost only real Contra Costa County lawyers. Just so you know, a click on a sponsored ad can cost the law firm more than $ 500.00 per click! Some law firms spend millions of dollars on ads. Marketing is not lawyering!
We hope that you consider our personal injury law firm for your legal needs. We are located in Lafayette, California and when you call you will speak to a real person who is physically in Lafayette at our office. For injury cases there is never a cost for a consultation and no fee is ever charged until you actually recover money. (To learn more about our office, keep reading!)
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY LAW FIRM
We Appreciate Your Business
There are many excellent Walnut Creek car accident lawyers. We suggest that for accidents in Contra Costa County or the nearby counties, you hire a local law firm. The Bay Area injury attorneys know the courts, know the police agencies and are readily available to you and your doctors. We urge you to stay local and carefully scrutinize firms that are 1-800 cookie cutter PI mega firms. We are licensed in the State of California and have cases from San Diego to Tehama County.
We hope to earn your business by providing you, the client, with the highest level of support and attention.
Have you been hurt in a car accident or motorcycle accident in Walnut Creek, Contra Costa or in the Bay Area? Contact us today to schedule a case evaluation or call us at 925-291-5388.
Why You Need a True Contra Costa County Lawyer
Contra Costa Accident Law Firms vs. 1-800 Firms
If you have a car accident in Contra Costa County should you choose a “local” lawyer or a lawyer from out of town? We strongly urge you to consider true Contra Costa County based law firms. If you do a Google Search for “personal injury lawyers with offices in contra costa county” most of what is returned are paid ads (Sponsored) for law firms that are out of town.
To start, the personal injury lawyers in Contra Costa County have tremendous reputations. The firms have many multi-million dollar settlements and trial verdicts. These firms have championed key issues in the public interesting including car safety, hospital safety, civil rights, toxic torts and asbestos injuries. Going to a large advertising firm will not improve the pool of top attorneys available to handle your case.
A lawyer with an office in Contra Costa County will have an office available to you. Their volume will be lower than an advertising firm so the attention you get is likely to be more personal. The lawyers know the area, know the judges and are known by their excellent reputations. This can make a difference in settling cases more quickly and for their fair value.
If a case cannot settle, a lawyer who is local can work out of their office instead of setting up camp in a hotel or temporary office. While so of the great trial lawyers are “Have Gun Will Travel” types (such as our attorney Daniel Horowitz), most personal injury law firms that handle large advertising volume are not truly set up for jury trials.
There are Rules of Court that apply statewide. There are also local rules of court that vary county to county. See: Contra Costa County Rules of Court. The rules of court in Contra Costa County have changed an average of twice a year. While a violation of local rules rarely will be fatal to your case, it is important that a lawyer be familiar with these rules and follow them.
Truly Local, Personalized Service for Your Personal Injury Case
Finding the right firm for your personal injury case in Contra Costa County is a personal decision. A car accident is a significant disruption, and you deserve a lawyer who is dedicated to meeting your needs. We often see our clients locally, whether at Trader Joe’s (right across the street from our Lafayette office) or around town. Unlike firms that advertise as “Lafayette Accident Lawyers” but answer your call from Los Angeles, we are truly local. When you call us, you’re reaching our Lafayette office, not a 1-800 firm in Los Angeles.
We distinguish our practice by providing personal attention to your needs. Most of our lawyers and legal team live in Contra Costa County (Lafayette, Walnut Creek). We answer our own phones, and there are always lawyers and paralegals physically present at our Lafayette office.
Diverse Experience
When selecting a highly qualified lawyer, consider their expertise with your type of case, the specific injuries involved, and the personal connection between you, your lawyer, and their staff. These factors are crucial in choosing among the top lawyers in the community.
For instance, Michael Yates, a law school graduate and chiropractor, has extensive experience with car accident injuries. He specializes in complex orthopedic injuries, head trauma, and long-term whiplash and other sprain and strain injuries.
Brooke O’Rourke has years of experience at Physicians Advocates in Walnut Creek and has personal connections with many physicians who treat our clients.
Molly Northrup, a UC Santa Barbara graduate with an MBA, is preparing for the California Bar exam. Her parents are veterinarians in Napa, adding a unique perspective to her legal expertise.
Our lead attorney, Daniel Horowitz, has a diverse background, from booking Fleetwood Mac in the late 1970s to representing the Prime Minister of Ukraine. His legendary trial experience includes numerous multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements. He has litigated against Vice President Kamala Harris and has been featured in newspapers like the San Francisco Chronicle. Daniel is a member of the National Association of Distinguished Counsel, AV rated by Martindale Hubbell, and holds a perfect 10 rating on AVVO.
Personal Relationships Matter
Accident cases in Contra Costa County come with significant pressure and tension, especially when aiming to secure top dollar. Trust and communication are crucial in reducing stress and selecting the best lawyer for your needs. When Daniel Horowitz and his legal team represent you, we care deeply, and you will feel that care.
In-Office Training
Our in-office training program ensures that all staff and attorneys regularly attend continuing education seminars in personal injury law, medical law, and medical issues. Every person working on your personal injury case receives this ongoing training. Daniel Horowitz is also a frequent lecturer and publisher on legal issues for continuing education providers and local bar organizations. He has previously served as a law school professor and taught in the paralegal training program at Cal State Hayward.
Contra Costa County Location - National Reputation
Based in Contra Costa County, Daniel Horowitz has represented many high-profile clients, including author Terry McMillan, talk show host Michael Savage, and actor Al Pacino. Daniel is a regular television commentator seen on CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC. His international cases have taken him to courtrooms in Ukraine, Cyprus, Canada, Israel, and The Netherlands.
Trial Experience Results in Larger Settlements
A personal injury law firm settles most car accident cases without a trial. You will receive a better settlement when the insurance company lawyers know that your attorney can back up his settlement demands in front of a jury. Daniel Horowitz' personal injury trials have been in Walnut Creek, Oakland, Stockton, San Francisco and Colusa County. These include from freeway wrongful death auto crashes, cases against John Muir Hospital in Walnut Creek/Concord, motorcycle vs. auto accidents, an elevator death and car accidents from low impact to multi-car crashes with major injuries.
Notable Verdicts & Settlements
Daniel Horowitz has been the lawyer in many successful cases. Here are some of them.
Wrongful Death Muni Bus Accident (Settled) [San Francisco] (confidential amount)
Wrongful Death Child Falls Down Elevator Shaft (Settled) [San Francisco] (Settled over $ 1 million dollars)
Police Corruption Lawsuit Against City of Pittsburg led to dozens of criminal cases being dismissed. (See LA Times Article) See Lawsuit filed by Horowitz & Carmela Caramagno (Lawsuit)
Litigation (Wrongful Termination) vs. Pacific Urology - Verdict of $ 1.7 Million including personal injuries (intentional infliction), business damages, attorney's fees and all intellectual property awarded to plaintiff valued in excess of $ 2 million. (Walnut Creek)
Tough, humble, has integrity - simply THE best. With Dan it is not so much about the money but about doing what is right. A very rare breed. He has honesty and integrity and the jurys see it. If he doesn't believe in the case or the client he won't waste your time or his. But you better listen to him!...Believe an trust in him. I did and I am totally indebted to him. He is "The best of the best." Thank you Dan for all you have done and continue to do. Carole~ Arbuckle v. Board of Chiropractic Examiners
Carole A.
“The Best Attorney I Could Have Asked For”
“The Best Attorney I Could Have Asked For.”
Katherine Ryken
“Despite his kindness, I have never once doubted his ability to provide me with THE BEST representation in court.”
He is approachable but serious. Mr. Horowitz is the perfect balance of what someone wants in a lawyer. Not only is he approachable enough to gain and value your trust, but he's a bulldog in the courtroom. Despite his kindness, I have never once doubted his ability to provide me with THE BEST representation in court. I'm so thankful to have found a lawyer capable of such a delicate balancing act.
