Daniel DeSantis is a Partner and Senior Trial Attorney at Wilshire Law Firm. With unwavering dedication and commitment, he champions the cause of those who have suffered grave injuries due to the negligence of others. Mr. DeSantis serves on the Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles (CAALA) Board of Governors and earned the accolade of CAALA’s Rising Star finalist on four separate occasions, ultimately securing the coveted award in 2023. Every year, over 1,200 Plaintiff attorneys qualify for the ultimate recognition.
His rise within the legal industry is further exemplified by his induction into the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) in 2022. To become a member of ABOTA, candidates must prove their mettle by presiding over no less than 10 jury trials as lead counsel, all while upholding the highest standards of ethics in the legal practice. Mr. DeSantis is named on the Super Lawyers Rising Star and “Up-and-Coming 100” list since 2018, along with The National Trial Lawyers: Top 40 under 40 list.
Mr. DeSantis also serves as a chairperson on the ABOTA Finance Committee where he provides oversight for the organization’s budget. Additionally, he serves as a chairperson on the CAALA New Lawyers Committee where he organizes and speaks at educational functions and events.
Through thousands of cases, Mr. DeSantis has obtained more than $100 million on behalf of his clients and against insurance companies and government entities.
Some of Mr. DeSantis’ jury trial results include:
- $3,000,000 – Mid-trial settlement after Plaintiff’s case-in-chief (2023) (Espinosa v. Perris Union High School District, Case No. CVRI2101014) (Top settlement offer before trial of $25,000)
- $2,250,000 – Jury Verdict (2023) (Gonzalez v. Eagle Painting, Case No. 34-2021-00294679) ($1,000,000 insurance policy, top settlement offer before trial of $350,000) (40% plaintiff comparative fault)
- $1,700,000 – Jury Verdict (2015) (Estate of Ling v. Georgiou, Case No. NCU14-0001) – $1,000,000 mid-trial settlement with another co-defendant.
- $1,382,000 – Jury Verdict (2020) (Stewart v. Wake, Case No. BC707130) ($250,000 insurance policy, $250,000 top offer) – $1,629,772.37 paid post-verdict.
- $1,094,426 – Jury Verdict (2022) (Espinosa v. Steed, Case No. 19STCV40692) ($100,000 insurance policy, top settlement offer before trial of $85,000 ) – $1,452,251.56 paid post-verdict.
- $972,363 – Jury Verdict (2023) (Campbell v. Long Beach Unified School District) (top settlement offer before trial of $500,000) – $1,070,000 paid post-verdict.
- $823,045 – Jury Verdict (2018) (Garcia v. Hernandez, Case No. BC594703) (top settlement offer before trial of $350,000) – $823,045 + interest and costs paid post-verdict.
- $740,060 – Jury Verdict (2021) (Arellano v. Lam, Case No. 18STCV07212) (top settlement offer before trial of $600,000) – $1,000,000 policy limits paid post-verdict.
- $618,998 – Jury Verdict (2015) (Guseinov v. Jaramillo, Case No. GC049017).
- $427,459 – Jury Verdict (2019) (Cardona v. Vongkavivathanakul, Case No. BC724343) – $427,459 + interest and costs paid post-verdict.
- $406,025 – Jury Verdict (2022) (Awadalla v. Baros, Case No. 19STCV24636) ($100,000 insurance policy, top settlement offer before trial of $125,000) – $550,000 paid post-verdict.
- $400,000 – Jury Verdict (2018) (Bagwell v. Miller, Case No. BC613634) ($100,000 insurance policy, top settlement offer before trial of $0 – $400,000 + interest and costs paid post-verdict.
- $380,000 – Jury Verdict (2021) (King v. Gordon, Case No. RIC1901908) (top settlement offer before trial of $100,000) – $463,686.76 paid post-verdict.
- $61,000 – Jury Verdict (2017) (King v. Tsung, Case No. BC586944) (top settlement offer before trial of $7,500) – $61,000 + interest and costs paid post-verdict.
Some of Mr. DeSantis’ notable settlements outside of a courtroom since 2020 include:
- $27,000,000 (negligent hiring/supervision)
- $5,000,000 (automobile collision)
- $4,000,000 (premises liability, fall)
- $3,719,337.90 (automobile collision)
- $3,500,000 (premises liability, fall)
- $3,200,000 (premises liability, fall)
- $2,750,000 (automobile collision)
- $2,625,000 (automobile collision)
- $2,000,000 (premises liability, burn injury)
- $2,000,000 (premises liability)
- $2,000,000 – (bicycle incident)
- $2,000,000 (automobile collision)
- $2,000,000 (automobile collision)
- $1,750,000 (automobile collision)
- $1,500,000 (premises liability)
- $1,500,000 (automobile collision)
- $1,500,000 (automobile collision)
- $1,500,000 (automobile collision)
- $1,425,000 (automobile collision)
- $1,350,000 (premises liability, fall)
- $1,300,000 (premises liability)
- $1,265,000 (automobile collision)
- $1,250,000 (premises liability, fall)
- $1,250,000 (negligent hiring/premises liability)
- $1,250,000 (automobile collision)
- $1,200,000 (automobile collision)
- $1,200,000 (automobile collision)
- $1,100,000 (dog bite)
- $1,100,000 (automobile collision)
- $1,050,000 (automobile vs. pedestrian)
- $1,000,000 (premises liability, fall)
- $1,000,000 (automobile collision)
- $1,000,000 (automobile vs. pedestrian)
- $1,000,000 (horse riding incident)
- $1,000,000 (automobile collision)
- $1,000,000 (automobile collision)
Since 2018, he has been an active board member of the Los Angeles Trial Lawyers’ Charities (LATLC). LATLC makes a positive difference in the quality of life for people within the greater Los Angeles Area, focusing on issues related to education, children, survivors of abuse, persons with disabilities, and homelessness, by providing financial assistance and volunteer service to groups in need.
Mr. DeSantis is admitted to practice law in California and the United States Federal District Courts in California.
Awards & Leadership Roles
- 2022 TopVerdict.com, Top 20 Motor Vehicle Accident Settlements in California (Anguiano‐Vagas v. Tustin)
- 2022 TopVerdict.com, Top 20 Personal Injury Settlements in California (Juarez v. Beltran)
- 2022 TopVerdict.com, Top 20 Personal Injury Settlements in Los Angeles (Auto Driver v. Auto Driver)
- 2022 TopVerdict.com, Top 50 Motor Vehicle Accident Verdicts in California (Espinosa v. Steed)
- 2022 TopVerdict.com, Top 50 Motor Vehicle Accident Settlements in California (Chevalier v. Mitchell)
- 2022 TopVerdict.com, Top 50 Personal Injury Settlements in Los Angeles (Auto Driver v. Auto Driver)
- 2022 TopVerdict.com, Top 50 Personal Injury Settlements in Los Angeles (Carrillo v. Abrams)
- 2022 TopVerdict.com, Top 100 Personal Injury Settlements in California (Horse Rider v. Horse Co.)
- 2022 TopVerdict.com, Top 50 Motor Vehicle Accident Settlements in California (Avelar‐Perez v. Black)
- 2022 TopVerdict.com, Top 50 Personal Injury Settlements in Los Angeles (Ainhorn v. Carabello)
- 2022 TopVerdict.com, Top 50 Motor Vehicle Accident Verdicts in California (Awadalla v. Baros)
- 2022 TopVerdict.com, Top 100 Personal Injury Settlements in California (Roque v. Mach)
- 2021 TopVerdict.com, Top 10 Wrongful Death Settlements in California (Lopez v. Docking Co.)
- 2021 TopVerdict.com, Top 20 Wrongful Death Settlements in California (Diaz, et al. v. Tanimura & Antle, et al.)
- 2021 TopVerdict.com, Top 100 Jury Verdicts in California (Arellano v. Avatek, Inc.)
- 2021 TopVerdict.com, Top 50 Personal Injury Settlements in California (Driver v. Trucking Co., et al.)
- 2021 TopVerdict.com, Top 50 Personal Injury Settlements in California (ML v. Bus Co.)
- 2021 TopVerdict.com, Top 50 Motor Vehicle Accident Settlements in California (Aragon v. Hedvat)
- 2021 Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA), Rising Star Nominee
- 2020 Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA), Rising Star Nominee
- 2018 Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA), Rising Star Nominee
- 2020 TopVerdict.com, Top 100 Personal Injury Settlements in the United States (Munoz v. Hindelang)
- 2020 TopVerdict.com, Top 20 Personal Injury Jury Verdicts in California (Stewart v. Wake)
- 2020 TopVerdict.com, Top 20 Premises Liability Settlements in the United States (Minor v. Landlord)
- 2020 TopVerdict.com, Top 50 Personal Injury Settlements in California (Minor v. Landlord)
- 2019 TopVerdict.com, Top 100 Motor Vehicle Accident Jury Verdict in California (Cardona v. Vongkavivathanakul)
- 2019 TopVerdict.com, Top 50 Personal Injury Settlements in California (Pro Ami v. Mast)
- 2018 to present – Super Lawyers, Southern California Rising Star, Up-And-Coming Top 100
- The National Trial Lawyers: Top 40 Under 40 Recipient
- Advocate Magazine: Authored: The Roles of Expert Witnesses in Motor Vehicle Accident Litigation” (2024)
- CAALA Las Vegas Convention: Getting Full Value at Trial: Trial Evidence, Demonstratives and Power Point, speaker (2024)
- CAALA Trial Skills Seminar: Opening Statements, speaker & Closing Arguments, moderator (2024)
- CAALA Trial Skills Seminar: Preparing for Plaintiff’s Case in Chief, speaker (2023)
- CAALA Webinar: Sex Abuse Cases – Litigation & Trial Techniques and Strategies, speaker (2023)
- ABOTA Trial School: Invited faculty member (2023, 2024)
- CAALA Roundtable: Working Up Your TBI Cases, moderator (2023)
- Advocate Magazine: Authored: “Two Important and Medically Related Depositions” (2022)
- CAALA Trial Skills Seminar, moderator (2022)
- CAALA Litigation Lab, Cross Examination of Defense Experts, moderator (2022)
- TBI Med-Legal Webinar, Plan of Attack On A Clear Liability Case, speaker (2022)
- Ontario Trial Lawyers Association: Premises Liability Case Strategy Discussion, speaker (2022)
- Great Trials Podcast: “Episode 075: Daniel DeSantis and Jon Teller │Stewart v. Wake│$1.382 Million Verdict” (2021)
- CAALA Webinar: Locking in Liability For Your Slip, Trip, and Fall Cases, speaker (2021)
- CAALA Trial Skills Seminar: Back to Basics – Jury Selection, speaker (2021)
- CAALA Las Vegas Convention: Medicine for Lawyers – The Surgical Spine, speaker (2021)
- Advocate Magazine: Authored: “Plan Of Attack When The Defense Denies Liability On A Clear-Liability Case” (2019)
- CAALA Board of Governors, Member
- American Board of Trial Advocates, Member
What types of cases do you typically handle?
Mr. DeSantis handles motor vehicle collisions, pedestrian incidents, premises liability, wrongful death, sexual abuse, and more.
What industry memberships do you belong to?
Mr. DeSantis is a board member and/or member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), American Association of Justice (AAJ), Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC), Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA), and Los Angeles Trial Lawyers’ Charities (LATLC).
What law school did you attend?
Daniel received his J.D. from University of San Diego School of Law.