$36.0M
Fresno pedestrian accident settlement: a commercial delivery van struck a child crossing the street, causing a traumatic brain injury and other serious injuries.
Personal Injury
Oakland Brain Injury Lawyer
In Oakland, a brain injury can come from a crash on I-880 or I-580, a fall on a broken sidewalk, or a sudden stop on an AC Transit bus or BART train. Wilshire Law Firm, an award-winning, nationally recognized team, represents East Bay families from our office on 14th Street in downtown Oakland. Want a free case review, 24/7? There are no fees unless you get paid.
- $3B+RECOVERED
- 7X"BEST LAW FIRM" AWARDS
- 24/7AVAILABILITY & SUPPORT
- 500+LEGAL PROFESSIONALS
Key Takeaways
- Wilma Chan Highland Hospital in Oakland is Alameda County’s adult Level I trauma center, and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland is a Level I pediatric trauma center.
- Claims against the City of Oakland go to the City Attorney’s Office, not the City Clerk, and AC Transit, BART and Oakland Unified claims go to those agencies directly, all within six months (Gov. Code §911.2).
- Oakland injury lawsuits are filed in Alameda County Superior Court, which hears civil cases at the René C. Davidson Courthouse and the Hayward Hall of Justice; most must be filed within two years (Code Civ. Proc. §335.1).
- Each unlimited civil case in Alameda County is assigned to one judge for all purposes, including trial.
- Our Oakland office is at 475 14th St., Suite 700, with meetings by appointment.
Understanding Your Oakland Brain Injury Case
Explore essential resources on your rights, your options, and what to expect — everything you need to navigate the legal process, all in one place.
Alameda County EMS designates four trauma centers inside the county. Wilma Chan Highland Hospital in Oakland is the adult Level I center, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland is the pediatric Level I center, Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley is adult Level II, and Washington Hospital in Fremont is adult Level II on a provisional basis while it completes verification. For inpatient rehabilitation, the acute rehab program at San Leandro Hospital, part of Alameda Health System, is accredited and treats traumatic brain injury. We gather the records from each of these stages early, because they document how the injury happened and what recovery will require.
I-880, I-580, I-980, SR-24 and SR-13 carry much of the East Bay's traffic through Oakland, and crashes on those freeways and their interchanges cause many of the serious head injuries we handle. On city streets, Oakland's Safe Oakland Streets initiative and its Local Roadway Safety Plan reflect the risks faced by pedestrians and riders; our Oakland bicycle accident attorneys see the results. Passengers hurt when an AC Transit bus or BART train stops short, and people injured by falls on poorly maintained property, round out the cases we see most.
Oakland brain injury lawsuits are filed in Alameda County Superior Court. The René C. Davidson Courthouse at 1225 Fallon St. hears civil matters, and the Hayward Hall of Justice also accepts civil filings. Under the court's local rules, each unlimited civil case is assigned to a single judge for all purposes, including trial, within two court days of filing. That judge manages the case from start to finish. The general deadline to sue is two years from the injury (Code of Civil Procedure §335.1), and injuries from medical care follow the three-year/one-year rule in Code of Civil Procedure §340.5.
Before suing a public agency, you must present a written claim within six months of the injury (Gov. Code §911.2). In Oakland, claims against the city go to the City Attorney's Office at 1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 6th Floor, or by email to claims@oaklandcityattorney.org, which the office treats the same as delivery in person. Its claim page notes that AC Transit, BART, Oakland Unified School District and Port of Oakland claims are filed with those agencies directly. Alameda County claims go to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors at 1221 Oak St. Our public transportation accident guide covers BART and AC Transit claims in more detail.
We meet clients by appointment at 475 14th St., Suite 700, in downtown Oakland, and a legal professional can start your free case review by phone, 24/7. Because the value of a brain injury case depends on proving future needs, we work with neurologists, neuropsychologists and life-care planners from the start. Our brain injury results include a $36 million settlement that TopVerdict ranked fourth among California personal injury settlements of 2025. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Our Oakland personal injury lawyers and Oakland office page have more.
Meet Our Oakland Brain Injury Attorneys
Nationally Recognized Powerhouse, Fighting for the Justice You Deserve
Our award-winning attorneys have recovered billions for clients while taking on insurance companies and major corporations.
Learn more about the team
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Colin M. Jones, Esq.Senior Partner and Senior Trial Attorney, Chair of the Personal Injury Litigation Department
Jennifer P. Burkes, Esq.Senior Partner & Strategic Advisor, Personal Injury Litigation Department
Mary Lee Caruso, Esq.Senior Partner
Ryan Casey, Esq.Senior Partner and Trial Attorney
Tae-Yoon Kim, Esq.Senior Partner
Philip Andonian, Esq.Partner and Trial Attorney
Alivia E. Abreu, Esq.Partner
Shervin G. Ghanoongooi, Esq.Partner
Christopher Goodroe, Esq.Partner
Nathan A. Guest, Esq.Partner and Trial Attorney
Brian M. Jacobson, Esq.Partner
Ariella Perry, Esq.PartnerRecent wins
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$28.7M
Victorville pedestrian accident settlement: a car struck a child waiting to cross the street, causing catastrophic injuries. Defendants included the driver, a business and three public entities.
$14.5M
Mountain View premises liability settlement: a concertgoer suffered a traumatic brain injury at an event venue. The claim focused on the venue's duty to keep guests safe.
$11.3M
Pomona truck accident settlement: a big rig hit a stopped vehicle on the freeway as a driver checked on it, causing serious head and leg injuries.
$11.0M
California truck accident settlement: a tow truck lost control, crossed three highway lanes and rear-ended a driver, causing a traumatic brain injury and other serious injuries.
$7.1M
San Diego County car accident settlement: a crash with a pickup on a state highway left a driver hospitalized with a traumatic brain injury and other serious injuries.
$5.0M
Hanford motorcycle accident settlement: a pickup turned left in front of a motorcyclist, causing a traumatic brain injury and serious back, neck and hip injuries.
$5.0M
Lake Elsinore car accident settlement: a vehicle occupant suffered a traumatic brain injury, serious neck injuries and arm injuries when a rear-end collision overturned the vehicle.
$4.0M
California car accident settlement: a driver whose light had turned green suffered serious head, neck and back injuries when a commercial pickup ran a red light and broadsided the vehicle.
$2.5M
Sacramento County workplace accident settlement: a loader backed into a parked truck at a recycling yard and knocked a worker off its trailer, causing head and back injuries.
$2.3M
California truck accident settlement: a rear-end crash between two semis left a truck occupant with a traumatic head injury and a neck strain.
$2.3M
Los Banos bus accident settlement: a bus's lifted ramp fell and struck a bystander on the head, causing a traumatic brain injury, migraines, and neck and back pain.
$2.0M
Long Beach car accident settlement: a three-car rear-end collision left an occupant of one vehicle with a traumatic brain injury and several other serious injuries.
$2.0M
Orange County truck accident settlement: a big rig driver crashed while avoiding people from an earlier wreck, suffering a brain injury. Defendants included an individual and a restaurant franchise.
$2.0M
California car accident settlement: a parked commercial vehicle tried to turn around in front of a driver, who struck its side. The driver had serious neck and back injuries.
$1.5M
Porterville pedestrian accident settlement: a vehicle struck a pedestrian, causing catastrophic injuries, including a brain injury and serious leg injuries. Several defendants faced claims.
$990K
Bakersfield truck accident settlement: a big rig rear-ended and side-struck a driver's vehicle at a red light, causing a brain injury and serious neck and other injuries.
$875K
Oakdale slip and fall settlement: a visitor tripped over a misplaced wooden pallet near a grocery store checkout and fell, causing a head injury and other injuries.
$500K
Glendale car accident settlement: a driver rear-ended a motorist stopped at the freeway divider with hazard lights on, causing a traumatic brain injury.
$102K
Riverside motorcycle accident settlement: a truck turning into a shopping center cut off a motorcyclist, who crashed and suffered a traumatic brain injury and other serious injuries.
$101K
Sacramento dog bite settlement: a large dog that escaped its owner's backyard bit a person, causing a traumatic brain injury and other serious head injuries.
*Past results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Each case is unique and evaluated on its own facts.
How Do I Know If I Have an Oakland Brain Injury Claim?
You may have a claim if someone else's carelessness caused a head injury in Oakland or elsewhere in Alameda County, whether a driver, a landlord, a business, a product maker or a public agency such as the City, BART or AC Transit. A concussion can seem minor at first and still affect memory, sleep and work for months, so keep your records and track your symptoms. A legal professional can review what happened for free, 24/7, and there are no fees unless you get paid. If a public agency was involved, the claim is due in six months.
Start Your Free Oakland Brain Injury Case Review
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Record-breaking results
Winners of #1 Settlements in California
Our attorneys have recovered billions of dollars, including some of the biggest settlements in California.
17#1 Settlements in California, 2022–2024*
TopVerdict #1TopVerdict.com #1 settlements
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#1 Truck v. Pedestrian Accident Settlement
2024
#1 Multi-Vehicle Accident Settlement
2024
#1 Equipment Malfunction Settlement
2024
#1 Car v. Stationary Object Collision Settlement
2024
#1 Bus v. Passenger Accident Settlement
2024
#1 Whistleblower Retaliation Settlement
2023
#1 Underinsured Motorist Settlement
2023
#1 Slip & Fall Accident Settlement
2023
#1 Negligent Security Settlement
2023
#1 Ladder Accident Settlement
2023
#1 Hotel Premises Liability Settlement
2023
#1 Car v. Car Collision Settlement
2023
#1 Bicycle Accident Settlement
2023
#1 Pregnancy Discrimination Settlement
2022
#1 Age/Disability Discrimination Settlement
2022
#1 Wrongful Termination Settlement
2022
#1 Meal & Rest Breaks Settlement
2022
*#1 settlements in California have been awarded by TopVerdict.com. Past results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Oakland Brain Injury FAQs
Our Most Frequently Asked Questions
We've answered the most common ones below. If yours isn't here, call us — we're available 24/7.
Nothing up front. Wilshire Law Firm works on contingency, so there are no fees unless you get paid. Case reviews are free and available 24/7.
With the Oakland City Attorney's Office, at 1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 6th Floor, or by email to claims@oaklandcityattorney.org, within six months of the injury (Gov. Code §911.2). AC Transit, BART, Oakland Unified and Port of Oakland claims go to those agencies.
Wilma Chan Highland Hospital is Alameda County's adult Level I trauma center, and UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland is the Level I pediatric center. Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley and Washington Hospital in Fremont are adult Level II centers.
Call (510) 391-4877 or request a free case review online, 24/7. Meetings at 475 14th St., Suite 700, Oakland, CA 94612, are by appointment.