Practice Areas
Three Pillars of Practice
We represent injured individuals against companies, government entities, and the people responsible for harm. Three distinct practice pillars, each pursued to verdict when needed.
Pillar I
Catastrophic Personal Injury
Severe, life-altering injuries — the cases where the medical record alone tells a story.
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
- Spinal injuries requiring surgery
- Loss of limbs / amputations
- Burn injuries
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of vision or hearing
- Severe nerve damage; CRPS / RSD
- Aviation accidents (DLM is an instrument-rated pilot)
- Trucking and commercial vehicle accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Serious construction worksite injuries
- Work-related third-party civil claims
- Wrongful death and survivor actions
- Uninsured / underinsured motorist claims
- Pedestrian accidents
- Rideshare accidents (Uber / Lyft)
- Drunk driver cases
- Premises liability / slip and fall
- Dog attacks
Pillar II
Institutional Accountability
Cases against the public and private institutions whose failures or misconduct caused the harm.
- Sexual abuse in juvenile facilities and probation camps
- Sexual abuse in women’s prisons (CDCR, CCWF, CIW)
- Failure to supervise / failure to protect
- Negligent hiring and retention
- Cover-ups and institutional silence
- Government-entity liability
- Civil rights violations by public agencies (42 U.S.C. § 1983)
- Cases revived under California’s AB 218 framework
Pillar III
Environmental & Toxic Exposure
Cases where industrial or agricultural operations have damaged the environment people live in and depend on.
- Nitrate contamination of well water
- Drinking water contamination from agricultural sources
- Dairy and CAFO-related groundwater claims
- Property and health impacts of contamination
- Source identification through expert hydrogeology
- Loss of property value from contamination
- Wildfire claims (utility-caused fires, JCCP coordinated proceedings)
What we do not handle: medical or dental malpractice, or workers’ compensation claims (though we do handle work-related third-party civil claims).
Common Questions About Our Practice
Does the firm handle medical malpractice?
No. Medical and dental malpractice cases require specialized expertise the firm does not provide. We are happy to refer.
What about workers’ compensation claims?
We do not handle workers’ compensation claims directly. We do handle work-related third-party civil claims — for example, a worker injured by negligence of a non-employer party at a job site.
How does the firm decide whether to accept a case?
We review each potential matter for facts, conflicts of interest, statute of limitations, jurisdictional fit, and whether the case aligns with our trial-ready practice. We accept fewer cases than we are offered. Cases we cannot help with are declined plainly, with referrals to other counsel where appropriate.
Do you accept referrals from other attorneys?
Yes. We accept co-counsel arrangements with other attorneys whose cases are well-suited to our trial practice. Fee-sharing complies with California Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5.1.
How do you handle cases involving institutional defendants like the State, CDCR, or LA County?
Institutional accountability cases are a core practice area. Our experience suing both private companies and government entities shapes our work in juvenile facility abuse, women’s prison sexual abuse, and government-entity liability matters.
Are environmental contamination cases handled differently from personal injury cases?
Yes. Environmental contamination cases require specialized scientific expertise — hydrogeology, water testing, source identification. The firm works with credentialed expert witnesses to develop the technical foundation these cases require.