San Mateo is at the center of the Peninsula. US-101 and Highway 92 cross here, El Camino Real runs through downtown, and traffic flows east over the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge. Injury cases in the city often start with merging collisions near the 92 interchange, pedestrians struck near the Hillsdale Caltrain station, or crashes in crowded retail parking areas. This guide lists five attorneys who represent injured people in San Mateo, beginning with Bay Area Injury Law Firm. After the list, it explains what happens when an injury claim turns into a lawsuit in San Mateo County.
Which attorneys handle personal injury cases in San Mateo?
These five represent people injured in San Mateo and neighboring Peninsula cities:
- Bay Area Injury Law Firm
- Gina Guiley
- Law Office of Katherine R. Moore, PC
- Nathaniel Leeds
- Khaldoun A. Baghdadi
What should San Mateo residents know about each attorney?
1. Bay Area Injury Law Firm
Bay Area Injury Law Firm is a personal injury practice based in Daly City, in northern San Mateo County. It was founded and is led by principal attorney Joseph Chan, Esq., a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis. Because the office is in the same county, San Mateo clients can meet in person without a long drive.
The firm represents people hurt in car, truck, and motorcycle collisions, along with pedestrians and cyclists struck by vehicles. It also handles crashes involving rideshare and delivery drivers, dog bites, and burn injuries. The firm takes catastrophic injury cases too, meaning injuries serious enough to permanently limit a person’s ability to work or live independently.
Clients get help finding appropriate medical care early, which supports recovery and builds the records a claim relies on. Cases are handled on contingency, so no attorney fee is charged unless money is recovered. The office speaks Cantonese and Burmese.
2. Gina Guiley
Gina Guiley is an accident attorney based in Menlo Park.
3. Law Office of Katherine R. Moore, PC
The Law Office of Katherine R. Moore, PC is a San Francisco personal injury practice.
4. Nathaniel Leeds
Nathaniel Leeds is a San Francisco attorney who handles personal injury representation.
5. Khaldoun A. Baghdadi
Khaldoun A. Baghdadi is a personal injury attorney in San Francisco.
What happens if your injury claim goes to court?
Most injury claims settle without a trial. Filing a lawsuit starts a formal process that often pushes both sides toward resolution. For a crash in San Mateo, the complaint is filed in San Mateo County Superior Court. After the defendant responds, the case enters discovery, the phase where each side gathers evidence from the other. Discovery includes written questions, document requests, and depositions. A deposition is sworn testimony given out of court, with a court reporter recording every word.
Expect a medical examination requested by the defense. Under Code of Civil Procedure section 2032.220, a defendant in a personal injury case can demand one physical examination by a doctor of its choosing without a court order, as long as the exam isn’t painful or invasive. Your attorney can attend or arrange for an observer, and the exam can be audio recorded. Many cases resolve at mediation. In a mediation session, a neutral third party helps the two sides negotiate a settlement.
What is a 998 offer, and why does it matter?
A 998 offer is a formal settlement offer that shifts costs onto the side that unreasonably rejects it. It is named for Code of Civil Procedure section 998. Suppose a defendant offers $80,000 and you turn it down. If the jury later awards less than $80,000, you generally cannot recover your costs incurred after the offer, and you may have to pay some of the defendant’s costs, including expert witness fees. Those fees can reach tens of thousands of dollars in a contested case.
The rule works in both directions. If you make a 998 offer that the defendant rejects, and you then win more at trial, the court may order the defendant to pay your expert fees. It may also award interest at 10 percent per year under Civil Code section 3291. A 998 offer usually stays open for 30 days, so it deserves careful discussion with your attorney before the deadline.
How long does a personal injury lawsuit take?
There’s no fixed timeline, but California sets an outer limit. Code of Civil Procedure section 583.310 generally requires a case to be brought to trial within five years of filing, or the court must dismiss it. Most cases resolve well before then. Straightforward claims with clear fault often settle within months of the injured person finishing treatment, since that is when the full cost of the injury becomes clear. Cases with disputed liability, multiple defendants, or long-term injuries tend to take longer because they require more discovery and expert work.
How do you choose an injury attorney?
Choose a lawyer who explains each stage clearly, tells you who will handle your case, and gives a realistic view of its value instead of promises. California Business and Professions Code section 6147 requires contingency agreements to be in writing, so ask whether the fee percentage changes if a lawsuit is filed and how costs are handled. Bring your records and any insurer letters to the first meeting.
If you were injured in San Mateo or anywhere on the Peninsula, contact Bay Area Injury Law Firm to schedule a consultation with Joseph Chan, Esq. and learn what comes next.