5 Top Personal Injury Attorneys in Los Angeles (Who Can Win)

There are many personal injury lawyers and firms in Los Angeles and throughout Southern California and this can make it difficult for a plaintiff to know who to call, and more importantly which attorney to choose.

Most of the “best of” attorney lists and ratings you see online are paid advertisements, and are similar to billboards on the side of the road–can you truly trust them? Also, many law firms have satellite offices throughout California, but the firm’s partners and their actual attorneys may not live in the LA area.

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Who Are The Top Personal Injury Lawyers and Law Firms in Los Angeles to Contact?

Here are the 5 top-rated firms and practitioners in the area that we picked, updated according to 2024 evidence:

1. Derek Pakiz – The Reeves Law Group

2. The L.A. Law Firm

3. Peter Hsiao – California Workers’ Compensation Lawyers

4. Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP

5. Dog Bite Law Group (Montevideo Law, PC)

Our Reasons For Endorsing Other Plaintiff’s Firms

As a well-established law firm, we understand the importance of choosing the right lawyer for your injury case. We’ve written a transparent and informative guide that can genuinely assist those in need, and help them choose legal counsel that’s best for them.

Despite our firm’s active participation in the Los Angeles legal market, our commitment extends beyond serving our own interests, aiming to ensure that potential clients are equipped with the knowledge to make an informed decision and best achieve justice–even if it’s not with us.

As such, we’ve compiled a list of the 5 highly-rated personal injury attorneys in the LA area for you that we can wholeheartedly endorse.

1. Derek Pakiz – The Reeves Law Group

derek pakiz los angeles in suit green backgroun For more than 30 years, personal injury attorney Derek Pakiz has been the litigation supervisor and lead trial attorney for The Reeves Law Group in Los Angeles.

Some of his accomplishments include winning a landmark brain injury case worth $32.5 million, a wrongful death with an $11 million verdict, a motorcycle accident at $3 million, a car accident with $12 million, a $3.25 million dollar drowning case, and many others.

Derek is a State Bar-recognized civil trial specialist, the first and only one in more than 250,000 attorneys in California to be certified in both Civil Trial and Truck Accident law. He is also the only California attorney featured in Newsweek’s “10 Best Personal Injury Attorneys” in the USA.

Derek also holds a Diplomate Accreditation from the American Association for Justice, a distinction currently held by only about 100 attorneys in the Country.

His Avvo Lawyer Rating is 10/10 (Superb).

Derek earned his undergraduate degree at UCLA and his Doctorate in Law at Loyola Law School.

Have you suffered a personal injury in Los Angeles? Contact The Reeves Law Group 24/7 for a free consultation with the blue quick-response secure form below:

2. The L.A. Law Firm

Website – Phone number: (866) 383-1462

It’s rare to see a law firm with a perfect 5/5 aggregate rating on Google, Facebook and especially Yelp. The L.A. Law firm, helmed by Luis Avila, is a dedicated firm specializing in car accidents and rideshare accidents.

Since 1986, Mr. Avila has litigated hundreds of cases with many favorable results, some of which you can verify on their website’s pictures (over a half-dozen photos of real-life car accident clients along with the compensation they received).

Mr. Avila is licensed to practice in both Texas and California, and is a member of the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC), the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives (NOSSCR), and the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association (OCTLA).

We are happy to recommend Luis Avila and the L.A. Law Firm as a trusted and top rated plaintiff’s law firm in Los Angeles.

3. Peter Hsiao – California Workers’ Compensation Lawyers

Website – Phone number: (323) 522-1152

Peter Hsiao has been awarded “Best Workers Compensation Attorney” throughout many cities in LA county by Expertise.com, and named a Super Lawyers Rising star. He has a 4.6 star rating on Google, and has won many difficult work injury cases which can be verified on the firm’s website.

Peter specializes in workers’ compensation law, offering advocacy for individuals navigating claims, appeals, and benefit issues. With a deep understanding of high-risk professions—from construction to healthcare—Attorney Hsiao skillfully represents clients with injuries ranging from brain and spinal cord to repetitive stress injuries and occupational diseases.

A graduate of Whittier Law School, his legal acumen is matched by his dedication to securing justice for workers facing delayed or denied compensation. His placement is worthy on this list.

4. Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP

Website – Phone number: (310) 477-1700

Panish | Shea | Ravipudi are nationally acclaimed for their legal excellence by peers, organizations, and publications, earning a “Tier 1” ranking from U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers® for Plaintiffs Personal Injury Litigation, and recognition among the top 12 Plaintiff’s law firms by the National Law Journal.

They specialize in challenging large corporations and government bodies responsible for their client’s injuries, such a $14.5 million dollar case against an auto manufacturer in a car accident, a $6.1 million dollar case against a parachute manufacturer for a wrongful death, $5 million in an aviation crash, and many more.

It was very easy to include this firm, and to provide the highest commendations.

5. Dog Bite Law Group (Montevideo Law, PC)

Website – Phone number: (310) 504-1444

John Michael Montevideo is a distinguished trial attorney and founder of Dog Bite Law Group, specializing in dog bite and attack cases. His practice is dedicated to protecting victims’ rights, with a focus on children and families.

He has achieved significant verdicts and settlements, including five to eight-figure amounts. Admitted to practice in California and the District of Columbia, his accolades include a member of the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyers in CA, being a finalist for the CAOC Street Fighter of the Year Award, inclusion in the Super Lawyer Rising Star list for five consecutive years, and recognition as a Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyer in CA. Montevideo is also an active member of various legal associations and a graduate of Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyers College.

Some Pointers on How You Can Make a Great Choice In Who You Work With

Below are the 15 most important attributes you should consider when deciding what constitutes a top personal injury lawyer or law firm.

– Experience – An attorney with extensive experience in personal injury law and a track record of handling cases similar to yours.
– Specialization – Lawyers who specialize in personal injury law are likely to have more insight and expertise in handling complex cases.
– Reputation – A lawyer with a strong reputation among peers, past clients, and in the legal community can be a significant advantage.
– Client Reviews/Testimonials – Positive feedback from past clients can provide insights into the attorney’s success rate and client satisfaction.
– Communication Skills – Your attorney should be easy to talk to, willing to explain complex legal terms in simple language, and keep you informed about your case’s progress.
– Availability – They should be readily available to meet with you, answer your calls, and respond to your emails in a timely manner.
– Empathy – A lawyer who demonstrates understanding and empathy towards your situation will likely be more committed to your case.
– Ethics and Integrity – An ethical lawyer will handle your case with honesty and integrity, following all legal guidelines and standards.
– Negotiation Skills – A significant portion of personal injury claims are settled out of court, so strong negotiation skills are essential.
– Trial Experience – If your case goes to trial, you’ll want a lawyer with successful courtroom experience.
– Analytical Skills – The ability to analyze complex legal and factual scenarios is critical for building a strong case.
– Professional Resources – A well-connected attorney with access to medical experts, investigators, and other professionals can strengthen your case.
– Fee Structure – Understanding how the attorney charges (contingency fee, hourly rate, etc.) is crucial. Look for transparency and fairness in billing practices.
– Case Management – Inquire about who will be managing your case to ensure you’re comfortable with the level of attention your case will receive.
– Realistic Perspective – A good attorney will not make unrealistic promises about the outcome of your case but will offer a realistic perspective on what to expect.

Financial Resources

If you have a serious personal injury case, it’s critical that you contact an experienced injury law firm of integrity that will not only try their best to win your case, but one that has the financial resources and will not be afraid to go to trial if the insurance is trying to settle for a fraction of the maximum compensation available.

This means that the firm should have a published track record of winning cases worth at least $1 million or more. Catastrophic personal injury cases can cost in excess of $100,000.00 for the law firm to bring through trial. Few lawyers have the financial resources to employ all needed experts and to pay for all necessary costs of litigation for your successful outcome.

Practice Areas via Client Reviews and Testimonials

Public reviews such as Google and Yelp Reviews from past clients can indicate what types of practice areas a law firm actually works with and what type of cases they have the most experience with.

Note: we’d be wary of a lawyer with thousands of perfect 5 star reviews on Google and Facebook, since the vast majority of injury lawyers in Los Angeles only have up to several hundred at the most. A firm with a very good rating on Google should also have a similarly high aggregate rating on Yelp as Yelp vets their reviews more thoroughly.

Our Methodology

When searching for the representation, many prospective clients turn to the internet as their primary resource. This digital exploration typically yields numerous directories and lists purporting to rank the top personal injury attorneys in the area. However, it’s crucial for individuals to approach these resources with a discerning eye. A significant portion of these rankings are influenced not by the lawyers’ expertise or client outcomes but rather by the financial contributions made by the attorneys to secure a favorable position on these lists. This method of ranking can lead to misleading representations of attorneys’ capabilities and experiences.

In crafting this guide, we prioritize integrity and genuine recommendations over pay-for-play listings. We believe in highlighting personal injury lawyers based on their legal acumen, track record of success, client testimonials, and contributions to the legal community. This approach ensures that individuals looking for legal representation in personal injury cases can identify lawyers who are not only highly skilled and experienced but also best suited to meet their specific needs.

Our aim is to facilitate an informed choice, enabling you to select a personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles with confidence. By focusing on substantive criteria such as expertise, client satisfaction, and ethical practice, we hope to direct you toward legal representation that will advocate fervently on your behalf, ensuring your rights are protected and your case is handled with the utmost care and professionalism.