Berkeley’s injury cases often involve people walking or biking: a student struck in a Telegraph Avenue crosswalk, a rider doored on a bike boulevard, or a resident who trips on a lifted sidewalk slab near Shattuck. Each of these claims runs on strict filing deadlines. This guide lists five firms that represent injured people in Berkeley and the wider East Bay, beginning with Bay Area Injury Law Firm, and then explains the California rules that matter most for local cases.
Which personal injury firms serve Berkeley residents?
These five practices handle injury claims for people in Berkeley and nearby Alameda County communities:
- Bay Area Injury Law Firm
- Frank Penney Injury Lawyers
- Karns & Karns Personal Injury and Accident Attorneys
- The Law Offices of David G. Smith
- Thomas J. Kaster
What does each firm offer Berkeley clients?
1. Bay Area Injury Law Firm
Bay Area Injury Law Firm is a personal injury practice founded and led by principal attorney Joseph Chan, Esq., a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis. The office is in Daly City. Because California attorneys are licensed statewide, the firm can take cases arising in Berkeley and throughout Alameda County.
Many of the firm’s practice areas match the way Berkeley residents actually get hurt. It represents pedestrians and cyclists injured by vehicles, people hit by rideshare and food-delivery drivers, and victims of dog bites. It also handles car, truck, and motorcycle collisions, burn injuries, and catastrophic injuries. A catastrophic injury is one serious enough to permanently limit a person’s ability to work or live independently.
The firm helps clients get appropriate medical care early, so treatment and the records that document the injury develop together. Cases are handled on contingency, which means no attorney fee is charged unless money is recovered. The office staff speak Cantonese and Burmese.
2. Frank Penney Injury Lawyers
Frank Penney Injury Lawyers is an injury firm serving Oakland and the East Bay, including Alameda County.
3. Karns & Karns Personal Injury and Accident Attorneys
Karns & Karns is a personal injury firm with offices in the East Bay, including Oakland and Concord.
4. The Law Offices of David G. Smith
The Law Offices of David G. Smith is an Oakland practice that handles personal injury cases.
5. Thomas J. Kaster
Thomas J. Kaster is a personal injury attorney serving Alameda County.
Who is at fault when a pedestrian is hit in a Berkeley crosswalk?
In most cases the driver bears primary responsibility. California Vehicle Code section 21950 requires drivers to yield to pedestrians in marked and unmarked crosswalks. An unmarked crosswalk is the implied extension of a sidewalk across an intersection, even without painted lines. Pedestrians still have a duty to use reasonable care. Since the Freedom to Walk Act took effect in 2023, crossing mid-block is generally no longer a ticketable offense unless it creates an immediate danger. An insurer may still argue shared fault, which under California’s comparative negligence rule reduces an award without eliminating it.
Can you file a claim against the city for a sidewalk fall?
Yes, if the fall was caused by a dangerous condition of public property. Government Code section 835 allows these claims when the defect created a substantial risk of injury and the public entity either caused it or knew about it long enough to fix it. The deadline is short. A written claim generally must be filed within six months under Government Code section 911.2. That rule applies to the City of Berkeley, AC Transit, BART, and the Regents of the University of California, which owns the UC Berkeley campus. Photograph the spot where you fell right away, with something in the frame to show scale.
What happens if the driver who hit you had no insurance?
Your own uninsured motorist coverage may pay. That coverage protects you when the at-fault driver has no policy, and its underinsured counterpart applies when the driver’s limits are too low. These claims have their own deadline. Under Insurance Code section 11580.2(i), you generally must do one of three things within two years of the accident: file a lawsuit against the uninsured driver, reach an agreement with your insurer, or formally demand arbitration. Many people assume their own carrier will simply pay and let this window close.
What evidence should you collect after being injured?
Start with what can disappear. Businesses and apartment buildings along busy Berkeley corridors often run cameras that automatically record over old footage, sometimes within days, so request copies quickly. Get the names and contact information of witnesses, keep every medical bill and visit summary, and hold on to damaged property such as a bike or helmet. Avoid giving a recorded statement to the other side’s insurer until you understand your rights.
How should you choose an injury attorney?
Pick a lawyer who explains your deadlines clearly, tells you who will handle your file, and gives a realistic view of the case instead of promises. Ask for the written fee agreement required by Business and Professions Code section 6147, and ask how costs are deducted. The best starting point is an honest conversation about what happened and what comes next.
If you were hurt in Berkeley or elsewhere in the East Bay, contact Bay Area Injury Law Firm to schedule a consultation with Joseph Chan, Esq.
