At Caputo & Van Der Walde LLP, we fight for what matters most – your best interests. We’re prepared to guide you toward justice and take your fight as far as it needs to go.
San Jose Personal Injury Lawyers
We Have Served San Jose for Almost 25 Years
Caputo & Van Der Walde LLP is an established and well-respected personal injury law firm serving San Jose, Campbell, and all surrounding areas in Santa Clara County. With over 85 years of collective legal experience, our dedicated San Jose personal injury attorneys fight to protect the rights of individuals who have been seriously injured by the negligent acts of others in car accidents and truck accidents, and more.
Our top-rated firm is consistently recognized for excellence by our clients and the legal industry. Partners have been awarded the prestigious California Trial Lawyer of the Year honor by the Consumer Attorneys of California, called the Santa Clara County Trial Lawyer of the Year, recognized in the top 100 attorneys in California by the American Society of Legal Advocates, selected for the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum®, and are AV Preeminent® rated by Martindale-Hubbell® for the highest ethical standards and “a testament to the fact that a lawyer’s peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional excellence."
Don't wait to get help. Call the experienced legal team at Caputo & Van Der Walde LLP for your free case review today: (800) 900-0863.
What Sets Us Apart?
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A Supportive Team on Your Side
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Included in Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
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Perfect 10/10 Superb Rating on Avvo
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You Do Not Pay Unless We Win Your Case
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All Initial Case Reviews Are Free of Charge
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Legal Services Available in Spanish
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Tens of Millions of Dollars Recovered for Our Clients
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Over 85 Years of Combined Legal Experience
When you hire us, you get all of us. Every attorney, every staff member, and all of our resources. We will stand with you during this incredibly difficult time and help you get through this.
A Track Record of Success
Millions Recovered for Our Clients
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Wrongful Death Skydiving Accident $40,030,000
Attorney Paul Van Der Walde recovered a total of $40,030,000 in compensation for a couple bereft of their 18-year-old son in a tandem skydiving accident.
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School Bus vs. Pedestrian Accident $8,825,000
School bus vs. pedestrian accident resulting in traumatic brain injury.
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Train Maintenance Vehicle vs. Auto $7,411,492
Caputo & Van Der Walde recieved a jury verdict in the amount of $7,411,492 for a surviving widow, who lost her husband when his pickup truck was involved in a collision with an on-track maintence of way vehicle.
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3rd-Degree Burns During a Pedicure $7,291,986
Paul Caputo received a $7,291,985.58 decision for Plaintiff in a case where a client received severe 3rd-degree burns during a pedicure, resulting in the need for numerous skin grafting procedures.
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Paraplegia from Defective Seat $5,650,000
Product liability case involving a defective seat design that resulted in paraplegia.
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Pick-up Truck vs. Pedestrian Accident $4,250,000
Pedestrian crossing a four-lane street in the crosswalk, hit by a full-size pick-up truck. Injuries included a left knee dislocation with complete tears of all ligaments and requiring surgery, right scaphoid fracture requiring surgery, right shoulder AC joint separation with clavicle fracture and PTSD.
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Auto vs. Bicycle Accident $4,000,000
Bicycle rider attempted to maneuver to his left, around a recessed manhole in the bike lane, and was struck by a vehicle that was driving too closely to the bike lane. Significant injuries included tramautic brain injury, skull fracture, and permanent brain damage.
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Big Rig vs. Auto Accident $3,000,000
Big rig vs. auto accident resulting in wrongful death.
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Physical Abuse $3,000,000
Child protective services failed to adequately protect young child from physically abusive foster parents.
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Civil Rights Case $3,000,000
Civil rights case involving excessive force by law enforcement.
Awards & Associations
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Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
The Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum are among the most prestigious groups of trial lawyers in the United States. Membership is limited to attorneys who have won million and multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements. Less than 1% of lawyers in the United States are members.
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Super Lawyers
(2005 - 2021)Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from over 70 fields of law, all of whom must demonstrate a high level of peer recognition and professional achievement. The selection process includes independent research, peer nominations, and peer evaluations.
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Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent®
This is the highest peer rating standard that Martindale-Hubbell® awards. This designation is awarded to attorneys who are rated at the highest level of professional excellence for their legal expertise, communication skills, and ethical standards.
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Better Business Bureau A+ Rated
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) awards ratings based on their degree of confidence that a business operates in a trustworthy manner and will make a good faith effort to resolve any client complaints.
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Avvo 10.0 "Superb" Rating
The Avvo Superb rating is the highest evaluation given by the attorney rating agency, which has ratings, reviews, and disciplinary records for lawyers in every state.
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American Board of Trial Advocates
Membership in the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) is by invitation only. To qualify, a trial lawyer must demonstrate high personal character and honorable reputation, as well as meet other strict requirements. An applicant must also be a member of the Bar of the State in which he or she practices.
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Million Dollar Advocates Forum
The Million Dollar Advocates Forum is one of the most prestigious groups of trial lawyers in the United States. Membership is limited to attorneys who have won million-dollar verdicts and settlements. Less than 1% of lawyers in the United States are members.
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Consumer Attorneys of California
Consumer Attorneys of California is an organization of over 3,000 attorneys who represent individuals who have been injured, cheated or otherwise harmed through no fault of their own.
OUR PRACTICE AREAS
Our Firm is Equipped to Handle a Wide Variety of Injury Claims
Highly Rated & Reviewed
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Got Us a Very Good Settlement
“Our lawyer and his entire staff were extremely approachable and effective in getting a very good settlement from my own insurance company's under-insured motorist coverage. Our lawyer guided my husband and me through the process.”
- Chris G. -
Excellent Help in Times of Need
“Paul has a great understanding of people's rights and drives to obtain all that is due to you. He listens and answers questions that anyone could understand without legalize. I contacted him through the recommendation of a friend.”
- Gary G. -
Paul and His Team Would Do Whatever It Took to Help Us
“We are so grateful we found Paul Van Der Walde! From the very beginning, it was clear Paul and his team would do whatever it took to help us. We're thrilled with the case result, but more importantly, we're thankful they believed in us.”
- Catherine W.
Frequently Asked questions
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What is a personal injury attorney and what can one do for you?
A personal injury lawyer helps people who have been injured in automobile accidents, defective product injuries, slip and fall accidents, animal attacks, or any other type of injury situation. You may have heard the term “personal injury attorney” thrown about in conversation, especially after being injured in an accident, but not many people take the time to explain how going to a lawyer works. Personal injury law is also about helping people receive monetary compensation for injuries they suffered due to the negligence of another person. However, people can be injured in many ways. Under California personal injury law, the only time that anyone is entitled to compensation for an injury is when somebody else's negligence or intentional acts caused that injury. Your injury lawyer will investigate all necessary factors of your case, the four most important of which are negligence, causation, damages, and money.
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What should I look for in a personal injury lawyer?
It is extremely important that you hire a personal injury lawyer with experience and a lengthy track record of verdicts, settlements, and judgments. Personal injury law is complex, and you want a lawyer who knows the nuances and can advocate for your needs under the law. You also want to work with a lawyer who is comfortable going to trial rather than one who settles every case, because sometimes there is no coming to an agreement with a stingy insurance company. Ask an attorney how far they go to fight for clients in your free consultation.What should I look for in a personal injury lawyer?
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Can I settle my personal injury case now and still receive money later for medical bills and lost wages I incur after I settle?
In almost every California personal injury case, the answer to this question is no. Settlements in personal injury cases are almost always a one-time deal, in part because insurance companies have an obligation to their insured. The at-fault individual does not want to have to pay more for the same accident in the future, so it’s in the insurer’s best interest to make a full payment now. As an injured person, you can expect the insurance company will make certain that you sign a "release" before they give you any type of compensation. This means signing away any legal right to receive more money in the future. Therefore, you must make sure that any settlement includes money for anticipated future medical care, as well as loss of future wages. Also, you should never sign any document that comes with your settlement before consulting with a lawyer. We do not want you to end up with bills to pay and nowhere to turn.
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How much does it cost to hire a personal injury lawyer?
At Caputo & Van Der Walde LLP, our personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis to ensure people have access to our services in the event of a serious accident or injury. Unlike other professionals, we never ask for payment upfront and out of pocket.
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What is a contingency fee?
A contingency fee is a financial situation that allows you to retain the best personal injury lawyer you can find without spending money out of your own pocket. It means our fee is contingent upon our success with your case. When you work with a lawyer using a typical fee agreement (NOT a contingency fee) you have to pay for every hour that the attorney works, as well as the hours of work completed by their staff members, no matter how the case turns out. By contrast, the money that our injury lawyers have earned is the result of hard work and successful conclusions to our clients' cases. A contingency fee also ensures the personal injury attorney cares about getting the best settlement for their client because they are paid accordingly to the amount they recover.
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So how does a lawyer get paid with a contingency fee arrangement?
If our lawyers do not prevail, you will pay us no fee. However, when we win cases, our lawyers are compensated pursuant to a pre-arranged percentage of your settlement or verdict, which is typically 33% to 40% and depends on when and how the case resolves. You will always know our fee rates before you start working with us.
