Campbell Office
51 East Campbell Avenue Suite 120 Campbell, CA 95008
Caputo & Van Der Walde llp
Local Personal Injury and Accident Attorneys
Get A Free Case Evaluation
When you or someone you love suffers a life-changing injury, it’s more than just a legal matter. It’s your entire life that’s been disrupted. At Caputo & Van Der Walde, our attorneys understand what’s at stake. Contact us to speak with a Campbell personal injury lawyer today.
Founded by Paul Caputo and Paul Van Der Walde, our personal injury law firm was built on a shared belief: that seriously injured people deserve personalized care, exceptional legal representation, and fierce advocacy from a team that will do whatever it takes. Our Campbell personal injury attorneys bring nearly 70 years of combined legal experience, and we focus exclusively on catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases.
Today, Caputo & Van Der Walde is one of the most respected firms in the Bay Area, recognized not just for results, but for the integrity and care we bring to every personal injury case. We are committed to our clients and fighting for the justice they deserve.
At our law offices, our Campbell personal injury lawyers focus our practice solely on catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases. These are not routine claims. They involve profound loss, long-term medical treatment, and the need for substantial compensation to cover the road ahead.
Our attorneys represent individuals and families in Campbell who have been affected by the most serious and devastating events, including:
These injuries often result from:
When you’ve suffered a catastrophic injury, your life doesn’t just pause — it changes, sometimes permanently. Medical bills pile up. Work may no longer be possible. Your relationships, your independence, and your sense of normalcy may all be disrupted. The physical and emotional pain can be compounded by fear and uncertainty about what comes next.
Insurance companies are well aware of this. And often, their first move is to offer a fast, lowball settlement, hoping you’ll accept it before fully understanding the long-term costs of your injuries. At Caputo & Van Der Walde, our Campbell personal injury lawyers are here to make sure you don’t have to navigate that fight alone, and that you’re never pressured into settling for less than you deserve.
At our Campbell personal injury law firm, we know how much is on the line. That’s why our attorneys dig deep into every aspect of your case, working with medical experts, financial specialists, accident reconstruction professionals, and life care planners to ensure your claim reflects the true scope of your loss, not just today, but for the rest of your life.
When we take on your case, our goal is clear: to help you reclaim your future by securing maximum compensation. Depending on your circumstances, that may include damages for:
Our firm doesn’t chase quick settlements or high case volume. We focus on select, high-stakes cases involving catastrophic injury or loss. This allows us to give every client the time, attention, and legal experience their case demands.
When our Campbell personal injury lawyers represent you, we go all in because we understand this is more than a legal case. It’s your health, your family, and your future on the line. Our attorneys take that responsibility seriously.
At Caputo & Van Der Walde, our Campbell personal injury attorneys don’t just handle personal injury cases — we serve people. We know that behind every case file is a life that has been turned upside down. A family that is hurting. A future that suddenly feels uncertain. That’s why we take a deeply personal approach to every personal injury client relationship.
From the moment you reach out to our Campbell law firm, you’ll notice the difference. You’re not pushed through a generic intake process or passed off to someone unfamiliar with your story. You’ll speak directly with an experienced Campbell personal injury lawyer who is ready to listen, answer your questions, and give you honest, straightforward guidance.
When you hire us, you become more than just a client — you become part of a team that’s fully invested in your recovery. Here’s what you can expect:
We take immense pride in the difference we make in people’s lives. When we help a client secure the compensation they need, we’re not just winning a case — we’re helping them gain access to medical care, rebuild their future, and regain a sense of control. That’s what drives us. That’s why we do what we do. Because here, you’re never just another case. You’re someone who matters.
The personal injury claims process in California can look a bit different from one case to the next because every case is unique. However, the overall process will look relatively similar in all cases.
The personal injury claims process will typically involve these steps in some form:
In order to prove that you weren’t at fault, our law firm will employ a variety of strategies. This evidence is key to proving the other party is liable for your personal injury. Some types of evidence include:
Medical records are essential evidence in personal injury cases. They can provide detailed information about the extent of your injuries, the treatments you’ve received, and the costs associated with your medical care. Medical records can also be used to demonstrate the long-term impact of your injuries, such as the need for ongoing medical treatment or a reduced quality of life.
Physical evidence refers to any tangible items that can be used to support a personal injury claim. This might include accident scene photographs, video footage, police reports, medical records, or expert reports. Physical evidence can help establish the severity of the injuries, the extent of property damage, or the conditions that led to the accident. For example, if you were injured in a car accident, physical evidence might include photographs of the damage to the vehicles, skid marks on the road, or debris from the accident scene.
One of the most powerful types of evidence in a personal injury case is eyewitness testimony. Eyewitnesses who saw the accident or injury occur can provide an account of what happened. Their testimony can be used to establish the cause of the accident, who was at fault, and the severity of the injuries sustained. Eyewitness testimony can be particularly effective in cases where liability is disputed or there are conflicting accounts of what happened.
Video evidence can capture the accident itself or the immediate aftermath. This can provide an accurate and reliable record of the events that led to the accident and subsequent injury. This can be especially useful in cases where there are conflicting accounts of what happened or liability is disputed. Video footage can provide a clear and objective record of the accident, which can help establish liability and determine the cause of the injury.
Police reports can be an important source of evidence in a personal injury case. The police report will contain details of the accident, including the date and time, location, and names of those involved. It will also contain statements from the parties involved, witnesses, and the police officer who responded to the scene. The report can provide valuable information about the cause of the accident, the extent of the injuries sustained, and who was at fault.
In addition to these methods, your Campbell personal injury attorney will use valuable sources of evidence that can help establish liability and support the injured party’s claim for compensation.
The claimant is the person who has been injured or wronged and wants to use legal action to seek a remedy. In a personal injury claim, the remedy will specifically be monetary compensation. After the claimant has filed a Complaint in court, he/she is then known as the “Plaintiff.”
The defendant in a personal injury claim is the party that has been accused of harming the claimant, and who will be expected to provide the remedy to the claimant depending on how the case resolves.
In legal terms, negligence occurs when someone acts, or fails to act, in a way that another reasonable person would or would not have acted in the same situation . For example, a person who is speeding and fails to stop in time thereby crashing into another car is negligent because a reasonable person would not drive his or her car in that manner.
Liability is the legal form of “fault” or “blame” for an accident or incident. The claimant will attempt to prove that the defendant is liable for the harm that has occurred and, therefore, should be held accountable for the losses or damages incurred.
Damages in a personal injury claim is a type of harm or loss that the claimant has suffered. For example, a claimant can seek “economic” damages that pay for things such as past and future medical costs and lost wages. “Non-economic” damages relate to losses for “human loss” like pain, suffering, mental and emotional distress, and hardship.
The statute of limitations is the amount of time that a claimant has to file a claim against a defendant for an accident or loss. In California, the standard statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years beginning on the date of the accident. When a statute of limitations expires, the court will most likely reject any claim filed thereafter.
During your free consultation, we will:
Whether you’re dealing with a car accident, catastrophic injury, wrongful death, or another life-altering event, you’ll speak directly with a real attorney, not a call center or intake coordinator.
A Campbell personal injury attorney from Caputo & Van Der Walde can help you in many different ways. We are here to take care of the entire legal process on your behalf, so you don’t have to feel overwhelmed by legalities and regulations. We are also here to provide moral support and put your worries at ease. We view our roles as personal injury lawyers as truly comprehensive in this way.
You can represent yourself in a personal injury case in California, but it is not recommended. Even defense firms will advise you to seek the help of a plaintiff injury lawyer. The law is highly technical, and there could be a significant amount of compensation in question for your claim. Don’t risk something so important by trying to handle the case alone.
Personal injury cases in Campbell involve local courts, judges, insurance defense teams, etc. It makes sense to find a local attorney who is familiar with these local parties and respected by them, too. A local lawyer will know what to expect as the case progresses, which can bring an immediate advantage.
At Caputo & Van Der Walde, we work on a contingency fee basis, meaning that we don’t charge you anything upfront when we take on your injury case, and you owe us nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
If a personal injury claim needs to be filed because a demand letter and subsequent negotiations proved unsuccessful, then the case will go to court. Whether a case goes to trial, though, is a different question. Most personal injury lawsuits can be resolved before a courtroom trial becomes necessary. Yet there is no way to guarantee that a case can avoid trial. In order to maximize your recovery pre-trial, our personal injury lawyers prepare cases to go to trial – and the insurance companies know this.
Every personal injury case has a worth or value that is unique to it. For this reason, it is difficult to estimate how much a case is worth upfront. It is highly recommended that you be very wary of any law firm that promises that your case is worth a specific amount during an initial consultation.
When you speak with one of our team members, they'll inform you of the documentation we need to assess your claim. In general, this will include documents such as medical records and billings, crash reports, insurance information, police statements, photos, and witness information. With more information up front, we can better determine if your claim is legally sound and should be pursued.
As members of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum® and the Million Dollar Advocates Forum®, we have proven our ability to negotiate and litigate on behalf of our clients successfully. Retain us to put our tactical strategies to work for you. These skills are what make our legal team such a formidable opponent in any courtroom or negotiation setting.