With over 65 years of combined experience fighting for the rights of injury victims, our legal team has earned recognition among California’s Top 100 Attorneys. We’re dedicated to helping clients recover physically, emotionally, and financially while providing them with the consistent care and attention they deserve. Contact us for a free consultation with a San Jose personal injury lawyer today.
A serious accident resulting in personal injury, whether caused by a car crash, a fall, a workplace injury, or another act of negligence, can turn your life upside down in a moment. You may be left facing physical pain, emotional trauma, mounting medical bills, and uncertainty about your future. During these challenging times, you need more than just legal advice; you need a team of experienced legal professionals dedicated to standing up for your rights.
At Caputo & Van Der Walde, our personal injury attorneys are committed to helping injury victims and their families throughout San Jose and the surrounding communities. Our firm focuses exclusively on personal injury and wrongful death matters and will dedicate all necessary resources to building the strongest case on your behalf.
In California, personal injury claims are governed by strict deadlines. Typically, you have two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit, and in wrongful death cases, two years from the date of death. However, certain factors, such as the age of the injured person or the involvement of a public entity, can change these timelines, sometimes significantly.
Time is critical. The sooner you contact a personal injury lawyer, the more effectively they can gather crucial evidence, speak with witnesses, and build the strongest case on your behalf. Waiting too long can result in lost evidence, fading memories, and reduced chances of success. Reaching out early can make all the difference in protecting your rights and securing the compensation you need.
Our firm is proud to call California home. With offices in San Jose and Campbell, we’re always close by and ready to help when you need us most. Our firm is led by accomplished litigators with decades of experience, and built on a foundation of integrity, legal excellence, and an unwavering commitment to client care. With over 65 years of combined experience, our attorneys are recognized both locally and nationally for their achievements in and out of the courtroom.
At Caputo & Van Der Walde, we believe that financial concerns should never stand in the way of justice. That’s why we work on a contingency fee basis, which means you don’t pay us unless we win your case. There are no upfront costs, no hourly fees, and no surprises. Our payment comes as a percentage of your recovery, so if there’s no recovery, there’s no fee, period. This approach allows you to pursue your case with confidence, knowing our interests are fully aligned with yours.
Unlike general practice law firms, we focus exclusively on personal injury and wrongful death cases. These cases demand significant time, attention, and resources, which is why we concentrate on this specialty. Our clients aren’t just case numbers, they are individuals whose lives have been profoundly affected by negligence. Whether you’ve suffered a brain injury, spinal cord damage, or lost a loved one to a preventable tragedy, we will fight relentlessly to achieve justice on your behalf.
When you choose Caputo & Van Der Walde for your personal injury case, you get more than representation you get a direct connection to your attorney. We don’t leave you wondering about the progress of your claim. You’ll receive regular updates, honest answers, and an advocate who truly listens. Our injury lawyers’ personalized, hands-on approach ensures you feel supported from day one through resolution.
At Caputo & Van Der Walde, we are more than negotiators—we are experienced trial attorneys who are fully prepared to take your case to court when justice demands it. While many law firms prefer quick settlements, we understand that some cases require litigation to secure full and fair compensation.
Insurance companies know who we are. They know we don't back down, and they recognize that we approach every personal injury claim with the assumption it could go before a jury. This strategic mindset strengthens our bargaining position and often results in significantly higher settlement offers for our clients. When insurers know they're up against seasoned litigators, they take your claim much more seriously.
Our team has recovered millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for individuals and families impacted by catastrophic injuries and life-changing events. These results aren’t by chance—they are the product of meticulous preparation, expert analysis, and unwavering dedication to our clients.
Regardless of the nature of your injury, we approach every personal injury case with the same core principles: thorough investigation, aggressive advocacy, and personalized support. Our firm accepts a limited number of cases to ensure that every client receives our full attention, dedication, and legal knowledge.
If you or a loved one has suffered a life-altering injury caused by negligence, don’t settle for a firm that treats your case like a number. Let us provide the focused, experienced representation you deserve.
Complex personal injury claims require more than legal knowledge—they demand strategic preparation and deep resources. We collaborate with:
We conduct thorough investigations, gather compelling evidence, and develop a case strategy tailored to maximize your recovery.
If you've been injured in an accident due to someone else’s carelessness in San Jose, taking the proper steps can protect your health and your legal rights:
The state of California allows plaintiffs to seek compensation for injuries caused by someone else’s negligence. Depending on your injuries and the circumstances of the accident, you may be entitled to recover:
These represent the financial costs associated with an accident. Economic damages include the cost of past and future medical treatments, lost wages, property damage, etc. In a wrongful death claim, economic damages will also include funeral expenses and the future lost income of the decedent.
While economic damages reimburse plaintiffs for their financial losses, non-economic damages address the intangible costs of an accident, such as physical pain, emotional distress, inconvenience, loss of life quality, etc. Personal injury lawyers also refer to non-economic damages as “pain and suffering.” In wrongful death cases, general damages consist of your loss of love, comfort, companionship, and support from your loved one.
While economic and non-economic damages are compensatory in nature, the court may award punitive damages in personal injury lawsuits to penalize the parties responsible for reckless or intentional behavior. For example, if an investigation discovers that a negligent driver was drunk at the time of an accident, the court may award punitive damages for this reckless conduct in addition to compensatory damages.
Our San Jose personal injury lawyers will review all aspects of your claim. Once we’ve reviewed all of the important evidence and have established that your injuries were caused by someone else’s carelessness, we will be able to help determine full and fair compensation for your losses. Contact us for a free consultation with an injury attorney who fully understands your plight.
The following are the questions that accident victims ask when they sit down with our legal team. For specific information about your case, you can contact our law firm to talk to one of our San Jose personal injury lawyers without paying legal fees.
While we often file lawsuits on behalf of our personal injury clients, the majority of cases do not result in trial but rather are resolved during the litigation and the many opportunities for settlement presented during this process. However, if, during negotiations, or litigation, our San Jose personal injury attorneys are unable to reach a fair settlement with the insurance company, we always prepare for trial as it is the best way to get a fair settlement.
San Jose area personal injury law firms like ours represent clients on a contingency basis. That means that instead of charging a retainer and working against that amount, we waive our fees until the end of the case. When you receive a settlement or court award, we receive a portion of those proceeds. In most cases, the proceeds of the case are substantial enough to cover the contingency fees. If our accident attorneys don’t win, we do not receive payment.
California typically allows two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. In wrongful death cases, the statute of limitations expires two years from the date of death. These Statutes of limitation are also affected by the claimant’s age and whether one of the defendants is a public entity. In these cases, the time may be longer or shorter than the typical two-year statutory period.
No. Unlike other states, California does not cap damages in personal injury cases other than medical malpractice actions. After collecting evidence and assessing your case, your San Jose attorney will prepare a demand for settlement based upon your economic and non-economic damages based upon our experience and which have previously paid on insurance claims for similar injuries.
If you or someone you love has suffered a serious injury due to someone else’s negligence in San Jose, don’t wait to seek legal help. The sooner you act after your accident, the stronger your personal injury case may be.
At Caputo & Van Der Walde, our trusted personal injury lawyers offer:
Let a San Jose personal injury lawyer at Caputo & Van Der Walde take the legal burden off your shoulders while you focus on healing. Call now or complete our secure contact form to schedule your complimentary consultation.
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.