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$ 40,030,000


Wrongful Death Skydiving Accident

" 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. Sadly, their son was the 20th person to suffer a wrongful death at a skydiving company owned by Bill Dause, who has reopened his company under various names to avoid legal trouble. This time, Mr. Dause was unable to evade accountability—Attorney Van Der Walde made it a point to have Mr. Dause personally responsible for paying the full $40 million by piercing the corporate veil. "

$ 8,825,000


School Bus vs. Pedestrian Accident

" School bus vs. pedestrian accident resulting in traumatic brain injury. "

$ 7,411,492


Train Maintenance Vehicle vs. Auto

" Caputo & Van Der Walde received 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 maintenance of way vehicle. The driver of the pickup truck was attempting to cross the train tracks on a green light when the on-track equipment approached, without triggering any warning lights, bells, or gates. "

$ 7,291,986


3rd-Degree Burns During a Pedicure

" 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, and causing significant disability with the need for significant future medical bills. "

$ 5,650,000


Paraplegia from Defective Seat

" Product liability case involving a defective seat design that resulted in paraplegia. "

$ 4,250,000


Pick-up Truck vs. Pedestrian Accident

" 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 PTS "

$ 4,000,000


Auto vs. Bicycle Accident

" 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 traumatic brain injury, skull fracture, and permanent brain damage. "

$ 3,800,000


Auto vs. Elderly Pedestrian

" $3.8M for an auto vs. elderly pedestrian resulting in traumatic brain injury "

$ 3,000,000


Big Rig vs. Auto Accident

" Big rig vs. auto accident resulting in wrongful death. "

$ 3,000,000


Injury Onboard a SCTVA Bus

" Injury onboard a SCTVA bus resulting in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). "

$ 3,000,000


Police Brutality

" Civil rights case involving excessive force by law enforcement. "

$ 3,000,000


Physical Abuse

" Child protective services failed to adequately protect young child from physically abusive foster parents. "

$ 2,650,000


Improperly Secured Wheelchair Injury

" Transit rider in wheelchair that tipped over due to a failure to properly secure the wheelchair. Plaintiff was paraplegic and sustained a rotator cuff injury resulting in loss of ability to self ambulate. This verdict resulted in a Trial Lawyer of the Year Award. "

$ 2,500,000


Big Rig vs. Auto on Highway

" A case involving a big rig versus auto on highway 17 was resolved for approximately $2,500,000. Plaintiff had cervical and lumbar injuries with surgical recommendations, and severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. "

$ 2,375,000


Victim Sexually Assault at Restaurant

" Attorneys at Caputo & Van Der Walde LLP recently secured a $2.375 million verdict in the Santa Clara Superior Court on behalf of a client who suffered serious injuries after being sexually assaulted by the owner and an employee of the Sushi Zen Restaurant. The case was based on a visit our client had made to the restaurant after hours. The client was intoxicated and sexually assaulted while at the restaurant, suffering severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other injuries as a result of the attack. The future medical bills alone for the trauma suffered were expected to total $25,000. Although the defendant argued that the sexual activity was consensual and that few or no injuries resulted, the jury, after a five-day trial and three hours of deliberation, did not agree. The jury awarded our injured client compensatory damages of $1.275 million, including the cost of future medical bills and amounts to compensate for other losses suffered as a result of the attack. The jury also awarded $1.1 million in punitive damages, based on the evidence heard at trial regarding exactly how the attack had taken place. While this verdict represents a significant success for our firm and will hopefully bring our client peace of mind, the battle may not be over yet. At the end of April, the defendant filed a motion for a new trial on the issue of punitive damages, moving the case forward once again. At Caputo & Van Der Walde LLP, our focused San Jose personal injury attorneys are dedicated to fighting not only for our clients’ compensation, but also for their peace of mind. For a free and confidential consultation about your injury case, contact us today at (800) 900-0863. "

$ 2,000,000


Auto vs. Bicycle Accident

" Auto vs. bicycle accident. Plaintiff sustained injuries that resulted in paraplegia. The settlement was limited at $2 million due to insurance coverage. "

$ 2,000,000


Fatal Accident from Defective Highway

" Auto accident resulting in wrongful death due to defective highway design. "

$ 1,975,000


Single Car Rollover Accident

" Single car rollover accident resulting in internal and orthopedic injuries to the passenger, including a 4 level spinal fusion requiring multiple surgeries and multiple colon surgeries. Client was initially told that there would be no insurance coverage available, but after hiring our firm, and litigating the matter, 2 million dollars in coverage was discovered. "

$ 1,650,000


Auto vs. Big Rig Accident

" Auto vs. Big Rig Accident. Crush injuries to the plaintiff’s leg occurred as a result of the accident. "

$ 1,500,000


Construction Site Accident

" Construction site accident involving spinal and shoulder injuries resulting in loss of ability to do job in a skilled trade. "

$ 1,475,000


Auto vs. Pedestrian Accident

" Auto vs. pedestrian accident involving leg crush injury. "

$ 1,300,000


Auto Accident

" Auto accident resulting in wrongful death. "

$ 1,250,000


Motorcycle Accident

" Car vs. motorcycle accident with complex leg fracture. "

$ 1,125,000


Construction Accident

" A temporary laborer suffered catastrophic injuries due to an encounter with a stump grinder that was negligently left running. Our qualified attorney team obtained a settlement worth over $1,125,000.00, a portion of which is confidential, in favor of this laborer. "

$ 1,002,500


Auto Accident

" Single car rollover case where defective seatbelt caused head injury and loss of kidney. "

$ 1,000,000


Auto Accident

" Auto vs. pedestrian case resulting in permanent closed head injury. "

$ 1,000,000


Auto Accident

" Disputed liability bicycle vs. auto collision resulting in closed head injury. "

$ 1,000,000


Auto Accident

" Auto vs. auto accident with severe orthopedic injuries. "

$ 1,000,000


Motorcycle Accident

" Motorcycle accident resulting in multi-level lumbar fusion. "

$ 1,000,000


Auto Accident

" Auto vs. Auto accident "

$ 1,000,000


Wrongful Death of Bicyclist

" Bicycle vs. car accident resulting in wrongful death. "

$ 900,000


Excessive Force Wrongful Death

" Wrongful death due to excessive force. "

$ 841,000


Chemical Burns at a Salon

" Chemical burns resulting from hair salon's negligence. "

$ 750,000


Wrongful Death in Pedestrian Accident

" Wrongful death of a pedestrian struck by an auto. "

$ 700,000


Big Rig vs. Big Rig Collision

" Big rig vs. big rig collision resulting in severe laceration and nerve loss in hand. "

$ 565,000


Bicycle Accident

" Bike vs. auto accident resulting in cervical and shoulder surgeries. "

$ 500,000


Trash Truck vs. Auto Rear-End Collision

" Trash truck vs. auto rear-end collision resulting in spinal injuries. "

$ 465,000


Slip & Fall Accident on Stairs

" Slip-and-fall accident caused by the accumulation of printing ink on stairs resulting in multiple herniated disks. "

$ 325,000


Pallet Falling onto Foot

" Premises liability case involving a pallet falling onto Plaintiff's foot causing Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) "

$ 300,000


Bicycle Accident

" Bicycle accident where bicyclist was rear-ended by an intoxicated driver and suffered a fractured vertebrae with nerve impingement "

$ 115,000


Bicycle Accident

" Bicycle accident where client was "doored" by a cab and suffered a neck laceration. "

Construction Accident

" A carpenter working in the basket of a telescoping boom lift extended 40 feet out and 20 feet above ground level suffered catastrophic injuries when the distracted driver of a Gradall forklift struck the base of the boom lift, causing the carpenter to fall to the ground. "

Slip & Fall on a Concrete Slurry

" A carpenter/foreman slipped in a concrete slurry left behind by a subcontractor at a construction site. As a result, he suffered a massive full-thickness rotator cuff tear that has negatively impacted his day-to-day life and effectively ended his professional career. "

Slip & Fall on Wet Floor

" Serious injuries resulted when our client slipped and fell on a wet floor in Fremont, California, as he was walking into work for the day. The floor had been recently mopped by a third-party cleaning company, and wet floor signs had not been properly displayed. Our client had to be taken by ambulance to receive medical attention for a displaced comminuted patellar fracture, a severe knee injury that required surgery to treat. "