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Palo Alto Personal Injury Attorney

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Attorney Michael Rehm — (800) 978-0754

Attorney Michael Rehm represents personal injury victims throughout Palo Alto and Santa Clara County. Palo Alto recorded only 8 traffic accident victims killed or injured in 2023 (the most recent year for which data is currently available) — ranking 102nd of 103 cities in its population tier, according to the California Office of Traffic Safety. That low crash volume reflects Palo Alto's demographics and infrastructure, not an absence of serious accidents. When serious injuries do occur in Palo Alto — on El Camino Real, on Page Mill Road, in the dense pedestrian and bicycle corridors near Stanford University and California Avenue — the legal claims that follow are no less significant for occurring less frequently.

Palo Alto also presents a specific legal context: Stanford University and its affiliated medical facilities, venture capital firms, and tech companies generate premises liability, professional liability, and occupational exposure claims that do not arise in the same form elsewhere. And Palo Alto's proximity to Palo Alto Airport (PAO) means aviation accident claims are a realistic category for this jurisdiction.

Practice Areas

Attorney Michael Rehm handles the full range of personal injury cases arising in Palo Alto, including car accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, slip and fall and premises liability claims, dog bites, wrongful death, and uninsured motorist claims. Cases involving serious injuries — traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury — require the full measure of future damages under Civil Code § 3283, including future medical costs, rehabilitation, and diminished earning capacity.

The Legal Standard

Civil Code § 1714(a) imposes a duty of ordinary care on every person in the management of their property or person. Civil Code § 3333 provides the measure of tort damages. California follows pure comparative fault under Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804.

Claims Against Government Entities

Government Code § 911.2 requires a written claim to be filed with the public entity within six months of the incident. Missing this deadline can potentially bar a lawsuit against a government defendant. Tolling doctrines may apply — contact Attorney Michael Rehm to assess the specific timeline in your case.

Filing Deadline — Statute of Limitations

Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1 sets a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims. Tolling doctrines may apply — contact Attorney Michael Rehm to assess the specific timeline in your case.

Santa Clara County Superior Court

Personal injury cases arising in Palo Alto are filed at the Santa Clara County Superior Court, 191 N. First Street, San Jose, CA 95113. Under Local Civil Rule 1(C), all limited and unlimited civil cases must be filed at the Downtown Superior Court. E-filing is mandatory for represented parties.

Related Pages

Attorney Michael Rehm handles personal injury cases throughout Palo Alto and Santa Clara County on a contingency fee basis. No fee without a recovery. Call (800) 978-0754 for a free consultation.

The information on this page is general legal information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case turns on its own facts. The law can change — statutes are amended, cases are decided, and regulations are revised; nothing on this page should be relied upon as a statement of current law without verification. Deadlines and legal bars discussed on this page are general guides — whether a particular deadline applies, has run, or is subject to tolling, and whether a particular doctrine bars or limits recovery in your case, requires individual analysis. Contact Attorney Michael Rehm to discuss the specific facts of your situation.

Southern California Areas Served:

Phone: (619) 787-3456 Areas Served: San Diego, Vista, Chula Vista, El Cajon, Escondido, San Marcos, Oceanside, Carlsbad, Encinitas, El Centro, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Santa Clarita, Glendale, Lancaster, Palmdale, Pomona, Torrance, Pasadena, El Monte, Downey, West Covina, Norwalk, Burbank, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Irvine, Huntington Beach, Garden Grove, Costa Mesa, Riverside, Corona, Moreno Valley, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Ventura, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles, Temecula, Bakersfield, Clovis, and everywhere in between.

Bay Area Areas Served

Phone: (831) 431-0986 Areas Served: Santa Cruz, Aptos, Capitola, Watsonville, Salinas, Monterey, Seaside, Carmel, San Francisco, Oakland, Fremont, Hayward, Berkeley, Livermore, Concord, Richmond, Walnut Creek, Antioch, San Rafael, Novato, San Jose, Morgan Hill, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Palo Alto, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Gatos, Napa, Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Fairfield, Vallejo, Vacaville, Dixon, Solano County, San Benito, Daly City, San Mateo, South San Francisco, Redwood City, Belmont, San Carlos, San Bruno, Pleasanton, Union City, San Leandro, Milpitas, Pittsburg, Danville, Rohnert Park and the entire Bay Area.

Northern California Office & Areas Served

2121 Broadway Unit 188860 Sacramento, CA 95818 Phone: (916) 233-7346 Areas Served: Sacramento, Elk Grove, Antelope, Citrus Heights, Carmichael, the friendly confines of Land Park, Folsom, Yolo, Woodland, West Sacramento, Davis, Placerville, South Lake Tahoe, Cameron Park, El Dorado Hills, Auburn, Roseville, Rocklin, Lincoln, Yuba City, Marysville, Wheatland, Colusa, San Joaquin County, Lodi, Manteca, Stockton, Tracy, Lathrop, Modesto, Turlock, Oakdale, Stanislaus County, Humboldt County, Arcata, Mckinleyville, Fortuna, Eureka, Butte County, Oroville, Paradise, Chico, Mendocino, Ukiah, Colusa, Shasta County, Redding, Calaveras, Yreka, Amador, Jackson, Lassen, Susanville, Plumas County, Quincy, Nevada County, Grass Valley, Nevada City, Truckee, Lakeport, Sonora, Madera, Crescent City, Trinity, and all of Northern California.

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