Stockton Personal Injury Attorney

Attorney Michael Rehm — (800) 978-0754

Stockton Personal Injury Attorney

Attorney Michael Rehm represents injured victims throughout Stockton and San Joaquin County. San Joaquin County ranks first in California among all 58 counties for hit-and-run crashes, with 628 recorded in 2023. Stockton ranked third among California's 15 largest cities for total fatal and injury crash victims, with 1,913 people injured or killed. Speed-related crashes reached 390, second highest among those cities. These numbers come from the California Office of Traffic Safety 2023 Crash Data. They reflect conditions on the ground — a county with some of the most dangerous roads in the state and, at the same time, a legal system where injured people have real rights and real remedies.

The cases Attorney Michael Rehm handles in Stockton and San Joaquin County span the full range of personal injury law: car and truck accidents on Interstate 5 and Highway 99, motorcycle crashes, pedestrian and bicycle accidents on the city's commercial corridors, boat accidents on the San Joaquin River Delta, catastrophic injuries, wrongful death, premises liability, and mass tort claims arising from agricultural pesticide exposure and industrial contamination. Each case is handled on a contingency fee basis. No fee without a recovery.

The Legal Foundation

California Civil Code § 1714(a) establishes that every person is responsible for injury caused to others by their failure to use ordinary care in the management of their property or person. That is the foundation of personal injury law in California. Liability is the default rule — the law does not require injured people to prove exceptional or unusual conduct. It requires proof that the defendant failed to use the care that ordinary prudence demanded under the circumstances.

A successful personal injury claim requires proof of four elements: that the defendant had a legal duty to use ordinary care, that the defendant breached that duty, that the breach caused the plaintiff's injuries, and that the plaintiff suffered damages as a result. Civ. Code §§ 3281–3283, 3333. Courts decide whether a duty exists as a matter of law. Juries decide whether that duty was breached and what the damages are. The distinction matters: even when a defendant argues that no duty existed, the question of whether the defendant's conduct fell short of what the circumstances demanded goes to the jury. Hacala v. Bird Rides, Inc. (App. 2 Dist. 2023) 306 Cal.Rptr.3d 900.

When a driver or property owner violates a statute or regulation designed to protect people from the type of harm that occurred, that violation establishes negligence as a matter of law — what California courts call negligence per se. In car accident cases, Vehicle Code violations serve this function. In commercial truck cases, violations of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations serve the same purpose. In premises liability cases, violations of building codes and safety regulations establish the standard that was breached.

California uses a pure comparative fault system: a plaintiff's own negligence reduces but does not eliminate recovery. Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804. A plaintiff found 30% at fault recovers 70% of their damages. The defendant cannot escape liability simply because the plaintiff contributed to the incident.

Damages

California law entitles an injured person to compensation for all detriment proximately caused by another's negligence, whether or not that detriment could have been anticipated. Civ. Code § 3333. The categories of compensable loss include impairment of earning capacity, medical care and other expenses, physical pain and mental suffering, aggravation of any prior condition, susceptibility to subsequent disease or injury, and loss of consortium. Civ. Code §§ 3281, 3282, 3283.

California applies the eggshell plaintiff rule: a defendant takes the plaintiff as they find them. A pre-existing condition that the crash aggravated is not a defense — it is part of the damages case. The defendant is responsible for the full extent of the harm caused, not merely for what harm would have occurred to a person without the pre-existing condition.

Where a plaintiff makes a settlement offer pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure § 998 and the defendant obtains a judgment less favorable than that offer, the plaintiff is entitled to prejudgment interest at 10% per annum from the date of the offer. Civ. Code § 3291. In cases that proceed to trial, this mechanism can add substantial interest to the judgment.

Deadlines

Most personal injury claims must be filed within two years of the date of injury. Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1. Where a government entity — a city, county, state agency, or public transit authority — is a potential defendant, a government tort claim must be presented within six months of the date of injury under Government Code § 911.2. The six-month deadline is the shorter of the two and is absolute in most circumstances. Missing it permanently bars the claim against the government entity regardless of the merits. Tolling doctrines exist — the discovery rule, minority, mental incapacity — but whether any applies requires case-specific analysis.

San Joaquin County Superior Court

Personal injury cases in San Joaquin County are litigated at the San Joaquin County Superior Court, 180 E. Weber Ave., Stockton, CA 95202. Phone: (209) 992-5555. Civil departments 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D, and 11B. Presiding Judge: Hon. Lance G. Jacot (2026–2027). Branch courts in Lodi (315 W. Elm St.) and Manteca (315 E. Center St.).

Cases where the amount in controversy is $50,000 or less per plaintiff may be ordered to judicial arbitration under Local Rule 3-122. Most serious personal injury cases exceed this threshold and proceed as unlimited civil matters. Court reporters are not provided in civil departments — parties must retain their own certified shorthand reporter. Local Rule 3-102(J). Law and motion matters are heard Tuesday through Friday at 9:00 AM. Tentative rulings are posted at 1:30 PM the day before the hearing. Local Rule 3-113.

Settlement conferences require itemized special damages, a general damages amount, and a written settlement offer served on all parties at least 10 days before the conference. An insurance representative with settlement authority must attend or be immediately available by phone. Local Rule 3-104.

In fiscal year 2022–2023, the court recorded 2,843 unlimited civil filings. Case processing data shows 65% of unlimited civil cases disposed within 12 months, 83% within 24 months. Source: Judicial Council of California Court Statistics Report.

Cases Attorney Michael Rehm Handles in Stockton and San Joaquin County

Serving Stockton, Lodi, Manteca, and Tracy

Attorney Michael Rehm handles personal injury cases throughout San Joaquin County, including Stockton, Lodi, Manteca, and Tracy, as well as Ripon, Escalon, and the surrounding agricultural communities of the county.

Attorney Michael Rehm handles personal injury cases throughout Stockton and San Joaquin 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.

Stockton Personal Injury Attorney

Attorney Michael Rehm — (800) 978-0754