Hayward sits at the junction of Interstate 880, the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge approach on Highway 92, and the long commercial stretch of Mission Boulevard, so crashes here often involve commuters, freight traffic, and pedestrians near the BART stations. This guide lists five attorneys who represent injured people in Hayward, starting with Bay Area Injury Law Firm. After the list, it covers questions local clients raise often, including what to do after a hit-and-run and how medical bills shape a settlement.
Which attorneys handle injury cases in Hayward?
These five represent people hurt in Hayward and the surrounding parts of Alameda County:
- Bay Area Injury Law Firm
- Eduardo Antonio Gonzalez
- Precilla Diaz
- Wortham F. Briscoe
- Ian M.A. Van Leer
What should Hayward residents know about each attorney?
1. Bay Area Injury Law Firm
Bay Area Injury Law Firm is a personal injury practice founded and led by principal attorney Joseph Chan, Esq., a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis. The office is in Daly City, just across the bay from Hayward. A California law license is valid statewide, so the firm can represent clients injured in Hayward and throughout Alameda County.
The firm handles injury cases involving cars, trucks, and motorcycles, and it represents pedestrians and cyclists hit by vehicles. It also takes dog bite and burn injury cases, crashes involving rideshare and delivery drivers, and catastrophic injuries. A catastrophic injury is one serious enough to permanently limit someone’s ability to work or live independently.
Clients get help finding appropriate medical care early. That supports recovery and produces the treatment records a claim depends on. Cases are handled on contingency, which means there is no attorney fee unless money is recovered. Office staff speak Cantonese and Burmese.
2. Eduardo Antonio Gonzalez
Eduardo Antonio Gonzalez is a personal injury attorney serving Alameda County.
3. Precilla Diaz
Precilla Diaz is an injury attorney based in Oakland.
4. Wortham F. Briscoe
Wortham F. Briscoe is an accident lawyer in Oakland.
5. Ian M.A. Van Leer
Ian M.A. Van Leer is a personal injury lawyer based in Oakland.
What should you do after a hit-and-run in Hayward?
Report it to the police within 24 hours and notify your own insurer within 30 days. Those deadlines come from California Insurance Code section 11580.2(b)(1). They matter because a hit-and-run driver is treated as uninsured, so your uninsured motorist coverage may pay for your injuries. That provision also generally requires physical contact between the unidentified vehicle and you or your car. A driver who ran you off the road without touching your car may not qualify. Drivers who flee an injury crash are also committing a crime under Vehicle Code section 20001, and a police report gives investigators a chance to identify them through traffic cameras or witness plates.
How do medical bills affect the value of your claim?
Recoverable medical expenses are usually based on what was actually paid, not the full amount billed. The California Supreme Court set this rule in Howell v. Hamilton Meats & Provisions (2011). If a hospital billed $40,000 but your health insurer paid a negotiated $12,000, the past medical damages claim generally reflects the lower figure.
Liens can reduce what you take home. A lien is a legal claim against your settlement by someone who paid for your care. Hospitals, health plans, and Medi-Cal can assert them. California Civil Code section 3045.4 limits a hospital lien to 50 percent of the money paid to the injured person, and many liens can be negotiated down before the case closes.
Should you accept the first settlement offer?
Usually not until your treatment is finished or your doctors can predict what care you will need. Accepting a settlement requires signing a release, a document that ends your right to seek more money for that injury, even if new symptoms appear later. Early offers often arrive before the full cost of therapy, missed work, or future procedures is known. Settlements for injured children follow a different process. Under Probate Code section 3500, a court must approve a minor’s settlement, which protects the child’s recovery.
How should you choose an injury attorney?
Look for a lawyer who explains deadlines clearly, tells you who will handle your case, and gives a realistic assessment instead of promises. California Business and Professions Code section 6147 requires contingency agreements to be in writing, so read yours carefully and ask how costs and liens will be handled at settlement. Bringing your police report number, photos, and medical paperwork to the first meeting makes that conversation far more useful.
If you were injured in Hayward or elsewhere in Alameda County, contact Bay Area Injury Law Firm to schedule a consultation with Joseph Chan, Esq. and review your options.
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