Dublin has grown quickly, and its roads show it. New neighborhoods along Tassajara Road and Dougherty Road feed into Dublin Boulevard, construction zones change lane patterns from month to month, and the Interstate 580 and 680 interchange on the city’s southern edge is one of the region’s worst bottlenecks. Military and federal vehicles also travel to and from Camp Parks. This guide lists five attorneys who represent injured people in Dublin, beginning with Bay Area Injury Law Firm. It then answers Tri-Valley families’ questions about federal vehicle crashes, work zones, and children’s car seats.
Which attorneys handle personal injury cases in Dublin?
These five represent people injured in Dublin and the wider Bay Area:
- Bay Area Injury Law Firm
- Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger
- Rouda Feder Tietjen & McGuinn
- The Zinn Law Firm
- Alan Ahdoot (Adamson Ahdoot LLP)
What should Dublin residents know about each attorney?
1. Bay Area Injury Law Firm
Bay Area Injury Law Firm is a personal injury practice based in Daly City. It was founded and is led by principal attorney Joseph Chan, Esq., a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis. California attorneys are licensed statewide, so the firm can represent people injured in Dublin and anywhere in Alameda County.
The firm handles car, truck, and motorcycle collisions, which account for most injury claims on Dublin’s freeway-fed streets. It also represents pedestrians and cyclists struck by vehicles, people injured in crashes with rideshare and delivery drivers, and victims of dog bites and burn injuries. It takes catastrophic injury cases as well, meaning injuries serious enough to permanently limit a person’s ability to work or live independently.
Clients get help finding appropriate medical care early. That supports their recovery and creates the records a claim depends on. Cases are handled on contingency, so no attorney fee is charged unless money is recovered. The office speaks Cantonese and Burmese.
2. Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger
Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger is a personal injury firm based in San Francisco.
3. Rouda Feder Tietjen & McGuinn
Rouda Feder Tietjen & McGuinn is a San Francisco personal injury firm.
4. The Zinn Law Firm
The Zinn Law Firm, led by Carter Zinn, serves clients in San Francisco and Marin County.
5. Alan Ahdoot (Adamson Ahdoot LLP)
Alan Ahdoot is a personal injury attorney with Adamson Ahdoot LLP, a firm with multiple offices.
What if a military or federal vehicle hits you?
Claims against the federal government follow their own process under the Federal Tort Claims Act. That law allows injury claims when a federal employee acting within the scope of their job causes harm through negligence. It covers drivers of military vehicles going to and from Camp Parks, as well as postal trucks. You must file an administrative claim with the responsible agency, usually on Standard Form 95, within two years of the injury under 28 U.S.C. section 2401(b).
The agency then has six months to respond. If it denies the claim or doesn’t respond within that time, you can file suit in federal court. A few rules differ from ordinary California cases. Federal Tort Claims Act cases are decided by a judge instead of a jury, and punitive damages are not available. The claim form also requires a specific dollar amount, which generally caps what you can later recover. Leaving that amount blank can invalidate the claim.
Who is responsible for crashes in construction zones?
Drivers carry most of the responsibility, but contractors and public agencies can share it. California Vehicle Code section 42009 doubles fines for many traffic violations in highway construction and maintenance zones when workers are present. Contractors must set up signs, cones, and lane shifts according to the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. A work zone with missing warning signs, confusing lane markings, or poorly placed barriers can support a claim against the company that set it up.
If a city or county project is involved, the six-month government claim deadline under Government Code section 911.2 may apply. Photograph the signage and lane configuration right away, because work zones are often reconfigured within days.
Do you need to replace a child’s car seat after a crash?
Often, yes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends replacing child car seats after a moderate or severe crash, even if the seat shows no visible damage. Many manufacturers recommend replacement after any collision. The at-fault driver’s insurer should generally cover the cost as part of the property damage claim, so keep the receipt.
California Vehicle Code section 27360 requires children under 2 to ride rear-facing in most cases, and children under 8 to ride in a car seat or booster in the back seat. Children who were properly secured and still injured have full claims of their own. Any settlement for a minor generally needs court approval under Probate Code section 3500.
How should you choose an injury attorney?
Choose a lawyer who explains your 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 ask how costs will be handled. If a federal vehicle was involved, ask whether the attorney handles Federal Tort Claims Act cases. Bring photos, the police report number, and any claim letters to the first meeting.
If you or your child was injured in Dublin or elsewhere in the Tri-Valley, contact Bay Area Injury Law Firm to schedule a consultation with Joseph Chan, Esq. and review your options.
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