DON COSTELLO, CALIFORNIA TRIAL LAWYER

fatal auto accident, fatal truck accident, highway accident, death
  PROVEN EXPERIENCE - PROVEN RESULTS - PROVEN REPUTATION

MAJOR HIGHWAY & TRUCKING ACCIDENTS
MEDICAL & HOSPITAL MALPRACTICE


Catastrophic Injury & Death Cases Only

Throughout California


           

       

LAW OFFICES OF DONALD F. COSTELLO
 4660 La Jolla Village Drive, Suite 500   San Diego, California
mail: PO Box 2684, Del Mar California 92014
Telephone  (858) 792-6100 
email: costello@dfclaw.com

conference offices located throughout California

 


  • MOST OF OUR CASES HAVE BEEN  REFERRED TO US BY OTHER LAW FIRMS
     
  • HIGHEST RATING FOR PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE & PROFESSIONAL REPUTATION
    Martindale-Hubbell rated "A-V" for over 25 years

     
  • A PROVEN RECORD IN MAJOR CASES
     
  • 35 YEARS  LITIGATION, SETTLEMENT and TRIAL EXPERIENCE
     
  • MEMBER, MILLION DOLLAR ADVOCATES FORUM (member since 1993)
     
  • MEMBER, MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR ADVOCATES FORUM
     
  • AUTHOR & LECTURER ON TRIAL PRACTICE
     
  • WE CAREFULLY LIMIT THE NUMBER OF CASES WE HANDLE

Don Costello specializes in handling major personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout California. We are fully experienced in cases involving the complex legal, medical, economic and emotional issues related to catastrophic injuries and wrongful death.  We carefully limit the number of cases we handle, and devote our full attention and efforts to each case.  We are proud of our reputation, experience and proven record.  

Mr. Costello has 35 years of experience in successfully handling all types of major personal injury and wrongful death cases in trial courts throughout California, Courts of Appeal and the California Supreme Court, including: major highway accidents, truck accidents, product liability cases against major American and European auto manufacturers, numerous medical malpractice cases involving all areas of medicine, and premises liability.   His cases have been reported in numerous California and national publications, including the San Jose Mercury News, the San Francisco Recorder, the Los Angeles Daily Journal,  the National Law Journal, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times.  He has been interviewed on local and national television, written and lectured on legal topics and has taught trial practice skills to attorneys from throughout the United States.  Our cases have involved death, birth injuries, brain injuries, complex surgery, hospital and laboratory errors, failure to properly diagnose and treat breast cancer, neurological injuries, Kaiser medical malpractice cases, dangerous products, dangerous premises, amputations, burn injuries, severe orthopedic injuries, spinal injuries and other types of catastrophic injury.   

Don Costello has taught trial practice skills to attorneys at the Hastings College of Advocacy and is a Life Member of the MILLION DOLLAR ADVOCATES FORUM, membership in which is limited to trial lawyers throughout the United States who have won million and multi-million dollar cases.  He is also a Life Member of the MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR ADVOCATES FORUM.

For 25 consecutive years, Don Costello has been given the highest possible rating ("A-V") for both legal ability and professional ethics by the prestigious Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory.  Ratings are based on the confidential professional opinions of other lawyers and judges.  Such a rating, according to Martindale-Hubbell, "reflects an attorney who has reached the heights of professional excellence, has usually practiced law for many years and is recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity".  If your case involves complex medical and legal issues and serious injury, ask other lawyers in the community who they would recommend.

A distinguishing characteristic of our practice is that we accept and handle only a very limited number of cases, generally handling not more than two or three active cases at a time.   We have been fortunate to receive many referrals of possible cases over the years (most of our cases have been referred to us by other attorneys).  We handle a small number of carefully selected cases and devote complete attention, and our best efforts, to each.  We study the facts and law thoroughly and understand that each client, and the effect of their injuries, is unique.

Fees are based upon the amount of the successful recovery

Conference offices are available in all major California cities.

 

 


          
     

DONALD F. COSTELLO                           
Trial Lawyer

PEER REVIEW RATING
Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory - highest possible rating ("A-V Preeminent") for legal ability and professional ethics  (as rated by other lawyers and judges).  Rated "A-V" each year 1984 to present.
 

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION & COURT ADMISSIONS
University of California (San Francisco), Hastings College of the Law, Juris Doctor degree 1974

Admitted to practice before all California State and Federal Courts

Admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, Washington, DC
 

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Member, The Million Dollar Advocates Forum

Member, The Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum

Member, American Association For Justice

Member, Interstate Trucking Litigation Group, American Association For Justice

Member, State Bar of California

Member, San Diego County Bar Association

Member, Consumer Attorneys of San Diego


MISCELLANEOUS PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Faculty, College of Advocacy (University of California, Hastings College of Law, San Francisco)

Faculty, Litigation Advocacy Program, (University of California, Hastings College of Law, San Francisco)

Guest Lecturer

Stanford University
Santa Clara University
Monterey College of Law

Presentation
What's New in Premises Liability Law?
, San Francisco
co-sponsored by San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association and  California Trial Lawyers Association.

Presentation
Evaluating and Handling Medical Malpractice Cases
,  County Bar Association

Author - The Locality Rule in Medical Malpractice Actions, The Forum (Journal of the California Trial Lawyers Assn.)

Author - Understanding Informed Consent In Malpractice Cases, The Forum (Journal of the California Trial Lawyers Assn.)

Author - The Civil Discovery Act of 1986, The Forum (Journal of the California Trial Lawyers Assn.)

Author - Medical Malpractice Time Limitations, California Lawyer

Author - The Role of the Party Arbitrator in Kaiser Malpractice Cases,  Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal

Author - Depositions: Civility & Self-Defense, Bar Briefs,  County Bar Association

Editorial Advisor: Personal Injury Trial Notebook, James Publishing 2007

Founding Member - Professional Responsibility Committee,  County Bar Association

Served as Director,  County Trial Lawyers Association

Testified as expert witness on Medical Malpractice law before California Senate Judiciary Committee

Judicial Arbitrator & Mediator, California Superior Court

Private Arbitrator & Mediator, retained by other attorneys to assist in case resolution

san diego,  riverside,  orange,  newport beach,  laguna,  palm springs, san francisco, san mateo, santa cruz, san jose, sacramento, bakersfield, fresno, santa rosa, del mar, la jolla, encinitas, escondido, chula vista, coronado, anaheim, long beach, santa monica, santa maria, paso robles, san luis obispo, pasadena, visalia, salinas, monterey, merced, stockton, napa, sonoma, bay area, carlsbad, auto accident, truck accident, pedestrian, death, attorney, law firm, attorne

 


*NOTE: The results we achieved in the cases shown above should not be considered a guarantee or prediction of the outcome of your  case.  The results in a serious injury case depend on many factors, including the liability facts, the injuries and the skills & experience of your lawyer.  The results in these specific cases were, of course, dependent on the facts of those cases.  Results would differ if based on different facts, and if prepared and presented by different attorneys.

Copyright 2000 - 2009 by Donald F. Costello, All Rights Reserved 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

A PROVEN RECORD OF MILLION &
MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR RECOVERIES

Actual Case Photos


 

 


 

 


 

Case Recovery Examples*

Motorcycle - Truck
$2.5 Million

Bicycle - Truck
(confidential settlement)

Auto Accident Injuries
$1 Million

Auto Accident Death
$1 Million

Medical Malpractice
$2.5 Million

Medical Malpractice
$2 Million