Practice Areas: Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Products Liability; view more
Licensed in California since: 2011
Education: Southwestern Law School
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2023 - 2025 
Selected to Rising Stars: 2015 - 2021 Details
Eric C. Bonholtzer serves clients across California, especially the Southern California region, from Bonholtzer Law in Pasadena, California. He handles cases involving personal injury matters, such as:
- Auto and motorcycle accidents
- Construction accidents
- Premises liability
- Wrongful deaths
- Product liability
- Life-altering injuries
Graduating magna cum laude with his law degree from the Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles, Mr. Bonholtzer is licensed to practice in all the state and federal courts of California. During law school, he was a dean’s list student and part of the Moot Court Honors Program and the Trial Advocacy Honors Program. He also served as an associate editor of the university’s law review and won six CALI Excellence for the Future awards.
Mr. Bonholtzer obtained his master’s degree in English language and literature from the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Furthermore, he holds a B.A. in creative writing from the University of Southern California. As an avid author, he has won numerous awards for his writings, and his stories have been published in more than 40 publications.
An active member of the legal community, Mr. Bonholtzer is a part of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, the Best Attorneys of America, the Consumer Attorneys of California, the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, The State Bar of California’s litigation section and the Pasadena Bar Association.
Recognized for his vast legal acumen and knowledge of the law, Mr. Bonholtzer has earned several accolades throughout his legal career. He has secured several titles and awards, not restricted to:
- Top 70 Personal Injury Law Attorneys in 2022 – the Los Angeles Times
- Litigator of the Year Award – the American Institute of Trial Lawyers
- Lawyers of Distinction and America’s Most Honored Professionals
- Top 40 under 40 Trial Attorneys, Top 100 Plaintiff Civil Litigation Attorneys, Top 25 Brain Injury Attorneys, Top 25 Motor Vehicle Accident Attorneys and Top 10 Trucking Accident Attorneys – The National Trial Lawyers
- Best Trial Lawyer in Americain 2022 by The National Institute of Trial Lawyers
- Lifetime Achievement Award by America’s Top 100 Attorneys
- “Superb” rating on Avvo
Practice areas
Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff, Personal Injury - Medical Malpractice: Plaintiff, Personal Injury - Products: PlaintiffFocus areas
Animal Bites, Brain Injury, Construction Accident, Medical Malpractice, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Motor Vehicle Defects, Personal Injury - Plaintiff, Premises Liability - Plaintiff, Slip and Fall, Trucking Accidents, Wrongful Death
- 80% Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff
- 10% Personal Injury - Medical Malpractice: Plaintiff
- 10% Personal Injury - Products: Plaintiff
First Admitted: 2011, California
Professional Webpage: https://bonholtzerlaw.com/
Bar/Professional Activity:
- California, 2009
- U.S. District Court Western District of California, 2011
- U.S. District Court Southern District of California, 2011
- U.S. District Court Northern District of California, 2011
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of California, 2011
- U.S. District Court Central District of California, 2011
- California State Bar, Litigation Section, Member
- Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC), Member
- American Bar Association, Member
- Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA), Member
- Pasadena Bar Association, Member
Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results):
- $950,000 Settlement against national big box store for trip and fall, 2019
- 1 Million Dollar Policy Limit Settlement against a train company, 2022
- $325,000 Medical Malpractice Settlement, 2023
- 1.75 Million Dollar auto settlement, 2022
- $500,000 Product Liability Settlement, 2023
- $750,000 Settlement Big Box slip and fall soft tissue, 2023
- $275,000 Settlement auto minor impact soft tissue, 2023
- $450,000 Settlement auto soft tissue case, 2023
- 1.5 Million Dollar auto soft tissue settlement, 2022
- 1 Million Dollar Policy Limit Settlement auto soft tissue, 2020
- 1.5 Million Dollar product liability auto settlement., 2019
- $500,000 Slip and Fall settlement against medical facility, 2021
- 1 Million Dollar Policy Limit bar dram shop settlement, 2020
- 108,000 settlement for auto accident, 2017
- $4.9 Million Dollar Settlement for an undocumented worker who fell through an atrium on a construction site
- $200,000 settlement for a client who was knocked down by a dog, 2017
- $85,000 settlement for a woman bit by a miniature Dachshund
- $100,000 policy limit settlement for an auto case
- $100,000 policy limit settlement for bicycle accident
- $100,000 policy limits settlement for auto accident
- $100,000 policy limit settlement for auto accident, 2018
- $100,000 policy limits settlement auto accident
- $100,000 policy limits settlement for auto accident, 2017
- $259,000 settlement for auto accident, 2017
- Confidential six-figure settlement for a mentally disabled woman who was shopping in a retail store and was wrongfully arrested and sent to jail
- $100,000 policy limits settlement for an auto accident, 2017
- $137,500 settlement for auto accident
- $175,000 for a trip and fall
- $181,500 verdict against the City of Los Angeles for a trip and fall on a defective sidewalk, 2018
- $200,000 settlement for premises liability case, 2017
- $272,000 settlement for auto accident, 2017
- $100,000 settlement for a trip and fall, 2017
- Confidential six-figure settlement for a widow who's worker's compensation attorney failed to file a death benefits claim
- $200,000 settlement for a product liability case, 2017
- $76,000 settlement for a habitability violation in an apartment
- $115,000 settlement for auto accident, 2017
- $2.5 million dollar settlement for a defective staircase, 2018
- $145,189 verdict against the City of Long Beach for a defective sidewalk trip and fall, 2017
- $130,000 settlement for auto accident
- $13.6 Million Dollar verdict against the County of Riverside for an injured worker at a landfill, 2017
Representative Clients:
- Eric C. Bonholtzer represents clients from all walks of life who have been injured or wronged. Sample previous clients have included families, children, people with mental disabilities, undocumented workers, widows, students, businesses, employees, and television personalities
Special Licenses/Certifications:
- Additional Courses Taken At Jerry Spence's Trial Lawyers College
- ABOTA Traumatic Brain Injury Seminar
- American Board of Trial Advocates/Jack Daniel's Trial School
Pro bono/Community Service:
- Pro-bono representation of an injured snowboarder who suffered multiple neck fractures and was sued by the skier he collided with
- Eric Bonholtzer helps low-income clients with a variety of legal issues. He is also active in wildlife conservation and helping to save needy animals. Previously, he spent a great deal of time working for the Meals on Wheels program for the Red Cross
Honors/Awards:
- America’s Top 100 Attorneys Personal Injury Attorney, America’s Top 100 Attorneys, 2024
- American Institute of Trial Lawyers Litigator of the Year, American Institute of Trial Lawyers
- Los Angeles Times Top 70 Personal Injury Attorney, Los Angeles Times, 2022
- Top 100 - The National Trial Lawyers, The National Trial Lawyers, 2023
- Best Attorney Lifetime Member, Best Attorneys of America, Rue Ratings
- America’s Top 100 Attorneys Lifetime Achievement Award, America’s Top 100, 2024
- Litigator of the Year, American Institue of Trial Lawyers, 2024
- USA Today/Lawyers of Distinction 2024 Most Influential Lawyerd, Lawyers of Distinction, 2024
- Graduated, Magna Cum Laude
- Recipient, 2013-2015, 2016-2018, Pasadena Top Attorney
- Law Review Honors Program Board Member and Associate Editor
- Moot Court Best Oralist Nominee
- Dean’s Merit Scholarship for Continuing Academic Excellence
- Million Dollar Advocates Forum
- America’s Most Honored Professionals Top 10%, 2016
- Lawyers of Distinction – Top 10% of Attorneys in the USA, 2017
- Moot Court Honors Program
- Six CALI Excellence for the Future Awards
- Multiple West Law Group’s Witkin Awards
- Avvo 2014 Clients' Choice Award
- America’s Most Honored Professionals Top 10%, 2017
- Lawyers of Distinction – Top 10% of Attorneys in the USA, 2018
- Trial Advocacy Honors Program
- Ruby R. Vale Interschool Moot Court Competition Quarter-finalist
- Multiple Law Review Blue Book Awards
- Top 40 Under 40 – The National Trial Lawyers, 2017
- Avvo 2015 Client Choice Award
- Top 40 Under 40 – The National Trial Lawyers, 2016
- Lawyers of Distinction – Top 10% of Attorneys in the USA, 2016
Educational Background:
- Bachelor of Arts Degree, University of Southern California (USC)
- Manga Cum Laude Graduate Southwester School of Law, 2011
- Master of Arts Degree, English, California State University, Pomona
Scholarly Lectures/Writings:
- "Dubious Trial Dates Causing Defendants To Flee ADR", Published in the Daily Journal, www.pasadenalaw.com/index.php/published-articles
- "Obscure Statute Helps California Tenants Stand Up To Slumlords", Published in the Daily Journal
- "Finding A Way Out (The Labyrinth of Medicare Reimbursement)", Published in the Daily Journal
Other Outstanding Achievements:
- In addition to his legal work, Eric C. Bonholtzer is a published author with over 50 publications to his credit. He has had his stories and poetry included in several national and international anthologies and magazines. He has won several awards for his writing and has published two books
Selections
3 Years Super Lawyers
7 Years Rising Stars
- Super Lawyers: 2023 - 2025
- Rising Stars: 2015 - 2021
Top Lists
Up-and-Coming 100: Southern California Rising Stars: 2015 - 2021- Up-and-Coming 100: 2021 Southern California Rising Stars
- Up-and-Coming 100: 2020 Southern California Rising Stars
- Up-and-Coming 100: 2019 Southern California Rising Stars
- Up-and-Coming 100: 2018 Southern California Rising Stars
- Up-and-Coming 100: 2017 Southern California Rising Stars
- Up-and-Coming 100: 2016 Southern California Rising Stars
- Up-and-Coming 100: 2015 Southern California Rising Stars
