Practice Areas: Personal Injury, Civil Litigation, Civil Rights; view more
Licensed in California since: 1993
Education: University of San Francisco School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2018 - 2020, 2022 - 2024 
Free Consultation Cutlip Law Office
106 Merced DrSan Bruno, CA 94066 Phone: 415-265-7785 Email: Quinton B. Cutlip
Details
Quinton's practice focuses on helping good people who have suffered physical and mental injuries or who have been the victims of fraud or civil rights abuses. He litigates in state and federal trial courts throughout California, and he has engaged in appellate litigation before the California Courts of Appeal for the First and Sixth Districts of California.
Quinton is proud to have been awarded the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Associations' 2023 TRIAL LAWYER OF THE YEAR AWARD. The SFTLA is the oldest and largest trial lawyer organization in Northern California. There are over 700 lawyers in the organization. Quinton received the award in recognition of his work as the lead attorney in a June 2022 trial of a difficult case that that resulted in a jury verdict of over $ 6,626,963.00 for a very deserving client. The defendant's insurance company foolishly tried to play games and failed to timely accept Quinton's client's $ 1,000,000 insurance policy limits demand. It found itself facing a judgment of $ 8,205,898.53 after litigation costs and interest were added.
Quinton enjoys fighting insurance companies, heartless corporations, careless government entities, and reckless businesses. His dedication to his clients has resulted in very significant victories and settlements for people who were hurt by hazardous roadways, negligent drivers, negligent common carriers (buses, taxis and limousines), unlawful police conduct, dangerous products, dangerous property, and dishonest people.
Quinton graduated cum laude from the Louisiana State University in 1989 with his Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology. After working in public health in New Orleans, he attended the University of San Francisco School of Law and earned his law degree, cum laude, in 1993. He was admitted to the State Bar of California in 1993 and to the State Bar of Texas in 1997. He is admitted to all courts of the State of California. He is also admitted to the United States District Courts for the Northern, Eastern, and Central Districts of California and to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Quinton has been a proud member of the board of directors of the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association since 2008 and the board of directors of the San Mateo County Trial Lawyers Association since 2021. He is also a member of the Consumer Attorneys of California and the American Association of Justice. He believes in his clients, and he fights for their rights in courts throughout California.
Practice areas
Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff, Civil Litigation: Plaintiff, Civil Rights, Personal Injury - Products: PlaintiffFirst Admitted: 1993, California
Professional Webpage: https://www.linkedin.com/in/quintoncutlip/
Bar/Professional Activity:
- On April 27, 2023, Quinton was awarded the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association's 2023 TRIAL LAWYER OF THE YEAR award. SFTLA is the largest and oldest trial lawyer association in Northern California. , 2023
- San Mateo County Trial Lawyers Association, Board of Directors, 2021
- San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, Member, Board Of Directors, 2008
- Consumer Attorneys of California
- American Association for Justice
- Licensed to practice law in the State of Texas - Currently Voluntarily Inactive, 1997
- California State Bar, 1993
Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results):
- Confidential v. State Farm - Recovered a total of $ 360,000 from a defendant driver and clients' underinsured motorist carrier for two brothers who were injured in a rear end automobile collision. One brother suffered shin injuries and the other suffered shoulder injuries, 2024
- Confidential v. Ou - $ 600,000 settlement for a woman who was knocked down by a slow moving car and suffered an mTBI. , 2023
- Tekle v. Hourigan - $ 8,205,898.53 judgment in jury trial on behalf of a young man who suffered an injury to his L5-S1 intervertebral disc in an intersection car collision and will require surgery., 2022
- Cheung v. Stefanki - $ 450,000 settlement for the victim of a pedestrian vs. car collision that required two arthroscopic surgeries. , 2022
- Mangonon v. U.S.A. - $ 500,000 settlement in a Federal Tort Claim Act case for a man who was injured in an intersection collision by a Federal Police Officer that was responding to an emergency., 2022
- Berlak v. Rosa - $ 380,000 settlement on behalf of an elderly pedestrian who was knocked to the ground when a pickup truck backed into her. She suffered a mild traumatic brain injury and physical injuries that fortunately resolved., 2021
- $ 653,000.00 settlement for a retired gentleman who was bitten on the hand by a dog. Plaintiff required outpatient surgery on his hand and still suffers some numbness and irritation in one of his fingers., 2021
- Heaney v. Macerich Property Management, et al. - $ 95,000 settlement for elderly lady who suffered orthopedic injuries as a result of tripping over a "wheel stop" in the Northgate Mall parking lot., 2021
- Confidential v. Confidential - $ 95,000 settlement for a minor who did not sufferer physical injuries in an automobile collision, but who witnessed his step father's severe injuries., 2018
- Garcia. v. Ye - $ 265,000 settlement for a pedestrian who was struck by a vehicle., 2018
- Mazzetti v. Bellino - $ 195,000 settlement against the Federal Government on a Bivens action brought behalf of a young woman who was unlawfully detained, unlawfully arrested, and unlawfully groped by Yosemite Park Rangers under the guise of a search , 2015
- Elston v. Marin Community College District, et al. - $ 975,000 settlement on behalf of a woman who suffered severe injuries, including chronic pain conditions, as a result of a fall at a community college swimming pool. Discovery revealed that the contractors who remodeled the pool area failed to apply an anti-slip sealer to the concrete in a vestibule between the locker rooms and the outdoor swimming pool. The community college put down a simple hardware store bought door mat to try and address the condition, but did not put up any warnings. Plaintiff stepped off the door mat as she was walking from the showers to the pool and fell hard on her back and backside. After her fall, she began to suffer chronic pain conditions that were not objectively verifiable on MRI or other neurological testing. , 2017
- Tidwell v. One Bush Street - $ 300,000 settlement on behalf of a tourist who broke her ankle when she stepped on an uneven and slippery surface in the courtyard at One Bush Street, 2014
- Ahirwar v. Lee - $ 225,000.00 settlement on behalf of a jogger who was knocked down in a crosswalk by a left turning vehicle. The jogger had pre-existing back injuries that had recently required treatment before the collision. The collision exacerbated those injuries, caused the jogger to miss work, and prevented him from jogging for a period of time., 2017
- Heydari v. Ward, et al. - Settlement of $ 3,094,000 on behalf of a young pedestrian who was injured when she was struck by debris from a collision between two automobiles in an intersection. , 2015
- Orduno v. Oakland, et al. - $ 750,000 settlement with the City of Oakland for a pedestrian that was injured as a result of a car collision in a visually obstructed intersection., 2011
- Bauman v. Caltrans - $ 5,900,000 verdict obtained by Fred G. Meis, Esq., and Quinton Cutlip, Esq., against Caltrans on behalf of a lady who was severely injured when she struck an improperly installed freeway breakaway terminal guardrail., 2002
- Richardson v. Antioch Police Department - $ 750,000 civil rights settlement for a lady who was electrocuted with a Taser after police unlawfully entered her home without a warrant or other just cause, 2011
- O'Brien v. Ekoule - $ 695,000 settlement paid by a limousine company to a young intoxicated man who suffered hand injuries as he was getting into a limousine and opened the door into the side of a passing bus., 2013
- Bhadauria v. Luxor Cab Company - $ 3,200,000 verdict obtained by Chris Dolan and Quinton Cutlip for a young woman who was struck by a taxicab and suffered a complex pain disorder., 2014
- Joya v. Gonzales - $ 425,000 settlement on behalf of a young woman who was struck by a car as she walked across a crosswalk., 2015
- Jimenez v. Renteria, et al. - $ 300,000 settlement on behalf of a lady who broke her leg falling on stairs that contained loose carpet., 2011
- Esteban Smith v. Creedon, et al. - Defendant's insurer paid a settlement of $ 250,000 on a $ 100,000 liaiblity policy after it initially ignored Plaintiff's policy limits settlement demand in the case of a young woman who suffered soft tissue injuries in a rear end car collision., 2012
- Ayala v. Mid City Nursery - $ 875,000 settlement for a chronic pain patient who was further injured when a truck changed lanes and caused his car to contact the freeway median barrier., 2015
- Smith v. Stockton Police Department - $ 307,500 settlement with the Stockton Police Department for a mentally handicapped man who falsely detained, falsely arrested, and attacked with a police dog. The Court's order approving the settlement was published and established precedent for settling civil rights cases on behalf of minors and disabled people in federal court. It also confirms procedures for preserving need-based government benefits for people who are receiving settlements. (See Smith v. Stockton (2016) 185 F.Supp.3d 1242; 94 Fed.R.Serv.3d 1221.), 2016
- Owen v. City and County of San Francisco - $ 2,250,000 settlement in a dangerous condition of public property case involving a young woman who was severely injured when she fell off planters that looked like and were regularly used like stairs at the San Francisco Palace of Fine Arts., 2016
Representative Clients:
- Good people who have suffered physical and mental injuries or who have been the victims of fraud or civil rights abuses. , 1993
- People who have been injured by the negligence or wrongdoing of others.
Pro bono/Community Service:
- Quinton was appointed to the Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee by the San Bruno City Council. , 2023
Honors/Awards:
- The San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association is the oldest and largest trial lawyer organization in Northern California., Awarded the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Associations' 2023 TRIAL LAWYER OF THE YEAR AWARD, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, 2023
Scholarly Lectures/Writings:
- I was invited to speak about defense mental examinations., Panelist, Defense Mental Examinations, Alameda Contra Costa Trial Lawyers Association (ACCTLA), Training Attorneys, 2024
- I was honored to be asked to moderate a discussion panel for the San Mateo County Trial Lawyers Association's seminar about selecting a jury., Moderator, Virtual Seminar: It's All About Voir Dire., San Mateo County Trial Lawyers Assoc., Training Attorneys, 2024
- I was honored to be a panelist on the SFTLA's Lab Series discussing the cross-examination of expert witnesses., Panelist, Lab Series: Experts, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, Training Attorneys, 2024
- I was invited to participate with Dorris Cheng, Esq. and Christopher Dolan, Esq., on a three attorney panel to discuss expert deposition tactics., Panelist, Expert Depositions, San Mateo County Trial Lawyers Assoc., Training Attorneys, 2023
- I was asked to speak about responding to and addressing demands for defense mental examinations., Lecturer, Responding to Defense Mental Examination Demands, Consumer Attorneys of California, Training Attorneys, 2023
- I was invited to be a panelist to teach about the use of consultants and experts in litigation., Panelist, Experts: Why, When, How, Barristers Club of the Bar Association of San Francisco, Litigation Section, Training Younger Attorneys, 2023
- I was invited do a presentation for other plaintiff lawyers about my recent jury verdict in the case of Tekle v. Hourigan. , Lecturer, Trial Debrief - Tekle v. Hourigan, et al., San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, Plaintiff Lawyers, 2022
- I was a panelist on a CAOC-NLD one-hour discussion about preparing for and taking defendants' depositions., Panelist, Preparing for Defendant's Deposition, Consumer Attorneys of California - New Lawyers Division, New Plaintiff Attorneys, 2021
- I was one of three panelists in a 1.5 hour continuing legal education course about hearsay and the California Supreme Court's recent decisions, including People v. Sanchez (2016) 63 Cal.4th 665 and People v. Veamatahau (2020) 9 Cal.5th 16., Panelist, Confused About Sanchez?, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, Plaintiff Attorneys, 2021
- I taught a two hour continuing legal education seminar to plaintiff attorneys regarding defense mental examinations in California courts., Lecturer, Busting Neuropsych Myths, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, Plaintiff Attorneys, 2020
Other Outstanding Achievements:
- Carpenter v. Superior Court (2006) 141 Cal.App.4th 249 – When a trial judge issued an improper order subjecting Quinton’s client to an improper defense mental examination, Quinton sought a writ in the court of appeal that resulted in a published legal decision that sets protections for injury victims in litigation when they are subjected to defense mental examinations. The case also established that copyright protections do not prevent a plaintiff’s attorney from receiving copies of the tests, test answers, and scoring materials used by the defense psychologist. The decision is cited in published guidebooks and legal treatises that are used by attorneys throughout California., 2006
- Richardson v. City of San Francisco (2013) 214 Cal.App.4th 671 – Quinton represented a police officer in an employment disciplinary case against the City and County of San Francisco Police Department. The published appellate decision clarifies the statute of limitations tolling provisions in disciplinary actions brought against an officer under California’s Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights Act., 2013
- Richardson v. City of Antioch, 722 F.Supp.2d 1133 (N.D. Cal. 2010) – Quinton represented a homeowner and her guests after the Antioch Police unlawfully entered the home without a warrant and unlawfully arrested the owner and the guests, including a 14 year old girl who was cited for resisting or delaying an officer by allegedly pretending to be asleep. Quinton filed suit in federal court and successfully brought a motion for partial summary judgment against the officers and the Antioch Police Department. The resulting published decision held that the Antioch Officers illegally entered the home in violation of federal and California civil rights laws. The decision has been cited in many other federal cases that address a California civil rights law known as the Bane Act., 2010
- Mazzetti v. Bellino, 57 F.Supp.3d 1262 (E.D. Cal. 2014) – Quinton represented a young woman who was unlawfully seized, unlawfully arrested, and unlawfully searched by Park Rangers in Yosemite National Park. The Court’s published decision confirmed that law enforcement officers can be personally liable for malicious prosecution for actively causing the prosecution of a person, and that the presumption of prosecutorial independence does not bar claims against law enforcement officers who exert pressure on the prosecutor, knowingly provide misinformation, and/or conceal exculpatory evidence., 2014
- Smith v. City of Stockton 185 F.Supp.3d 1242; 94 Fed.R. Serv. 3d 1221 (E.D. Cal. 2016) – Quinton obtained a settlement of over $ 300,000 for a disabled man, who was attacked by a police dog while he was being unlawfully detained and arrested, and for the man’s minor sister, who witnessed the attack. The federal court's published decision approving the settlement is precedent for settling civil rights cases on behalf of minors and disabled people. It also addresses and confirms procedures for preserving need-based government benefits for people who are receiving settlements., 2016
Industry Groups:
- People who have been injured or wronged.
Office location for Quinton B. Cutlip
106 Merced Dr
San Bruno, CA 94066
Selections
6 Years Super Lawyers
- Super Lawyers: 2018 - 2020, 2022 - 2024