Practice Areas: Personal Injury
Licensed in California since: 1994
Education: Loyola Law School Los Angeles
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2007 - 2023 Daniels Law
15021 Ventura Blvd., #883Sherman Oaks, CA 91403 Phone: 818-907-8073 Email: William A. Daniels Visit website
Details
William A. "Bill" Daniels is a trial lawyer and shareholder with DANIELS LAW law firm in Sherman Oaks, California. In 2003 he obtained a $20.5 million verdict against Max Factor heir Andrew Luster in a high profile sexual battery case, including a $10 million punitive award. In 2017 he was co-lead counsel in a personal injury trial agains the County of Los Angeles resulting in an $11 million verdict. In 2018 he was co-lead counsel in a jury trial resulting in a $4.5 million wrongful death verdict against TNT Express. In 2016 he was co-lead counsel in a jury trial resulting in a $2.2 million personal injury verdict against a local car dealer. In 2007 he was lead trial counsel in Decena v. Pacific Specialty Ins. Co., which resulted in a $1.2 million verdict in an insurance bad faith dispute, including $600,000 in punitive damages. In 2007 he was also co-trial counsel in Zevada Enterprises v. Sasson, which resulted in a $3.5 million verdict in a commercial lease contest. As co-counsel in insurance bad faith matters he has obtained substantial recoveries for earthquake victims ($13.5 million for home owner association), physicians ($6.9 million for non-payment of disability claims) and small businesses ($4.7 million for nightclub fire). He has also successfully prosecuted matters for individuals suffering serious injuries such as brain injury, spinal cord injury and wrongful death, including product liability ($6 million defective drug), automobile ($1.5 million 15-passenger van rollover) ($2 million dangerous highway condition) and dependant adult abuse ($2 million against residential care facility), as well as business disputes ($5 million for breach of contract). He served as a member of the litigation team in class actions resulting in substantial recoveries for their classes including Guttierez v. State Farm ($135 million) and Bednar v. Allstate ($120 million). He was co-counsel on the first appellate decision to find a right of privacy in a public place, Shulman v. Group W, Inc. (1998) 18 Cal.4th 200. He has lectured extensively before various professional groups on insurance bad faith and legal ethics. A graduate of Loyola Law School of Los Angeles, he is a past member of the Consumer Attorney Association of Los Angeles Board of Governors and a founding member of the Civil Justice Program at Loyola Law School Los Angeles. Bill Daniels publishes extensively on legal topics and is a contributing author to California Civil Discovery Practice, 4th Edition (CEB). Los Angeles Magazine has named him a "Super Lawyer" every year since 2007.  www.BillDanielsLaw.com.
First Admitted: 1994, California
Professional Webpage: https://danielslaw.com/about/
- Doe HOA vs. Roe Ins. Co. | $13,500,000; Following the January 17, 1994 Northridge Earthquake, the insurance company made advance payments to the Homeowners Association and then stopped. The HOA sued for bad faith refusal to pay the claim.
- Oasis v. Doe Insurance Co. | $4,700,000; When a nightclub tragically burned to the ground, the insurance company refused to pay and sued their own insured for fraud. Despite the carrier's repeated threat that it would "never pay a dime" on the claim, the matter settled on the eve of trial for a substantial premium.
- Gonzalez v. Dewalt Brown and Pasa Alta Manor, Inc. | $2,000,000; In this cutting edge case against a residential care facility, failure to provide promised medical services to a mentally challenged woman resulted in the birth of a tragically disabled child. Despite a vigorous defense based on constitutional law, the matter settled on the eve of trial for the total available insurance.
- Doe v. Luster | $20,526,000; Max Factor heir, Andrew Luster, drugged and raped his live-in girlfriend and videotaped the crimes. An action was filed and went to trial in Ventura County, California.
- Mary Doe vs. Pharmaceutical Company | $6,000,000; A young woman suffered severe physical injury including primary pulmonary hypertension after ingesting a defective drug.
- Alvarado v. City of Anaheim | $2,500,000; A construction worker suffered brain injury following a fall at a construction site.
- Doe, Mike v. Roe Disability Ins. Co. | $1,000,000; A disabled businessman was cut off by his disability insurance carrier in a dispute over whether his disability was physical or psychological. After providing an expert report documenting the true nature of the disability, the Defendant quickly settled.
- Doe Insured v. Doe Disability Insurance Co. | $6,900,000; A prominent transplant surgeon found himself disabled after suffering a sports-related brain injury. He subsequently made a claim on his three disability policies, all of which promised to pay him monthly benefits in the event he was ever unable to perform his regular transplant surgeon duties. Despite a documented hand tremor, cognitive deficits and visual acuity problem, the disability carrier refused to pay. When a bad faith lawsuit was filed, the carrier defended ferociously. Even so, the matter settled for nearly $7 million, believed a record settlement for the defendant insurance carrier.
- Zevada v. Sasson | $3,500,000; We represented a family-owned supermarket chain that mistakenly signed a lease with a gross percentage rental clause that effectively stripped the profits from the business. The court ruled that the term was a mistake and awarded significant damages.
- Doe, Driver v. Doe Car Rental Company | $1,300,000; A 15-passenger van overturned on a Nevada highway causing the death of a 60-year old woman. A product liability claim was filed which claimed the accident was caused by handling and stability design defects. Despite the defendant's claims that the accident was caused by the driver falling asleep, the product case settled shortly before trial.
- Post Grad: Loyola Law School of Los Angeles; Juris Doctor; Phi Delta Phi; Staff, Entertainment Journal, 1994
- Presidents Award, CAALA, 2005
- "Copyright Conundrums on the Information Superhighway",, 1st Place, American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers, Nathan Burkan Memorial Competition, 1994
- Loyola Law School Advanced Trial Skills Institute, Founding Member, 2007
- Presidents Award, CAALA, 2004
- Rated 10.0/10, AVVO, 2010
- President's Award, CAALA, 2006
- Presidents Award, CAALA, 2003
- American Association For Justice
- Consumer Attorneys Association Of Los Angeles
- Consumer Attorneys Of California
- Cowboy Lawyers Association
- Los Angeles County Bar Association
- Loyola Law School
Office location for William A. Daniels
15021 Ventura Blvd., #883
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2007 - 2023