Frantz Law Group is recognized as one of the premier plaintiffs’ law firms in the United States, with specialized experience litigating wrongful death, catastrophic personal injury, wildfire and public utility litigation, as well as mass torts and business litigation.
Frantz Law Group’s extraordinary record of winning consistently—and winning big—demonstrates that its clients are in great hands. Since its inception, the firm has achieved landmark court victories for injured plaintiffs, including one of the largest jury verdicts in San Diego County history: $223 million,* for which the highest pre-trial offer was $100,000. Frantz Law Group also obtained a $55.4 million jury verdict* against SDG&E (a Sempra subsidiary) for the families of four Marines who died as a result of SDG&E’s negligence. The defendant utility corporation had refused to make any pre-trial settlement offers.
Another precedent-setting victory included an $18.5 million verdict* in a fraud action against a drug manufacturer. Frantz later testified before Congress as an expert on the drug’s dangers and lack of efficacy and his testimony, along with that of others, contributed to the Food and Drug Administration’s decision to permanently ban the sale of the drug—which was responsible for injuries across the country—in the U.S.
Frantz opened the firm in 1979 as its sole employee and has led its growth into a 30-person litigation force with a national reputation for protecting injured victims’ rights. The firm has recently made headlines in California for its representation of more than 8,000 clients of the Porter Ranch community in northern Los Angeles in a mass tort injury case against Southern California Gas Company and its parent company, Sempra Energy. The case stems from a 2015 gas-well blowout at the defendants’ gas-storage facility. The gas blowout is believed to be the largest in U.S. history, and the firm proudly serves on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee for this litigation.
Frantz Law Group is also representing thousands of Californians whose lives have been devastated by the recent wildfires and mudslides of 2017 and 2018. In most cases, these clients start to rebuild their homes and replace their personal property only to find that they are significantly underinsured. The firm also represents many families who sadly lost loved ones who perished in these fires and mudslides. Clients recognize the firm’s extensive experience assisting victims in rebuilding their lives, as well as successfully holding the public utilities and others accountable for their negligence. Frantz Law Group (with other firms) recently successfully concluded litigation against a public utility that caused Southern California’s largest wildfire disaster, collecting over $2 billion for fire victims.*
The firm is also adept at representing victims of tractor-trailer and automobile accidents. In 2016, nearly 4,000 people died in vehicle accidents in California. Over the last 39 years, the firm has represented thousands of victims of vehicular negligence including pedestrian deaths, bicycle/vehicle accidents, bus and auto collisions, and, perhaps the most complex cases of all, tractor-trailer crashes.
Successfully litigating tractor-trailer collisions requires an in-depth knowledge of state and federal regulations as well as a keen understanding of the mechanical operation of big rigs and the physics of truck wrecks. In addition to the firm’s vast experience in litigating these matters, the trial lawyers work with leading forensic accident reconstructionists and truck-safety experts to thoroughly investigate, analyze, and prepare the evidence for each case to ensure a persuasive and clear presentation at trial.
Frantz Law Group’s trial teams also make extensive use of mock trials and focus groups to flesh out any potential weaknesses and emphasize strengths in a case before the team ever steps foot in a courtroom for trial. “You don’t want the real trial to be your practice run,” says Frantz. “It’s better to go to trial knowing what potential pitfalls to avoid and better to know how to deal with difficult issues in front of a jury.” Using mock trials and focus groups allows the firm to focus on presenting the strongest pieces of evidence to the jury.
As a result of this extensive preparation, the firm has secured significant recoveries and settlements in trucking and motor vehicle litigation and is currently representing plaintiffs in nearly 40 wrongful-death and catastrophic-injury cases, including 14 wrongful-death trucking cases. Recent tractor-trailer and motor vehicle injury awards for 2017 and 2018 have resulted in more than $25 million in settlements and awards.*
“We rely on an all-hands team approach to get the best results for our clients, and that has proven vital in winning many of these hard-fought cases,” Frantz says. “It’s inspiring to witness the wisdom, passion, great intellect, and experience of the lawyers and staff of Frantz Law Group who effect real change for others and make our community safer.”
