Robert J. Francavilla

Robert J. Francavilla, CaseyGerry partner, and a leading San Diego accident lawyer says that the most important part of the job is to get to know each client and their inherent qualities as human beings, in order to completely understand their harms and losses. “Believing in and having compassion for the people I represent drives me to fight for the justice to which they are entitled.” He states.

Robert J. Francavilla is an eminent legal professional specializing in serious personal injury, premises liability, and highway design cases. His comprehensive case history includes the handling of complex cases involving wrongful death, paraplegia, quadriplegia, severe burns, loss of limbs, and major orthopedic injuries.

Throughout his career, Francavilla has achieved numerous multi-million-dollar results for his clients. Among his notable cases was a complex product liability case where he secured a $7.6 million verdict for a client who sustained severe injuries due to a faulty power assist mechanism on his wheelchair. Francavilla’s exemplary work on this case earned him recognition as the Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Consumer Attorneys of San Diego.

More recently, Francavilla served as lead trial counsel in several significant cases. As trial counsel, he set a national precedent in Bolger v. Amazon.com, where the court ruled that Amazon could be held liable for defective products sold on its platform. This landmark case resulted in a confidential settlement for the plaintiff, who suffered life-altering injuries from a laptop battery fire.

In 2022, another pivotal case, Arthur v. United States of America et al, Francavilla represented Peter Arthur, a retired Navy veteran, who lost his leg in an automobile-motorcycle collision caused by a government-owned Navy van. Despite the challenging circumstances, Francavilla successfully resolved the case for $10.8 million – the largest settlement of a single plaintiff vehicular crash against the United States in the Southern District of California.

More recently, in 2023, Francavilla represented Richard Perry, a competitive wrestler and aspiring Olympian, who sustained a catastrophic head injury during a combat training exercise. Following extensive litigation, the case was settled in 2023 against the United States government for a record-breaking $12 million. This case was featured in the New York Times and San Diego Union Tribune.

In the same year, Francavilla achieved a $1.5 million settlement against the City of Santa Clarita for a trip and fall incident, and successfully resolved another case involving a severe bicycle accident with a cement mixer truck for a confidential amount.

Throughout his illustrious career, Francavilla has been honored multiple times with awards and recognitions. These include being a seven-time recipient of the Outstanding Trial Lawyer Award by the Consumer Attorneys of San Diego, being named one of the Top Plaintiff Lawyers in California in 2015 and 2020 by the Daily Journal, Best Lawyers ‘Lawyer of the Year’ for 2015 and 2022, and a Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyer from 2019 to 2021. He has also been recognized as a San Diego Super Lawyer since 2007, and one of San Diego’s outstanding plaintiff personal injury lawyers since 2007.

Francavilla’s commitment extends beyond his legal practice, as he is highly involved in the legal community. He is a past president of the Consumer Attorneys of San Diego, a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, the American Association for Justice, and the San Diego County Bar Association.

A native of Los Angeles and a resident of San Diego for 35 years, Francavilla cherishes his time with his wife Carla, and their two sons. His personal interests include running, weight training, and actively participating in his children’s activities.