If you are searching for top-rated personal injury attorneys, you are likely trying to understand who has the experience, reputation, and judgment needed to handle a serious injury case. Santa Rosa is home to many skilled lawyers, and choosing the right one depends on more than just advertisements or rankings.
When evaluating a top-rated personal injury lawyer, it is essential to consider years of experience, leadership in the legal community, trial readiness, client reviews, and the types of cases the attorney regularly handles. This list highlights several attorneys who are frequently mentioned by clients and peers when individuals seek legal assistance in Santa Rosa.
If you are comparing options because you want the best personal injury lawyer for your situation, this overview can help you understand what sets certain attorneys apart and what qualities may be most important for your case.
1. Michael Henderson – Henderson Law
Clients and colleagues frequently recognize Michael Henderson as one of the top personal injury lawyers serving Santa Rosa and the surrounding Sonoma County area. With more than 25 years of experience representing injured individuals and their families, his career reflects a consistent focus on serious injury and death claims.
Michael Henderson has been honored as a member of the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Injury Trial Lawyers, a distinction awarded to a select group of attorneys nationwide. He has also served as President of the Consumer Attorneys of Sonoma County, demonstrating leadership among fellow trial lawyers and a commitment to advancing the interests of injured clients at the local level.
Clients often describe Michael as knowledgeable, honest, and genuinely invested in their cases. Reviews consistently highlight strong communication, professionalism, and trust, with many clients noting that they felt informed and supported throughout the legal process. His practice focuses exclusively on representing injured clients and their families, and his results include securing significant settlements on behalf of those harmed by negligence.
For individuals researching top-rated personal injury attorneys in Santa Rosa, Michael Henderson’s combination of experience, leadership, peer recognition, and client trust makes him a lawyer many people consider when deciding who should handle a serious injury case and reach out for guidance.
2. Abbey, Weitzenberg, Warren & Emery
Abbey, Weitzenberg, Warren & Emery is one of the top-rated personal injury firms in Santa Rosa, with more than 100 years of history serving Northern California.
The firm provides representation across several practice areas, including personal injury, wrongful death, product defect cases, employment law, real estate disputes, construction litigation, and business matters. This broad civil practice allows the firm to draw on experience from multiple legal disciplines when handling complex injury cases.
Abbey, Weitzenberg, Warren & Emery is led by a team of shareholders with extensive trial and litigation backgrounds. The firm emphasizes preparation, courtroom readiness, and strategic advocacy, and it has earned recognition from organizations such as Super Lawyers, the American College of Trial Lawyers, and Consumer Attorneys of California. The firm also holds an AV Preeminent rating, reflecting peer recognition for professional excellence.
3. Brian Flahavan – Flahavan Law Offices
Brian Flahavan is a Santa Rosa-based personal injury attorney who has represented injured clients throughout Sonoma County and Northern California for two decades. His practice focuses primarily on plaintiff-side personal injury and wrongful death claims, with the vast majority of his work devoted to litigation.
Brian Flahavan has been involved in several professional legal organizations throughout his career, including the Sonoma County Bar Association, the Inns of Court, and national trial lawyer associations. He has also received recognition from Martindale-Hubbell and has been named among the National Trial Lawyers Top 100.
In addition to his litigation practice, Brian Flahavan is actively involved in community and pro bono activities and offers bilingual services in both English and Spanish.
4. Julia Parranto – The Law Offices of Julia J. Parranto
Julia Parranto is the owner of The Law Offices of Julia J. Parranto, a Santa Rosa-based personal injury law firm serving clients throughout Sonoma County. She has been practicing law for several decades and focuses her work on representing individuals who have been injured through the negligence of others.
Her legal career includes experience in both trial-level litigation and appellate matters, as well as alternative dispute resolution.
Her practice encompasses a wide range of personal injury matters, including motor vehicle accidents, construction-related injuries, product liability claims, dog bite cases, and premises liability matters such as slip and fall accidents. She has also handled cases involving defective products and complex litigation, including claims related to defective vehicle components.
5. Michael Fiumara – Fiumara Law, PC
Michael A. Fiumara is the founding partner of Fiumara Law, PC, a Santa Rosa-based law firm that has served clients throughout Sonoma and Marin Counties for more than three decades.
In the area of personal injury law, Michael Fiumara has represented clients in a wide range of cases, including automobile and truck accidents, pedestrian injuries, slip and fall accidents, workplace injuries, and wrongful death claims. He has also handled high-value injury cases involving catastrophic harm, with reported settlements reaching into the multi-million-dollar range.
Mr. Fiumara is also widely known for his work representing survivors of childhood sexual abuse and for his advocacy in education law matters, particularly cases involving student discipline and due process rights. His work has received attention from regional and national media outlets, as well as recognition from organizations such as the National Trial Lawyers, Avvo, and the American Institute of DUI/DWI Attorneys.
6. Charles W. Applegate – Applegate Law
Charles W. Applegate is a Santa Rosa-based personal injury attorney who has represented injured clients throughout Sonoma County for more than 20 years. He is known locally for handling personal injury matters involving car accidents, dog bites, and serious injuries caused by negligence.
Mr. Applegate’s legal background includes experience in both civil litigation and criminal prosecution, which has informed his approach to building injury cases and evaluating liability from multiple perspectives. His practice focuses on advocating for individuals facing insurance companies and navigating complex injury claims under California law.
In his personal injury work, Charles Applegate emphasizes strategic preparation, clear communication, and client involvement throughout the legal process. He has represented clients in a range of injury cases, including those involving disputed liability and contested damages. He is recognized for maintaining a direct and practical approach to case evaluation.