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Pasadena Personal Injury Lawyer
California catastrophic injury, public entity, and wrongful death. The track record and trial-room readiness to handle the most complex cases.
$22.6 Million
Public Entity Jury Verdict
Pedestrian struck by a falling municipal light-pole cap. Fourteen-day jury trial against the City of Los Angeles. Ranked the No. 1 California verdict of 2023 in its category by TopVerdict.
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Notable Results
A track record of complex, high-stakes cases. Each result reflects the work behind it. Read the full stories on the results page.
$26M
Stipulated Judgment
A pedestrian killed by an impaired driver. The defense argued that his mother's dementia meant her loss counted for nothing. The judgment, entered by stipulation for the full amount, said otherwise. Los Angeles Superior Court, 2026.
$22.6M
Jury Verdict
Falling light-pole cap struck a pedestrian on the head. Tried fourteen days against the City of Los Angeles; jury 11–1 on liability. TopVerdict: No. 1 California verdict of 2023 in its category, and No. 3 personal injury verdict in Los Angeles.
$17.4M
Settlement
Catastrophic injuries from an explosion at an illegally operated marijuana dispensary. TopVerdict 2025: the No. 2 premises liability settlement in California, and No. 9 of the Top 10 personal injury settlements in Los Angeles.
$6.8M
Settlement
Sexual-assault recovery on theories of negligent security and premises liability.
$2.75M
Referred Case
Catastrophic-injury matter referred by outside counsel; fee split honored under California Rule 1.5.1. Ranked in TopVerdict's Top 100 California personal injury settlements of 2025.
$2.5M
Settlement
Catastrophic injury from a motor vehicle collision; resolved at mediation after IME and life-care planning. TopVerdict: Top 20 Los Angeles motor vehicle accident settlements of 2025.
$2.0M
Wrongful Death
Recovery for a family despite a blood-alcohol level of 0.356 — more than four times the legal limit.
$2.0M
Wrongful Death
Decedent died in a fire he ignited. Recovered for the family on a theory of preventable conditions.
$875K
Confidential
Resolved short of trial in a contested-liability injury matter.
$750K
Confidential
Negotiated resolution for serious injuries with disputed damages.
$500K×3
Confidential
Three additional matters resolved at or above $500,000.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Each case is evaluated on its own facts.
Practice Areas
A focused civil practice across catastrophic injury and complex litigation. Start with the Pasadena personal injury lawyer overview, or go straight to your case type.
Rear-end, intersection, freeway, rideshare, commercial vehicle, hit-and-run.
Car accident lawyer → Truck accident lawyer → Motorcycle accident lawyer →Concussions, post-concussive syndrome, mild and moderate TBI defense doctors try to dismiss.
Brain injury lawyer →Slip and fall, dangerous conditions, retail, apartment and HOA negligence, negligent security.
Premises liability lawyer →Survival actions and wrongful-death claims under California Code of Civil Procedure section 377.60.
Wrongful death lawyer →Dangerous condition of public property under California Government Code section 835. Strict claim deadlines.
Dangerous condition claims →Civil recovery for survivors against the parties responsible for the unsafe conditions.
Civil recovery for survivors →Strict liability under California Civil Code section 3342. Owners, landlords, and HOAs held accountable for serious bite injuries and scarring.
Dog bite lawyer →
The Attorney
Tom Vertanous is the founder of The Vertanous Firm. A first-generation Armenian-American who immigrated to the United States from Iran at the age of four, he was raised in Los Angeles and built his practice here. He answers his own phone.
Tom earned his B.S. from the University of Southern California and his J.D. from Loyola Law School. During law school he was selected as one of two extern students for the Hon. Stephen V. Wilson of the U.S. District Court, Central District of California, with prior internships at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Sexual Crimes Division.
Tom is the first author of a peer-reviewed paper on increasing organ donation through professionalization of organ procurement organizations, published in Transplantation Proceedings (2016). Outside the courtroom he co-founded HyerUnited, a Los Angeles nonprofit that has delivered more than $2 million in medical equipment to Armenia.
Tom serves clients in English, Armenian, and Farsi. Read the full profile: about Tom Vertanous.
If we don't win, you don't pay.
The consultation is free. The representation is on contingency. If there is no recovery, you owe no attorney fee.
Client Reviews
Ani A., Glendalevia Yelp"The guy who hit me had a low max coverage. I don't know what magic Vertanous Firm worked, but I got paid for my damages less than a year out from my accident, and was paid three times more than the policy limit."
Tony K., Burbankvia Yelp"Tom is the absolute best. He knows the law and he also knows medicine. One meeting with Tom and he was able to understand the medicine behind my condition and find the appropriate doctors."
Bobby S., Los Angelesvia Yelp"Tom is a straight shooter and he's whip-smart. He treated my case as though it were his own. He has a gift for compassion that sets him apart from other legal professionals."
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For Attorneys
The Vertanous Firm welcomes referrals from California attorneys. Whether the case is too far from your office, outside your practice area, or simply needs a trial-ready firm, we will treat your client and your file with the same care we treat our own.
Fee splits honored under California Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5.1. Referring counsel remain involved at the level you choose. Full details for counsel: attorney referrals.
Call (626) 888-2223 or email tom@vertanouslaw.com.
Contact
Call, text, email, or send a brief message. We respond the same day. Free consultation. No fee unless we win.
