As a skilled and compassionate Southern California personal injury attorney with more than 30 years experience, I understand that suffering from a personal injury is a devastating event. Injured parties may be left facing mounting medical bills, unable to work, and in pain. Having an experienced personal injury attorney on your side can make a big difference in the outcome of your case.

I have handled thousands of personal injury cases and have recovered millions of dollars for my clients. Regardless of the type of legal representation you need, my firm possesses the experience, resources, and legal skills to successfully litigate your case. Let us put our experience to work for you.

Contact the Law Firm of Rivers J. Morrell, III if you need assistance with any of the following legal matters:

• Automobile Accidents
• Commercial Vehicle Accidents
• Loss of Smell and Taste
• Common Carrier Accidents
• Loss of Hearing
• Nursing Home Abuse
• Elder Abuse
• Lumbar and Cervical Fusions
• Drowning
• Closed Head Injuries
• Shoulder Injuries
• Bus Accidents
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Watercraft Accidents
• Boating Accidents
• Wrongful Death

At the Law Firm of Rivers J. Morrell III, located in Orange County, Riverside, and Irvine, we service all of Southern California and specialize in civil litigation, representing defendants as well as plaintiffs. The fact that we have represented both sides in litigation gives my firm a more diverse, insightful, and accurate perspective of litigation -- valuable experience we are prepared to put to work in your case.

The Law Firm of Rivers J. Morrell, III aslo assists clients with legal matters involving:

Premises Liability:

• Slip and Falls
• ADR Ramp Falls
• Dangerous Conditions
• Dog Bites
• Handicap Ramp Accidents

Public Entity:

• Dangerous Conditions
• Road Design
• Employee Negligence

Insurance:

• Automobile Insurance
• Uninsured Motorists
• Underinsured Motorists
• Property Damage
• Arbitrations
• Lemon Law

Other Areas:

• Racial Discrimination
• Hazardous Waste and Toxic Tort
• Defective Products

For over three decades, my firm has been providing honest, competent, and steadfast legal guidance to our clients, and we will not rest until you receive the compensation and justice you are entitled to.

If you or someone you know needs the skilled representation of an experienced Southern California Personal Injury Lawyer, call Rivers J. Morrell, III today at 949-579-2487 or 951-290-3226, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule a free consultation.

Rivers J. Morrell, III has handled thousands of personal injury cases, for plaintiffs and defendants.

When representing the plaintiffs:

• Handled the first private party hazardous waste clean up case in the State of California, and recovered approximately $4 million from the United States Government, under the then newly enacted CERCLA statute.
• Recovered over $1 million dollars on behalf of an adult Vietnamese family whose father, an accomplished swimmer, drowned in a public swimming pool.
• Recovered close to $2 million on behalf of a Hispanic female who was injured as a result of a dangerous road design, against a public entity.
• Recovered just under $1 million dollars for an individual who slipped on a ramp and injured his knee.
• Recovered just under $1 million dollars in a fire case where the defendants offered nothing until just before the trial.

This is just a small sample of the results obtained when Mr. Morrell represented the plaintiff or injured party. There are many more personal injury settlements.

When representing the defendants:

• Obtained a defense verdict for his client, a bartender, in a bar fight where the customer/plaintiff was very seriously injured.
• Obtained a defense verdict for his client who was sued by a passenger in his vehicle, when his client rear ended another vehicle, and the passenger/plaintiff received a fractured hip (tried in downtown Los Angeles).
• Obtained a defense verdict for his client who struck a pedestrian, and the pedestrian received a fracture of the spine.
• Obtained a defense verdict for his client, who rear ended the plaintiff's vehicle, and the plaintiff had neck surgery.
• Obtained a defense verdict for his client, a local City, when the plaintiff ran off the road, and lost the lower use of both legs.
• Obtained a defense verdict for his client, a truck driver, when he ran over a pedestrian, and the pedestrian lost the lower portion of one leg (tried in downtown Los Angeles).
• Obtained a defense verdict for his client, when a passenger in the other vehicle died, (tried in downtown Los Angeles).
• Obtained a verdict of $751 for his defendant/client, when his client rear ended the plaintiff, and the plaintiff had back surgery (tried in downtown Los Angeles).
• Obtained a defense verdict for his client, a truck driver, when this client backed up into another truck injuring the passenger, against a $200,000 offer.
• Obtained a defense verdict for his client, a dialysis patient transporter, when his van stuck a pedestrian, when leaving the dialysis clinic, and the pedestrian/plaintiff fractured his hip (tried in downtown Los Angeles).
• Obtained a defense verdict for his client, when his client sideswiped a vehicle and the plaintiff had neck surgery at two levels.
• Obtained a defense verdict for his client who rear-ended the plaintiff (admitted negligence), and the plaintiff had neck surgery, and had been out of work for three years.
• Obtained a defense verdict for his client, when his client lost control of his vehicle, and hit the plaintiffs head on in their lane.

Mr. Morrell has also obtained a defense verdict for clients in numerous rear end accidents, wherein his client rear ended the plaintiff's vehicle.

The total pre trial settlement demands made by the plaintiff on the cases that went to trial totaled approximately $5.5 million. The verdicts, where a defense verdict was not obtained, totaled approximately $450,000.

If you or someone you know needs the skilled representation of an experienced Sounthern California Personal Injury Lawyer, call Rivers J. Morrell, III today at 949-579-2487 or 951-290-3226, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule a free consultation.

If you or someone you know needs the skilled representation of an experienced Southern California Personal Injury Lawyer, call Rivers J. Morrell, III today at 949-579-2487, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule a free consultation.

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Attorney Rivers J. Morrell, III

Rivers J. Morrell, III, is the principal attorney in the Law Firm of Rivers J. Morrell III, a Professional Corporation. Mr. Morrell started his career in litigation in 1974 in San Francisco. He moved to Orange County in 1978. He continues to practice in the field of personal injury litigation, now with almost 30 years of experience. He has had literally dozens of civil jury trials all over the State of California, representing both defendants, and plaintiffs.

Mr. Morrell was admitted into the American Board of Trial Advocates in 1989. This is a National Organization in which one must first qualify with a minimum number of civil jury trials, and then be nominated by ones peers. The number of members is limited. In Orange County, of the 10,000 or so attorneys, there are only about 100 that are members (as of 2004). In the entire United States there are less than 6000 members. This is staggering when one considers that there are over 200,000 attorneys in California alone.

Attorneys who are members of the American Board of Trial Advocates are considered to be "the best of the best." If your attorney is a member of the American Board, then you know that you have an experienced well qualified attorney, who is able and ready to take your case to trial.

Mr. Morrell became eligible for the Million Dollar Advocates Forum in 1987. To be eligible, one must prove to the Forum that you have recovered in a civil proceeding at least One Million Dollars on behalf of your client. Mr. Morrell has had several such recoveries. He officially became a member in 2003. There are only about 2500 members in the entire United States (as of 2004). Membership is considered "the most prestigious group of trial lawyers in the United States." Less than 1% of the U.S. lawyers are members. Again, if your attorney is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, then you know your attorney is experienced in big dollar, serious injury cases.

Mr. Morrell was selected as a "Super Lawyer," by Super Lawyers. This is the result of a selection process in which less than 5% of the attorneys in Southern California are selected. Super Lawyer "is an annual listing of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement." "Law and Politics uses a multi-step selection process that takes approximately 9 months"... to include a survey of active attorneys in the State, researching of credentials, along with a blue ribbon review panel of leading attorneys. Mr. Morrell has been selected as a “Super Lawyer” for the years 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Mr. Morrell was also listed and identified as one of Lawdragon's Top 3000 attorneys in the United States. This represents less than 1% of the legal profession. Lawdragon is a legal ranking and news service that provides expert analysis about lawyers and judges. Lawdragon describes its listing as the "most elite group of legal professionals compiled in the country." The Lawdragon guide is created through a combination of online balloting and independent research based on reviews by clients and peers, as well as interviews with other legal professionals. The Lawdragon Top 3000 is considered "the ultimate guide to the best lawyers in the nation."

Mr. Morrell is also a Life Member of Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. To be a member, the attorney must have recovered “multi-millions” on behalf of his client.

In addition, Mr. Morrell is a life "Silver" member of Elite Lawyers of America. This membership is limited to those who have recovered more than $2 million on behalf of their clients."

Mr. Morrell is also a Board Certified Civil Trial Advocate. He was so certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA). There are less than 2000 attorneys (as of 2004) in the entire country that have been certified in this field by the NBTA. The NBTA is accredited by the ABA to certify lawyers in areas of civil advocacy. The Task Force on Lawyer Competence of the Conference of Chief Justices found: "The National Board of Trial Advocacy provides recognition for superior achievement in trial advocacy, uses a highly-structured examination to select it members and is an arduous process that employs a wide range of assessment methods and entails considerable cost to the candidate." NBTA is the only national certification program for trial attorneys. It was "established to identify those attorney that have the experience and skill necessary to label themselves specialists."

Martindale Hubbell is the largest nationally recognized attorney organization in the country. Each year, for the past 100 years, Martindale Hubbell has rated all of the attorneys in the United States. This is the result of "an extensive, confidential review conducted among the legal profession." The highest ranking that any attorney can achieve is AV. Mr. Morrell has had the AV rating since 1998. An AV rating is "a reflection of having achieved the highest levels of professional skill and integrity." One's level of legal ability is considered to be "very high to preeminent." The AV rating "signifies that your legal abilities are of the very highest standard and that your professional ethics are unquestioned."

Best's Directory of Recommended Insurance Attorneys has also accepted Mr. Morrell as one of their approved attorneys. This was the result of "the completion of a comprehensive application, and the feedback of insurance companies and self insureds familiar with Mr. Morrell, and his firm."

Mr. Morrell has taught and lectured at the prestigious National Institute of Trial Advocacy. This is where attorneys go, or are sent by large law firms, to receive training in trial advocacy.

Mr. Morrell has also lectured, and taught other attorneys who are employed by insurance companies, to assist them in becoming better in the field of trial skills, which seminars were sponsored by the California State Bar.

Mr. Morrell has been appointed by the Orange County Superior, the Los Angeles Superior, and the San Bernardino Superior Courts to act as an arbitrator and mediator to assist in the resolution of pending lawsuits. He also has served as a judge pro tem in the Orange County Superior Court.