Mark C. Blane

Career Highlights

• Firm Founder and Direct-Attorney Representation: Founded The Law Offices of Mark C. Blane, APC and remains the firm’s primary attorney, supported by an of-counsel lawyer and a paralegal team. Prospective clients meet directly with Blane rather than having their first meeting delegated to an associate or staff member.
• Personal-Injury Focus Since 1999: Has concentrated his career on representing injured people in matters involving catastrophic injuries, motor-vehicle and commercial-truck crashes, dangerous property conditions, defective products, dog attacks, child injuries, and wrongful death.
• Advanced Trial Training: Completed jury-trial training through the Keenan Trial Institute and its advanced master-level program. His professional background also includes training or affiliation with the Trial Lawyers College, National Institute for Trial Advocacy, and San Diego Inns of Court’s Trial and Evidence program.
• Two-Time Best-Selling Legal Author: Co-authored A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing, which reached No. 1 in Amazon’s Insurance category, and Protect & Defend, which reached No. 1 in both Amazon’s Personal Injury and Consumer Law categories. His work on A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing brought induction into the National Academy of Best-Selling Authors and its Golden Quill Award.
• Extensive Consumer Legal Education: Authored 10 injury-focused consumer guides addressing insurance claims, vehicle collisions, dangerous-property injuries, dog attacks, child injuries, daycare abuse, and medical documentation. He also maintains a substantial collection of articles, videos, newsletters, and Spanish-language educational materials intended to help injured people understand the claims process.
• High-Stakes Litigation Recognition: Selected for America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators in Southern California personal-injury litigation and admitted as a life member of both the Million Dollar and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates forums following documented seven-figure recoveries.

Proven Experience

• More Than 3,500 Resolved Injury Matters: Has resolved more than 3,500 personal-injury matters since 1999, demonstrating sustained experience across vehicle collisions, premises liability, dangerous products, dog attacks, catastrophic injuries, and other insurance disputes.
• $5.6 Million Ladder-Fall Settlement — D.Q. v. D.O.E., et al.: Represented a refrigeration technician who fell approximately 16 feet from a dangerously deteriorated ladder and underwent 14 surgeries. After overcoming efforts to shift responsibility to the injured worker and defending against two major summary-judgment motions, Blane and co-counsel obtained a life-changing settlement.
• $1.9 Million Trip-and-Fall Settlement — Mercurio v. PSAV, Inc. & Encore Event Technologies, Inc.: Represented a foreman who suffered serious injuries after tripping over an unsafe wire left across a work area. Despite multiple companies attempting to shift responsibility, the trial team prepared the matter through witness development and two mediations before reaching the settlement.
• $1 Million Policy-Limit Settlement — R. Irving v. Sripetch Amarit, Advantage Rent-a-Car, Simply Wheelz, LLC & The Hertz Corporation: Served as lead counsel for an 83-year-old Korean War veteran who suffered a devastating head injury after a shuttle driver backed into a trolley crossing arm. Blane promptly filed suit and secured the available policy limit before trial.
• $1 Million Tractor-Trailer Hit-and-Run Settlement: Represented a motorist whose car rolled several times after an 18-wheeler sideswiped it on Interstate 5 and fled. Dashcam footage and an independent truck driver’s account helped establish what occurred, and the claim settled for the available policy limit shortly before trial.
• $873,172 Ten-Vehicle Collision Settlement — Jose Cervantes v. Nestor Garcia & CAL-STATE Auto Parts, Inc.: Represented a passenger who required lumbar-fusion surgery after a commercial vehicle caused a ten-vehicle pileup. The matter involved 18 depositions, extensive trial preparation, and multiple disputed issues before settling three weeks before jury trial.
• $505,000 Dog-Attack Settlement: Represented a college student who required six surgeries after an unleashed pit bull chased her into a residence and severely injured her arm. Blane obtained the available policy benefits without filing a lawsuit, avoiding the added expense and delay of litigation.
• $436,948 Arbitration Award — R.B. v. Allstate Insurance Company: Pursued underinsured-motorist benefits for a client who required back surgery after being struck by a drunk driver. After the insurer scrutinized the injuries, treatment, and lost wages and offered $250,000, Blane and co-counsel presented the matter at arbitration and obtained a substantially larger award.
• Early Fen-Phen Litigation Success: Helped secure a confidential settlement for a registered nurse who suffered permanent heart damage after taking Fen-Phen. It was Blane’s first lawsuit after law school, involved national multidistrict litigation against a major pharmaceutical company.
• Early Ford/Firestone Defective-Tire Settlement: Secured a $185,000 settlement for a San Diego driver injured when a defective tire caused his Ford Bronco to roll over. The resolution was among the earliest plaintiff settlements reached with Ford and Firestone’s national counsel during the widely reported tire-defect litigation.