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Medical Malpractice Attorneys in Orange County, California

Looking for a medical malpractice attorney near you in Orange County? Explore the county record for medical malpractice attorneys on the State Bar of California's official roll and review each profile for yourself.

California's third-most-populous county; the Central Justice Center and the Civil Complex Center in Santa Ana anchor a court system known for complex civil administration. Venue for most medical malpractice matters arising in the county lies with the Superior Court of California, County of Orange, seated at Santa Ana.

Deadlines shape these cases before merits do · three years from the injury, or one year from discovery, whichever comes first (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 340.5). A 90-day notice of intent to sue must precede the filing (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 364). Minors under six have until age eight or three years, whichever is longer (§ 340.5).

This page is the Orange County chapter of the registry's statewide record · Medical Malpractice Lawyers in California collects all 58 counties.

The clock & the court

Statute of limitations

Three years from the injury, or one year from discovery, whichever comes first.

Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 340.5

A 90-day notice of intent to sue must precede the filing (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 364). Minors under six have until age eight or three years, whichever is longer (§ 340.5).

Court of record

Superior Court of California, County of Orange.

County seat: Santa Ana

Official court information, locations, and filing rules: www.occourts.org

Medical Malpractice · Orange County roster

297 attorneys on the official State Bar of California roll list medical malpractice among their practice areas with an address of record in Orange County.

289 of them hold an active licence; the remainder are recorded as inactive and are not currently eligible to practise.

The roster concentrates in Irvine (74), Santa Ana (47), Costa Mesa (22) and Orange (21).

11 are recorded as taking client work in a language other than English.

Admission years on this roster run from 1962 to 2026.

The employers most represented here are Giovanniello Law Group (12), Ikuta Hemesath LLP (5) and Kjar, McKenna & Stockalper, LLP (5).

Walter Raymond Zech

Medical Malpractice · Santa Ana

Bar #43810 · Admitted 1969

Official record

Steven Zwick

Medical Malpractice · Mission Viejo

Bar #63304 · Admitted 1974

Official record

Merna Abdelmalak

Employment · Santa Ana

Bar #324349 · Admitted 2018

Official record

Morteza Aghavali

Business Law · Santa Ana

Bar #259010 · Admitted 2008

Official record

Lisa M. Agrusa

Medical Malpractice · Placentia

Bar #149841 · Admitted 1990

Official record

Wylie A Aitken

Business Law · Santa Ana

Bar #37770 · Admitted 1966

Official record

Jerry S. Akita

Medical Malpractice · San Juan Capistrano

Bar #130643 · Admitted 1987

Official record

Lilia R. Alameida

Bankruptcy · Costa Mesa

Bar #365388 · Admitted 2025

Official record

The full Orange County roster · 289 attorneys with an active license and a medical malpractice practice area: is listed by surname in the 1 sections below.

Medical Malpractice matters in Orange County

The matters this field covers, as Californians search for them. Each attorney's own profile states which of these they take.

  • misdiagnosis and delayed diagnosis
  • surgical errors
  • birth injuries
  • medication errors
  • anesthesia errors
  • hospital and nursing negligence
  • failure to obtain informed consent
  • emergency room errors
  • dental and pharmacy negligence
  • wrongful death from medical error

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Medical Malpractice questions, cited

How long do I have to sue for medical malpractice in California?

Under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 340.5, suit must be filed within three years of the injury or one year after you discovered (or reasonably should have discovered) it, whichever comes first. A 90-day pre-suit notice of intent is required by § 364 and can extend the deadline if served in the final 90 days. Fraud, concealment, and retained foreign objects toll the three-year period.

Is there a cap on medical malpractice damages in California?

Yes, on non-economic damages only. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 3333.2 as amended by AB 35 (2022), the cap starts at $350,000 for injury cases and $500,000 for wrongful death (as of 2023), rising annually until reaching $750,000 and $1,000,000. Economic damages (medical costs, lost earnings, life care) remain uncapped.

What must be proven in a California medical malpractice case?

That the provider's care fell below the standard of care of a reasonably careful practitioner in the same field, and that the lapse caused injury. Both elements almost always require testimony from qualified medical experts; juries are instructed they must follow the expert evidence on the standard of care (CACI No. 501). Poor outcome alone is not malpractice.

Can I sue a hospital for a doctor's mistake?

Sometimes. Hospitals are liable for their employees' negligence (nurses, technicians) under respondeat superior, and can be directly liable for negligent credentialing or systems failures (Elam v. College Park Hospital (1982) 132 Cal.App.3d 332). Many physicians, however, are independent contractors, so naming the right defendants (physician, medical group, hospital) is a threshold task in these cases.

Are attorney fees limited in California malpractice cases?

Yes. Bus. & Prof. Code § 6146, updated by AB 35, caps contingency fees in medical negligence cases on a sliding scale, 25% if the case resolves before a civil complaint or demand for arbitration is filed, and 33% thereafter, with court review available. The cap is one reason attorneys screen these expert-heavy cases carefully before filing.

Legal information, not legal advice.

From the answer files

Every medical malpractice attorney in Orange County, by surname

Medical Malpractice by city in Orange County

Related counsel in Orange County

Medical Malpractice in nearby counties

Source: Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 340.5 · State Bar of California licensee records · Checked: · Maintained by the California Attorney Registry from official State Bar of California records. Legal information, not legal advice.

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