James P. Carr graduated Cum Laude from the University of Notre Dame in 1972. In 1976, Mr. Carr obtained his Juris Doctor from Notre Dame Law School. He was admitted to the Maryland State Bar that same year.
After practicing briefly in Maryland, Mr. Carr moved to California in 1977, when he was admitted to the California State Bar that year and joined the prestigious civil litigation defense firm of Breidenbach, Swainston, Yokaitis & Crispo. During his tenure there, Mr. Carr specialized in defending major American and foreign manufacturers in complex product liability litigation. After being elevated to full partner, Mr. Carr was invited to join the established practice of prominent personal injury trial attorney David M. Harney with the firm later becoming Harney, Wolfe, Shaller & Carr, where Mr. Carr refocused his practice on the representation of catastrophically injured clients.
In his nearly forty years of experience, Mr. Carr has tried over 65 cases to verdict, including many seven-figure verdicts in favor of his clients. In addition, Mr. Carr has settled more than 60 cases on behalf of his clients for amounts in excess of $1 million, and additional scores of cases for amounts nearing that figure. In addition to the cases featured and profiled among our firm’s Case Results on this site, Jim has been responsible for the additional notable settlements listed below.
Mr. Carr specializes in the handling of complex personal injury and catastrophic tort litigation, and is regarded by the legal community as one of its top personal injury litigators and trial attorneys. Mr. Carr is a member of AAJ, CAOC, and CAALA, holds the rank of Advocate in the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), and is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.
Mr. Carr is the father of four and the grandfather of five, and lives with his wife and pack of large dogs in Malibu.
ADDITIONAL SETTLEMENTS OF NOTE BY MR. CARR
Ebrahimian v. Doe (Auto vs. Auto) (balance of policy limits) - $1,997,621
Doe v. Medical Device Maker (Product Defect) - $1,500,000
Widow v. Insurance Company (truck crash/bad faith/wrongful death) - $4,200,000
Doe v. Automaker (crashworthiness) - $2,500,000
Clare v. Estate of Clare, et al (auto defect/wrongful death) - $1,220,000
Hagger v. Airflite (industrial injury at Long Beach Airport) - $2,100,000
Macrum v. Doe (auto vs. motorcycle) - $1,100,000 (policy limits)
Widow v. Automaker (crashworthiness/wrongful death) - $1,175,000
Doe v. Automaker, Component Mfgr. (seat belt failure) - $1,850,000
Schott v. Doe (auto vs. motorcycle) - $1,797,500
Donahue v. Regents (motorcycle crash) - $1,500,000
Larue v. Lift Mfgr. (scissor lift tipover/product defect) - $2,550,000
Coon v. San Antonio Hosp. (medical malpractice) - $1,650,000
Doe v. Automaker (seat belt failure/wrongful death) - $1,050,000
Jones v. Coca-Cola (Spoliation of Evidence) - $2,464,135
Smith v. County of San Bernardino (Dangerous Condition) - $3,000,000
Doe v. Tire Mfgr. (Tire defect) - $1,300,000
Mckenzie v. Int’l Helmet (equestrian helmet/product defect) - $2,400,000
Jenner v. City of Ontario (Dangerous Condition) - $1,400,000
Mersereau v. Regents (Dangerous Condition) - $1,000,000
Hill v. Caltrans (Dangerous Condition) - $1,000,000
Duncan v. Pool King (Pool service negligence) - $1,277,000
Rivera v. Mike Miller Toyota (seatbelt/product defect) - $1,350,000
Doe v. Sushi Bar (Intoxicated minor) - $1,000,000
Goudreau v. Dan’s Saddlery (equestrian helmet/product defect) - $1,100,000
Parker v. Int’l Helmet (equestrian helmet/product defect) - $1,000,000
Carpenter/Stalnaker v. U.S. (grenade explosion) - $2,000,000
Solomon v. Vons (slip and fall) - $2,000,000
Gilbert v. Quinones (three-car collision) - $2,300,000