MICHAEL M. SHEA JR.

San Jose Personal Injury Lawyer – Shea & Shea

A Leading Advocate for Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Victims

For more than three decades, Michael M. Shea Jr., attorney at Shea & Shea, has dedicated his career to helping people whose lives have been altered by devastating injury.

As a San Jose personal injury lawyer, he has built a reputation for unwavering advocacy in catastrophic injury litigation, representing clients throughout California and across the United States. His work centers on cases involving the central and peripheral nervous system—including traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries that demand both legal and medical precision.

Mr. Shea’s commitment to victims of severe trauma extends far beyond California courtrooms. He has handled complex personal injury cases in multiple states and abroad, including representing U.S. service members injured in Spain and Germany. His mission is simple but profound: to restore stability and dignity for people facing lifelong physical and emotional challenges after serious accidents.

Areas of Practice

• Catastrophic Injuries (Plaintiffs)
• Spinal Cord Injuries
• Acquired Brain Injuries
• Truck Accidents
• Motorcycle Accidents
• Construction Accidents
• Wrongful Death

Focused on Catastrophic and Nervous System Injuries

Michael M. Shea Jr. devotes his practice exclusively to personal injury litigation involving severe or permanent damage to the brain, brain stem, or spinal cord. As a traumatic brain injury legal specialist, he understands how this kind of disability affects every part of a client’s life—from memory and mobility to emotional health and employment.

Working closely with neurosurgeons and rehabilitation physicians, he develops presentations that show judges and juries the full impact of life-altering injury.

Common causes of catastrophic and nervous system injury claims in his practice include:

• Motor vehicle accidents and trucking crashes
• Construction-site and workplace accidents
• Unsafe or defective products
• Toxic exposure and chemical inhalation cases
• Dangerous roadway or intersection design

As a brain injury lawyer, Mr. Shea brings together the disciplines of medicine and law to prove both immediate and long-term harm. His personal injury cases often involve clients who have lost cognitive or motor function—conditions that may require lifelong therapy or attendant care. By collaborating with treating physicians, he ensures that settlements and verdicts account for the profound personal losses suffered by each victim and family member.

Beyond medical complexity, catastrophic injuries carry emotional weight. Many clients struggle with chronic pain and other quality of life issues. Mr. Shea’s approach emphasizes compassion and transparency, giving clients the confidence to focus on recovery while he manages the nuances of California personal injury law.

Geographic Reach and Proven Results

Although based in San Jose, Michael M. Shea Jr. has represented clients throughout California and in Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Hawaii, Spain, and Germany. His results include multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements.

Notable examples include:

• O’Donnell v. Conway Inc. – $9.28 million verdict (TopVerdict “Top 50 Verdicts in California 2014”) – catastrophic injuries from tractor-trailer crash.
• Van Lam v. Santa Clara County – $5 million settlement after deputy’s distracted-driving collision caused severe internal and brain trauma.
• Ashcraft v. Event Magic / Prive Bar Lounge – $702,000 premises-liability settlement for concussion and shoulder injuries.

These outcomes reflect a career spent holding corporations and public entities accountable when negligence causes life-changing harm.

Professional Standing and Thought Leadership

As a respected member of the California plaintiffs’ bar, Michael M. Shea Jr. belongs to:

• Santa Clara County Bar Association
• Consumer Attorneys of California
• American Association for Justice (formerly American Trial Lawyers Association)

He frequently lectures at conferences for the Brain Injury Association chapters in California, Washington, and Utah, as well as at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center.

Colleagues regard him as a persuasive communicator who bridges medicine with law, blending technical precision with human storytelling. These qualities make him both a formidable trial advocate and a valued educator in the field of catastrophic injury litigation.

Education and Credentials

• Bar Admissions
  • California (1986)
  • S. District Court, Northern District of California (1986)
  • S. District Court, Eastern District of California (1986)
  • S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
  • S. Supreme Court
• Education
  • Santa Clara University School of Law – J.D., 1986
    • Recipient, Leo A. Huard Award for Outstanding Participant
  • Santa Clara University – B.S.C., Finance, 1983

These credentials form the foundation of a career grounded in both legal acumen and financial understanding.

Thought Leadership and Publications

Beyond the courtroom, Michael M. Shea Jr. has contributed to public education on concussion awareness and rehabilitation. His published works include:

• “Michael M. Shea Jr.: The Value of Obsessing over Concussions,” San Jose Mercury News, Feb. 1 2016 (updated 2018) – a call for vigilance in diagnosing and managing childhood head trauma.
• “Opinion: Block Kids Under 12 from Playing Tackle Football,” San Jose Mercury News, June 22 2018 – advocating for age limits in high-contact youth sports.
• “The Value of Educators and Brain Injury Education Specialists in a Pediatric Legal Case,” Brain Injury Professional, Vol. 14 Issue 3 (2017) – co-authored article on the intersection of education and pediatric TBI litigation.
• “Before You Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer, Ask Them This,” LinkedIn Article, Aug. 16 2018 – guidance for families choosing qualified counsel.

Each piece is inspired by his dedication to improving public understanding of traumatic brain injury and strengthening the resources available to survivors and their families.

Cases and Seminars

Representative Cases

• Wiseman v. Harrah’s Hotel & Casino – U.S. District Court (1997)
• Reed v. Washoe County, et al. – U.S. District Court (1998)
• Curnutt v. Landstar Inway Trucking – U.S. District Court (2000)
• O’Donnell v. Conway Inc. – San Bernardino County Superior Court (2014)
• Ashcraft v. Event Magic / Prive Bar Lounge – San Francisco Superior Court (2014)
• Van Lam v. Santa Clara County – Settlement (2013)

Seminars and Presentations

• “Lack of Occupant Restraint Availability on Greyhound Motor Coaches in the United States: Biomedical Engineering Analysis of Mass Casualty Events and Rollovers,” European Academy of Forensic Science Conference (2018)
• “Research Informing Medical Treatment, Effort Testing,” Brain Injury Association of California, Annual Conference (2015)
• “Mechanics of Spinal Cord Trauma in Motor Vehicle Collisions,” Society of Forensic Engineers and Scientists, Annual Conference (2013)
• “Coma to Community – Essential Resources Following Rehabilitation from Traumatic Brain Injury,” Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, San Jose, CA (2012)
• “Coma to Community – Returning to School after Acquired or Traumatic Brain Injury,” Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, San Jose, CA (2011)
• “State of the Art Medical and Rehabilitative Care in Brain Injury,” California Brain Injury Association, Napa, CA (2006–2007)
• “Depositions That Make the Difference – The Five Keys of the Corporate Defendant Deposition,” Consumer Attorneys of California College of Trial Arts, Annual Convention (2004)
• “Dealing with the Psychiatric Defense: Emotional Problems or Organic Brain Damage,” Brain Injury Association of California, Annual Educational Seminar (2000)
• “Overcoming Jury Bias in the Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Case,” Utah State Trial Lawyers Conference, Salt Lake City, UT (1998)
• “Jury Selection in the Post-Concussive Syndrome Case,” Brain Injury Association, Washington, D.C., Annual Conference (1997)

These engagements reflect his ongoing role as both an experienced brain and spinal cord injury attorney and a respected educator in the field.

Honors and Awards

Michael M. Shea Jr.’s commitment to excellence in the field of California personal injury law has brought him various professional honors, including:

• Million Dollar Advocates Forum (membership limited to attorneys who have achieved million-dollar results for clients)
• Trial Lawyer of the Year Nominee and Finalist, Santa Clara County Trial Lawyers Association
• President’s Award for Courageous Advocacy for Injured Victims, Santa Clara County Trial Lawyers Association
• Super Lawyers (2008–2024)

Professional Memberships

• Brain Injury Association of CA
• Brain Injury Association of WA
• Brain Injury Association of UT

Past Employment Positions

• Hoge, Fenton, Jones & Appel, Inc., 1985–1991

Pro Bono Activities

• Arbitrator, Santa Clara County Superior Court
• Judge Pro Tempore, Santa Clara County Superior Court

Dedicated to Protecting the Seriously Injured

With many years of experience serving the public in various capacities—truck and construction accident lawyer, wrongful death attorney, and more—Michael M. Shea Jr. has devoted his career to representing those facing the hardest recoveries imaginable, pursuing justice that restores both dignity and financial security.

Contact Shea & Shea

If you or a loved one has suffered a catastrophic injury, contact Shea & Shea at (408) 292-2434 for a free consultation with Michael M. Shea Jr. today.