Michael E. Gatto - Walnut Creek, CA
Attorney at Law Office of Michael E. Gatto PC
Personal Injury Lawyers in Walnut Creek, CA
2540 Camino Diablo Suite 201 Walnut Creek, CA 94597
- Free Consultation
- 1 Super Lawyers®
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32
Years
Experience
Featured Review
"I was in a vehicle collision and had no Idea what to do. Mr. Gato was referred to me by a friend and it was the best choice I could have ever made. Mike fought hard for me to get what I was owed. He constantly updated me and had his employees reach..." "I was in a vehicle collision and had no Idea what to do. Mr. Gato was referred to me by a friend and it was the best choice I could have ever made. Mike fought hard for me to get what I was owed. He constantly updated me and had his employees reach out to me frequently to check on my status, my health and overall well being. Not being a fan of lawyers Mike completely changed my mind of how lawyers are supposed to be. He treated me like I mattered and made sure I was always up to date. I would highly recommend Mike for any of your legal services. I hopefully won’t need another lawyer, but if I do Mike will be the first person I call. Thanks again Mike. Awesome Job by you and your staff. "
Walnut Creek Personal Injury Lawyer
Updated: 04/17/2026
Reviews
Customer Reviews for Michael E. Gatto
Highlights
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5.0 Value
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5.0 Quality of Service
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5.0 Professional Competence
Read reviews that mention:
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Verified ClientHired Attorney 2024-2025I was in a vehicle collision and had no Idea what to do. Mr. Gato was referred to me by a friend and it was the best choice I could have ever made. Mike fought hard for me to get what I was owed. He constantly updated me and had his employees reach out to me frequently to check on my status, my health and overall well being. Not being a fan of lawyers Mike completely changed my mind of how lawyers are supposed to be. He treated me like I mattered and made sure I was always up to date. I would highly recommend Mike for any of your legal services. I hopefully won’t need another lawyer, but if I do Mike will be the first person I call. Thanks again Mike. Awesome Job by you and your staff.
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Verified ClientHired Attorney 2024-2025Michael Gatto and his team were amazing, kind, professional and very hard working. They guided us throughout the process and got us the best possible compensation. We are very grateful and highly recommand Mike and his team.
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Verified ClientHired Attorney 2024-2025Highly Recommend Michael Gatto and His Team We had an incredibly positive experience working with Michael Gatto and his team on a medical malpractice case. From the very beginning, we found Michael to be trustworthy, professional, and extremely knowledgeable about the law. What really stood out was the excellent communication—he and his team kept us informed every step of the way, always taking the time to explain things clearly and in a way that was easy to understand. The entire staff was helpful, efficient, and responsive. We always felt supported and confident that our case was in good hands. The outcome was exactly what we were hoping for—and even a bit better than we expected. We truly appreciate the care and dedication shown by the whole team and would not hesitate to use their services again in the future. We highly recommend Michael Gatto’s law office to anyone in need of legal support.
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Verified ClientHired Attorney 2019-2020Michael did an excellent job representing me and my family when we were victimized by medical malpractice. I strongly recommend Michael and his team to anyone who needs help in their legal matters.
Areas of Practice
- Personal Injury
- Industrial Accidents
- Premises Liability
- Products Liability
- Exceptions to Workers’ Compensation
- Medical Malpractice
- Motor Vehicle Accidents
- Toxic Tort
- Maritime Cases
Attorney Information
Overview
Michael specializes in prosecution of personal injury claims involving complicated medical issues and theories of liability. He handles industrial accidents, premises liability, products liability, exceptions to workers' compensation, medical malpractice, motor vehicle accidents, toxic tort and maritime cases. Michael is dedicated to protecting the rights of the catastrophically injured.
For over 20 years, Michael has handled catastrophic personal injury and medical malpractice cases. Michael began his Civil Law Career representing doctors and hospitals in medical malpractice actions. Michael now uses his extensive medical knowledge and complex litigation experience to benefit his clients in personal injury matters exclusively. In 2014, he was lead counsel in a medical malpractice trial that ended in a jury award for his client in excess of $12 million, which is believed to be the largest medical malpractice verdict in the history of Contra Costa County.
Michael gained tremendous courtroom experience as a Deputy County Attorney in Pima County (Tucson), Arizona, where he represented the State in criminal prosecutions, from arraignment to sentencing, on cases ranging from simple misdemeanors to attempted murders. As a prosecutor, he handled nearly 100 jury trials and more than 150 bench trials.
Michael has served as both a Discovery Referee and a Settlement Mentor for Contra Costa County Superior Court. As a Discovery Referee, Michael assisted the Court by hearing Discovery disputes. As a Settlement Mentor, Michael volunteers his time in an effort to resolve cases short of trial.
Awards and Honors
Honors
- Best Lawyers in America
- Super Lawyers
- National Association of Distinguished Counsel
Other Sources of Feedback About Michael E. Gatto
Included on the 2026 Northern California Super Lawyers list
Past Lists
- 2025 Northern California Super Lawyers list
- 2024 Northern California Super Lawyers list
- 2023 Northern California Super Lawyers list
- 2022 Northern California Super Lawyers list
- 2021 Northern California Super Lawyers list
- 2020 Northern California Super Lawyers list
- 2019 Northern California Super Lawyers list
- 2018 Northern California Super Lawyers list
- 2017 Northern California Super Lawyers list
- 2016 Northern California Super Lawyers list
- 2015 Northern California Super Lawyers list
- 2013 Northern California Super Lawyers list
Education
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Legal Education
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Golden Gate University School of Law,
San Francisco,
California
J.D., Doctor of Jurisprudence
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Golden Gate University School of Law,
San Francisco,
California
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Non Legal Education
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University of Arizona,
Tucson,
Arizona
Bachelor’s degree
Major: Business Administration
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University of Arizona,
Tucson,
Arizona
Published Works
Articles
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Maximizing Restitution Orders: How Cooperation Between Prosecutors and Civil Litigators Can Benefit All
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What Are You Doing Here? - Coverage counsel in third-party litigation: When to bring them in and what to expect, Plaintiff, September, 2016
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Damages: Thinking Outside the Box to Hit it Out of the Park - A case of severe disfigurement with Prop 51 liability issues reveals why damages are limited only by facts, imagination and tenacity, Plaintiff, April, 2016
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California's Million Dollar Verdicts, Verdict Search - The Recorder, January 26, 2015
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Workers' Comp Subrogation: Don't Allow Your Client to be Extorted - If you "settle around" the employer, you may find yourself at odds with the subrogation attorney, Plaintiff, May, 2012
- Don't Get Tripped Up in Your Next Fall Case - Defense verdicts are common and comparative fault is often substantial, but careful analysis of the venue and circumstances can lead to a convincing case for liability, Plaintiff, October, 2011
- Spinal Injuries 101 - Anatomy, spinal trauma, diagnostic testing, and rebuttal of common defense arguments, Plaintiff, November, 2010
- To Cross or Not To Cross? A former prosecutor offers advice on how to structure the cross-exam for maximum impact, Plaintiff, April, 2013
Bar Admissions
- California
- Arizona
Other Affiliations
- Alameda Contra Costa Trial Lawyers Association - President 2018
- Consumer Attorneys of California
- Contra Costa County Bar Association
- Western Trial Lawyers Association
Contact
2540 Camino Diablo
Suite 201
Walnut Creek, CA 94597
Phone: 925-587-9949
Email: Send a message
Website: https://www.gattopc.com
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