California Record
Largest Facility Suicide Wrongful Death Verdict in California History
One of the hardest cases there is to win.
Orange County
Two-Time Trial Lawyer of the Year
Statewide
2020 CAOC Consumer Attorney of the Year — Finalist
ABOTA
American Board of Trial Advocates — Board Member
Orange County Wrongful Death Attorney

Orange County wrongful death attorney — Orange County Trial Lawyer of the Year 2016 & 2020, holder of California’s record facility death verdict.

Get Free Case Review Call now · 844-294-6445
Verdicts at Trial
Numerous 8, 7 & 6‑figure jury verdicts
Rejected $450K
Won $11M
at trial
Rejected $150K
Won $5.3M
at trial
Rejected $100K
Won $3M
at trial
Rejected the lowball. Tried the case. Won.
Gavin Long, California wrongful death trial attorney
Verdicts at Trial
Numerous 8, 7 & 6‑figure jury verdicts
Rejected $450K
Won $11M
at trial
Rejected $150K
Won $5.3M
at trial
Rejected $100K
Won $3M
at trial
Rejected the lowball. Tried the case. Won.
OC Trial Lawyer of the Year 2016 & 2020 · ABOTA Member · Record-Setting Verdicts · No Fee Unless HGL Wins · Free Consultation · California's Wrongful Death Advocate · OC Trial Lawyer of the Year 2016 & 2020 · ABOTA Member · Record-Setting Verdicts · No Fee Unless HGL Wins · Free Consultation · California's Wrongful Death Advocate ·
Landmark verdict The largest facility suicide jury verdict in the State of California JURY VERDICT · STATE RECORD THE LARGEST facility suicide jury verdict in the STATE OF CALIFORNIA
The Case That Set the Record

They Offered $450,000.
Gavin Said No.

When a grieving family came to Gavin, the two treatment facilities being sued had offered just $350,000 and $100,000 to settle the loss of their loved one. Their position was calculated and cold: because the death was a suicide, they wagered the case was worth little.

Gavin saw it differently. He believed the death was the direct result of the defendant's negligence — and that the family deserved the truth and full accountability. He rejected the offers outright, took the case to trial, and litigated it aggressively before a jury.

The jury returned a verdict of $11 million — the largest facility suicide wrongful death verdict in California history.

Largest Defense Offer
$450,000
→
Jury Verdict
$11 Million

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Each case is unique and decided on its own facts.

In Their Words
“
Your hard work, dedication, and passion showed through during this whole process. You were absolutely brilliant. From the bottom of my heart — thank you.
Jan
Family member of a wrongful death client
2020 CAOC Consumer Attorney of the Year, Finalist 2020 CAOC Consumer Attorney of the Year, Finalist STATE RECOGNITION · CONSUMER ATTORNEYS OF CALIFORNIA CALIFORNIA Consumer Attorney of the Year 2020 FINALIST
Gavin Long, wrongful death and catastrophic injury trial attorney
Gavin Long
Trial Attorney · Harrison Gavin Long, APC
About

A Relentless
Advocate for Families

When negligence or misconduct takes a loved one's life, families deserve more than sympathy — they deserve a fighter. HGL won one of the hardest kinds of cases to win — suing someone else for the suicide of another. With decades of trial experience and a record of landmark verdicts, HGL holds the negligent accountable at the highest levels.

His practice is exclusively devoted to wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases. He goes to trial. He wins.

Named Orange County Trial Lawyer of the Year in 2016 and 2020. Inducted into ABOTA. Recognized by peers, courts, and clients across California as the attorney other attorneys call when they have a wrongful death case.

Multi Million
Dollar
Largest Facility Suicide Verdict in CA
2×
OC Trial Lawyer of the Year (2016 & 2020)
20+
Years of Trial Experience
$0
Fee Unless HGL Win Your Case
Featured

Meet Gavin Long

Watch one of Gavin's actual clients talk about him and what happened in her case which Gavin tried to a jury in Santa Cruz. Gavin also discusses his insight and approach to the case.

A Client's Story · Santa Cruz Jury Trial · 2 Minutes
Orange County Wrongful Death

Cases HGL Tries

Harrison Gavin Long represents Orange County families in wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases. The practice is deliberately small — one to two cases a month, each prepared for trial rather than for settlement. The verdicts below are what that produces.

🏥
Facility & Nursing Home Deaths
Skilled nursing, assisted living, memory care, board and care, rehabilitation and behavioral health facilities. The state-record verdict came from exactly this work.
⚖
Elder & Dependent Adult Abuse
Claims under Welfare and Institutions Code section 15657, which reaches past ordinary negligence when a facility acts with recklessness toward a dependent resident.
🚘
Auto Defect & Product Liability
Twelve years of vehicle defect litigation, including cases tried to verdict — rare experience. A file that looks like an ordinary collision is sometimes a product case.
🚑
Catastrophic Injury
Auto, motorcycle, pedestrian and trucking cases involving permanent injury, including low-impact cases the defense insists could not have caused harm.
🏢
Premises Liability
Property owners and managers whose failures cause fatal or catastrophic injury — unsafe conditions, inadequate maintenance, inadequate security.
🏛
Orange County Courts
Cases filed and tried in the Superior Court of California, County of Orange — Central Justice Center in Santa Ana and the county’s branch courts.
Who You Are Hiring

Harrison Gavin Long,
A Professional Corporation

Harrison Gavin Long, A Professional Corporation is a plaintiff’s trial practice at 600 Anton Blvd., Suite 1200, Costa Mesa, California 92626, representing families throughout Orange County and the State of California.

Harrison “Gavin” Long was named Orange County Trial Lawyer of the Year in 2016 and again in 2020, and 2020 CAOC Consumer Attorney of the Year Finalist in 2020. He serves as a Board Member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, an invitation-only organization requiring a documented jury trial record.

In Cunningham v. New Life Recovery, tried in Santa Cruz County, a rehabilitation facility’s negligence led to a resident’s death. The two defendants’ pretrial offers totaled $450,000. The jury returned $11,000,000 — the largest verdict of its kind in California history.

The practice is limited to wrongful death, catastrophic injury, facility and elder abuse negligence, product liability, and premises liability. He takes one to two cases per month and prepares each for trial. He is a former instructor of Reptile Trial Strategy and has worked with Joshua Karton of the Trial Lawyers College for nine years on trial strategy, jury selection, storytelling, and cross-examination.

Admitted to practice in California · State Bar No. 204034 · Status verifiable at calbar.ca.gov

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes; each case depends on its own facts. Awards and memberships reflect peer recognition and professional association membership, and are not certifications of specialization by the State Bar of California.

Track Record

Verdicts Against
Rejected Offers

Each case below went to a jury after the defense declined to pay fair value. The offer is listed beside the verdict.

$11,000,000
Cunningham v. New Life Recovery
Santa Cruz County · Rehabilitation facility negligence · Offers: $450,000
Facility Death
$5,300,000
Diaz v. Gau
Santa Clara County · Auto v. motorcycle, disputed speed · Offer: $150,000
Catastrophic Injury
$3,000,000
Buttenhoff v. Bautista
Los Angeles County · Auto v. pedestrian, disputed liability · Offer: $100,000
Catastrophic Injury
$2,000,000
Confidential Settlement
Fresno County, January 2026 · Cervical fusion, 5 mph delta-V · Settled after jury selection
Auto · Disputed Causation
$1,741,489
Barbara v. Stater Bros. Markets
Orange County, May 2025 · Slip and fall, frozen food aisle · Offer: $100,000
Premises Liability
$1,417,115
Nijad v. Wood
Contra Costa County · Intersection right-of-way dispute · C.C.P. 998: $800,000
Auto · Disputed Liability
$1,100,000
Alce v. Mendoza
Kern County · Sideswipe, disputed injury causation · Offer: $100,000
Auto · Low Impact
$873,548
White v. YSV Trucking, Inc.
Kern County, December 2025 · 4 mph truck stop impact · Offer: $50,000
Truck · Low Impact

Numerous additional six-figure and excess-policy-limit verdicts in auto and premises liability cases. Verdicts are published in the Los Angeles Daily Journal and JuryVerdictAlert. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes; every case is different and depends on its own facts.

Recognition

Honors & Distinctions

2020 & 2016
Orange County Trial Lawyer of the Year
2020 Finalist
CAOC Consumer Attorney of the Year
Board Member
American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
State Record
Largest Facility Wrongful Death Verdict in California
2019
Two of the Top 50 Verdicts in California
2021
Top 20 Motor Vehicle Jury Verdicts
2021
Top Plaintiff Lawyer — Daily Journal
Top 100
Plaintiff Attorney — National Trial Lawyers Association
2016–2023
Best Lawyers in America
2014–2023
Super Lawyers
2018 & 2023
Lawyers of Distinction
2023
Elite Lawyers
2022
Cover Feature — Attorney Journals
5-Star Rated
Avvo
Former Instructor
Reptile Trial Strategy
9 Years
Trial Collaboration with Joshua Karton
Why Choose Us

HGL Goes to Trial.
Others Don't.

  • 01

    Trial-Tested Experience

    Most personal injury firms settle every case. HGL is a trial lawyer who regularly stand before juries — and insurance companies know it. That reputation drives better outcomes, in and out of the courtroom.

  • 02

    Exclusively Wrongful Death & Catastrophic Injury

    HGL doesn't dabble. Our entire practice is focused on the most serious cases — families who have lost someone and deserve the undivided attention of a specialist.

  • 03

    No Fee Unless HGL Wins

    HGL advances all costs and only collect if HGL recovers for your family. You face no financial risk in pursuing justice — that is our promise to every client.

  • 04

    Direct Attorney Access

    You work with the attorney — not a paralegal or case manager. Your case deserves personal attention, and that is exactly what HGL provides.

ABOTA Member
American Board of Trial Advocates
Membership reserved for attorneys who have tried a minimum number of civil jury trials to verdict — a mark of genuine courtroom experience.
Licensed in all California State Courts
Admitted to U.S. District Court, Central District of California
Peer-reviewed AV Preeminent Rating — Martindale-Hubbell
Member, Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles
Member, Orange County Trial Lawyers Association
Named Super Lawyer — California, multiple years
What to Expect

A Clear Path, From the First Call

Reaching out after a sudden loss is hard. Here is exactly what happens when you contact HGL — no pressure, no obligation, and no fee unless he wins your case.

01

The First Conversation

Call or send a message anytime. You will speak with us directly — not a screener. Tell us what happened in your own words. The consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation.

02

Investigation & Case Review

If your case is one HGL can help with, he investigates thoroughly — gathering records, securing evidence, and consulting the right experts to understand exactly what went wrong and who is responsible. You pay nothing for this.

03

We Litigate. You Focus on Family.

HGL handles the filings, the defense lawyers, and the insurance companies so you don't have to. Every case is prepared as if it will be tried to a jury — because that readiness is what drives results.

04

Resolution

Whether your case resolves in a settlement or a verdict, HGL fights for full accountability. And there is no fee unless he wins — his costs and effort are advanced at no risk to your family.

Your Family Deserves
Answers.

The consultation is free. The conversation is confidential. And if HGL takes your case, there is no fee unless HGL wins.

Request a Free Case Review
844-294-6445
844-2WINHGL
Available 24/7 · No charge to speak with us
Gavin@CaliTrialAttorney.Com
Contact

Tell Us
What Happened

Share the details of your loss in confidence. Every inquiry is reviewed personally. HGL will respond within 24 hours — often the same day.

⚠ California wrongful death claims are subject to strict statutes of limitations. In most cases, families have two years from the date of death to file a claim. Do not wait — contact us today to protect your rights.

Submitting this form does not create an attorney-client relationship. All information shared is protected by attorney-client privilege and will be kept strictly confidential.