Ben Coughlan is an award-winning trial lawyer who has dedicated his career to fighting for individuals going through the toughest times of their lives. After spending the last decade at a large plaintiff’s firm, Ben chose to start this firm to provide every single client with personal attention. Ben believes that personal attention, and creativity on cases, are what achieve the best results for clients. Ben believes his job is to tell the clients story as the client sees it, not as others might see it. To do that, he believes in spending the time to get to know every client personally so he can best understand not only how to get the largest financial result for the clients, but also how to take as much stress as possible off the client throughout the process.
Ben is known in San Diego, and throughout Southern California, for handling some of the very biggest and most high-profile cases. With a decade of experience litigating and trying catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, employment, medical malpractice, toxic exposure and whistleblower (qui tam) cases, Ben brings a wealth of knowledge to every case. In addition to his experience litigating Ben is an adjunct professor at University of San Diego School of Law and an instructor for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy in both the Trial Skills and Depositions Skills programs. Ben is the President-Elect of the Consumer Attorneys of San Diego – the Plaintiff’s Bar for all of San Diego. He serves as the editor of the Tort Law section of the Trial Bar News.
Ben has a sub-specialty in brain injury and spinal injury cases. He is the immediate past Vice President of the San Diego Brain Injury Foundation, and regularly works to support brain injury survivors in his free time. He is also a published author in the field of Brain Injuries, having co-authored and edited “A Journey Towards Recovery: A Brain Injury Guide for Survivors.” He is regularly asked to speak about brain injuries around the country to lawyers, medical professionals, survivors and their families.
Prior to becoming a lawyer Ben spent four years in the media relations department of the San Diego Padres. Ben received his juris doctorate from the University of San Diego School of Law. He received his bachelors degree in journalism from Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism in Evanston, Illinois.
Ben was born and raised in San Diego. He lives with his wife Kathleen, son Jack (3) and daughter Mackenzie (1) in Solana Beach. Ben and his family love San Diego and believe it is their privilege to give back to their community. Jack and Mackenzie are fifth generation San Diegans on their mother’s side.
Recognition & Awards
2021 – San Diego Reader, Top Attorneys
2021 – The National Trial Lawyers, 40 Under 40
2021 – Super Lawyers, Rising Star
2020 – The National Trial Lawyers, 40 Under 40
2020 – University of San Diego School of Law, Distinguished Alumni, Rising Star Award
2020 – Super Lawyers, Rising Star
2020 – America’s Top 100 Personal Injury Attorneys
2019 – Super Lawyers, Rising Star
2019 – America’s Top 100 Personal Injury Attorneys
2018 – Super Lawyers, Rising Star
2018 – San Diego Metro Magazine, 40 Under 40 Award
2017 – Super Lawyers, Rising Star
2017 – San Diego Metro Magazine, Top 10 Attorney Overall
2016 – Super Lawyers, Rising Star
2015 – San Diego Business Journal, Best of the Bar
2014 – San Diego Business Journal, Best of the Bar
2014 – Consumer Attorneys of San Diego, Outstanding Trial Lawyer
2013 – San Diego Daily Transcript, Top 10 Personal Injury Attorney
2013 – San Diego Daily Transcript, Top Young Attorney
Publications
Negligent Sexual Transmission of Disease: A Primer – Trial Bar News, March/April 2021
Anything but simple, the Taxation of Personal Injury Settlements and Judgments – Trial Bar News, September 2020
Understanding Pituitary Injuries in Brain Injury Cases – Trial Bar News, August 2020
10 Cases Every Trial Lawyer Should Know – Trial Bar News, December 2018
Intervening and Superseding Causes in California Tort Cases – Trial Bar News, November 201
Pebley v. Santa Clara Organics, LLC: Court of Appeals Extends Bermudez Ruling to Lien Treatment – Trial Bar News, August/September 2018
A Journey Toward Recovery: A Brain Injury Guide for Survivors
Keep it Confidential: How Dennis Rodman Changed the World of Personal Injury Lawsuits – Trial Bar News, January 2018
Traumatic Brain Injuries: Litigating the Not-so “Invisible Injury” Part 2 of 3 – Trial Bar News , January 2017
Traumatic Brain Injuries: Litigating the Not-so “Invisible Injury” Part 3 of 3 – Trial Bar News , February 2017
Traumatic Brain Injuries: Litigating the Not-so “Invisible Injury” Part 1 of 3 – Trial Bar News , December 2016
We Recorded the Defense Medical Examination, Now What? – Trial Bar News, November 2016
The First 48: Human Body Reaction and Emergency Treatment of Trauma – Trial Bar News , May 2016
Mini-Opening Statements: Test, Approved, Recommended – Rarely Used – Trial Bar News , February 2016
The Misunderstood World of Defamation Law – Trial Bar News, January 2016
Playing the Punies: Punitive Damages in Premises Liability Cases – Trial Bar News , April 2015
