The founder of the Law Offices of Teresa Li, PC, Teresa Li focuses her practice on personal injury and wrongful death litigation. From the firm's offices in San Francisco, she provides representation to clients throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, as well as in Stockton and the San Joaquin Valley. Admitted to practice in California since 2011, Ms. Li is also admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.
She has recovered over $20 million on behalf of the injured clients. Before working on the plaintiffs' side, she was insurance defense attorney. She is familiar with how claims are viewed on the defense side. Some of her representative results have included two pedestrian and auto accidents that resulted in a $2.65 million and a $2.5 million settlement, sexual assault case that results in $2 million settlement, kidnapping case that resulted in $1.2 million settlement, and a $5.45 million settlement with the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office when her clients, who were on a motorcycle, were hit at an intersection by a police car. The types of cases that she has handled trucking accident, car accident, pedestrian accident, bike accident, defective products, trip-and-fall, construction site accidents, and child physical and sexual abuse.
Fluent in both English and Mandarin, Ms. Li attended the University of Alberta as an undergraduate, where she majored in mechanical engineering and received a Bachelor of Science in 2007. She then pursued her legal education at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, and she served on the Hastings Law Journal before being awarded her Juris Doctor cum laude in 2011.
Practice areas
Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff, Personal Injury - Products: Plaintiff
Focus areas
Brain Injury, Construction Accident, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Motor Vehicle Defects, Personal Injury - Plaintiff, Premises Liability - Plaintiff, Sexual Abuse - Plaintiff, Slip and Fall, Trucking Accidents, Wrongful Death
- 70% Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff
- 30% Personal Injury - Products: Plaintiff
First Admitted: 2011, California
Professional Webpage: http://www.lawofficesofteresali.com/about.html
Bar/Professional Activity: - Alameda Contra Costa Trial Lawyers Association, Board of Director 2016-2023, Executive Committee 2023
- Alameda County Bar Association
- Contra Costa Bar Association
- Consumer Attorneys of California ("CAOC") 2016 to Present; Board of director 2023 to present
- Litigation Counsel of America
- San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association
Firm News (Newsletters): - The case (Case No. STK-CV-UAT-2017-9963), filed in San Joaquin County Superior Court, stems from clients of Li, founder of the Law Offices of Teresa Li, PC, who were both struck by an uninsured driver while pedestrians in a crosswalk in the last lane of a nine-lane crosswalk. The 54-year-old and 59-year-old plaintiffs were hit by a vehicle traveling at 45 mph in Stockton. According to court documents, the plaintiffs were crossing March Lane using a marked crosswalk while the pedestrian light was on, and had almost made it to the other side of the street when the traffic light suddenly turned green. Court documents further state that the defendant allegedly failed to yield to the plaintiffs and hit them. It is disputed whether the plaintiffs had a white pedestrian light when they first stepped onto the crosswalk. The plaintiffs suffered traumatic brain injury, fractures to their arms, legs, and facial bones, and have post-traumatic stress disorder. “The blinking light at the crosswalk was 18 seconds before the lawsuit, and it is now 27 seconds,” concluded attorney for the plaintiffs Li. “I am glad that the City of Stockton finally was able to make this right and keep the public safe.” Teresa Li has extensive experience and success in representing plaintiffs in personal injury cases. The police officer in the aforementioned case initially found the plaintiffs to be at fault for jaywalking, yet Li helped them obtain $2,650,000 in a settlement., Attorney Teresa Li Helps Pedestrians Allegedly Hit by Motorist Receive Large Settlement
- CBS did an in-depth interview of my clients regarding the wrongful death lawsuit, Family of teen shot dead at Sunnyvale house party suing Airbnb, property owner
- It’s been more than a year and a half since 18-year-old Elias Elhania was fatally shot at a house party in Sunnyvale, but his parents still see him in their lives. “He is with us, around us all the time. We see him around when we go shopping, we see somebody who looks like him, or looks like his hair, wearing his sweater or shirt,” Zahra Elmenjaoui, Elias’ mother, told San José Spotlight. “It is really painful.” Elhania was shot on Aug. 7, 2021 during a crowded and boisterous house party hosted at a home near the southern edge of Sunnyvale, rented through Airbnb. Elmenjaoui and Abdallah Elhania, Elias’s father, are suing the massive online home rental platform and the owner of the home, alleging they both failed to follow local laws that would have prevented their son’s death. The suit, filed in San Francisco County Superior Court on March 22, seeks an unspecified amount of damages for the family and for the company to change its practices. For now, the case has been moved to federal court on request from Airbnb. Teresa Li, an attorney representing the family, told San José Spotlight the owner of the home, Ke Zhou, was violating city rules in place since 2015 that require a homeowner to live on-site during all short-term rentals, and to register their home with the city for a short-term rental permit. Li said the city’s rules were designed to prevent these kinds of large parties from happening at local homes. “People only rent entire houses to throw a wild party. Nobody is going to rent one room with the homeowner living on-site to throw a wild party,” Li said. “This was not the first time this has happened, and it’s not going to be the last time until Airbnb stops the practice of completely disregarding the law.” Airbnb allowed the house to be listed on its platform as an “entire home” despite violating both city policies, the lawsuit alleges. Airbnb did not respond to a request for comment. Zhou couldn’t be reached for comment.A preventable tragedyRoughly 150-200 people flocked to the house at 1447 Navarro Dr. for the party on Aug. 7, 2021, which was advertised on social media. Li said there was a cover charge for some guests, alcohol was being served and most people who attended were under the age of 21. A neighbor called police to complain about excessive noise, Li said. While responding officers were at the front of the home, Elias Elhania was shot in the back of the home by a 17-year-old he did not know, according to Li. He was taken to a hospital and later died. It’s unclear what led to the shooting. Another person was shot, but survived their injuries. A 17-year-old was arrested on suspicion of the shooting, and his case is pending in juvenile court, Li said. Related Stories September 19, 2022Why renting your pool is illegal in San Jose September 7, 2021How did housing homeless San Jose students in Airbnbs go? October 13, 2019Changes coming to Santa Clara renters, homebuilders and Airbnb users Sunnyvale has since added further requirements, including that Airbnb hosts list their city-issued permit number on their listing and that Airbnb and other platforms inform hosts of the city rules, hoping to make it easier for city staff to investigate violations and ensure that all hosts register with the city. Sunnyvale Mayor Larry Klein didn’t respond to a request for comment. This is not the first lawsuit stemming from the Sunnyvale house party. Both the city and the state jointly sued the homeowner last year, and the case is still pending, Li said. Airbnb also said it would consider legal action against the person who rented out the Sunnyvale home, but Li said she is not aware of a case that has been filed by the company. Airbnb was well aware of the dangers of allowing massive house parties to occur at its rentals, the lawsuit from the family alleges, as five people were killed in a shooting at an Airbnb rental “mansion party” in Orinda in 2019. A lawsuit stemming from that incident was settled, Li said. There were dozens of shooting incidents at short-term rentals across the country in the six months leading up to the Orinda shooting, the lawsuit said, citing reporting from the San Francisco Chronicle. Elias Elhania left behind two younger sisters, who his parents said he loved and cared for, and taught one of them how to swim. His father said his son was a “beautiful soul,” compassionate and bright. He enjoyed playing basketball and soccer, and helping his family, neighbors and friends. After a trip to Elhania’s homeland of Morocco in 2019, where his son saw young people struggling to access books, the younger Elhania was inspired to change their circumstances. “He was thinking very deep at such a young age,” the elder Elhania said. “He told me, ‘Baba, I can open a charity or a nonprofit and raise money to go back and open a library for these poor kids.’” His parents said they hope their lawsuit can help prevent other families from experiencing the grief they have endured. “My son is a piece of me,” his mother said. “And he is gone.”Contact Joseph Geha at [email protected] or @josephgeha16 on Twitter., Family of Sunnyvale Airbnb Shooting Victim Speaks Out
- Kron 4 chancel did a short clip interviewing me and my clients on the lawsuit, air on the evening news, Airbnb faces lawsuit over house party shooting
- Family sues Airbnb over 18-year-old's death at Sunnyvale house party Company accused of allowing illegal rental where Elias Elhania was fatally shot When a raucous house party in Sunnyvale’s quiet Raynor Park neighborhood led to the fatal shooting of an 18-year-old, questions arose about why Airbnb had allowed the residence to be rented out in violation of numerous city rules. Now the online vacation-rental giant will have to answer to a lawsuit filed by the family of Elias Elhania, the teenager killed at that party that drew as many as 200 young attendees on Aug. 7, 2021. “Airbnb has a legal obligation to follow the law,” Teresa Li, the family’s attorney, said in a statement. “The simple truth is that had Airbnb done so, Elias’ life would have been spared.” It’s the latest fallout from the tragic incident that led to Elhania’s death and left another man with injuries when shots were fired at the property after police arrived to respond to a noise complaint. The man suspected in the shooting was arrested in late 2021 and booked into county juvenile hall, having been 17 years old at the time. In addition to Airbnb, the family has named as a defendant property owner Ke Zhou, who had listed the single-story home as a short-term rental on Airbnb after she purchased it in 2018. Zhou never registered the address as a short-term rental with the city of Sunnyvale, which requires that owners remain on site when their property is rented. Sunnyvale also limits bookings of short-term rentals to just four guests at a given time. Instead, hundreds of partygoers between the age of 16 and 19 filled the weekend party, which was promoted on Instagram as a “turn up.”, Family sues Airbnb over 18-year-old's death at Sunnyvale house party Company accused of allowing illegal rental where Elias Elhania was fatally shot
- Parents sue Airbnb, property owner in death of son killed at a house party published by San Francisco Chronicle, Parents sue Airbnb, property owner in death of son killed at a house party
- On December 13, 2021, the case of Cullen v. Cavallo Point, et al., (Case No. CIV18-01334, Marin Superior Court) was settled, awarding the plaintiffs $500,000. The plaintiffs were represented by Teresa Li, Law Offices of Teresa Li, PC. According to court documents, on 1/2/2018, a 55-year-old real estate agent went to an upscale restaurant, Farley Bar, inside a luxury resort Cavallo Point Lodge in Sausalito, CA to celebrate his brother's birthday. As he stood up to make a toast, the bar stool, manufactured by J.S. Greene Associates, Inc. doing business as Lily Jack (an upscale American boutique furniture manufacturer) tipped backwards, causing the plaintiff to lose his balance and fall backwards. The fall was witnessed by his wife and his 14-year-old son. Attorney Li stated, "before the incident, Farley Bar received multiple complaints that the barstools were tippy and unstable; however no customer had fallen or gotten injured by the barstools before this incident." The plaintiffs brought a product liability claim against Lily Jack and premise liability claim against the restaurant, as they contend the barstool fails the ANSI BIFMA X5.4 standard for front loading stability. Li went on to say, "My client suffered a fractured rib, two lung surgeries, had to replace his bioprosthetic heart valve, and sustained traumatic brain injury which was confirmed by his brain MRI." According to court documents, Lily Jack contends that the barstool was not defective. Cavallo Point denies that it had any prior knowledge that the bar stool was defective. Both defendants dispute the extent of plaintiff's injuries: defendants contend that the heart valve replacement was not related to the incident because it was a 10-year-old bioprosthetic valve and the average life-span for the valve is around 10 years. Defendants also dispute traumatic brain injury, blaming it on the plaintiff's congenital condition. Defendants dispute the extent of plaintiff's wage loss claim. The case was settled at the Mandatory Settlement Conference mediated by Diane Kruse. Li also said, "It is important for the restaurant and the furniture manufacturer to take responsibility for their defective product so that others will not suffer the same fate as my client.", San Francisco Personal Injury Attorney Teresa Li Obtains Half a Million Dollars for Client
- According to court documents, Li's client, a 54-year-old woman, sustained a concussion and annular tears in her cervical (neck) and lumbar spine (lower back) discs from being hit on the passenger side when another driver improperly changed lanes on Alma Street near the Caltrain station in Palo Alto, CA on July 17, 2018. Li's client was on her way home after dropping off her daughter at the Caltrain station. After the impact, Li's client refused an ambulance and went to see a chiropractor on the same day for her injuries. Later, she checked herself into an ER for neck pain. Her primary care doctor diagnosed her with neck strain and concussion. At the time of the collision, Li's client was a part-time administrative assistant and part-time real estate agent. Due to the injuries, she had to give up her real estate job and became a full-time administrative assistant to minimize her wage loss. Both the other driver and Li's client have Travelers Commercial Insurance Company. On January 8, 2020, Li's client filed a lawsuit in Santa Clara Superior Court (Case No. 20CV361494). The case reached the policy limit settlement of $100,000 on July 20, 2020 with the other driver's insurance. Li's client then demanded arbitration against her own insurance company for underinsured motorist coverage which carries another $400,000 policy limit. Travelers disputed that Li's client sustained a concussion and annular tears in her cervical and lumbar spine discs, but less than 2 weeks before the arbitration for the underinsured motorist claim, Travelers tendered the second policy limit of $400,000 on July 20, 2022. "I am glad that Travelers eventually stepped up and fulfilled its contractual obligation to pay its own insured for the personal injuries she sustained. This is what insurance is for," said Teresa Li., San Francisco Personal Injury Attorney Teresa Li Obtains $500,000 for Driver Who Was Sideswiped
- On the evening of February 22, 2020, Li's client, a 25-year-old veteran, and his 15-year-old brother were using electronic motorized longboards to skate around the neighborhood in Hayward, California. Li's clients were hit by an Uber vehicle at an intersection that had a green light. One of Li's clients sustained a traumatic brain injury and fractured his right ankle with subsequent surgeries. Li's other client witnessed his older brother being run over by the Uber car. The police found Li's clients at fault for not using the crosswalk. The lawsuit was filed in Alameda Superior Court on February 17, 2022, Sanchez v. Hamzat, case No. 22CV007178. The Uber driver denies liability and argues that Li's clients were responsible for the accident because they were in the intersection when the light was red and did not wear bike helmets in violation of California Vehicle Code Section 21292, and did not use a lamp in violation of California Vehicle Code Section 21293. Despite the adverse finding of the police report, Li was able to successfully argue that her clients were lawfully in the vehicle lane in compliance with Vehicle Code Section 21294 which allows electric motorized longboards to use vehicle lane as long as the posted speed limit is 30 mph or less. Throughout some investigative work, Li was able to prove that her clients entered the intersection when the light was green and later turned red before they were able to cross the intersection. Li also contends the Uber driver failed to yield to her clients who were already in the intersection, in violation of California Vehicle Code Section 21800(a), because he was in a hurry. At the time of the collision, Li's client was scheduled to start his job as a TSA agent at the SFO in a couple of days. Due to the collision, he was unable to work. Despite the traumatic brain injury, he went back to school, studying to be a Sign language interpreter. The settlement of $1 million was reached on February 17, 2023. "I am glad that through the settlement, Uber is taking responsibility for the horrific accident that its driver has caused, despite the adverse finding of the police report," said Teresa Li., San Francisco Personal Injury Attorney Teresa Li Obtains $1,000,000 Against Uber Driver
- According to court documents, Li's client, a 52-year-old woman, sustained a mild traumatic brain injury / concussion, left knee partial tear, annular tears in lumbar (lower back) and cervical spine (neck) from being hit at a crosswalk when the driver failed to yield to her on May 6, 2020. Li's client was on her way home after work and was hit at a crosswalk just a block away from her home. The impact propelled Li's client away from the intersection and she hit her face on the curb, causing bleeding on her upper lip. She was sent to the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital via ambulance. There, she was hospitalized for 5 days. At the time of the collision, Li's client was a recent immigrant from southern China, who had a packaging job in Chinatown and was taking English lessons to improve her English. Due to the injuries to her head, neck, lower back, and knee, she had to quit her English class and stopped working to focus on recovery. According to court documents, the defendant driver admitted liability but disputed that Li's client sustained a concussion and only offered $225,000 before the lawsuit. On July 1, 2021, Li's client filed a lawsuit in San Francisco Superior Court (Case No. CGC-21-593048). The case reached a settlement of $750,000 on August 9, 2022. "Tesla Model X is a dangerous vehicle: it is heavy and accelerates fast. Being hit by a Tesla Model X can be detrimental to a person. I am glad that the driver's auto insurance finally realized the severity of the injuries its insured driver has caused and compensated my client's loss adequately," said Teresa Li., San Francisco Personal Injury Attorney Teresa Li Obtains $750,000 for Pedestrian Hit at a Crosswalk by a Tesla Model X
- SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 17, 2021 / Today, personal injury attorney Teresa Li, founder of the Law Offices of Teresa Li, P.C., announced she has won $500,000 for her client who was rear-ended in a car accident in April 2019. Li's client, a 45-year-old woman, sustained mild traumatic brain injury, and herniated disks in her neck and lower back. Employed as a software engineer at a major tech company in Silicon Valley, Li's client's salary was around $200,000 a year. Due to the mild traumatic brain injury, it impacted her ability to work as a software engineer, as she is fatigued during the day and unable to sleep at night. She also has a hard time focusing and needs to take frequent breaks. Li's client ultimately received a $100,000, the policy limit settlement from AAA, the auto insurance carrier of the person who hit her, without filing a lawsuit; and then in July 2021, she received $400,000, the policy limit, from her own auto insurance carrier Allstate, after demanding arbitration. Teresa Li has a decade of experience and success in personal injury cases. She has been featured in national publications and has received numerous recognitions for her work in representing clients in personal injury cases. Prior to moving to the plaintiff side, Li defended corporations in high-exposure, high-value personal injury cases, and before that worked for three state and federal court judges, giving her unique perspectives on corporate defense and how courts adjudicate cases., San Francisco Personal Injury Attorney Teresa Li Obtains $500,000 for Driver who was Rear-Ended
- Airbnb Is Spending Millions of Dollars to Make Nightmares Go Away, Airbnb
- A former student is suing San Jose’s East Side Union High School District and her school, claiming they turned a blind eye to heinous behavior. The suit comes as the victim graduated Thursday from an independent study program at Piedmont Hills High School. The former student, Haley Yates, claims she was abused by her boyfriend, Toure Oliver, a football player. Sometimes the abuse occurred on campus, and school administrators did nothing about it, the suit claims. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court, also claims Oliver raped Yates multiple times off campus. Oliver said he is on criminal probation for some of the allegations in the lawsuit. The suit says school leaders not only ignored the abuse but also supported Oliver in those court proceedings. "Physical and sexual abuse is a serious matter, and every day, parents rely on their school’s officials to keep their children safe," Yates' attorney said in a statement. "Through this lawsuit, we hope to ensure that the school district will take future cases more seriously so that this will never happen again to any other child." East Side Union Superintendent Chris Funk said he was unaware of the lawsuit, and thus could not comment., Ex-Student Sues San Jose's East Side Union High School District in Connection to Alleged Abuse, Personal Injury Child Abuse
- A San Francisco Planning Commission vote on a contentious medical marijuana dispensary proposed for Visitacion Valley was postponed Thursday to give the city more time to investigate whether a nearby community center qualifies as a “youth serving facility” that would preclude the cannabis store from locating there. The project sponsor, Connected SF, is proposing a 2,198-square-foot medical cannabis dispensary, or MCD, in two contiguous retail spaces at 5 Leland Ave. and 2400 Bayshore Blvd. The MCD is one of two proposed for that block at the entrance to Visitacion Valley’s retail district. The other, at 2442 Bayshore Blvd., was approved by the Planning Commission in January but has been appealed. That appeal will be heard on July 19, and the new date for the 5 Leland St. hearing is Sept. 14. The Connected SF project is opposed by community groups that argue it would have an adverse impact on several nearby facilities that serve young people in a low-income, largely immigrant corner of the city. They contend the two MCDs are being strategically located on the border with San Mateo County, which does not have any dispensaries, to attract customers from out of the city. Proponents of the project say it would create jobs for residents, provide medicine for the sick, and bolster Visitacion Valley’s retail district by drawing foot traffic. At the center of the Planning Commission’s decision to postpone the vote was the question of whether the preschool and after-school programs at the Cross Cultural Family Center would qualify as “primarily serving persons under the age of 18.”Teresa Li, an attorney representing opponents of the MCD, said the continuance “could also mean that the city commissioners are taking the issue seriously and have began considering the disparate impact of having these MCDs to be concentrated in minority low-income neighborhoods.” If the Board of Appeals overturns the Planning Commission’s approval of 2442 Bayshore, it would probably impact the outcome of the 5 Leland St. dispensary.Quentin Platt, a partner in the Connected SF dispensary, said the postponement “is a bit of an unexpected delay, but we look forward to presenting our plans to serve the patients and benefit the Visitacion Valley community soon.”, East Side Union Superintendent Chris Funk said he was unaware of the lawsuit, and thus could not comment., Immigrant Community, Marijuana
- Xunyi "Max" Zhang, a former IASCO Flight School student, said he was relieved charges were filed against two staff members accused of kidnapping a former student. Amber Sandhu/Record Searchlight Update at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday A flight school employee instructor facing kidnapping charges resigned as the general manager at IASCO Flight Training in Redding. Jonathan Lipton McConkey stepped down last Friday, his San Francisco-based attorney Jon Runfola said. “He just had a difference with management how to best do his job and what resources were needed,” Runfola said. “That and having to prepare for this case was too much to handle.” Kelsie Hoser remains employed by the school, according to her lawyer, Naomi Chung. Original story Two Chinese flight students in Redding faced a harrowing experience a month ago when they were nearly sent back to China against their will. It ultimately led to the arrest of two Redding flight school employees who now face kidnapping and other criminal charges. Buy Photo Xunyi "Max" Zhang, 24, was at the Friday morning arraignment of the IASCO Flight School employees. (Photo: Amber Sandhu/Record Searchlight)In a story that made national headlines after they spoke publicly about what happened to them, Tianshu "Chris" Shi, 21, and Xunyi “Max” Zhang, 24, have both retained lawyers and say they want justice. Teresa Li, a San Francisco attorney representing Shi, said her client is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder stemming not only from the May 25 confrontation with the two IASCO Flight Training officials but also the manner in which he was treated during classes at the flight school. During the alleged kidnapping that Friday in May, police said Jonathan Lipton McConkey, the IASCO Flight Training general manager, and Kelsi Caylyn Hoser, the school's director of administration and secretary, threatened Shi and forcibly tried to deport him. Zhang, who was with Shi in the van bound for Redding Municipal Airport, went to police after McConkey and Hoser's arrests to report a similar problem. Hoser had told him to stay quiet about what he had seen or he would go to jail, according to the police report. The pair are charged with kidnapping, false imprisonment by violence and first-degree residential burglary. That first-degree burglary charge stems from the pair allegedly entering Shi's home unlawfully with the intent to commit a felony. McConkey, 48, also is individually charged with making criminal threats, while Hoser, 50, is separately charged with preventing or dissuading a witness or victim from reporting a crime.Read: 'Geese behaving badly': Pesky, pooping and pugnacious, they're here to stayBuy Photo IASCO general manager Jonathan McConkey, left, is shown Friday in Shasta County Superior Court with his co-defendant, Kelsi Hoser, far right, and their attorneys, John Runfola and Naomi Chung. (Photo: Amber Sandhu/Record Searchlight) Zhang was present for the arraignment of McConkey and Hoser. Following their brief appearance on Friday at Shasta Superior Court, Zhang said he is prepared to return to China but intends to see the kidnapping case make its way through the courts. “I want to solve all of this while in America, not in China,” Zhang said. “I’m really happy that the prosecutor finally filed a case. I believe I can find the real justice in America and what happened to me (those) two days ... I don’t think I should be treated in that way. And I’m really happy to be looking forward to what happens next.” Zhang is represented by Redding attorney Brandon Storment. Since last month, Zhang has continued to stay in Redding. He can no longer attend the school since his contract with Xiamen Airlines, a company that was sponsoring him to attend school, was terminated. He's also been ordered to return to China by mid-July. Storment said they don’t officially know the status of Zhang’s visa, but they did express to Xiamen Airlines that it’s important Zhang stay in the country to see the case to completion. “He’s a victim of a serious crime and needs to stay to participate in the criminal justice system,” Storment said. Chico attorney Sergio Garcia commented in May that foreigners living in or visiting the U.S. who become crime victims or are witnesses and also are cooperating with law enforcement can get a U visa to participate in legal proceedings. Zhang said his parents are worried about him, but they know he has a lawyer. Storment said that Zhang doesn’t have ulterior motives to stay in the country. “He has a fiancé and family in China,” Storment said. Prior to the incident on May 25, both Shi and Zhang were “grounded,” a term used in flight school when they are unable to fly or train.Read: Prosecutor: Blood on samurai sword ties man to woman's beheadingJohn Runfola, a lawyer representing Jonathan McConkey general manager at IASCO Flight School in Redding, said his client did not kidnap a flight school student from China, as police have alleged. John Runfola, who represents McConkey, disputes the abduction charges and said the whole case was a setup. Rather, he has said McConkey and Hoser were taking Shi to the airport for a flight home to China because he flunked his classes and his visa had expired. He since has added Zhang was a “school washout.” Hoser’s lawyer Naomi Chung said it was the first time she’d seen a witness come to court with a lawyer. Shi did not attend the arraignment.Read: Born to be wild; gray wolf follows her father OR-7's paw stepsLi said Shi and his mother, who flew out from China shortly after the alleged incident, are no longer in Redding. She did not elaborate where they are both staying, but maintains the May 25 occurrence trails a period of "emotional abuse" Shi faced at the school. Li alleges that during a training exercise, an instructor yelled at Shi inches from his ear. Another time, Shi told her he was in the back seat during flight instruction and saw an instructor berate a student. “I can teach a monkey like ten times and they’ll do better than you,” Li said Shi told him about the instructor. Li also counters Shi was never suicidal. What he's dealing with is a diagnosis of PTSD after what she said was a long period of emotional abuse, she said. “He’s not well. Anything reminding him of this, he starts shaking,” she said.Read: Hot dog vendor shut down in Cottonwood looks to regroupThis image shows Redding police walking a man believed to be IASCO Flight Training general manager Jonathan McConkey. The photo was provided to the Record Searchlight by flight school student Zhang Xun Yi. (Photo: Submitted photo) According to the police report by Redding officer Joseph Rossi, while an officer was interviewing Shi in a private room at 6701 Airway Drive, McConkey twice entered the room "seemingly for no legitimate purpose.” In one of those instances, he “stood there for a moment looking around the room,” the report said. Shi “sat up straight and his body tensed,” Rossi wrote in the report. He added Shi physically relaxed in the chair once McConkey left the room. Li said Shi disclosed to her the day after the alleged kidnapping, his mother arrived to be with him. At 10 p.m. on May 26, a white man showed up at Shi's home ready to evict him. Another man showed up at 11 p.m., Li said, ordering Shi’s mom be removed from the home. Li said the man then waited in his car monitoring them. Shi and his mother called the police again that night. Li provided a copy of the eviction notice, which came from IASCO Flight Training. California law states landlords must provide at least three days' notice if they intend to evict a person for being short or behind on rent, Li said. Shi was up to date on his payments, Li said.Read: Construction contract to raise height of Shasta Dam expected next yearThe following eviction notice was handed to Tianshu "Chris" Shi by IASCO Flight Training, according to Shi's lawyer, Teresa Li. (Photo: Contributed photo) According to Redding Police Department logs, officers did go to a Wyla Walk residence at 12:44 a.m. for a “suspicious circumstances” call, and told a man near the residence to leave. “They didn’t learn their lesson, they just kept on with the intimidation,” Li said about the school staff. But Chung, Hoser’s lawyer, said the eviction notice, despite being made out to Shi, was intended for Shi’s mother. “We weren’t trying to evict Chris in the middle of the night,” Chung said. “It’s a house full of men. It’s essentially a school dorm with shared bathrooms.” Chung said some of Shi’s roommates and IASCO Flight Training staff had expressed concern that Shi’s mother was still there. Chung said she and Runfola were also concerned of Shi’s mother's access to the roommates and her potential to tamper with the witnesses. She was on the phone with the school staff and tried to explain the situation to the two responding officers, Chung said. But she alleges one of the officers became aggressive and angry with the school staff member. Chung said the whole incident turned out to be a misunderstanding, and the staff member left. For Zhang — despite attending court — he made his feelings clear about McConkey and Hoser. “Actually, I’m still very afraid of them right now,” Zhang said. According to Runfola, both Shi and Zhang intend to sue., UPDATE: IASCO employee accused of kidnapping resigns, Personal Injury
- A 51-year-old woman from Santa Fe, N.M, on Thursday sued Airbnb, claiming the San Francisco short-term rentals marketplace did not properly vet one of its hosts, who allegedly sexually assaulted her and held her against her will. The woman, Leslie Lapayowker, said in the complaint filed in San Francisco Superior Court that Airbnb “creates a false sense of security to its lessors and lessees.” Though the legal action appears to be the first of its kind against Airbnb — at least in the United States — it is the latest in a line of lawsuits questioning just how responsible the company must be for the conduct of its hosts and guests. The consequences are occasionally dire. In 2016, Airbnb did not admit fault after four friends fell from a second-story flat in England, leading to extensive injuries, the Guardian reported. Lapayowker’s lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages and legal fees, also names the man she said locked her inside a room in his Los Angeles studio she booked through the service in July 2016. The man pushed her into an Ikea armchair, pulled down his pants and began masturbating, she said. The man then allegedly forced her to kiss him and, when he finally let her go, asked for a “positive review on Airbnb” as a parting comment, she said. Lapayowker said the assault derailed her life, prompting her to move to Santa Fe, N.M., after she lost her high-paying mortgage job in Beverly Hills because she could not cope with what happened to her. “I don’t want this happening to somebody else, you know, somebody’s daughter, somebody’s sister, somebody’s wife,” she said. “It’s not about me. And me, personally? I need so much therapy. I’m still in such a bad place.” Nick Shapiro, Airbnb’s global head of trust and risk management, said in a statement that the “abhorrent behavior described has no place in our community and we will not tolerate it. We have been trying to support her in any way we can and we will continue to do so.” The host has been removed from the service, he said. In the suit, Lapayowker’s San Francisco lawyer, Teresa Li, claims that the rental-sharing behemoth “does not perform background checks on its lessors or lessees.” According to Li, a representative from Airbnb told her client that the company had failed to perform a background check in the case of the man accused of sexual assault. “They knowingly send the sheep into the lion’s den — and charge for it,” Li said of Airbnb. Shapiro said that the company hosts and guests in the United States must pass a background check as a requirement to use the service. The company requires a first and last name, as well as a date of birth when people sign up as guests or hosts. The man, who did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment, did not face charges. In an interview, Lapayowker said she had pushed the district attorney in Los Angeles to charge the case. In an earlier incident involving a battery allegation in Florida in 2013 for which he was arrested, the man avoided charges through a first-time offender program, Li said. On its website, the company outlines its policies and standards around safety when it comes to hosting, prominently featuring the slogan “Trust is what makes it work.” Lapayowker said that the man who sexually assaulted her had been designated as a “Superhost,” a benchmark for highly rated hosts. That’s why, she said, she was not concerned with booking the Los Angeles residence with the man for an entire month. But the 30-day booking, for a total of $2,541, quickly unraveled, she said. The man allegedly starting making “sexually suggestive” comments to Lapayowker. Lapayowker left only three days into her month-long stay, after the man started using drugs in the open, “pounding” on her windshield as she sat near the residence in her car and screaming at his underage son all the while. Michael Bodley is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @michael_bodley, Woman sues Airbnb, claiming sexual assault by ‘Superhost’, Short-Term Rental - Personal Injury
- An Airbnb guest has filed a lawsuit against the company, saying it failed to do a background check that would have uncovered the previous arrest of a host who she said sexually assaulted her. The property owner, who had earned the upper-tier status of “superhost” and had never been convicted of a crime, has said the assault never happened. Airbnb, for its part, defended its screening measures and has since barred the owner from listing on its site. The suit arrives as Airbnb, the peer-to-peer vacation rental and hospitality site, is touting on-the-ground hosts who guide guests through customized itineraries, bringing the groups into increasing contact with one another. It also lays bare the complications of peer-to-peer sharing, even through an established company like Airbnb, which says it performs background checks on hosts and guests in the United States annually, and also has a law enforcement liaison that helps its clients around the world manage potential criminal matters. But the lawsuit, filed by Leslie Lapayowker and first reported in The Guardian, contends that a background check would have uncovered the fact that the owner had been arrested and charged with battery, and prevented him from listing property on Airbnb. The suit charges that in July 2016, Ms. Lapayowker rented a studio apartment in Los Angeles that was attached to the home of Carlos Del Olmo, listed as a superhost because of his positive reviews on the site. Though she rented the property for a month, the suit says she had stayed only three nights because Mr. Del Olmo’s behavior — making sexually suggestive comments, using drugs in front of his underage son, pounding on her windshield while she was sitting inside her car — made her uncomfortable. According to the suit, the assault occurred when she returned a week after leaving the studio, to retrieve belongings she had left behind. Mr. Del Olmo told her that he wanted to show her something important inside the studio, the suit says, and locked the door after she followed him in. She was held in a chair, against her will, as he proceeded to masturbate in front of her, finally ejaculating into a trash can, the lawsuit says. Before she fled the scene, the suit charges, he said to her, “Don’t forget to leave me a positive review on Airbnb.” When Ms. Lapayowker complained to Airbnb about the attack a month a later, the company immediately removed Mr. Del Olmo as a host from its site, according to Nick Shapiro, the company’s global head of trust and risk management. “We supported her right away and took him off our platform,” he said. Mr. Shapiro would not comment on whether Airbnb knew that Mr. Del Olmo had previously been arrested, citing the Fair Credit Reporting Act, which prohibits the disclosure of the results of one user’s background check to another. He added that a background check had been done on Mr. Del Olmo and showed no prior convictions. But Ms. Lapayowker’s lawyer, Teresa Li, said the company should have informed Ms. Lapayowker that Mr. Del Olmo had previously been arrested and charged with battery, in 2013, in Florida. He was accused of pulling his former girlfriend by her hair, from the back to the front seat of his car, in front of his child; Mr. Del Olmo was referred to an anger management program after the arrest, but was never convicted. Mr. Del Olmo said he was not happy with Airbnb’s response. “I have not done anything wrong, and have lost between $30,000 and $70,000 a year in income, because Airbnb abandoned me,” he said in a phone interview. Airbnb has been on the receiving end of such complaints before. One woman said her son was sexually assaulted by an Airbnb host in Madrid in 2015. A host in Fukuoka, Japan, was arrested and charged in the assault of a Korean tourist staying there. In England, a prosecutor charged a Couchsurfing host in Leeds with the rape of a Chinese tourist. There were no figures available on the number of such assaults domestically or internationally, and a sampling of vacation rental sites, when contacted, did not respond when asked about their policies on background checks., Airbnb Sued by Guest Who Says a Host Sexually Assaulted Her, Personal Injury
- An Airbnb guest is seeking to hold the company accountable for an alleged sexual assault, claiming in a first-of-its-kind lawsuit that she was attacked by a host who was not properly screened. The suit, filed Thursday by Leslie Lapayowker, raises fresh questions about the tech firm’s legal responsibilities when hosts violate laws or engage in criminal conduct. Lapayowker is accusing Airbnb of negligence when it allowed her to rent a room from Carlos Del Olmo, who was previously accused of domestic violence. “I don’t want this to happen to other women,” Lapayowker, a 51-year-old New Mexico woman, told the Guardian. “It was horrible, and I think that everybody should be warned that this could potentially happen to them or their daughter or their wife or their sister.” Reached by phone, Del Olmo said he was not aware of the complaint and vehemently denied the sexual assault allegation, noting that criminal charges were never filed. An Airbnb spokesperson said that it had conducted a background check on Del Olmo, but because he was not convicted in a previous case, he was allowed to be a host. The company also said it removed him from the site after learning of Lapayowker’s claims. Lapayowker moved to Los Angeles in July of 2016 for a new job as a mortgage broker and had planned to live in Del Olmo’s Airbnb for a month while looking for permanent housing. Del Olmo, who was renting a studio attached to his house, was a “verified” user and considered a “superhost” for Airbnb, meaning he had positive reviews and frequently had guests. “I assumed that I would be in especially good hands,” said Lapayowker. But, according to the suit, Del Olmo immediately made her uncomfortable by making sexually suggestive comments, pounding on her windshield while she was in her car and screaming at his son loud enough so she could hear. “He scared me,” she added. Lapayowker decided to leave after three nights, and when she returned to get a laptop she left and told him she was moving out early, Del Olmo said he “wanted to show her something of importance inside the studio”, the suit said. He then allegedly locked the door, dropped his shorts and began masturbating in front of her, demanding that she touch him and “taste it”. He ignored her pleas to stop, shoved his tongue into her mouth and eventually ejaculated into a trashcan, according to the lawsuit. He then let her leave the room, saying, “Don’t forget to leave me a positive review on Airbnb”, the complaint said. “I was completely in shock. I was totally numb,” Lapayowker recalled, saying she initially hesitated calling police. “I was terrified he would find out where I live and come after me.” Later that month, she reported the incident to police and to Airbnb, which banned Del Olmo from the site. Authorities ultimately declined to file charges, because officials said there was not enough evidence, according to Lapayowker’s attorney. Prosecutors did not immediately respond to requests for comment. But an attorney for Lapayowker discovered that Del Olmo had an earlier arrest in Florida for a battery charge and domestic violence case. A police report said that, according to the victim’s account, he had pulled her hair and dragged her during an argument. He entered a diversion program, which is an alternative to prosecution, the records showed. Lapayowker, who had previously been an Airbnb “superhost” herself, said she was in disbelief when she learned of the past case: “I was just furious. Why would they let somebody like this be a host?” An Airbnb spokesperson said it runs background checks on all US hosts and guests, looking for matches with terrorist watch lists, felony convictions, sex offender registries and “significant misdemeanors”. “The abhorrent behavior described has no place in our community and we will not tolerate it. We have been trying to support her in any way we can and we will continue to do so,” the company said in a statement to the Guardian. Del Olmo claimed the encounter with Lapayowker was “consensual”. He said: “This woman just fully lied and made everything up.” He said that the woman in the Florida case also lied and noted that he was not convicted. He also argued that it was unfair for Airbnb to kick him off the platform: “Airbnb has no respect for the homeowner … who is the one putting themselves in a liability situation.” Teresa Li, Lapayowker’s attorney, argued that Airbnb misleads users with branding that emphasizes the safety of the platform and calling it a “trusted community marketplace”. “They lure you in and give you this false sense of security,” she said. Airbnb has previously argued that it is not legally responsible when its hosts racially discriminate or violate local housing laws. Lapayowker, who said she is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, said she felt Airbnb didn’t take her case seriously: “I feel like they don’t care. Their entire model is to just get as much business as possible.” Since you're here... … we have a small favour to ask. More people, like you, are reading and supporting the Guardian’s independent, investigative journalism than ever before. And unlike many news organisations, we made the choice to keep our reporting open for all, regardless of where they live or what they can afford to pay. The Guardian will engage with the most critical issues of our time – from the escalating climate catastrophe to widespread inequality to the influence of big tech on our lives. At a time when factual information is a necessity, we believe that each of us, around the world, deserves access to accurate reporting with integrity at its heart. Our editorial independence means we set our own agenda and voice our own opinions. Guardian journalism is free from commercial and political bias and not influenced by billionaire owners or shareholders. This means we can give a voice to those less heard, explore where others turn away, and rigorously challenge those in power. We hope you will consider supporting us today. We need your support to keep delivering quality journalism that’s open and independent. Every reader contribution, however big or small, is so valuable. Support The Guardian from as little as $1 – and it only takes a minute. Thank you., Airbnb sued by woman who says she was sexually assaulted by 'superhost, Short-Term Rental, Personal Injury
- Short-term rentals, such as those found via Airbnb and VRBO, are the wave of the future, and preferred by many over hotels. But what legal recourse does one have if injured or something goes wrong during a stay at a short-term rental, and what should one do? “The first thing you should do is to document everything, including taking as many pictures as possible,” said personal injury attorney Li, founder of the Law Offices of Teresa Li, PC, who has filed a lawsuit against Airbnb in the past for sexual assault against Airbnb’s Superhost. “You should also always read the fine print of any agreement.” Furthermore, it is imperative to call the police and see a doctor right away if injured. If you have been sexually assaulted, you should definitely contact the police right away because this kind of evidence will disappear over time. Additionally, renters should ensure all communication they have with the rental company is traceable. “Don’t rely on it being on the rental platform,” added Li. “So if you communicate on the rental platform via text messages, you should do a screenshot to save these messages on your phone.” One should also save the initial booking outside of the platform, regardless of where the booking is done. It is crucial to inquire about the host and the property manager, and to obtain as much information as possible about the hosts and the property manager before booking. “The platform may or may not have done a background check,” noted Li. If injured, the renter should consult a lawyer immediately. “Depending on the rental platform you are using, you may have to file in a certain city per your agreement. For example, Airbnb has to be in San Francisco,” concluded Li. “Also, you only have 2 years to file from the date of injury.”, Attorney Teresa Li Educates Renters on what to do if Injured During a Short-Term Rental on Vacation, Short-Term Rental And Personal Injury
- The case (Case No. C19-00283, filed in Superior Court of the State of California County of Contra Costa) stems from the plaintiff, a student at a flight training school, who was allegedly held against his will by the general manager and the secretary (defendants) who then, court documents allege, tried to personally deport him. Attorney for the plaintiff Li, founder of the Law Offices of Teresa Li, PC, filed a civil lawsuit against the defendants and their place of business, IASCO Flight Training school in Redding, CA. According to court documents, the defendants allegedly confiscated and/or accidentally destroyed and/or damaged and/or impaired and/or deprived the plaintiff of his passport. Court documents further allege that on May 24, 2018, one of the defendants, who by his own admission had three shots of an alcoholic drink, called an employee of IASCO to ask the employee to arrange for the deportation of the plaintiff and another student of IASCO to China. Then around midnight, the defendants arrived at the plaintiff’s student residence uninvited and allegedly asked him to pack his belongings and leave the United States immediately. Court documents further state that on May 25, 2018, the defendants again arrived at the plaintiff’s residence and negligently and/or recklessly and/or intentionally interacted with him in a way that caused the plaintiff bodily, emotional, and psychological injury. The defendants, after allegedly kidnapping the plaintiff, took him to an airport and tried to send him “back to China.” The defendants were then arrested at the airport., California Attorney Teresa Li Files Suit in Vigilante Deportation Case, Personal Injury
- Personal injury attorney Teresa Li, founder of the Law Offices of Teresa Li, PC, recently won $2.5 million in a case, the insurance policy limit, on behalf of a client (plaintiff) who was struck by a motor vehicle while walking in a crosswalk. The case was filed in Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara, Case No. 18 CV321503. As her client, who suffered emotional distress due to the accident, did not speak English, Li was able to take the case because she is bilingual (Chinese and English). According to court documents, the plaintiff was crossing Highway 280 with the pedestrian “walk” signal on when the defendant, who was trying to turn right, hit her. The defendant was cited by the police for violation of Vehicle Code Section 21950(a) for failure to yield to pedestrians. Court documents further state that because of the accident, the plaintiff sustained permanent loss of smell and traumatic brain injury, as well as psychological and emotional injuries. Court documents also state that she has not been able to work since the accident. About Teresa Li, Law Offices of Teresa Li, PC Teresa Li has been repeatedly selected by Super Lawyers Magazine as a Super Lawyers Rising Star and has been included in the Top Women Attorneys in Northern California list. Practice areas include brain injury, truck, bike and motorcycle accidents, wrongful death and more. Li is a member of the Litigation Counsel of America, in which only 0.5% of attorneys are invited to join. For more information, please call (888) 635-3259, or visit http://www.lawofficesofteresali.com. The law office is located at 315 Montgomery Street, 9th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94104., Attorney Teresa Li Wins $2.5 Million for Client in Driver Negligence Case, Personal Injury
Scholarly Lectures/Writings: - The Privette Doctrine, Daily Journal
- Blood Sport, Daily Journal
- An Appeal Battle, Daily Journal
Honors/Awards: - Top 10 Best in Client Satisfaction by American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys 2016-2019
- Associate Member of Litigation Counsel of America 2017-2019
- Top Women Attorneys in Northern California 2014-2019
- Super Lawyers Rising Stars 2014-2019
- Top Attorneys in Northern California Rising Stars 2014-2019
- Top 25% of graduating class of 2011, Cum Laude, University of California Hastings College of the Law, 2011
- American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys
Educational Background: - University of Alberta, Canada, BSc. Mechanical Engineering, 2007
- University of California - Hastings College of the Law, J.D., Cum Laude, 2011
Representative Clients: - Represented the Chinese community against City's approval to open marijuana shop right next to child care center and community center, 2017
- Represented Chinese Consolidated Benevloent Associations ("CCBA") in San Francisco in a high-profile derivative lawsuit that went to trial over whether or not CCBA can fly People's Republic of China's flag or Taiwan flag, 2015
Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results): - $1,000,000 against Uber driver On the evening of February 22, 2020, Li's client, a 25-year-old veteran, and his 15-year-old brother were using electronic motorized longboards to skate around the neighborhood in Hayward, California. Li's clients were hit by an Uber vehicle at an intersection that had a green light. One of Li's clients sustained a traumatic brain injury and fractured his right ankle with subsequent surgeries. Li's other client witnessed his older brother being run over by the Uber car. The police found Li's clients at fault for not using the crosswalk. The lawsuit was filed in Alameda Superior Court on February 17, 2022, Sanchez v. Hamzat, case No. 22CV007178. The Uber driver denies liability and argues that Li's clients were responsible for the accident because they were in the intersection when the light was red and did not wear bike helmets in violation of California Vehicle Code Section 21292, and did not use a lamp in violation of California Vehicle Code Section 21293. Despite the adverse finding of the police report, Li was able to successfully argue that her clients were lawfully in the vehicle lane in compliance with Vehicle Code Section 21294 which allows electric motorized longboards to use vehicle lane as long as the posted speed limit is 30 mph or less. Throughout some investigative work, Li was able to prove that her clients entered the intersection when the light was green and later turned red before they were able to cross the intersection. Li also contends the Uber driver failed to yield to her clients who were already in the intersection, in violation of California Vehicle Code Section 21800(a), because he was in a hurry. At the time of the collision, Li's client was scheduled to start his job as a TSA agent at the SFO in a couple of days. Due to the collision, he was unable to work. Despite the traumatic brain injury, he went back to school, studying to be a Sign language interpreter. The settlement of $1 million was reached on February 17, 2023. "I am glad that through the settlement, Uber is taking responsibility for the horrific accident that its driver has caused, despite the adverse finding of the police report," said Teresa Li., 2023
- $750,000 for pedestrian hit in the crosswalk by a Tesla Model X According to court documents, Li's client, a 52-year-old woman, sustained a mild traumatic brain injury / concussion, left knee partial tear, annular tears in lumbar (lower back) and cervical spine (neck) from being hit at a crosswalk when the driver failed to yield to her on May 6, 2020. Li's client was on her way home after work and was hit at a crosswalk just a block away from her home. The impact propelled Li's client away from the intersection and she hit her face on the curb, causing bleeding on her upper lip. She was sent to the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital via ambulance. There, she was hospitalized for 5 days. At the time of the collision, Li's client was a recent immigrant from southern China, who had a packaging job in Chinatown and was taking English lessons to improve her English. Due to the injuries to her head, neck, lower back, and knee, she had to quit her English class and stopped working to focus on recovery. According to court documents, the defendant driver admitted liability but disputed that Li's client sustained a concussion and only offered $225,000 before the lawsuit. On July 1, 2021, Li's client filed a lawsuit in San Francisco Superior Court (Case No. CGC-21-593048). The case reached a settlement of $750,000 on August 9, 2022. "Tesla Model X is a dangerous vehicle: it is heavy and accelerates fast. Being hit by a Tesla Model X can be detrimental to a person. I am glad that the driver's auto insurance finally realized the severity of the injuries its insured driver has caused and compensated my client's loss adequately," said Teresa Li., 2022
- $500,000 settlement against the driver who sideswiped Li's client According to court documents, Li's client, a 54-year-old woman, sustained a concussion and annular tears in her cervical (neck) and lumbar spine (lower back) discs from being hit on the passenger side when another driver improperly changed lanes on Alma Street near the Caltrain station in Palo Alto, CA on July 17, 2018. Li's client was on her way home after dropping off her daughter at the Caltrain station. After the impact, Li's client refused an ambulance and went to see a chiropractor on the same day for her injuries. Later, she checked herself into an ER for neck pain. Her primary care doctor diagnosed her with neck strain and concussion. At the time of the collision, Li's client was a part-time administrative assistant and part-time real estate agent. Due to the injuries, she had to give up her real estate job and became a full-time administrative assistant to minimize her wage loss. Both the other driver and Li's client have Travelers Commercial Insurance Company. On January 8, 2020, Li's client filed a lawsuit in Santa Clara Superior Court (Case No. 20CV361494). The case reached the policy limit settlement of $100,000 on July 20, 2020 with the other driver's insurance. Li's client then demanded arbitration against her own insurance company for underinsured motorist coverage which carries another $400,000 policy limit. Travelers disputed that Li's client sustained a concussion and annular tears in her cervical and lumbar spine discs, but less than 2 weeks before the arbitration for the underinsured motorist claim, Travelers tendered the second policy limit of $400,000 on July 20, 2022. "I am glad that Travelers eventually stepped up and fulfilled its contractual obligation to pay its own insured for the personal injuries she sustained. This is what insurance is for," said Teresa Li., 2022
- $500,000 settlement with a chair manufacturer and a restaurant. On December 13, 2021, the case of Cullen v. Cavallo Point, et al., (Case No. CIV18-01334, Marin Superior Court) was settled, awarding the plaintiffs $500,000. The plaintiffs were represented by Teresa Li, Law Offices of Teresa Li, PC. According to court documents, on 1/2/2018, a 55-year-old real estate agent went to an upscale restaurant, Farley Bar, inside a luxury resort Cavallo Point Lodge in Sausalito, CA to celebrate his brother's birthday. As he stood up to make a toast, the bar stool, manufactured by J.S. Greene Associates, Inc. doing business as Lily Jack (an upscale American boutique furniture manufacturer) tipped backwards, causing the plaintiff to lose his balance and fall backwards. The fall was witnessed by his wife and his 14-year-old son. Attorney Li stated, "before the incident, Farley Bar received multiple complaints that the barstools were tippy and unstable; however no customer had fallen or gotten injured by the barstools before this incident." The plaintiffs brought a product liability claim against Lily Jack and premise liability claim against the restaurant, as they contend the barstool fails the ANSI BIFMA X5.4 standard for front loading stability. Li went on to say, "My client suffered a fractured rib, two lung surgeries, had to replace his bioprosthetic heart valve, and sustained traumatic brain injury which was confirmed by his brain MRI." According to court documents, Lily Jack contends that the barstool was not defective. Cavallo Point denies that it had any prior knowledge that the bar stool was defective. Both defendants dispute the extent of plaintiff's injuries: defendants contend that the heart valve replacement was not related to the incident because it was a 10-year-old bioprosthetic valve and the average life-span for the valve is around 10 years. Defendants also dispute traumatic brain injury, blaming it on the plaintiff's congenital condition. Defendants dispute the extent of plaintiff's wage loss claim. The case was settled at the Mandatory Settlement Conference mediated by Diane Kruse. Li also said, "It is important for the restaurant and the furniture manufacturer to take responsibility for their defective product so that others will not suffer the same fate as my client.", 2022
- $450,000 Settlement against a local commercial landlord: client is a Chinese immigrant who came to the U.S. to operate his family restaurant business. Before client purchased a restaurant in Solano county, he spoke with the commercial landlord of the property about whether he could get an assignment of the existing lease or have a new lease with the same terms signed. The landlord agreed orally. However, after the purchase, the landlord eventually told plaintiff that they would only have a month-to-month lease because the prior tenant was in default. Unbeknownst to client, the restaurant was unprofitable and the prior restaurant owners were unable to make the rent payments on time and the landlord pursuant them to sell the restaurant to cover the rent. After Client moved into the property, he realized the property was in a dilapidated condition: the roof needed to be replaced and none of the air conditioners worked. The landlord then demanded the plaintiff to spend another $250,000 to renovate the exterior of the building and the parking lot before it will consider signing a long-term lease with plaintiff. Client brought a lawsuit against the landlord and the prior restaurant owners for fraud and the landlord cross-complained client and the prior restaurant owners for breach of the written lease. Client spent $100,000 to purchase the restaurant, a little over $100,000 in rent, and about $200,000 in purchasing equipment, advertisement, and repairs. The case settled at mediation., 2021
- $750,000 Settlement Against a Behavioral Therapy Provider: Client is a 11-year-old nonverbal girl with autism. The behavioral therapist physically abused the client for seven months. The therapist pled no contest for the assault. The behavioral therapy company disputes client suffers any long-lasting damages from the abuse., 2021
- $450,000 Settlement with a Bay Area Grocery Store for Product Liability: Client is a 20-something woman who suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burn in her legs after a defective pot collapsed on her, spilling boiling hot soup on her legs. The grocery store disputes it sold the pot to the client five years prior., 2021
- $500,000 Policy Limit Settlement with All State Insurance and CSAA Insurance Exchange: Client is a 45-year-old software engineer sustained traumatic brain injury, herniations in cervical spine. She was on disability for about a year. Her salary is around $200,000 a year as a software engineer. Three months before this accident, she was in another car accident., 2021
- $2,650,000 Settlement with City of Stockton for defective pedestrian walk light Two Chinese nationals, 54 years old and 59 years old at the time, were hit at a nine-lane crosswalk by a vehicle travelling at 45 mph in Stockton. The police officer found Plaintiffs to be at fault for jaywalking. The driver was uninsured and is judgment proof. Plaintiffs contend the pedestrian walk light was too short, violating the Caltrans standard and the City’s own standard. City of Stockton contends plaintiffs walked against the light based on two witnesses’ statements. Plaintiffs suffer traumatic brain injury, fractures to arm, legs, and facial bones, and have post-traumatic stress disorder. The case settled at mediation., 2019
- $500,000 Policy Limit Award against AAA - San Francisco Superior Court 66-year-old passenger was injured when the driver lost control of the car and hit a fire hydrant and a garage door. Client broke his ribs and spine and has Post-traumatic Stress Disorder ("PTSD")., 2017
- $5,450,000 Settlement with San Jose Sherriff Department - Santa Clara Superior Court - Clients' motorcycle were hit by the police vehicle at an intersection, 2016
- $2,500,000 Policy Limit Award Against State Farm - Santa Clara County Superior Court-- 63-year-old client was hit by a car at a crosswalk. She suffers from traumatic brain injury ("TBI"), complete loss of sense of smell, facial droop, memory loss and back pain., 2017
Office location for Teresa Li
2542 S Bascom Ave
Suite 250
Campbell, CA 95008
Phone: 415-651-2995
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2024 
Selected to Rising Stars: 2015 - 2023 
Free Consultation 
