Free Consultation: (619) 436-1990Tap to Call This Lawyer
PREMIUM
Ben Coughlan

Ben Coughlan

Coughlan & Vinel LLP - Personal Injury Attorneys - www.sandiegolawyers.com
  • Personal Injury, Employment Law, Nursing Home Abuse ...
  • California
Badges
Claimed Lawyer ProfileLII PlatinumSocial Media
Biography

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. Ben believes that personal attention, and creativity on cases, are what achieve the best results for clients. Ben believes his job is to tell each client's story as he or she 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, 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. 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 (NITA) in both the Trial Skills and Depositions Skills programs. Ben is the President of the Consumer Attorneys of San Diego (CASD)– the Plaintiff’s Bar for all of San Diego.

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 was born and raised in San Diego. He lives with his wife Kathleen, son Jack (5) and daughter Mackenzie (3) in Solana Beach. Ben and his family love San Diego and believe it is their privilege to give back to their community.

Education
TIPS/ABOTA National Trial Academy
Graduate
Placeholder image for education.
University of San Diego School of Law
J.D. (2012) | Law
National Mock Trial Team; Teaching Assistant, Lawyering Skills I; Phi Beta Phi
Honors: Best Overall Advocate, Written and Oral (Lawyering Skills I); Cali Award for Excellence, Intellectual Property (Fall 2010)
University of San Diego School of Law Logo
Northwestern University
B.S. (2005) | Journalism
Northwestern University Logo
Professional Experience
Adjunct Professor
University of San Diego School of Law
Current
Co-Founder/Partner
Coughlan & Vinel LLP
- Current
Trial Attorney / Partner
Gomez Trial Attorneys
-
Summer Law Clerk
Grimes and Warwick
Media Relations
San Diego Padres
-
Public Relations
Beaman Incorporated
Marketing Intern
Chicago Bears
Intern
CLTV News
Legal Department Intern
San Diego Padres
Publications
Articles & Publications
Negligent Sexual Transmission of Disease: A Primer
Trial Bar News
Anything but Simple, the Taxation of Personal Injury Settlements and Judgments
Trial Bar News
Understanding Pituitary Injuries in Brain Injury Cases
Trial Bar News
10 Cases Every Trial Lawyer Should Know
Trial Bar News
Intervening and Superseding Causes in California Tort Cases
Trial Bar News
Keep it Confidential: How Dennis Rodman Changed the World of Personal Injury Lawsuits
Trial Bar News
Pebley v. Santa Clara Organics, LLC: Court of Appeals Extends Bermudez Ruling to Lien Treatment
Trial Bar News
Traumatic Brain Injuries: Litigating the Not-so “Invisible Injury” Part 2 of 3
Trial Bar News
Traumatic Brain Injuries: Litigating the Not-so “Invisible Injury” Part 3 of 3
Trial Bar News
Mini-Opening Statements: Test, Approved, Recommended – Rarely Used
Trial Bar News
The First 48: Human Body Reaction and Emergency Treatment of Trauma
Trial Bar News
The Misunderstood World of Defamation Law
Trial Bar News
Traumatic Brain Injuries: Litigating the Not-so “Invisible Injury” Part 1 of 3
Trial Bar News
We Recorded the Defense Medical Examination, Now What?
Trial Bar News
A Journey Toward Recovery: A Brain Injury Guide for Survivors
San Diego Brain Injury Foundation
Playing the Punies: Punitive Damages in Premises Liability Cases
Trial Bar News
Speaking Engagements
FIGHT or FLIGHT: Understanding the Immediate Aftermath of Trauma, CAOC Palm Springs Seminar, Palm Springs, CA
Traumatic Brain Injuries, TBI Med Legal Conference, San Diego, CA
Emergency Update: On fee Cap Initiative & Other Political Issues, Consumer Attorneys of San Diego
Screening, Evaluating and Litigating Brain Injury., Arizona State Bar Convention
Brain Injuries, Law, Pain, Bone and Brain Conference, Consumer Attorneys of San Diego
Careers in the Law, University of San Diego
Battle of the Neuropsychs: Neuropsychology from the Plaintiff & Defense Perspective - Moderator, TBI Med Legal
TBI Tips: How to Overcome Common Defense Positions with Government Resources
CAOC
Brain Injury/Spinal Injury Crossover Cases, Law-Di-Gras Conference, Carlsbad, CA
Traumatic Brain Injuries, TBI Med Legal Conference, San Diego, CA
How to Overcome Common Defense Positions with Government Resources, CAOC
Non-Cognitive Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injury, California Brain Injury Association Medical-Legal Conference
Traumatic Brain Injuries - Using CDC Documents at Trial, CAOC Lake Tahoe Convention
Always Be Closing - The ABC's of Trial, Consumer Attorneys of California Annual Convention, San Francisco, CA
Presenting the Brain Injury Case, Understanding and Presenting a Traumatic Brain Injury Case
Trial Lawyer Inspirations, TALC TALK: People Inspire People
Traumatic Brain Injuries, Traumatic Brain Injuries: Telling the Story
Brain Injuries in Professional Sports, Sports Law Conference
Awards
Super Lawyer
SuperLawyers
10.0 Superb Rating
Avvo
AV Preeminent Rating
Avvo
Ones to Watch in Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
Best Lawyers
Top 100
The National Trial Lawyers
Top 100
America's Top 100 Personal Injury Attorneys
Since 2019
Rising Star
SuperLawyers
2016-2022
Top Attorney
San Diego Reader
40 under 40 Award
The National Trial Lawyers
2020
Rising Star Alumni Award
University of San Diego School of Law
40 Under 40 Awards
San Diego Metro Magazine
Top 10 Attorney in San Diego
San Diego Metro Magazine
Top 40 Litigation Lawyer Under 40
American Society of Legal Advocates
10 Best Client Satisfaction Award
American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys
Best of the Bar
San Diego Business Journal
2014
Outstanding Trial Lawyer Award
Consumer Attorneys of San Diego
Top 10 Personal Injury Attorneys in San Diego
San Diego Daily Transcript
Professional Associations
State Bar of California  # 284658
Member
Current
Placeholder image for professional associations.
American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) National Trial College
Fellow
Current
Placeholder image for professional associations.
University of San Diego School of Law
Alumni Board of Directors
- Current
Placeholder image for professional associations.
National Institute of Trial Advocacy
Instructor
- Current
Placeholder image for professional associations.
Hon. J. Clifford Wallace American Inn of Court
Associate
- Current
Placeholder image for professional associations.
Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles
Member
- Current
Placeholder image for professional associations.
Trial Bar News - Consumer Attorneys
Editor - Torts Section
- Current
Placeholder image for professional associations.
National Institute for Trial Advocacy
Instructor
- Current
Placeholder image for professional associations.
San Diego Brain Injury Foundation (SDBIF)
Vice President
- Current
Activities: Board of Directors; Vice President 2014-2019
Placeholder image for professional associations.
American Bar Association
Member
- Current
Placeholder image for professional associations.
Consumer Attorneys of San Diego
Member
- Current
Activities: Board of Directors 2023; President 2022; President-Elect 2021; Treasurer 2020; Secretary 2019
Placeholder image for professional associations.
Consumer Attorneys of California
Member
- Current
Placeholder image for professional associations.
American Association for Justice
Member
- Current
Placeholder image for professional associations.
Hon. William B. Enright American Inn of Court
Associate
-
Placeholder image for professional associations.
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
California
State Bar of California
ID Number: 284658
Placeholder image for jurisdictions.
Fees
  • Free Consultation
  • Contingent Fees
Practice Areas
Personal Injury
Animal & Dog Bites, Brain Injury, Car Accidents, Construction Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Premises Liability, Truck Accidents, Wrongful Death
Employment Law
Employee Benefits, Employment Contracts, Employment Discrimination, ERISA, Overtime & Unpaid Wages, Sexual Harassment, Whistleblower, Wrongful Termination
Nursing Home Abuse
Medical Malpractice
Birth Injury, Medical Misdiagnosis, Pharmacy Errors, Surgical Errors
Products Liability
Drugs & Medical Devices, Motor Vehicle Defects, Toxic Torts
Insurance Claims
Bad Faith Insurance, Business Insurance, Health Insurance, Motor Vehicle Insurance, Property Insurance
Additional Practice Areas
  • Bike Accident
  • Burn Injury
  • Spinal Cord Injury
  • Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment
  • Whistleblower and Qui Tam
Languages
  • English
Websites & Blogs
Website
Coughlan & Vinel LLP Website
Blog
Coughlan & Vinel LLP Blog
Contact & Map
Coughlan & Vinel LLP
Del Mar
2262 Carmel Valley Rd., Suite G
Del Mar, CA 92014
Telephone: (619) 436-1990
Monday: Open 24 hours
Tuesday: Open 24 hours
Wednesday: Open 24 hours
Thursday: Open 24 hours
Friday: Open 24 hours
Saturday: Open 24 hours
Sunday: Open 24 hours (Today)