Erik Peterson, partner of the California law firm Bostwick & Peterson, is an award-winning civil trial attorney who specializes in medical malpractice law. Over the decades of experience that have contributed to his success in the courtroom, Erik has worked for and alongside nationally recognized personal injury and medical malpractice attorney, Jim Bostwick, absorbing skills and establishing the foundation for excellence in the field. Prior to connecting with Bostwick, Erik began his law career on the opposing side, as a defense attorney for a firm in San Diego representing doctors and hospitals in medical malpractice cases.
Erik began feeling a pull to help protect people who were victims of personal injury and medical malpractice. Those whose lives were upended due to catastrophic injury or negligence. An opportunity arose for him in San Francisco to progress his career, now as a plaintiff’s attorney, and Erik quickly relocated, to work for Jim Bostwick.
From the beginning of their professional relationship, Erik knew that Bostwick’s experience and drive were like no other attorney he’d ever seen and relished the opportunity to learn and benefit from the best in the field.
“[Bostwick] was going to help me develop my practice. And, obviously, right off the bat, my career got a huge tailwind. It’s been so rewarding working with him all these years. It’s been one long master class.” - Erik Peterson
As Erik honed his skills under Bostwick, he gravitated toward taking on medical malpractice cases because he felt it was the best way he could serve plaintiffs by putting forth an “effort trying to make a change in their life.” He found that the medical malpractice “community” is a collegial one, often working with and seeing the same attorneys. By the nature of the cases, the area of medical malpractice can be extremely complex and involve multiple liable parties. These complexities facilitate the opportunity for collaboration within the practice area, and Erik has enjoyed working alongside other attorneys who offer a fresh perspective or an area of expertise to a case.
As Erik advanced in his career, the natural linear path was collaboration with Jim as a law partner. The invaluable guidance and information from Jim’s continuing “master class” helped develop the firm as it is recognized today as Bostwick & Peterson. Together, the team has secured countless record-breaking verdicts and settlements for medical malpractice victims including record-setting birth injury recoveries in five different states.
Over the course of three decades, Erik’s expertise in medical malpractice has created many positive life changes for the individuals he has represented, earning awards and national recognition. In 2019, Erik overtook Jim’s California record-setting medical malpractice settlement by obtaining a $17 million birth injury settlement over a mistreated infection that ultimately caused brain damage to the child.
Erik’s results have ranked him among the top medical malpractice lawyers in the U.S. and have earned widespread recognition from leading legal organizations, including Super Lawyers® Magazine, The Best Lawyers in America©, and The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100. He is also a Senior Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, an invitation-only trial lawyer society comprised of less than one-half of one percent of all practicing U.S. attorneys.
Learn more about Erik Peterson, an award-winning San Francisco personal injury lawyer here.