Harvey W. Wimer III

Partner

Harvey (“Chip”) W. Wimer III has been with Graves & King since 1994 and is the firm’s managing partner. Mr. Wimer has dedicated his career to defending public entities in a variety of settings, including:

• Wrongful death and Catastrophic personal injuries
• Dangerous Condition of Public Property
• Roadway/Highway design
• Auto/Transportation Liability
• Inverse Condemnation
• Flooding/Debris Flows/Fire
• Code Enforcement
• Appellate Court proceedings

While primarily a litigator, Mr. Wimer’s public entity practice also includes extensive appellate work, culminating in the California Supreme Court decision in Eastburn v. Regional Fire Protection Authority (2003) 31 Cal.4th 1175. In this decision, California’s highest court held for the first time that public entities have no liability for injuries alleged to have been caused by delays in providing emergency medical treatment or other services. The Eastburn decision defined and limited the potential liability of every county, city and emergency responder in the state. Other significant cases include:

• Kinsman v. Unocal Corp. (2005) 37 Cal.4th 659
• KND Affiliates, et. al. v. Southern California Logistics Airport Authority, et al. (2021) EO74646
• San Bernardino County Flood Control District v. Superior Court (2016) EO63282
• Jaquez v. City of Victorville (2015) GO50278
• Southern California Edison v. City of Victorville (2013) 217 Cal.App.4th 218
• Gutierrez v. County of San Bernardino, et al. (2011) 198 Cal.App.4th 831
• City of Murrieta v. Superior Court (2011) EO51221

Mr. Wimer also has extensive experience in the defense of transportation-related claims involving trucks, buses, taxi cabs and other common carriers. He is readily familiar with issues dealing with accident reconstruction and the bio-mechanical forces generated in an auto collision as well as the accurate assessment of personal injury claims, both large and small. Lastly, Mr. Wimer has successfully handled hundreds of auto, premises liability and other general negligence claims on behalf of self-insured businesses and the insureds of liability insurance carriers.

Mr. Wimer received a Bachelors of Arts degree in Communications from California State University, Fullerton in 1987. Mr. Wimer received his Juris Doctorate in 1993 from the University of LaVerne, College of Law where he was selected as the Student of Distinction among his fellow graduates. While a law student, Mr. Wimer served an internship with the Riverside County District Attorney’s office, as well as serving an internship with the California Court of Appeal, Fourth District, Division Two, under the tutelage of the late Justice Howard Dabney.

Mr. Wimer is a member in good standing of the California State Bar and is authorized to practice before the Supreme Court of the State of California and the United States District Court, Central District of California. He serves as a court appointed mediator for both Riverside and San Bernardino Superior Courts as well as the Fourth District Court of Appeal.