Jennifer L. Steneberg, Esq.
Jennifer L. Steneberg joined the Dale Law Firm as an associate attorney in February 2008. Jennifer graduated with honors from the Golden Gate University School of Law in May 1999, where she also earned a Public Interest Law Certificate.
Jennifer’s personal and professional commit to advocating for persons with disabilities is long established, and she has spent much of her adult life working in the area of disability rights. Prior to joining the Dale Law Firm, Jennifer practiced disability civil rights law where she represented persons with disabilities in their fight to end discrimination, and in her pre-legal professional life, Jennifer spent fourteen years serving as a Congressional aide focusing on disability-related policy issues.
Jennifer also generously volunteers her time and energy in support of several community-based non-profit organizations. She currently serves as President of the Board of Directors of East Bay Innovations, a supported and independent living and supported employment agency serving clients with developmental disabilities, and is on the Board of Directors of Alegria Community Living, a residential care provider for individuals who have transitioned from Agnews State Developmental Center to a community-based home. Jennifer’s past volunteer activities include serving on the Boards of Protection & Advocacy, Inc. (now known as Disability Rights California), the Contra Costa County Developmental Disabilities Council, the Epilepsy Foundation of Northern California, Bay Area Family Services, and the YWCA of Contra Costa County.
The Settlement Channel article
featuring Jennifer Steneberg
Lawyers: Consider Government Benefits in Personal Injury Settlement Negotiations
Plaintiffs in personal injury lawsuits are more likely to settle their cases than pursue the cases to jury verdicts. One thing that should be kept in mind during the negotiation of a settlement is the availability of government benefits and the possibility that a plaintiff may someday need one or more of them. However, a plaintiff’s lawyer may not have government benefits in mind during the negotiation. California lawyer Jennifer Steneberg of the Dale Law Firm, PC explains why plaintiff’s lawyers need to be thinking of government benefits.
There are several reasons, Steneberg explains, why government benefits should be kept in mind during a settlement negotiation. The obvious one is that a plaintiff might already be a public benefits recipient. If that is the case, the plaintiff’s lawyer needs to assess the situation to determine the value of government benefits in light of the settlement. It is necessary to look at the plaintiff’s household and family and think about the long-term situation of the plaintiff.
Another possibility is that a plaintiff is newly disabled and is not yet receiving government benefits. In that situation, Steneberg says, the plaintiff’s lawyer needs to make an assessment of whether government benefits will be a needed part of a plaintiff’s financial and personal well-being.
Our Mission
The Dale Law Firm is dedicated to applying our legal knowledge and expertise to assist individuals and families with various aspects of estate and special needs planning. We are committed to educating and empowering persons with disabilities, their families and the professionals supporting them, to ensure that they thrive personally and financially, and achieve the best possible quality of life.