1. Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger
Focus Area: Catastrophic injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death
Practice Areas: Medical malpractice, trucking accidents, product liability, premises liability, construction accidents, aviation accidents, wrongful death
Background: Established in 1959, this firm has operated for over 65 years and has secured more million-dollar verdicts and settlements than any other firm in the Bay Area. The attorneys include a full-time physician attorney on staff and a second doctor-lawyer available for medical consultations. Team members have been honored as Trial Lawyer of the Year by the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association and the California Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates.
Location: San Francisco, California
Contact: (415) 981-7210 | www.walkuplawoffice.com
Consultation: Free consultation offered.
2. Dolan Law Firm
Focus Area: Civil rights, serious personal injury, employment law
Practice Areas: Auto accidents, bicycle accidents, motorcycle crashes, rideshare accidents (Uber/Lyft), truck accidents, slip and fall, elder abuse, sexual assault, wrongful death, wrongful termination
Background: Founder Christopher Dolan has recovered over $1 billion in verdicts and settlements for clients, including a $61 million civil rights verdict. The firm pioneered legal action against Uber and Lyft, helping establish stronger insurance protections for passengers across California. Attorneys are recognized by U.S. News & World Report, Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, and Martindale Hubbell. The firm maintains offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Location: San Francisco, California (and Los Angeles office)
Contact: Available through website | www.dolanlawfirm.com
Consultation: Free, no-obligation consultation. No fees unless successful outcome.
3. Rouda Feder Tietjen & McGuinn
Focus Area: Catastrophic injury, complex personal injury claims
Practice Areas: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle crashes, pedestrian accidents, medical malpractice, product liability, wrongful death, premises liability
Background: Founded in 1980, the firm has recovered over $500 million for clients and resolved thousands of personal injury claims across the Bay Area. Attorneys have achieved AV Preeminent ratings from Martindale-Hubbell for ethics and legal ability. The firm has secured significant outcomes including a $24 million settlement for a Bay Area woman injured in a car accident involving a drunk driver.
Location: San Francisco, California
Contact: Available through website | www.rftmlaw.com
Consultation: Free consultation available.
4. Bostwick & Associates
Focus Area: Medical malpractice, complex medical cases
Practice Areas: Medical malpractice, birth injuries, surgical errors, hospital negligence, nursing malpractice, wrongful death from medical negligence
Background: The firm has won more than $1 billion for accident victims in the Bay Area. James S. Bostwick is nationally certified as a medical malpractice specialist and a founding member of the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys. Since January 2018, the firm has twice broken the California record for largest medical malpractice settlement. Attorneys are listed in Top 100 Trial Lawyers and recognized among Top 500 Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers in America.
Location: San Francisco Bay Area, California
Contact: (888) 831-8448 | www.bostwickfirm.com
Consultation: Free consultation. Contingency fee basis with no payment unless recovery is made.
5. The Cartwright Law Firm
Focus Area: Complex litigation, mass torts, catastrophic injuries
Practice Areas: Product liability, pharmaceutical litigation, mass torts, premises liability, construction accidents, aviation accidents, wrongful death
Background: The firm has been advocating for injury victims for more than 70 years. The Cartwright Law Firm helped broker the largest settlement in the history of drug litigation for plaintiffs injured or killed after ingesting Vioxx, an anti-inflammatory medication made by Merck. Founder Robert E. Cartwright Jr. is a nationally recognized trial attorney. The firm takes on cases that other firms may consider too complex.
Location: San Francisco, California
Contact: (415) 851-6486 | www.cartwrightlaw.com
Consultation: Free initial consultation.
Personal Injury Laws in California
Statute of Limitations
California law provides a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury lawsuits (California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1). The clock typically starts on the date of injury. For wrongful death cases, the two-year period begins on the date of death. Property damage claims have a three-year statute of limitations. Medical malpractice cases have a shorter deadline of one year from discovery of the injury or three years from the date of injury, whichever occurs first.
Negligence Rule
California follows a pure comparative negligence rule. This means you can recover damages even if you were 99 percent at fault for the accident. Your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you are found 40 percent responsible for an accident and your damages total $100,000, you would receive $60,000. This rule applies to jury awards; settlement negotiations may vary.
Damage Caps
California does not impose caps on economic or non-economic damages in general personal injury cases. However, medical malpractice cases are subject to the Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act (MICRA). As of 2023, MICRA caps non-economic damages at $350,000 for injury cases and $500,000 for wrongful death cases. These caps increase annually ($40,000 for injury, $50,000 for wrongful death) until reaching $750,000 and $1,000,000 respectively in 2034, then adjust for inflation.
Auto Insurance Requirements
California is a fault-based auto insurance state. The state requires minimum liability coverage of $15,000 for injury or death of one person, $30,000 for injury or death of more than one person, and $5,000 for property damage (15/30/5). Additionally, uninsured motorists who cause accidents face restrictions on recovering non-economic damages even if the other driver is at fault.
At-Fault System
California operates under an at-fault system for automobile accidents. The driver responsible for causing the accident is liable for the resulting damages. Injured parties may file claims with the at-fault driver’s insurance company, pursue compensation through their own insurance, or file a civil lawsuit. California’s pure comparative negligence system allows partial recovery even when the injured party shares some blame.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Proposition 213 and how does it affect uninsured drivers in San Francisco car accidents?
Proposition 213 (California Civil Code § 3333.4) restricts uninsured drivers from recovering non-economic damages like pain and suffering in personal injury lawsuits, even if the other driver was entirely at fault. Uninsured drivers can still recover economic damages such as medical bills and lost wages. This law applies regardless of where the accident occurred in California. If you were driving uninsured when injured, consulting an attorney can help you understand what compensation remains available.
How do personal injury claims work when injured on San Francisco public transit like MUNI?
Claims against San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) and other government entities require filing an administrative claim within six months of the accident under the California Government Code. If the claim is denied or no response is received within 45 days, you then have six months to file a lawsuit. The shortened timeline and procedural requirements make it essential to act quickly when injuries occur on MUNI buses, streetcars, or cable cars.
What should I do if I am injured by a delivery truck in San Francisco from a company like Amazon or FedEx?
Accidents involving commercial delivery vehicles often involve multiple potentially liable parties including the driver, the trucking company, and potentially the shipper. California law allows injured parties to pursue claims against employers for employee negligence under vicarious liability. Recent litigation has established that Amazon can be held responsible for injuries caused by products delivered through its platform. Documenting the vehicle information, driver details, and company logos is crucial immediately following an accident.
Are there special considerations for bicycle accident claims in San Francisco?
San Francisco has enacted specific bicycle safety ordinances that may strengthen injury claims. California Vehicle Code requires drivers to maintain a minimum three-foot distance when passing cyclists. San Francisco has additional protected bike lane regulations and intersection safety rules. When drivers violate these rules and cause injury, the violation can serve as evidence of negligence. Cyclists can recover damages even if they were partially at fault due to California’s pure comparative negligence rule.
How does the discovery rule affect latent injury claims in California?
The discovery rule delays the start of the statute of limitations when an injury is not immediately apparent. Under this rule, the two-year clock begins when you discover, or reasonably should have discovered, your injury and its connection to someone else’s negligence. This applies commonly in toxic exposure cases, defective medical device cases, and some medical malpractice situations. Courts apply an objective standard, considering when a reasonable person would have discovered the injury.