Car accident
Car Accident Attorneys in San Francisco, California
The firms in this guide
- Richard Schoenberger - Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger Call Richard Schoenberger - Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger: (415) 981-7210
- J&Y Law Call J&Y Law: 415-494-8162
- Sally Morin - Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers Call Sally Morin - Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers: (415) 413-0033
- GJEL Accident Attorneys Call GJEL Accident Attorneys: (415) 986-4777
- Dolan Law Firm Call Dolan Law Firm: (415) 421-2800
1. Richard Schoenberger – Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger
Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, catastrophic injuries, brain injuries, burn injuries, wrongful death, product liability, medical malpractice, workplace injuries, premises liability
Case Types Handled: Multi-vehicle accidents, commercial vehicle accidents, propane explosions, industrial accidents, defective product injuries, medical negligence cases, catastrophic injury cases, wrongful death cases
Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, demand letter preparation, medical lien resolution, property damage claims, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims, wrongful death claims, product liability litigation
Background: Licensed in California. Decades of experience handling complex personal injury cases throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California. More multi-million dollar outcomes than any other personal injury law firm in Northern California. 98% success rate for clients. Notable results include $52 million verdict in propane explosion wrongful death case, $17 million jury verdict in product liability brain injury case. Handles cases in San Francisco, San Jose, and throughout the Bay Area.
Location: 650 California Street, 26th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94108
Contact: (415) 981-7210 | https://www.walkuplawoffice.com
Bar Number: Active (California State Bar)
Consultation: Free case evaluation, contingency fee arrangement (no fee unless recovery)
2. J&Y Law
Practice Focus: Car accidents, rideshare accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, drunk driving accidents, wrongful death
Case Types Handled: Car accidents, rideshare accidents, truck and delivery truck accidents, pedestrian accidents, motorcycle accidents, drunk driving accidents, wrongful death
Legal Services: Insurance negotiations, lawsuits when necessary, evidence collection, identifying the liable party, tracking medical expenses, lost income and other losses
Background: J&Y Law is a plaintiff’s personal injury firm headquartered in Los Angeles that serves clients across California and keeps an office in San Francisco’s Financial District. Its San Francisco page describes the firm’s attorneys as familiar with crashes on the city’s hills and one-way streets and with commuters coming in from the East Bay, Marin County and the South Bay.
Location: 315 Montgomery St, 9th Floor, Suite 91, San Francisco, CA 94104
Contact: 415-494-8162 | https://jnylaw.com/san-francisco/personal-injury-lawyer/
Consultation: Free case evaluation, contingency fee (attorney fees only if compensation is recovered)
3. Sally Morin – Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers
Practice Focus: Car accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, Uber and Lyft accidents, scooter accidents, rideshare accidents
Case Types Handled: Rear-end collisions, intersection accidents, highway accidents, rideshare accidents, hit-and-run accidents, dooring accidents, accidents involving tech workers and commuters
Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, litigation, settlement negotiations, demand letter preparation, medical lien resolution, property damage claims, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims
Background: Licensed in California. San Francisco-based personal injury law firm. Focus on traffic accidents in urban environments. Experience with rideshare and alternative transportation accidents common in San Francisco. Serves clients throughout the Bay Area.
Location: San Francisco, California
Contact: (415) 413-0033 | https://www.sallymorinlaw.com
Bar Number: Active (California State Bar)
Consultation: Free consultation, contingency fee arrangement (no fee unless recovery)
4. GJEL Accident Attorneys
Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, wrongful death, catastrophic injuries, brain injuries, amputation injuries, workplace injuries
Case Types Handled: Multi-vehicle accidents, highway accidents, intersection accidents, rear-end collisions, T-bone accidents, head-on collisions, commercial vehicle accidents, fatal accidents, permanent disability cases
Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, demand letter preparation, medical lien resolution, property damage claims, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims, wrongful death claims
Background: Licensed in California. Over 40 years of experience. Over $950 million recovered for Bay Area clients. 99% success rate. Offices throughout the Bay Area including San Francisco. Award-winning legal team recognized for outstanding representation.
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Contact: (415) 986-4777 | https://www.gjel.com
Bar Number: Active (California State Bar)
Consultation: Free consultation, contingency fee arrangement (no fee unless recovery)
5. Dolan Law Firm
Practice Focus: Car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, wrongful death, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, catastrophic injuries, premises liability
Case Types Handled: Rear-end collisions, head-on collisions, T-bone accidents, intersection accidents, highway accidents, commercial vehicle accidents, drunk driving accidents, distracted driving accidents, multi-vehicle accidents
Legal Services: Insurance claim negotiation, litigation, trial representation, settlement negotiations, demand letter preparation, medical lien resolution, property damage claims, lost wage recovery, pain and suffering claims, wrongful death claims
Background: Licensed in California. San Francisco personal injury law firm. Christopher Dolan is the founding attorney. Experience handling complex personal injury and wrongful death cases. Known for trial work and substantial verdicts.
Location: San Francisco, California
Contact: (415) 421-2800 | https://www.dolanlawfirm.com
Bar Number: Active (California State Bar)
Consultation: Free consultation, contingency fee arrangement (no fee unless recovery)
Uninsured Drivers, Fault and Deadlines Under California Law in San Francisco
Two California statutes deal with insurance status after a crash: one governs a hit-and-run claim under the injured driver’s own uninsured motorist coverage, and the other limits pain and suffering for drivers who were uninsured or convicted of DUI. Both work alongside California’s fault rule and filing deadline.
Hit-and-Run and Uninsured Motorist Coverage
When the owner or operator of the other vehicle is unknown, Insurance Code § 11580.2 requires that the bodily injury arise from physical contact with that vehicle and that the crash be reported within 24 hours to the police of the city where it occurred, or to the sheriff or California Highway Patrol if it occurred in unincorporated territory, and that a sworn statement be filed with the insurer within 30 days.
No Pain and Suffering for Uninsured or Convicted DUI Drivers
Civil Code § 3333.4 bars recovery of noneconomic losses, such as pain, suffering and disfigurement, in a motor vehicle case by an injured person who was convicted of driving under the influence in that accident, an injured owner whose vehicle was not insured as the financial responsibility laws require, or an operator who cannot establish financial responsibility. An uninsured owner injured by a motorist convicted of DUI for the accident is not barred, and the section also bars insurers from covering losses it excludes.
Comparative Fault
In Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975), the California Supreme Court held that liability is assessed in proportion to fault even when the plaintiff is equally or more at fault. For example, imagine $200,000 in damages and 60 percent of the fault on the injured driver: the recovery would be $80,000.
Time to Sue
Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1 sets two years for an action for injury to, or the death of, an individual caused by another’s wrongful act or neglect.
San Francisco Car Accident Questions
A city vehicle or bus hit me. What deadline applies?
Government Code § 911.2 requires a claim for injury or death against a public entity to be presented within six months after accrual. After a written rejection notice, § 945.6 allows six months to sue; without written notice, the limit is two years from accrual.
Is it illegal to hold a phone while driving?
Yes, with narrow exceptions. Vehicle Code § 23123.5 bars driving while holding and operating a handheld phone or wireless device unless it is designed and used for voice-operated, hands-free operation; a mounted device may be touched with a single swipe or tap to activate or deactivate a function.
Can a public agency be liable for a dangerous street condition?
Yes, on the conditions in Government Code § 835. Except as provided by statute, a public entity is liable for injury caused by a dangerous condition of its property if the condition existed at the time, proximately caused the injury and created a reasonably foreseeable risk of that kind of injury, and either an employee’s negligent or wrongful act created it or the entity had actual or constructive notice in time to protect against it.