San Francisco Personal Injury Lawyers

Andrew R. Gillin, Founding and Managing Partner. California State Bar No. 45226 (admitted 1970). J.D., University of Chicago Law School; B.A., University of California, Berkeley. AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell and selected to Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers. Andy founded GJEL in 1972 and served as one of the lead attorneys in the Tenet Healthcare litigation, which recovered $117 million for injured patients.

Luke Ellis, Partner. California State Bar No. 68863 (admitted 1976). J.D., University of California, Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall). Named 2024 Lawyer of the Year for personal injury litigation by Best Lawyers and AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell. Luke holds one of the largest personal injury jury verdicts on record in Alameda County and serves as a Settlement Commissioner by appointment of the Alameda and Contra Costa County Superior Courts.

Car crashes are the most common serious-injury cases we handle in the city. Our dedicated San Francisco car accident lawyers page covers what to do after a crash (including SFPD reporting and the DMV SR-1 requirement), fault and insurance rules, real case results handled by Andy Gillin, and the deadlines that apply — including the six-month government claim window for crashes involving Muni or city vehicles.

California follows a pure comparative negligence rule. That means you can still recover money even if you were partly responsible for the accident. Your compensation is simply reduced by your share of fault. If your damages are $100,000 and you are found 20% at fault, you can recover $80,000. California has followed this pure comparative fault rule since Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975).

Insurance companies know this rule and often try to shift blame onto you to shrink what they pay. This is why preserving evidence early is so important. Photos, witness contact information, and prompt medical care all help establish what really happened and protect your right to full compensation. Do not assume you have no case just because you think you were partly at fault.

This section is general legal information, not legal advice. How California’s comparative fault rule applies to your situation depends on the specific facts of your case. For advice about your claim, speak with a licensed attorney. A GJEL attorney will review the details with you during your free consultation.

Winning an injury case in San Francisco isn’t just about knowing the law. It’s about knowing this city, its institutions, and the people and systems that will shape the outcome of your claim. We work in this ecosystem every day, and that familiarity directly benefits our clients.

Personal injury lawsuits in San Francisco are filed in the San Francisco County Superior Court at the Civic Center Courthouse, located at 400 McAllister Street. Civil cases, including motor vehicle personal injury claims, are handled through the Civil Division in Room 103. The court also maintains a Complex Civil Litigation department, one of only six in the state, for cases that require additional judicial resources. We’ve filed and tried cases in this courthouse for years, and we understand local procedures, timelines, and the expectations of the judges who hear San Francisco personal injury matters.

When seriously injured people in San Francisco need emergency care, they’re most often taken to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center at 1001 Potrero Avenue. It’s the city’s only Level I trauma center, serving 1.5 million residents across San Francisco and northern San Mateo County and treating nearly 4,000 trauma patients every year. ZSFG was the first hospital in the country to earn certification for a traumatic brain injury program, which matters enormously for clients dealing with TBI after a collision.

We also work with medical teams at UCSF Medical Center, with campuses at Mission Bay and Parnassus Heights, and at Sutter Health’s California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC), which operates the Van Ness Campus, Davies Campus, and Mission Bernal Campus across the city. UCSF Health also now operates Hyde Hospital (formerly Saint Francis Memorial) on Nob Hill, home to the Bothin Burn Center, which treats some of the most severe burn injuries from vehicle accidents. Kaiser Permanente San Francisco and Chinese Hospital round out the city’s major hospital network. We coordinate with these San Francisco institutions regularly to obtain medical records, document injuries, and connect clients with the specialists they need.

This isn’t abstract legal knowledge. It’s the practical, on-the-ground familiarity that comes from handling San Francisco injury cases day after day. Knowing the local hospitals means faster medical record retrieval. Knowing the courthouse means understanding local procedures and timelines. Knowing law enforcement means knowing exactly how to get complete, accurate accident reports. All of that translates directly into a stronger case for you.

Injured in an Accident in San Francisco?

You don’t have to figure this out alone. Our San Francisco personal injury lawyers will review your case, explain your options, and tell you where you stand. There’s no cost and no pressure.

Local Experience That Matters

We know San Francisco. We know the courts, the judges, the local traffic laws, and the tactics that Bay Area insurance adjusters use. This isn’t generic statewide representation. It’s legal advocacy built on deep familiarity with this city and the unique challenges that come with auto accidents here. Learn more about our firm.

A Record of Results

Our results tell the story better than any advertisement. Backed by Best Lawyers in America recognition and five decades of trial wins, we’ve secured substantial settlements and verdicts for San Francisco car accident victims across the Bay Area. View our car accident settlements.

You Pay Nothing Unless We Win

Our contingency fee basis means you don’t pay a dollar out of pocket, ever. Our fee is a percentage of what we recover for you, and if we recover nothing, you owe us nothing. That structure keeps us personally invested in getting you the highest possible result.