Attorney Michael Rehm — (800) 978-0754
San Francisco Personal Injury Attorney
San Francisco recorded 616 motor vehicle personal injury filings in San Francisco Superior Court in fiscal year 2022–23, the most recently available year in the Judicial Council of California Court Statistics Report. That same year, San Francisco Superior Court received 728 additional other personal injury, property damage, and wrongful death filings in the unlimited civil category — 1,344 unlimited civil personal injury filings in total. Of those, 18 went to jury trial and 26 went to court trial. The overwhelming majority resolved before trial.
On the streets, San Francisco recorded 26 traffic deaths in 2023, a 33 percent decrease from 2022, which had 39 fatalities — the highest count since 2007 — according to the San Francisco Department of Public Health Vision Zero 2023 End of Year Report. Approximately 500 people are severely injured on San Francisco streets each year. Seven of the 26 deaths in 2023 were hit-and-run crashes. Over one-third of those killed were 65 or older. The city's Vision Zero High Injury Network — the 12 percent of streets where more than 68 percent of severe and fatal crashes occur — runs through the corridors with the highest pedestrian and cyclist activity: Mission Street, Sixth Street, Cesar Chavez Street, Folsom Street, and Van Ness Avenue.
Attorney Michael Rehm represents people injured in accidents and through the negligence of others throughout San Francisco and San Francisco County. Personal injury claims are filed in San Francisco Superior Court, 400 McAllister Street, Civic Center. Law and Motion is heard in Departments 301 and 302. Complex litigation, including asbestos personal injury cases, is assigned to Department 304.
Practice Areas
Motor Vehicle Accidents
San Francisco Car Accident Attorney — vehicle collision liability, SFMTA Muni claims, rideshare accidents, and injury claims throughout San Francisco County. San Francisco recorded 616 motor vehicle personal injury filings in Superior Court in fiscal year 2022–23, and over 70 percent of injury collisions occur at intersections on the city's dense urban street grid.
San Francisco Motorcycle Accident Attorney — lane-splitting rights under Vehicle Code § 21658.1, left-turn crash claims, road defect liability for cable car and Muni rail tracks, and injury claims throughout San Francisco County. San Francisco's steep grades, narrow lanes, and embedded rail tracks create motorcycle hazards that are specific to this city.
San Francisco Truck Accident Attorney — commercial carrier liability, federal FMCSA regulations, and crashes along the I-80, Highway 101, and the Port of San Francisco freight corridors. San Francisco sits at the junction of major Bay Area freight routes, and its dense urban environment creates significant crash exposure on surface streets.
San Francisco Pedestrian Accident Attorney — pedestrian knockdown claims, SFMTA Muni liability, hit-and-run UM coverage, and city sidewalk defect claims. San Francisco has the highest pedestrian injury rate per capita of any major California city, and pedestrian crashes account for two-thirds of all fatal collisions citywide.
San Francisco Bicycle Accident Attorney — dooring claims, Muni rail track defect liability, and car-bike collision claims throughout San Francisco County. Dooring accounts for approximately 11 percent of bicycle-involved injury crashes in San Francisco, and Muni light rail tracks on Market Street and Church Street create hazards specific to this city.
San Francisco Uber and Lyft Accident Attorney — rideshare accident claims under the three-phase TNC insurance framework of California Insurance Code § 11580.24. Uber and Lyft were both founded in San Francisco, and TNC vehicles are a significant presence in the city's traffic.
San Francisco Uninsured Motorist Attorney — UM and UIM coverage disputes under Insurance Code § 11580.2 for victims of hit-and-run and uninsured drivers. Seven of San Francisco's 26 traffic deaths in 2023 were hit-and-run crashes, and UM coverage may extend to pedestrians and cyclists through household automobile policies.
Catastrophic Injury
San Francisco Catastrophic Injury Attorney — traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and serious burn injury claims requiring life care planning, expert economic analysis, and long-term damages projection. These are the highest-value personal injury cases and require a different evidentiary framework than standard injury claims.
San Francisco Brain Injury Attorney — TBI claims from concussion through severe injury requiring craniotomy, decompressive craniectomy, or intracranial pressure monitoring. Insurance companies routinely undervalue TBI claims because the injury is invisible on conventional imaging; neuropsychological testing and DTI imaging are typically required to document the full extent of the damage.
San Francisco Spinal Cord Injury Attorney — catastrophic SCI claims involving decompression surgery, spinal fusion, and instrumentation, with lifetime care costs that can reach into the millions. These cases require a certified life care planner and vocational expert to build a damages model that reflects the true long-term cost of the injury.
San Francisco Burn Injury Attorney — serious burn injury claims requiring debridement, split-thickness skin grafting, and multi-year reconstructive surgery. Building fires in older residential stock throughout the Tenderloin, the Mission, and SoMa, and construction site electrical injuries are the most common sources of serious burn claims in San Francisco.
Premises Liability
San Francisco Premises Liability Attorney — property owner liability under Civil Code § 1714 and government entity liability under Government Code § 835 for dangerous conditions on public and private property throughout San Francisco County. Claims against the City and County of San Francisco or SFMTA require a government tort claim within six months under Government Code § 911.2.
San Francisco Slip and Fall Attorney — fall claims on commercial, residential, and government property in San Francisco. Steep sidewalk grades subject pavement to differential settlement and cracking, marine fog leaves surfaces wet for extended periods, and older building stock in the Tenderloin, the Mission, and SoMa carries deferred maintenance that produces broken steps and worn flooring.
San Francisco Dog Bite Attorney — strict liability dog bite claims under Civil Code § 3342 and landlord negligence claims for dog attacks on rental property. San Francisco has one of the highest per-capita dog populations of any major American city, and the city's dense residential neighborhoods create frequent encounters between dogs and pedestrians.
San Francisco Negligent Security Attorney — premises liability for criminal attacks at BART and Muni stations, hotels, parking garages, apartment buildings, bars, and nightclubs where inadequate security measures failed to prevent foreseeable harm. Foreseeability is established through prior similar incidents, crime rates, and the nature of the business.
San Francisco Pool Accident Attorney — drowning, near-drowning brain injury, and pool deck fall claims at residential pools, hotel and athletic club facilities, and public pools operated by San Francisco Recreation and Parks. Residential pools are subject to Health and Safety Code § 115922 safety equipment requirements, and public pool claims against the City require a six-month government tort claim.
Additional Practice Areas
San Francisco Wrongful Death Attorney — CCP § 377.60 claims for surviving family members following fatal accidents in San Francisco. San Francisco recorded 26 traffic deaths in 2023, seven of which were hit-and-run crashes. A separate survival action under CCP § 377.30 allows the estate to recover the damages the decedent could have pursued.
San Francisco Aviation Accident Attorney — general aviation, commercial airline, and charter flight accident claims at SFO, Oakland International, San Jose International, and surrounding Bay Area airports. Aviation accidents involve federal preemption, FAA regulatory standards, and liability frameworks that differ significantly from ground-based personal injury litigation.
San Francisco Sexual Abuse and Clergy Abuse Attorney — institutional abuse claims against churches, schools, the Diocese of San Francisco, and other organizations that failed to protect victims from sexual abuse by clergy, teachers, coaches, and other persons in positions of trust.
Filing a Personal Injury Claim in San Francisco Superior Court
Personal injury lawsuits in San Francisco are filed in San Francisco Superior Court at the Civic Center Courthouse, 400 McAllister Street. Unlimited civil cases — claims for more than $35,000 — are subject to mandatory e-filing under San Francisco Local Rule 2.11. The two-year statute of limitations under Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1 governs most personal injury claims. Claims against the City and County of San Francisco, SFMTA, or any other public entity require a government tort claim under Government Code § 911.2 within six months of the incident — a shorter, independent deadline that runs parallel to the two-year period. Missing the six-month deadline can potentially bar a lawsuit against any public entity defendant. None of these deadlines are self-executing, and tolling may apply depending on the facts.
Attorney Michael Rehm was born and raised in Sacramento, California, and took many trips to the city for 49ers and Giants games and has many fond memories of San Francisco. Pier 39, Chestnut Street, Candlestick Park, and now PacBell Park all have had multiple generations of Rehm's enjoying themselves in those great areas and venues.
Attorney Michael Rehm represents personal injury victims throughout San Francisco on a contingency fee basis. No fee without a recovery. Call (800) 978-0754 to arrange a free consultation.
The information on this page is general legal information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case turns on its own facts. The law can change — statutes are amended, cases are decided, and regulations are revised; nothing on this page should be relied upon as a statement of current law without verification. Deadlines and legal bars discussed on this page are general guides — whether a particular deadline applies, has run, or is subject to tolling, and whether a particular doctrine bars or limits recovery in your case, requires individual analysis. Contact Attorney Michael Rehm to discuss the specific facts of your situation.