Why San Francisco Residents Trust Reardon Injury Law
A sudden, serious injury can turn your world upside down. One moment you’re commuting across the Bay Bridge or walking through Golden Gate Park, and the next you’re facing pain, overwhelming medical bills, and an uncertain future. Navigating the aftermath of an accident in a city as complex and fast-paced as San Francisco only adds to the stress. We understand the physical, emotional, and financial turmoil you’re experiencing, and our first priority is to provide the compassionate support and expert guidance you need to move forward.
Reardon Injury Law was founded on the principle that injured people deserve an advocate who truly understands their suffering. Attorney John Reardon practiced as a chiropractor for 20 years before dedicating his life to law. This dual expertise gives our clients a distinct advantage. He doesn’t just see a case file; he sees the real-world medical implications of a spinal cord injury, a traumatic brain injury, or chronic soft tissue damage. This deep medical insight allows us to build a more compelling case, accurately document the full extent of your injuries, and fight for the compensation you truly deserve.
Our firm is committed to serving communities throughout California, including the unique landscape of San Francisco. We know the city’s challenging traffic patterns, from the congested arteries of SoMa to the winding, hilly streets of Nob Hill. We understand the specific dangers that lead to accidents here, and we know our way around the Superior Court of California for the County of San Francisco. We handle every case on a contingency fee basis—you pay nothing unless we win.
Accident Hotspots in San Francisco
While an accident can happen anywhere, certain areas in San Francisco are notoriously dangerous due to their design, traffic volume, and mix of vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists. Our experience has shown us that many serious injuries occur at these and other challenging locations:
- Market Street & Octavia Boulevard: This intersection is a chaotic convergence point where the Central Freeway (US-101) dumps high-speed traffic into surface streets. The mix of merging cars, dedicated bike lanes, and heavy pedestrian flow creates a perfect storm for devastating car accidents, bicycle accidents, and pedestrian injuries.
- Geary Boulevard & Masonic Avenue: As two of the city’s major east-west and north-south thoroughfares, this intersection is constantly overwhelmed with traffic. Multiple lanes, busy Muni bus stops, and a high volume of local and commuter vehicles contribute to frequent T-bone collisions, sideswipes, and incidents involving pedestrians trying to cross the wide boulevards.
- 19th Avenue & Sloat Boulevard: 19th Avenue (part of State Route 1) is essentially a highway cutting through residential neighborhoods. The high speeds, combined with the complex turns and heavy traffic flow at Sloat Boulevard, make this a hotspot for severe, high-impact collisions. The proximity to Stern Grove and the San Francisco Zoo also adds significant pedestrian and tourist traffic to the mix.
- The Tenderloin: This dense downtown neighborhood has the highest concentration of traffic collisions in the city, particularly those involving vulnerable road users. The combination of one-way streets, high population density, and frequent vehicle stops makes this area especially dangerous for pedestrian accidents.
Other hazards unique to San Francisco include steep hills that create blind spots, slick cable car tracks that pose a risk to motorcyclists and cyclists, and the constant presence of delivery trucks and rideshare accidents in congested areas like the Financial District and Union Square.
Types of Cases We Handle in San Francisco
Reardon Injury Law provides focused legal representation across a wide range of personal injury practice areas. Given San Francisco’s unique urban environment, we frequently handle cases involving:
- Car Accidents: From fender-benders on Lombard Street to multi-car pileups on I-80 or I-280, we represent drivers and passengers injured by negligent motorists.
- Pedestrian Accidents: San Francisco is a walking city, but that puts its residents at risk. We advocate for pedestrians struck by vehicles in crosswalks, intersections, and on sidewalks.
- Bicycle Accidents: With its growing network of bike lanes and a strong cycling culture, bicycle accidents are unfortunately common. We help cyclists who have been hit by inattentive drivers.
- Motorcycle Accidents: The scenic drives along the Great Highway or through the Presidio can be treacherous. We understand the biases motorcyclists face and fight to protect the rights of injured riders in motorcycle accidents.
- Rideshare Accidents: As the birthplace of the rideshare economy, San Francisco is saturated with Uber and Lyft vehicles. We have extensive experience navigating the complex insurance issues involved in these claims.
- Truck Accidents: Commercial delivery truck accidents in the narrow, crowded streets of North Beach or SoMa can cause catastrophic injuries. We have the resources to take on trucking companies and their insurers.
What to Do After an Accident in San Francisco
The steps you take immediately following an accident are critical for your health and your potential legal claim.
- Prioritize Safety and Call 911: If you can, move to a safe location away from traffic. Call 911 immediately to report the accident and request medical assistance. The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) typically responds to surface street accidents, while the California Highway Patrol (CHP) handles incidents on freeways like the 101, 280, and Bay Bridge.
- Seek Immediate Medical Attention: Your health is the top priority. Accept paramedic assistance and go to the emergency room if recommended. For severe, life-threatening injuries, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center is the city’s only Level I trauma facility. Other outstanding hospitals for emergency care include UCSF Medical Center at Parnassus Heights and California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) Van Ness Campus. Getting evaluated creates a medical record linking your injuries to the accident.
- Document the Scene: If you are able, use your phone to take pictures of the vehicles, their positions, property damage, skid marks, traffic signals, and your injuries. Get the names and contact information of any witnesses.
- Exchange Information, Not Admissions: Exchange driver’s license, insurance, and contact information with the other party. Do not apologize or say the accident was your fault, as these statements can be used against you. Stick to the facts.
- Contact an Experienced Attorney: Before you give a recorded statement to any insurance company—even your own—speak with a personal injury lawyer. An attorney can protect you from adjusters looking to minimize your claim and ensure your rights are protected from the very beginning.
Understanding Your Rights Under California Law
Navigating a personal injury claim requires an understanding of key California laws that will impact your case.
- Pure Comparative Negligence: California follows a “pure comparative negligence” rule. This means you can still recover financial compensation even if you were partially at fault for the accident. However, your final award will be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you are found to be 20% at fault, you can still collect 80% of your damages. This is crucial in complex intersection accidents where fault may be shared.
- Statute of Limitations: In most cases, you have two years from the date of the injury to file a personal injury lawsuit (California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1). However, there is a critical exception: if your claim is against a government entity—such as the City and County of San Francisco, a Muni bus or streetcar, or a poorly maintained public road—you must file a formal claim within six months of the incident under the Government Claims Act. Missing this deadline can permanently bar you from recovering compensation.
- California’s Minimum Insurance Requirements: California law only requires drivers to carry minimum liability insurance of $15,000 per person, $30,000 per accident, and $5,000 for property damage. In a serious injury case, these low limits are often exhausted quickly. This is why it is so important to have Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UIM) coverage on your own policy.
An experienced attorney can help you identify all potential sources of compensation, including UIM policies, to ensure your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering are fully covered.
Contact Reardon Injury Law Today
You do not have to face the aftermath of a serious injury alone. At Reardon Injury Law, we combine medical insight with legal skill to provide the powerful advocacy you need and the compassionate support you deserve.
We invite you to contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your case. We will listen to your story, answer your questions, and explain your legal options. Call us today at (657) 522-7122 or visit our contact page to get started. We are here to help you rebuild.
