Pedestrian Accidents matters in San Francisco
People walking in San Francisco have the legal right of way in crosswalks, yet they are struck far too often along the city's high-injury corridors. Market Street, the Tenderloin and SoMa, the Embarcadero, and the crowded intersections around Union Square see a steady stream of foot traffic crossing paths with turning cars, rideshare pickups, and delivery vehicles.
When a vehicle hits a person, there is no protection, and the consequences are often devastating. Understanding the right-of-way rules, and the special procedures that apply when a government vehicle or dangerous road is involved, is critical to building a strong case.
Why pedestrian crashes happen here
San Francisco's densest, busiest areas are also its most hazardous for walkers:
- Market Street and the surrounding Vision Zero high-injury corridors in the Tenderloin and SoMa concentrate pedestrians, transit, and vehicle turns.
- The Embarcadero and Union Square draw heavy foot traffic that mixes with confused or distracted drivers.
- Steep intersections reduce visibility and lengthen stopping distances on a downhill approach.
- Muni and streetcar crossings add another layer of conflict between people and moving vehicles.
Left- and right-turning drivers who fail to look, speeding, and distraction are leading causes of these collisions.
The crosswalk right-of-way law
California Vehicle Code section 21950 requires drivers to yield the right of way to pedestrians crossing within a marked or unmarked crosswalk at an intersection. Drivers must exercise due care and reduce speed for pedestrian safety. While pedestrians also have a duty not to suddenly leave a curb into the path of a close vehicle, the burden of caution falls heavily on drivers. When a public entity may share responsibility, for example a Muni vehicle or a dangerously designed intersection, a special rule applies: Government Code section 911.2 generally requires filing a written claim with the public entity within six months, well before the ordinary lawsuit deadline. Missing that short window can end a claim before it starts.
Injuries and case types we handle
Pedestrian collisions frequently cause life-altering harm, including:
- Traumatic brain injuries and skull fractures
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Multiple and complex fractures
- Internal injuries and severe lacerations
- Wrongful death claims for surviving families
We handle crosswalk strikes, failure-to-yield turns, backing collisions, and crashes involving public or commercial vehicles.
Compensation you may pursue
Injured pedestrians may seek economic damages such as medical bills, ongoing and future care, lost wages, and lost earning capacity, along with non-economic damages for pain, suffering, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life. We make no guarantees about amount or outcome; every case depends on its specific facts and available coverage. Under California's pure comparative negligence rule, you can recover even if you were partly at fault, with your award reduced by your share.
Deadlines, the courthouse & how MMG Law helps
Most pedestrian claims must be filed within two years under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, but if a public entity such as Muni is involved, the Government Code section 911.2 six-month claim deadline can apply, so acting quickly is essential. San Francisco cases are heard in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, at the Civic Center Courthouse. MMG Law Firm is based in Glendale and represents injured pedestrians across California, including in San Francisco. We handle most matters remotely by phone, email, and a secure portal, and we appear in court whenever your case requires it. Consultations are free and available in English, Armenian, and Russian, and we work on contingency, so there is no fee unless we win.
Our attorney
How Mihran M. Ghazaryan helps with pedestrian accidents
Pedestrian injuries are usually severe, and the right-of-way analysis is everything. Mihran M. Ghazaryan investigates the crosswalk, signal timing, and roadway conditions, and where a city vehicle or dangerous public road is involved he protects the short six-month government-claim deadline that can otherwise end a case before it starts. He coordinates your care and documents the full extent of your losses.
Types of pedestrian accidents we handle
Crosswalk strikes
Marked or unmarked, California pedestrians retain right-of-way. We identify the sight-line failures and signal timing that tell the real story.
Parking-lot and back-over collisions
Often involve fleet vehicles, rideshare drivers, or delivery contractors. Surveillance footage matters and disappears fast.
Hit-and-run pedestrian claims
Your own UM/UIM policy may reach. Even when the driver is unidentified, recovery is often possible.
Damages
What compensation can cover
Every pedestrian accident claim is different, but California law allows injured plaintiffs to seek several categories of damages. We build each one with documentation — medical records, wage statements, expert opinions — so nothing is left on the table.
Medical expenses
Emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation, and the future treatment your providers say you'll need.
Lost wages
Income you lost while recovering — and, where the injury affects your ability to work, diminished future earning capacity.
Pain and suffering
Compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, and the ways the injury has changed how you live day to day.
Property damage
Repair or replacement of your vehicle and other property damaged in the incident.
Out-of-pocket costs
Transportation to appointments, medical equipment, household help, and the other expenses an injury forces on you.
How we work
- 1
Free, no-pressure consultation
We listen first. We answer your questions. There is no fee for the initial conversation — and you decide whether to engage us at the end of it.
- 2
Investigation and evidence preservation
Police reports, scene photos, witness statements, vehicle data, surveillance video, medical records. The earlier we collect, the harder it is for the other side to reshape the story later.
- 3
Treatment, demand, and negotiation
We coordinate with your providers, document the full extent of damages — medical, lost income, pain — and present a demand backed by evidence. We push back firmly when an insurer lowballs.
- 4
Litigation when necessary
Most matters settle. When an insurer refuses to be reasonable, we file. Preparing every case as if it will be tried is what makes the settlement number move.
What to do right away
- Accept emergency medical evaluation on scene, even if you can walk.
- Take photos of the location — crosswalk, signs, signals — and the vehicle's resting position.
- Get witness names; pedestrian witnesses are common but rarely contacted by police.
- Save the clothing you were wearing — it may be evidence.
- Call us before giving any statement.
The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.
Deadlines that matter
Most California personal-injury claims must be filed within two years of the injury (Code of Civil Procedure §335.1). Miss the window and the court will almost always dismiss the case, no matter how strong it is.
Claims against government entities are much shorter — generally a written claim within six months (Government Code §911.2). Crashes involving city vehicles, public buses, or dangerous public-road conditions can fall under this rule.
Exceptions exist in both directions — discovery rules, minors, continuing violations, out-of-state defendants — so don't assume your deadline has passed or that you have time to spare. Call (818) 539-7969 and we'll tell you exactly where you stand.