The RegistryBay Area · California
Medical Malpractice Attorneys in San Francisco, California
Counsel for harm done in care — negligence by physicians, hospitals, and clinics. In San Francisco, that work runs through San Francisco County's courts, and this page holds the record: medical malpractice coverage for San Francisco drawn from official State Bar of California data, ranked by the published Growth Score.
Venue matters. Medical malpractice cases from San Francisco are ordinarily heard at the San Francisco County Superior Court — Civic Center Courthouse, serving a city of roughly 808,000. San Francisco is California's only consolidated city and county; its superior court hears civil matters at the Civic Center Courthouse, and the city hosts the California Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit, and the State Bar of California's headquarters.
One date controls everything that follows: three years from the injury, or one year from discovery — whichever comes first, per Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 340.5. A 90-day notice of intent to sue must precede the filing (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 364). Minors under six have until age eight or three years, whichever is longer (§ 340.5). Read the record below with that clock in mind.
The clock & the craft
Three years from the injury, or one year from discovery — whichever comes first.
Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 340.5
A 90-day notice of intent to sue must precede the filing (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 364). Minors under six have until age eight or three years, whichever is longer (§ 340.5).
Reading the roster in San Francisco
Medical negligence cases are expert-driven and expensive to prosecute, so attorneys who practice in this field screen carefully — expect an early records review before a commitment. Ask who funds the expert costs, how MICRA's damage caps and fee schedule shape the case value, and whether arbitration agreements from the provider's intake paperwork apply. Timelines matter twice here: the one-year discovery clock and the 90-day notice of intent under § 364.
Medical Malpractice · San Francisco County roster
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Medical Malpractice questions, cited
How long do I have to sue for medical malpractice in California?
Under Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 340.5, suit must be filed within three years of the injury or one year after you discovered (or reasonably should have discovered) it — whichever comes first. A 90-day pre-suit notice of intent is required by § 364 and can extend the deadline if served in the final 90 days. Fraud, concealment, and retained foreign objects toll the three-year period.
Is there a cap on medical malpractice damages in California?
Yes, on non-economic damages only. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 3333.2 as amended by AB 35 (2022), the cap starts at $350,000 for injury cases and $500,000 for wrongful death (as of 2023), rising annually until reaching $750,000 and $1,000,000. Economic damages — medical costs, lost earnings, life care — remain uncapped.
What must be proven in a California medical malpractice case?
That the provider's care fell below the standard of care of a reasonably careful practitioner in the same field, and that the lapse caused injury. Both elements almost always require testimony from qualified medical experts; juries are instructed they must follow the expert evidence on the standard of care (CACI No. 501). Poor outcome alone is not malpractice.
Can I sue a hospital for a doctor's mistake?
Sometimes. Hospitals are liable for their employees' negligence (nurses, technicians) under respondeat superior, and can be directly liable for negligent credentialing or systems failures (Elam v. College Park Hospital (1982) 132 Cal.App.3d 332). Many physicians, however, are independent contractors, so naming the right defendants — physician, medical group, hospital — is a threshold task in these cases.
Are attorney fees limited in California malpractice cases?
Yes. Bus. & Prof. Code § 6146, updated by AB 35, caps contingency fees in medical negligence cases on a sliding scale — 25% if the case resolves before a civil complaint or demand for arbitration is filed, and 33% thereafter, with court review available. The cap is one reason attorneys screen these expert-heavy cases carefully before filing.
Legal information, not legal advice.
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