The RegistryBay Area · California

Workers' Compensation Lawyers in San Francisco, California

Every workers compensation attorney and workers comp lawyer listing on this page traces back to the State Bar of California's official roll, filtered to workers' compensation matters in San Francisco. Verification describes profile identity, not quality or outcomes.

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. For workers' compensation cases, venue ordinarily lies with the San Francisco County Superior Court — Civic Center Courthouse — which is why counsel who appear there regularly read the local calendar better than any brochure.

Before comparing counsel, note the clock. Under Cal. Lab. Code § 5405, the governing period is one year from injury to file a workers' compensation claim. Report the injury to your employer within 30 days (Cal. Lab. Code § 5400); the employer must provide a claim form within one working day of notice (§ 5401). Cumulative-trauma injuries date from when disability and work-connection were known (§ 5412).

This page is the San Francisco chapter of the registry's statewide record — Workers Compensation Lawyers in California collects every county and city.

The clock & the craft

Statute of limitations

One year from injury to file a workers' compensation claim.

Cal. Lab. Code § 5405

Report the injury to your employer within 30 days (Cal. Lab. Code § 5400); the employer must provide a claim form within one working day of notice (§ 5401). Cumulative-trauma injuries date from when disability and work-connection were known (§ 5412).

Reading the roster in San Francisco

Workers' comp runs through an administrative system, not civil court, so look for attorneys who appear regularly at the WCAB district office serving your area and know its judges and QME logistics. Fees are contingent and must be approved by the appeals board — typically 9–15% of the recovery — so representation costs nothing up front. Ask whether your facts also support a third-party civil claim, which comp attorneys often co-counsel with injury attorneys.

Workers' Compensation · San Francisco County roster

James J. Achermann

Workers' Compensation · San Francisco

Bar #262514 · Admitted 2009

Official record

Ashmeed Ali

Workers' Compensation · San Francisco

Bar #362559 · Admitted 2025

Official record

Caroline G. Allen

Workers' Compensation · San Francisco

Bar #157377 · Admitted 1991

Official record

Sandra Ambrocio

Workers' Compensation · San Francisco

Bar #270670 · Admitted 2010

Official record

Franklin J. Anders

Business Litigation · San Francisco

Bar #227208 · Admitted 2003

Official record

Taylor E. Arnold

Workers' Compensation · San Francisco

Bar #282980 · Admitted 2012

Official record

Robert Stephen Arns

Business Litigation · San Francisco

Bar #65071 · Admitted 1975

Official record

Howard K. Au

Workers' Compensation · San Francisco

Bar #180241 · Admitted 1995

Official record

Have a workers' compensation matter? State your case.

Describe what happened in your own words — attorneys who practice in your area read it and may send you fee terms, and your contact details stay masked until you choose your attorney. Free, and the choice is always yours.

State Your Case

Legal information, not legal advice · The AI reception identifies itself

Workers' Compensation questions, cited

How long do I have to report a work injury in California?

Give your employer written notice within 30 days of the injury (Cal. Lab. Code § 5400) — late notice can jeopardize benefits unless the employer knew or was not prejudiced. The formal application must generally be filed within one year (Lab. Code § 5405). For gradual injuries like repetitive strain, the clock runs from when you knew the condition was work-related (§ 5412).

Do I have to prove my employer was at fault to get workers' comp?

No. California workers' compensation is a no-fault system: benefits are owed for injuries arising out of and in the course of employment regardless of negligence (Cal. Lab. Code § 3600). The trade-off is exclusivity — comp is generally the sole remedy against the employer (Lab. Code § 3602), though claims against negligent third parties (a defective machine maker, an at-fault driver) remain available.

What benefits does California workers' compensation pay?

Medical treatment for the injury (Cal. Lab. Code § 4600), temporary disability payments at two-thirds of average weekly wages within statutory limits (§ 4653), permanent disability compensation rated under § 4660.1, supplemental job displacement vouchers (§ 4658.7), and death benefits for dependents (§ 4700 et seq.). It does not pay pain-and-suffering damages — those exist only in third-party civil claims.

Can I be fired for filing a workers' comp claim in California?

Retaliation for filing or stating an intent to file is unlawful under Cal. Lab. Code § 132a, exposing the employer to increased compensation, reinstatement, and reimbursement of lost wages. Separate wrongful termination and FEHA disability-discrimination claims (Cal. Gov. Code § 12940) can also arise when an injured worker is terminated instead of accommodated.

What if my workers' comp claim is denied?

Denials are challenged before the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board by filing an Application for Adjudication and requesting a hearing (Cal. Lab. Code §§ 5500 et seq.). Medical disputes run through Qualified Medical Evaluator procedures (§ 4062.2) and utilization review with Independent Medical Review (§ 4610). Strict deadlines apply at each step, which is where most unrepresented claims founder.

Legal information, not legal advice.

From the answer files

Related counsel in San Francisco

Workers' Compensation nearby

Read the record. Then decide.

Describe your matter once, review the verified records, and place the call — the choice is always yours.

Find Your Counsel

278,688 attorneys · 58 counties · Official State Bar records