Trip and Fall
A Trip and Fall accident can happen when someone trips, slips, or falls due to an unsafe, hazardous or dangerous condition on someone’s property. For example, your fall could be from the result of water, ice, or snow, abrupt changes in flooring, poor lighting, missing or unsecured stairs, or a gap or hole in the ground that was not covered for pedestrian safety. Any allegation towards a property owner for negligence is known as a Premises Liability Claim.
The California Premises Liability Law requires property owners to be held accountable for any damage or injury that occurs within their property. As stated in the California Civil Code section 1714(a):“Everyone is responsible, not only for the result of his or her willful acts, but also for an injury occasioned to another by his or her want of ordinary care or skill in the management of his or her property or person, except so far as the latter has, willfully or by want of ordinary care, brought the injury upon himself or herself”.
If you are a victim of a property owner’s negligence, you will need expert legal counsel to review your case. First your lawyer will have to establish that the property was negligent. This means that it has to be established that the property owner had the duty to maintain the premises and “breached” that duty. Then it will have to be proven that the breach of duty caused the accident and the accident resulted in damages.
Your lawyer will need to conduct a thorough inspection of the property and related evidence and to consult with any witnesses as soon as possible after the events. If too much time passes, evidence may be difficult to obtain, and witnesses’ recollections may fade. There are also important deadlines on when you can file your claim. If you or a loved one has been injured in a trip and fall accident in California, please contact our office for a free consultation on your case. You can use the secure mail form to the right or call us at 877-603-8473.
This article is for educational purposes only and does not in any way constitute legal advice. It also does not establish an attorney-client relationship.