California Slip and Fall Injury: Liability and Compensation Claims

If you slip and fall, or trip and fall, and suffer a serious injury on someone else’s property, the property owner or occupant may be liable for your injuries, under the law of premises liability. This legal guide provides an introduction to premises liability law in California, and the types of compensation slip and fall accident victims may be entitled to.

The Many Types of Premises Liability Accidents

Slip and fall accidents are just one type of accident that may result in injury or death under premises liability. Common types of slip-and-fall accidents include falls due to uneven floor surfaces, slippery or oily surfaces, sidewalk cracks, broken steps, elevator or escalator hazards, and open manholes. Accidents can occur just about anywhere – including shopping centers, malls, restaurants, parks, hotels, and amusement parks. Animal attacks and dog bite injuries also fall under premises liability law, as well as some workplace injuries and construction accidents. If the owner or occupant had knowledge of a dangerous condition or hazard, or should have had knowledge of the condition, that party may be liable for injuries. Victims of certain crimes may also have a claim for premises liability injuries if the property owner failed to provide adequate security.

Premises Liability Injuries

Injuries from falls can be minor to severe. In grocery stores, liquid spills are common occurrences, and customers may slip and fall when they fail to see a hazard on the floor. Stores have the responsibility to keep the premises safe, and prevent injury from slip and fall accidents. Common types of fall injuries are ankle injuries (such as trimalleolar fractures), knee injuries, hip injuries and fractures. The elderly are particularly vulnerable to serious injury or even death in slip and fall accidents. More severe types of injuries include brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, neck injuries and back injuries. Injuries may also result from a customer being struck in the head by a falling object, for example, a television falling off a forklift. Falling objects from large warehouse stores or home improvement stores can easily cause serious personal injury or death.

Compensation Claims for Slip and Fall Accidents

Establishing responsibility for your injuries can be a complex process. Typically, the injured victim must show that their injury was caused by some unsafe condition, or the property owner/occupant did not reasonably maintain the premises. Secondly, the victim must show the owner was aware of the condition (and did not warn visitors), or should have known about the condition that caused the accident. If you are able to prove causation and negligence, you may recover monetary damages for medical bills, lost wages as a result of not being able to work, and pain and suffering. If you have been hurt on someone else’s property, contact a California injury lawyer to determine if you are entitled to claim compensation for your injuries.