When you walk onto a property, it is generally understood that the property owners have done their best to keep your safety in mind. That means it is unlikely that you will walk into a store and see loose wires hanging down from a ceiling or broken pieces of flooring near the entrances. At an apartment building, you should probably not see stairwells with broken handrails or no lighting around the premises.
In fact, it is California law that owners of property and occupiers of land are expected to keep their premises in a reasonably safe condition. In legal terms, this is called their “duty of care” to whoever visits the property.
When a person suffers a slip and fall accident in La Canada Flintridge, there is a chance that the owner of the property may be held liable for any injuries suffered directly as a result of the accident. If hazardous or dangerous conditions exist, it is the obligation of the property owner or property manager to adequately warn visitors about these hazards. If the property owner does not keep the premises safe, and a person is injured while visiting, the property owner can be held liable for the person’s injuries under premises liability law per California Civil Code (CIV) §1714(a).
If you suffered a slip and fall accident on a property in or near La Canada Flintridge, contact a La Canada Flintridge slip and fall lawyer at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm. Call for a no-fee consultation at (800) 223-5115.
Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents
Slip and fall accidents are common and can happen anywhere. You may have even had a slip and fall accident during the recent slight earthquake in La Canada Flintridge.
Some typical reasons for slip and fall accidents may include:
- Slippery or wet floors from condensation, water spills, or similar
- A walkway with defects, like raised parts or holes
- Uneven surfaces that cause an imbalance
- Slick, waxy floors from a chemical product
- Loose handrails on staircases
- Chipped or crumbling steps on stairwells
- Bunched-up carpeting
- No lighting or poor lighting on the property
Injuries from Slip and Fall Accidents
Data shows that most slip and falls result in emergency room visits, and at workplaces, slip and falls rank third for workplace injuries. More than 15,000 deaths annually are a result of injuries suffered in slip and fall accidents.
For seniors, the potential for injuries from slip and fall accidents gets even worse. According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), about 25% of all Americans 65 and over fall every year. This could be simple tumbles, like when a person literally slips, loses balance, and falls, without any injuries suffered by a person.
But in other instances, slip and falls can lead to very serious injuries. If a person is older and frailer, a simple slip and fall on an uneven walkway can produce serious injuries, like fractured wrists or hips, broken arms or legs, spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, and even death.
Injuries from slip and fall accidents can often lead to hospitalization, surgeries, lost time and income at work, medical therapy bills, and other costs that add up over time. That’s why filing a personal injury claim for damages when the property owner is at fault can help you recover the cost of your injuries.
Look into filing a personal injury claim with a personal injury law firm that knows California laws for premises liability issues. If you or someone in your family suffered injuries recently from an accidental slip and fall, contact a La Canada Flintridge slip and fall lawyer at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm.
For a free legal consultation with a Slip and Fall Injury Lawyer serving La Canada, call (800) 223-5115
Liability of a Property Owner
It is the responsibility of property owners to maintain a hazard-free environment for customers, visitors, guests, vendors, and other people who come to the property. Sometimes the property owner does not live up to their duty of care. This means there are potentially dangerous conditions around the property. If the owner knows about these conditions but is negligent in fixing or repairing the problems and you injure yourself, then you may pursue legal action for financial compensation.
California civil code notes that if a person suffers an injury on the grounds of a property owned by another party, and the property owner showed a lack or breach of duty of care, then that person can be held responsible for injuries that occur. This lack of care, or negligence, may be intended or unintended. In any case, the property owner may be held accountable for not maintaining safe premises.
Under California’s premises liability law, to prove negligence in a premises liability case, a plaintiff must show that the property owner failed:
- To use reasonable care in maintaining the property in a safe condition; and
- To use reasonable care to repair or replace any unsafe conditions, or give ample warning of any hazardous or dangerous conditions on the property that might cause harm.
In a premises liability case around a slip and fall accident, the court will have to look at various factors to determine if the property owners used reasonable care. Some of the key elements in making this determination may include:
- The property location
- The chances that someone would visit the property (if the property is an abandoned site, for example, the person should not even be on the site)
- The chance of harm from visiting the property
- The likelihood of the potential harm being serious
- Understanding if the defendant was aware that the hazardous condition could have created a potential for injury
- Looking at if the defendant could have controlled the condition that created the risk of harm
La Canada Slip and Fall Injury Lawyer Near Me (800) 223-5115
Slip and Fall Accident Claims
If you have injured yourself on another’s property due to the negligence of the property owner, you may choose to bring a personal injury lawsuit to civil court to try to recover damages.
Not all slip and fall accident claims have to result in bodily injuries. If you dropped your $1,000 mobile phone into a resort pond as a result of a slip and fall accident on a pothole on the property, you may be entitled to compensation.
Contact a La Canada Flintridge slip and fall lawyer at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm to learn more. We may be able to help you move forward with a lawsuit against the property owner. Call us at (800) 223-5115 for an initial no-fee consultation.
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