Were You Injured in a Slip and Fall Accident in Los Angeles?
According to the National Floor Safety Institute, over 8 million people annually visit the emergency room for falls, representing the leading cause of visits (21.3%). Slips and falls account for over 1 million visits or 12% of total falls. Adults over the age of 65 face the highest risk of suffering a severe injury. If you or a loved one was injured in a slip and fall accident, rest assured that our highly experienced Los Angeles slip and fall lawyer, with a proven track record of successful cases, is here to help.
Slip-and-fall accidents can happen in a grocery store, a parking lot, a sidewalk, or a staircase. Various factors, such as wet floors, uneven surfaces, loose rugs, poor lighting, or a lack of handrails, can cause them. When a property owner or occupant fails to maintain their premises safely, they may be liable for the injuries and damages resulting from their negligence. Our experienced slip-and-fall lawyer will guide you through the legal process in such personal injury cases.
At Angeleno Accident Lawyers, we deeply empathize with the physical and emotional toll slip-and-fall accidents can take. We are not just a law firm but a team of compassionate legal professionals dedicated to helping victims in Los Angeles County and Southern California. We will hold the negligent property owner accountable. At the same time, we strive to obtain maximum compensation for your serious injuries.
No Win. No Fee. Guaranteed.
Slip and fall victims should not be burdened by the high cost of hiring a personal injury lawyer. Fortunately, most slip-and-fall lawyers in California work on a contingency fee, meaning they do not charge any upfront fees but rather collect payment when a settlement is reached. If a slip-and-fall attorney fails to win a settlement for their client, the client pays nothing.
We also offer a free consultation, during which we will evaluate your case, answer any questions you may have, and provide an initial assessment of your chances of success. We will also explain the legal process and what to expect from start to finish.
If you have suffered a slip-and-fall injury or would like to learn more about the services our award-winning law firm provides, call us today at (213) 510-9246 to speak with one of our attorneys. Our office is conveniently located at 448 S Hill St, Suite 1217, Los Angeles, CA 90013, making it easy for you to visit us.
Why Hire Angeleno Accident Lawyers to Handle Your Slip and Fall Case?
If you have been injured in a slip-and-fall accident, you need a legal team with a proven track record to fight for your rights and interests. At Angeleno Accident Lawyers, we are committed to helping injured victims get the justice and compensation they deserve. Our Los Angeles personal injury lawyers, with extensive skills and experience, are well-equipped to handle any slip-and-fall lawsuit.
Here are more reasons to hire our law firm:
- We have a 99% success rate
- Our lawyers have recovered millions of dollars for our clients in settlements and verdicts
- Named National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40, among many other accolades.
- We take cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you only pay if we win.
How Can Los Angeles Slip and Fall Lawyers Help?
A slip and fall accident can lead to serious injuries, which can result in medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and other losses. A Los Angeles slip and fall lawyer can help you by investigating the cause of the accident, gathering evidence to prove liability and damages, and filing an insurance claim. This is not something you want to tackle on your own. Your focus should be on healing from your injuries.
An experienced lawyer will also help you through negotiations with the insurance company, who will likely try to offer you a lowball settlement offer. Our lawyers do not fall for their tactics and will guide you through the process so you receive the best possible outcome. We will take your case to trial if a fair settlement cannot be reached. Call our slip and fall attorneys in Los Angeles to learn more about how we can help.
What Is a Slip and Fall Accident?
A slip and fall accident is a type of personal injury case where a person slips, trips, or falls on someone else's property and suffers an injury. These types of accidents typically occur due to the negligence of a property or business owner who failed to maintain or repair a dangerous condition on the premises.
A slip-and-fall is a premises liability claim that holds the property owner liable for damages, including medical bills and lost income. Under California Civil Code §1714(a), premises liability law dictates that property owners have a "duty of care" to keep their premises as safe as possible for visitors. For example, a grocery store may be liable if it fails to warn customers of wet floors.
What To Do After a Slip and Fall Accident in Los Angeles
If you have been injured in a slip-and-fall accident in Los Angeles, you should take the following steps to protect your rights and seek compensation:
- Report the accident to the property owner or store manager. Ask them to write an incident report and give you a copy. If possible, get their names and contact information.
- Call 911 and seek medical attention as soon as possible. Even if you think your injuries are minor, you should get checked by a doctor to document your condition and rule out any hidden injuries. Keep all your medical records and bills.
- Take photos and videos. Capture the hazard that caused you to fall, your injuries, and any other relevant evidence. If there are any witnesses, ask them for their names and contact information and record their statements. You can also check to see if the store had camera footage.
- Do not admit fault or apologize for the accident. Do not sign documents or accept any property owner or insurance company offers without consulting a slip-and-fall lawyer first. You may be entitled to more compensation than they are willing to offer.
- Contact Los Angeles slip and fall attorneys. Speaking with a slip-and-fall lawyer is crucial to avoid making a mistake that might hurt your case. A lawyer with experience settling slip and fall claims will ensure you receive proper treatment throughout the claims process.
Common Places Where Slip and Fall Accidents Typically Happen
Slip-and-fall accidents happen everywhere—at home, at work, at a grocery store, at a restaurant, or in a parking lot. Many occur at nursing homes and on construction sites, where the risk of a serious injury is exponentially greater.
If you were injured at work, you may be able to file a slip and fall claim on top of a workers’ compensation claim.
Angeleno Accident Lawyers can review your case and help you explore your legal options.
Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents
Many slip-and-fall accidents happen because of wet, slippery, or uneven surfaces. These surfaces can make people lose their balance or trip over something.
Some examples of slip and fall hazards are:
- Wet floors
- Loose carpeting or rugs
- Electrical cords
- Poor lighting
- Potholes in pavement
- Cluttered walkways
- Broken stairs
- Broken or missing stairwell railings
- Uneven flooring or sidewalks
The property owner is responsible for ensuring the premises are safe and clean for everyone. If the owner is negligent and ignores a dangerous condition, they may be liable for financial and non-financial losses.
Common Slip and Fall Injuries
Slips and fall accidents can cause serious injuries, especially for elderly adults over the age of 65.
The most common types of injuries from slips and falls include:
- Hip fractures — Hip fractures are the single most common slip-and-fall injury among elderly adults. Because elderly adults have weakened bones, they are more prone to serious injury, requiring surgery and lengthy rehabilitation. A hip fracture can also increase the risk of complications such as infection, blood clots, pneumonia, and death.
- Fractures and broken bones — Falling or slipping on a hard surface can result in fractures or breaks in the wrists, arms, and ankles. These injuries can impair mobility and function and may require casts, splints, or surgery to heal. Fractures and broken bones can also lead to osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease that causes pain and stiffness.
- Head injuries, including traumatic brain injuries — Slip and fall accidents are the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries (TBI), which can range from mild concussions to severe and long-term brain damage. A TBI can affect a person's cognitive, physical, and emotional functions. Some of the symptoms of a TBI include memory loss, confusion, headaches, dizziness, nausea, mood changes, depression, anxiety, and seizures.
- Soft tissue injuries — Sprains, strains, tears, and bruises may not be visible or noticeable immediately. Still, they can cause chronic pain and inflammation. Soft tissue injuries can affect the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves that support the joints and bones. They can also limit the affected area's range of motion and flexibility.
- Back and spinal cord injuries — A back or spinal cord injury can be a herniated disc, pinched nerves, fractured vertebrae, or other similar conditions. Symptoms can range from ongoing pain to paralysis. A spinal cord injury can damage the nerve fibers that carry messages between the brain and the rest of the body.
- Neck injuries — These types of injuries can be a muscle strain, a kink or spasm, whiplash, or even a spinal cord injury. Because of the risk of paralysis or death, a neck injury must be taken very seriously.
Who is Liable in a Slip and Fall Accident?
Under California's premises liability law, the property owner is liable for any damages if a person suffers an injury on someone else's property. However, some exceptions may limit or bar the property owner's liability.
One of the factors that affect liability is the status of the visitor who was injured:
- Invitee: An invitee is someone whom the property owner specifically invited to the property, such as a customer, client, friend, or family member. Property owners owe the highest duty to invitees.
- Licensee: Licensees, such as door-to-door salesmen, have implicit permission to remain on the premises. Property owners must warn licensees of dangers; however, they do not have to inspect their property beforehand.
- Trespasser: Those who enter the property without permission or legal right are considered trespassers. Property owners do not owe a duty of care to trespassers.
Another factor that affects liability is whether the visitor contributed to their injury by being careless or negligent. For example, if customers ignored a "wet floor" sign and fell, they might be held partly responsible.
In California, if the victim is partly at fault for their slip and fall, their recovery will be reduced by their percentage of fault. This is known as the comparative negligence rule in claims. Speak with a slip and fall lawyer in Los Angeles to learn more about fault and liability in a slip and fall lawsuit.
How Much is A Slip and Fall Case Worth?
There is no average settlement for a slip-and-fall lawsuit in California. This is because every case depends on several factors, including the extent of the injuries suffered in the fall, the victim's age and health, and the accident's impact on their quality of life.
Generally speaking, slip and fall victims can be compensated for:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Disfigurement or scarring
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Emotional distress
These are known as damages, which, in a slip-and-fall case, are divided into economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages represent actual financial losses, while non-economic damages like pain and suffering represent intangible losses. In rare cases, slip-and-fall victims may also be eligible to receive punitive damages. These damages are only awarded if the defendant acted maliciously or intentionally caused the accident.
What is the Statute of Limitations for a Slip and Fall Accident in California?
A slip and fall accident is considered a personal injury case, which means it falls under California's statute of limitations. If you suffer injuries in a slip and fall accident, you must file a claim within two years of the accident. Any action beyond this deadline will be considered invalid, and your case will be dismissed.
If a government employee caused your accident or you fell in a government-maintained building like the DMV, you must notify the government entity within six months. Speak to a slip and fall attorney as soon as possible to ensure your right to compensation.
How Do You Prove Negligence in a Slip and Fall Claim?
In a slip-and-fall injury case, you must be able to prove negligence. Negligence is the legal term for a person or entity acting carelessly or" negligently" that results in someone else getting hurt.
To prove negligence, you must show the property owner owed you a duty of care, the owner breached their duty, the breach caused the victim's injuries, and you have financial losses from the accident. These elements form the basis of most slip-and-fall claims in California.
For there to be a valid slip and fall case, you must also prove:
- The condition of the property was dangerous
- The property owner knew or should have known, about the hazard
- The owner had a reasonable amount of time to fix the hazard
If an older person falls at home, they are unlikely to have a case because they were injured on their property. However, an accident in a public place like a retail store has a better standing because that property owner or manager has a duty to customers.
Proving negligence can be challenging. The property owner or their insurance company may try to blame the victim by saying they ignored warning signs or were distracted. Our skilled slip-and-fall accident attorneys know how to prove negligence and win their cases despite the defendant's tactics. Please speak to our law firm today so we can help you get back on your feet.
How Long Does a Slip and Fall Case Take to Settle?
Dealing with the aftermath of a slip-and-fall accident can be stressful. The mounting medical bills missed time from work, and physical and emotional pain are a lot for victims to handle. If your accident was caused by negligence, you should not have to bear the burden yourself. However, there are many elements to a slip-and-fall case before receiving the final settlement. Settling a case can take several months to years, depending on several factors.
If you have yet to recover from your injuries fully, you should not aim to settle quickly or risk missing out on compensation for future care. Your case might also take longer to settle if the insurance company denies or delays your claim. Your attorney will take your case to court if they reject your claim. While this is unlikely, a court trial can be lengthy and costly. A Los Angeles slip-and-fall attorney will explore all possible options to make the process more efficient and quick.
Contact an Experienced Los Angeles Slip and Fall Attorney Today
All business and property owners have a legal obligation to keep their property safe for customers. If you were injured due to a hazardous condition like uneven pavement or poor lighting, that owner is liable for your losses.
In a slip and fall accident claim, the Los Angeles slip and fall attorneys at Angeleno Accident Lawyers will fight for accountability and compensation. Our law firm works on a contingency fee basis, so you pay nothing upfront and owe nothing unless we settle your case or win a verdict at trial. Call us today or complete our free contact form to get started with your claim.
Client Testimonials
Read what some of our clients have said about working with our law firm and the results we were able to successfully accomplish.
Janet Krup
I absolutely adore this law firm! When researching lawyers in my area I felt like most of them weren’t truly invested in my case. They kept giving me what felt like very generic and robotic responses. But my lawyer at AAL took the time to give me honest advice about my car accident with realistic expectations of a settlement. I can honestly say that I was very satisfied with my experience.
Zoey de la Rosa
I had a wonderful experience with Angeleno Accident Lawyers. They took care of my medical bills, doctors appointments, and dealt with my insurance company. It was a relief having them taking care of everything because I quite honestly wasn't in the right state of mind to worry about anything else but my pain.
Eduardo Contreras
Caring, hard working and VERY helpful! I had a good experience working with Angeleno Accident Lawyers for my accident. Thank you for taking the time to work on my case! I had never been in a motorcycle accident before, so I had no idea what I could do about my expenses. After being referred to this law firm, all of my questions were answered. My case was handled efficiently, and my payout was much more than I was expecting.
Steve Patterson
Unfortunately I have had a few accidents in my day so I’ve worked with my fair share of lawyers. Hands down Angeleno Accident Lawyers has been one of the most professional firms to work with. They helped me schedule appointments with my doctor, deal with insurance, and even helped me find a mechanic to fix my car. I would certainly recommend them.
Get Your Free Consultation with Experienced Slip and Fall Accident Lawyers
Don't hesitate to contact our law firm if you suffered injuries from a negligent property owner. We are always ready to listen to your legal concerns and guide you through the claims process.
Our skilled Los Angeles slip and fall lawyers will offer you a free consultation, either over the phone or in person, to review your case. Let us help you get the justice you deserve.