A wet floor with no sign. A broken stair. A parking lot with no lighting. A dog that the landlord knew was dangerous. California law requires property owners and businesses to keep their premises reasonably safe and to warn about hazards they know about or should have found. When they don’t, and someone is hurt, that’s a premises liability case — and the hard part is proving what the owner knew.
What we do for you
- Move immediately to preserve store surveillance footage, incident reports, sweep logs, and maintenance records — the evidence that proves notice — before it’s overwritten or ‘lost.’
- Interview witnesses and employees while memories are fresh.
- Bring in experts on flooring, lighting, building code, and safety standards when needed.
- Handle falls at grocery stores, restaurants, apartment complexes, hotels, retail stores, office buildings, and private homes, as well as dog bites and negligent security cases.
What your case may be worth
No honest lawyer can give you a number on the first call. What we can tell you is what California lets you recover, and we’ll give you a realistic range once we’ve seen your medical records and the facts.
- Medical bills, including surgery for fractures and hip and back injuries common in falls.
- Lost wages and loss of earning capacity.
- Pain and suffering and loss of independence — especially significant for older adults.
- Future care where the injury is permanent.
Deadlines that can end your case
- Two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit in California (Code of Civil Procedure §335.1). Miss it and the claim is gone, no matter how strong.
- Six months if a government entity is involved — a city bus, a public road defect, a county vehicle, a school. You must file an administrative claim first (Government Code §911.2), and that clock is unforgiving. Falls on sidewalks, in public buildings, and on transit property are government claims with the six-month deadline.
- Surveillance video at most businesses is overwritten within days to a few weeks. Calling early is the difference between having the footage and not.
What to do now
After a fall:
- Get medical care first. Even if you feel okay. Adrenaline hides injuries, and a gap in treatment is the first thing an adjuster uses against you.
- Report it. Police report for a crash; incident report to the property or business for a fall. Get a copy or the report number.
- Photograph everything. The scene, vehicles, hazards, your injuries, and anything that changes quickly (weather, lighting, a wet floor).
- Get names. Witnesses, the other driver, the store manager. People vanish fast.
- Don’t give a recorded statement to the other side’s insurer, and don’t sign anything, before you’ve talked to a lawyer.
- Call us. (818) 230-8380, any hour. We take it from there.
Questions we hear most
The store says I should have watched where I was going.
Every premises case includes that argument. The question is whether the hazard was reasonably visible and whether the business did what a reasonable business would to find and fix it. A spill that sat for an hour with no sweep log is their problem, not yours.
I fell at a friend’s or relative’s house.
Homeowner’s insurance exists for exactly this. Your friend doesn’t pay out of pocket; their insurer does. Most people are relieved to learn that.
A dog bit me.
California is a strict-liability state for dog bites (Civil Code §3342): the owner is responsible whether or not the dog had ever bitten before. Renter’s or homeowner’s insurance usually covers it.
Hurt in an accident? Talk to us before you talk to the insurance company.
Free case review, any hour, English or Spanish. No fee unless we win.
This page is general information about California law, not legal advice about your situation. Every case is different. Talk to an attorney about yours — the consultation is free.