Torrance Slip and Fall Lawyer

Slip and Fall Attorney in Torrance, CA

A slip or fall caused by hazardous conditions can cause serious injuries. Slips, trips, and falls are often caused by negligence. If you are suffering from a personal injury in the Los Angeles area, contact a Torrance slip and fall lawyer to evaluate your claim today.

Premises Liability

In California, property owners have a responsibility to keep their property safe. Failure to do so is negligent behavior. If this negligence leads to a public or private guest injuring themselves, then the owner of the property is liable for the damages caused by the injury.

Falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries in the United States. If you or someone you know has suffered injuries due to a slip or fall, you may be eligible for compensation.

Walking Surfaces

In most cases, slips and falls are caused by unsafe conditions on walking surfaces. This may include wet or slippery substances on the floor, cracked sidewalks/pavement, uneven tiles or floorboards, loose carpeting, and recently cleaned or wet floors with no signage.

Poor Lighting

Poor lighting can cause people, especially those with impaired vision, to trip and fall. These injuries can be grievous depending on the situation. Insufficient lighting leading to injury is common in stairwells, parking garages, apartments, outdoor corridors, and parking lots.

Staircases and Stairwells

Stairs are incredibly important to keep maintained. Dangerous stairs can pose many risks to those who attempt to walk on them. Issues with stairs that may lead to injury include broken handrails, loose or missing steps, and steepness.

Slips and falls caused by these oversights are common in stores, apartment complexes, condominiums, office buildings, restaurants, and worksites. In California, nearly 20% of fatal work-related injuries were caused by slips, trips, and falls. If you have suffered an injury from someone else’s negligence in Torrance, it is important to seek legal counsel.

About Shaffer Law

Attorney Doug D. Shaffer is committed to getting his clients the compensation they deserve. As an accredited Super Lawyer for nearly a decade in a row, he has secured over $100 million to help them recover from their injuries. Don’t hesitate and let an injury caused by someone else’s negligence affect your financial stability. Local, trusted legal counsel can help you get the outcome you deserve.

Statute of Limitations on Slip and Fall Cases

In California, the statute of limitations on personal injury claims expires two years after the day of the incident. However, if the injury occurred in a government-controlled building or site, the deadline is much stricter.

In these cases, a claim must be filed within just six months from the time of the event. This makes it vital to hire a slip and fall lawyer as soon as you can. A skilled personal injury attorney will be able to help you file a claim at the Torrance Courthouse that is strong and clearly defends your position within the time limit required for your claim.

What Should Be Avoided While Filing a Slip and Fall Claim?

After your injury, it is important to notify the property or business owner as soon as possible. This is important, as it solidifies your account of events as soon as the injury happened. Waiting to report the incident can complicate the validity of your claim. It is also recommended to seek medical attention right away. Delaying medical attention can provoke an insurer to question the severity of your injuries and reduce your compensation.

Duty of Care in California

The duty of care statute, also outlined in California Civil Code Section 1714, is another responsibility placed upon Californians to exercise ‘care’ in avoiding injuring other people. In slip and fall cases, the duty of property owners is to maintain their facilities properly in order to prevent people from harming themselves. If they fail to do so, they are violating their duty of care to all people who enter the premises.

Can I Still Claim Damages If the Conditions Seemed Dangerous?

No matter the conditions, you are not expected to be fully aware of all hazardous conditions that might be present everywhere you go. It is the property or business owner’s responsibility to maintain safe conditions. If you try to walk on an “obviously” uneven surface, insurers may try to deny fault. However, what is “obvious” is subjective, and the uneven surface being present in the first place should be called into question.

FAQs

What Is the Average Settlement for a Slip and Fall Case in California?

The settlement for a slip and fall case in California is influenced by many elements of the case. Depending on the injuries suffered from the slip or fall, medical bills can rack up rapidly. Investigating evidence and determining negligence can take a long time in court, depending on the complexity of the claim.

What If My Slip and Fall Occurred at a House?

Even if your slip or fall occurred at a private residence, you can file a personal injury claim in many cases. In the case of falling in a friend’s or family member’s home, you can file a claim against the home’s insurer. A claim may also be filed if a slip or fall in your own home was caused by a contractor improperly installing flooring or stairs.

What if I’m Partially at Fault for My Slip or Fall?

If you are partially at fault for your trip, slip, or fall in California, you are still eligible to file a claim for your injury. California is a “pure comparative negligence” state. This means that whether you are 27% or 89% responsible for your personal injury, you are still able to file a claim against the other party who shared the fault.

Can Trespassers File Slip and Fall Claims in California?

If you have suffered injuries while trespassing onto a property in California, you are most likely not a good candidate for a personal injury claim. There are some exceptions to this standard, though it is not common and not advisable to trespass under any circumstances.

If the injured party was a child, this does not apply to them. Trespassing also becomes an invalid excuse to deny a claim if the property owner purposefully created unsafe conditions or acted with gross negligence.

Contact Shaffer Law Today to Hire a Slip and Fall Lawyer

Slips and falls can cause serious injuries and incur massive medical bills; don’t let someone else’s negligent actions impede your financial stability. Contact the team at Shaffer Law for the results your case deserves.