Slip and Fall Injuries

San Diego, San Marcos, Carlsbad, Oceanside, Vista, Escondido

If you or someone you know has suffered a serious injury from a slip, trip, or fall on someone else's property, you may wonder whether you have a claim or can file a lawsuit. When a business invites you to its property for commercial purposes, it has a responsibility to do everything reasonably possible to ensure that property is safe for you and others. Unfortunately, sometimes the business has other priorities, which may include minimizing staff and maintenance costs while maximizing customer traffic, which can lead to dangerous conditions that contributed to an accident.

If you have suffered an injury as a result of dangerous conditions at a business, we may be able to help you get compensation for your injuries. To learn whether we can help, please call or email us today for a free initial consultation.

Common Causes of Slip and Fall Injuries

Although every case is different, there are some common causes of slip and fall injuries that are caused by the negligence of business owners. These include:

• Liquid, grease, or other slippery substance spilled in walkways
• Debris or merchandise left in walkways
• Improperly designed stairs or walkways
• Unrepaired or broken concrete, paving, or flooring

Property owners have a duty to be vigilant to discover these types of hazards and either remedy them or post adequate warnings and barriers to prevent people from slipping or falling.

Proving Slip and Fall Cases

In California, the law requires that several conditions be met before you can receive compensation for your slip and fall or other premises liability injuries:

• The presence of a dangerous condition or defect
• The property owner knew or should have known about the condition
• The property owner did not adequately respond to the condition
• The condition led to your injury

To ensure that you can receive compensation for your injury, you should try to document as many of these factors as possible. If you have a cell phone camera, you should take pictures of the scene and the condition that caused your injury. You should talk to and identify witnesses at the scene, especially if they can testify to the hazard or to the circumstances surrounding the accident. 

The source of the hazard is crucial to proving your case. If a wet spot on the floor is due to a customer spill, it is less likely to result in compensation than if an employee is responsible for a spill. Business owners have a responsibility to train employees to prevent hazardous conditions or provide adequate warning. Also, something like a leaky cooler that produces the same pool of water every day is an obvious hazard and a business's failure to rectify can make it liable for your damages.

If you have been hurt as a result of a business's failure to provide a safe environment, The Rubinstein Law Group can help. We represent clients in San Diego and surrounding areas of San Marcos, Carlsbad, Escondido, Oceanside, and Vista, but if you need us we will travel anywhere in California. Please call or email us today for a free initial consultation.

To learn more click here to view "Questions about Premises Liability/Slip and Fall Injuries"

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