Slip and Fall Injury Lawyers in Northern California

Slip and fall accidents are one of the most common causes of serious injury on both public and private property. Each year in California alone, thousands of people are hurt in retail locations, in public buildings, on municipal sidewalks, in workplaces, on stairways, or in parking lots – just to name a few.

Tripping over a misplaced object or taking a tumble on an icy sidewalk is sometimes just part of the normal routine of living. But if a property owner fails to resolve known safety issues in a timely manner, you have the right to recover damages if you are seriously injured in a slip and fall accident that may have otherwise been prevented.

There are a number of hazardous conditions or circumstances that can lead to falls:

• Water or other liquid left standing on the floor
• Ripped carpeting or torn mats
• Broken banisters or loose handrails
• Poor lighting conditions
• Slippery stairways
• Crumbling curbs or uneven sidewalks
• Objects in doorways or hallways

Determining blame in a slip and fall accident can be complicated, but it essentially comes down to negligence – did the owner or occupier of the premises neglect to properly monitor conditions and resolve any potential dangers on his or her property? Was the owner aware of a problem but fail to perform timely repairs or post warnings of any potential hazards on the premises?

If someone drops a jar of pickles in the grocery aisle and you slip and fall because there’s juice on the floor, it does not necessarily mean that the store owner is liable, particularly if neither the owner nor the employees are aware of the situation. If, on the other hand, a store employee has recently sprayed the vegetables in the produce aisle and you slip and injure yourself because water was left on the floor, the store owner may be liable if the hazard was not cleaned up right away or the owner or employee failed to place a warning sign nearby to alert store patrons of the potential danger.