Los Angeles Slip and Fall Lawyer

Slip and fall accidents are one of the most common reasons for hospital and emergency room visits in the United States. Slip and falls are often caused by dangerous premises conditions, such as property defects and hazards. In Los Angeles, it is a property owner’s responsibility to ensure the safety of his or her premises. The failure to do so could result in a lawsuit filed by the victim.

If you recently sustained an injury due to a property owner’s negligence, the Los Angeles slip and fall lawyers at Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP can help you seek financial compensation for your medical bills and losses. Discuss your case with one of our attorneys during a free consultation at (310) 477-1700.

How Can a Los Angeles Slip and Fall Attorney Help?

Hiring an attorney to represent you during a slip and fall accident claim can make the legal process easier during this difficult time. You can focus on healing from your injuries and moving forward while your lawyer takes care of claim paperwork and settlement negotiations on your behalf. An attorney will prevent an insurance company from taking advantage of you through tactics such as underestimating the value of your claim.

A Los Angeles premises liability lawyer can investigate your fall accident, search for signs of property owner negligence (the failure to use proper care) to support your claim, interview witnesses, hire subject-matter experts, use aggressive negotiation tactics with an insurance claims adjuster, and take your slip and fall accident case to trial, if necessary. Your lawyer will make sure you have everything you need to recover from a preventable slip and fall accident in LA.

Compensation Available for a Slip and Fall Accident

The costs associated with a slip and fall can be immense. You may be facing expensive hospital bills and the inability to return to work for days, weeks or even longer. A successful slip and fall accident claim in Los Angeles could lead to financial compensation (also known as damages) for several economic and noneconomic losses that you sustained due to the accident.

Available compensation could cover:

• Past and future medical bills
• Physical therapy or rehabilitation
• Medications and medical devices
• Losses of income
• Lost future capacity to earn due to a disability
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Punitive damages, in some cases

The potential value of your premises liability claim will depend on the circumstances, including the severity of your injuries. At our law firm, an attorney can accurately estimate how much your claim may be worth. Then, we can take over settlement negotiations for you to pursue a fair and full amount. While most slip and fall cases reach settlements, we also have the power to go to trial in LA County.

Most Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents

A slip and fall accident can occur in any place where there is a dangerous property defect. This is a hazard or unsafe condition that should not exist in a properly maintained building or piece of land. If a property owner falls short of his or her legal duty to maintain a reasonably safe premises for visitors, slip and fall accidents can occur due to dangerous conditions.

Common examples include:

• Uneven curb or sidewalks
• Unsafe floor surfaces
• Wet or slippery floors
• Grease or oil on the floor
• Freshly waxed or mopped floors
• Spilled food or beverages
• Floors with holes, wear-and-tear, or defects
• Loose rugs and mats
• Trip hazards, such as exposed cords or wires
• Cluttered floors or aisles
• Loose floorboards
• Dangerous staircases or missing handrails
• Slippery swimming pool decks 
• No “Caution: Wet Floor” signs
• Environmental conditions, such as rain
• Poor lighting

If a property owner knows or has reason to know about a dangerous condition on the premises, he or she has a legal obligation to repair the defect within a reasonable amount of time. The failure to do so is considered negligence under the rules of premises liability law, and can result in a lawsuit against the owner of the property.

How Is Liability Determined in a Slip and Fall Accident?

Under California’s premises liability laws, a property owner is required to adhere to certain duties or obligations before welcoming anyone onto the premises. This is especially true of business owners and others who invite guests to their properties for their own benefit or purposes. In this case, visitors are referred to as “invitees” and have the right to reasonably expect a safe, defect-free property upon entering. If a property owner violates the duty of care, he or she can be held financially responsible (liable) for an accident victim’s slip and fall injuries.

The duties of care that a property owner has regarding invitees are to:

• Inspect or check property for existing, new or hidden hazards.
• Promptly repair any potential accident or injury risks found on the property.
• Post warning signs regarding any unsafe condition that may not be obvious to the average person.

Any individual or entity that is legally responsible for the care, use or maintenance of a premises could be held legally responsible for a preventable slip and fall accident in Los Angeles. In most cases, the person or party that owns the property will be held liable. However, a landlord could also be held responsible for dangerous defects that exist in common areas of a rental property. If an accident occurs at a business, such as a grocery store, the business owner can be held liable.

What to Do After a Slip and Fall Accident in Los Angeles

Holding one or more parties responsible for your slip and fall accident requires proof, or evidence, that the accused party (defendant) was aware of the dangerous condition that caused your accident and failed to respond to it in a reasonable manner. As a victim, you can take steps to strengthen and build your slip and fall accident case even before you contact an attorney.

Here’s what you should do after a slip and fall accident:

1. Report the accident. Tell someone at the scene about the slip and fall, such as a store manager, your employer or the owner of the property. Ask for an official accident report.
2. Get medical care. Do not delay in seeking medical attention for your injuries. Go to the nearest hospital or medical center, tell the doctor what happened and obtain copies of your medical records.
3. Take photographs. Before you leave the scene of the accident, take pictures of the slip or trip hazard. Take photos of your injuries, as well.
4. Search for evidence. If there are any witnesses, gather their information. Look for security or surveillance cameras that may have caught your fall on tape. Keep the clothes and shoes that you were wearing, as well.
5. Prepare for your claim. Collect as much information and documentation as you can about your accident and injuries to prepare for the claim process. Then, contact our slip and fall attorneys for assistance with the next steps.

We can take over your insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit to ensure proper representation and the protection of your best interests as you seek fair financial compensation for your injuries. Our attorneys know what steps to take after a slip and fall accident to protect our clients and hold the at-fault party responsible. We are a full-service law firm that can provide complete management of your case.

Common Slip and Fall Injuries

A slip or trip and fall accident can lead to injuries that impact many aspects of the victim’s life, such as a severe or permanent injury. The elderly are most at risk of sustaining life-threatening injuries in fall accidents. Falls are the leading cause of injury death in the U.S. for adults 65 and older, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Common injuries suffered in slip and fall accidents in Los Angeles include:

• Back and neck injuries
• Bone fractures
• Brain injuries
• Cuts and lacerations
• Dislocations
• Head trauma
• Herniated disks
• Internal injuries
• Knee injuries
• Muscle and soft-tissue injuries
• Nerve damage
• Spinal cord injuries
• Wrist and elbow injuries
• Wrongful deaths

A major slip and fall injury can interfere with a victim’s ability to earn a living and enjoy daily life. If you or a loved one sustained any type of injury in a slip and fall accident, the attorneys at Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP can help. We can make sure you receive the medical care you need and take over your insurance claim for you while you focus on recovery and rehabilitation.

Contact Our Los Angeles Slip and Fall Attorneys Today

To consult with an experienced slip and fall accident attorney in Los Angeles about a potential case at no cost or obligation, call Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP at (310) 477-1700 or contact us online. We can guide you through the legal process while protecting your rights as our client. Request your free case consultation today to learn more.