A fall on a wet floor, broken stairs, or an uneven walkway can leave you with injuries that take months to heal. A slip and fall lawyer can show the property owner should have fixed or warned you about the hazard, and pursue compensation for your losses. Abramson Labor Group represents people hurt in slip, trip, and fall accidents across California. Our case reviews are free and confidential, and we work on contingency.
California’s general rule is in Civil Code section 1714(a): everyone is responsible “for an injury occasioned to another by his or her want of ordinary care or skill in the management of his or her property or person.” That applies to stores, restaurants, landlords, hotels, and homeowners.
A fall alone does not prove the owner did something wrong. The evidence usually focuses on what caused the fall, how long the hazard was there, and what the owner did about it.
Yes, but different rules apply. A public entity is liable for a dangerous condition of its property only if the condition caused the injury, created a reasonably foreseeable risk of that kind of injury, and either a public employee created it or the entity had notice of it “a sufficient time prior to the injury to have taken measures to protect against the dangerous condition” (Government Code section 835).
Claims against a city, county, school district, or state agency also start with a written claim to that agency, which is usually due within 6 months (Government Code section 911.2).
| Where you fell | General deadline | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Private property (store, restaurant, apartment, home) | 2 years to file a lawsuit | Code of Civil Procedure 335.1 |
| Public property (sidewalk, park, government building) | 6 months for a written claim to the agency | Government Code 911.2 |
| Injured child | Time before age 18 generally does not count | Code of Civil Procedure 352 |
Hazards get cleaned up and video gets recorded over, often within days. If you were hurt, consider speaking with a slip and fall lawyer early so the evidence can be preserved.
You can still recover. In Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975), the California Supreme Court held that a person’s own negligence “shall not bar recovery.” Your damages are reduced by your share of the fault. Property owners often argue that you were not watching where you were going, so photos and witness names matter.
Get medical care, even if you feel fine. If you can, photograph the exact spot, the hazard, your shoes, and any lack of warning signs before anything is cleaned up. Report the fall to the manager or owner and ask for a copy of any incident report. Get names and phone numbers of witnesses, and keep your medical bills and notes on missed work.
The owner’s insurer may call you. Before you give a recorded statement or sign anything, consider speaking with a lawyer.
California law measures damages as “the amount which will compensate for all the detriment proximately caused” by the wrongful conduct (Civil Code section 3333). That can include medical bills, future care, lost wages, and pain and suffering. A hard fall can cause fractures and head trauma, including brain injuries.
If your employment conditions are met, workers’ compensation is “the sole and exclusive remedy” against your employer, with limited exceptions (Labor Code section 3602). That means you usually cannot sue your employer, but you can claim benefits such as temporary disability pay while you recover. Our guide explains how workers’ comp works in California.
If someone other than your employer caused the fall, such as the owner of a building you were sent to, a workers’ comp claim “does not affect” your right to recover damages from them (Labor Code section 3852).
Falls can also happen on public transit. See our page on bus accidents, all of our practice areas, or our personal injury FAQ.
We represent people hurt in slip, trip, and fall accidents in Los Angeles, Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, and throughout California from our Burbank office.
We work on contingency, so you do not pay anything unless we win. The case evaluation is free. Our fee is a share of any recovery, and if there is no recovery, you owe no attorney fees.
Possibly. Stores must use ordinary care in managing their property (Civil Code section 1714). Whether you have a case depends on what caused the fall, how long the hazard was there, and what the store did about it.
A written claim to the city is usually due within 6 months (Government Code 911.2). The city is liable only if the sidewalk was in a dangerous condition and the other requirements of Government Code section 835 are met.
Usually not. Workers’ compensation is generally the exclusive remedy against your employer (Labor Code section 3602). You may still have a claim against another party, like a property owner who is not your employer.
If you were hurt in a fall, we can review what happened and explain your options. Request your free case evaluation or call us at (213) 493-6300.
You do not pay ANYTHING unless we win!
Last updated: October 2026
This page is general information about California law, not legal advice. Every situation is different. For advice about your specific case, talk to a licensed California attorney.
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