Slip and Fall Attorney

When thinking of premises liability, the following scenarios typically come to mind:

• A customer slips and falls at a grocery store due to slippery floors.
• A mailman falls on a homeowner’s property when delivering the mail.
• A pedestrian trips and falls on the street due to a crack in the sidewalk.
• A restaurant patron slips and falls at a restaurant and gets injured due to the fall.
• A guest slips and falls at a bar or nightclub due to a wet floor.
• A party guest slips and falls at a christening, birthday party, or holiday party.

Slip and fall accidents, as well as trip and fall accidents, are often the result of negligent supervision or maintenance of the premises and generally take place when a property owner or manager knew or should have known about the danger but failed to take the necessary action to alleviate the potential threat.

The vast majority of slips, trips, and falls can be avoided by employing effective safety measures. Unfortunately, many property owners fail to institute known safety measures or simply ignore potential safety hazards.  Under the law of premises liability, when you’ve been injured as a result of this negligence, you are entitled to certain types of compensation, such as past and future medical bills, lost wages and loss of earning potential, and pain and suffering.

If you want the best, most qualified slip and fall attorney, consider these tips:

• Hire an experienced attorney who deals exclusively with personal injury matters
• Make sure your attorney is accomplished and has experience handling slip and fall cases
• See how much the attorney has recovered for other clients

Normandie Law Firm deals exclusively with personal injury matters, with a special focus on slip and fall accidents. We have years of experience in this field, and our team has recovered millions of dollars for our clients.

Los Angeles Slip and Fall Lawyer
If you have been the victim of a slip and fall, you will need a competent and skilled slip and fall attorney by your side to get you compensation for your damages. These cases tend to be complex and difficult to prove. That’s why it is critical that you speak with a lawyer right away. The vast majority of slip and fall lawsuits are based on a negligence cause of action. In Los Angeles and the rest of California, there are several elements which need to be established to prove the existence of a negligent act:

• The property owner owed the victims a duty of reasonable care.
• The property owner breached his duty of care.
• The breach of the duty of care resulted in an accident.
• The accident caused physical harm.

Therefore, the first consideration is what duty was owed by the property owner to the injured victim.

A property owner has a general duty to make sure his property does not pose an unreasonable risk of harm to visitors. In California, defendants owe different plaintiffs varying duties of care. The standard of care is determined by the plaintiff’s status, which is largely determined by the reason that the plaintiff was on the defendant’s property. There are three categories of visitors: invitee, licensee, and trespasser.

An invitee is someone who is invited by the property owner and someone who comes to the owner’s property for a purpose that would be commercially beneficial to the owner. For example, a grocery store shopper is an invitee because the shopper will buy products and that would be commercially beneficial to the store. Courts have ruled that even if someone walks into a store not intending to buy products, they are still considered invitees because they could potentially see an item that they like and buy it. The law requires that a property owner takes reasonable measures to warn or otherwise protect invitees from unreasonably unsafe conditions on the property. In addition, many courts have held that property owners are to make reasonable inspections to make sure that no dangerous conditions exist on the property, that the invitee would not be able to openly see and avoid. For example, a grocery store would be required to make frequent inspections of the floors to make sure they are not wet, and post warning signs when the floors are wet to protect against accidents.

A licensee is someone who is invited by the property owner to enter the premises and someone who comes to the owner’s premises for non-commercial purposes. For example, a social guest is a licensee. The duty of care owed to a licensee is not as vigorous as that owed to an invitee. Typically, the law requires that the owner take measures to warn or fix any dangerous conditions that the licensee would not discover and appreciate. However, the duty attaches if and only if the property owner knew or should have known about the unsafe condition. For example, if an owner knows that the stair railings are broken, but the railings appear normal to a visitor, then the owner may be liable if a visitor tries to grab the railings and falls as a result of the defect.

— Staircase and Railing Accidents

A trespasser is someone who is on the owner’s property without the owner’s permission. If an owner is not aware of the trespasser’s presence, then there is no duty owed. The trespasser would not be able to successfully sue the owner for any mishaps that occurred because of a dangerous condition on the premises. If the owner knows of the trespasser’s presence, then the duty is to use ordinary care to protect against dangerous conditions.

This means you have certain legal rights in all situations. Our expert Los Angeles trip and fall lawyers will stand up for you and get the maximum compensation that you deserve for your injuries. We will not let the other parties get away with their negligence and lack of care.

Premises Verdicts and Settlements

Our experienced injury lawyers have successfully recovered millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements on behalf of our clients. Below, we present to you a brief list of our more recent slip and fall, and premises liability verdicts and settlements. If you have any questions regarding your slip and fall case, feel free to contact our law office.

Further Results Here

Slip and Falls Often Occur on Floor Mats and Guards

It is very easy to slip and fall on a floor mat or a floor guard. These mats are placed on the floor in a building to prevent people from slipping on wet flooring in inclement weather. They are also placed to stop people from bringing in dirt, debris and sand into a building, which could cause someone to slip and fall later on in the area. But the mats are not well maintained half the time. These mats become a tripping, slipping and falling hazard when they get bunched up, crumpled or pushed out of shape to make a slipping and falling danger to the public.

The responsibility of keeping the floor clean is the purpose of having a maintenance department in a business. The maintenance department or team is supposed to ensure that the flooring in the public areas is always clean, on point and well maintained. If this is not the case, then people will be prone to falling down all over the place. It seems a natural occurrence that a maintenance worker does his or her job, to sweep, tidy up, remove debris and mop the flooring several times a week. In high traffic areas, these floors may need to be cleaned and damp mopped every day. The idea is that by providing preventative maintenance to the floors, it is possible to keep the flooring squeaky clean, and no one would ever fall down on the floors. But that is not what happens.

Surfaces Need to Have Flat Floor Mats and Floor Guards to Prevent Slippage

We walk into buildings all day long, and never expect that we will fall down on a floor mat. You will no doubt have the same expectation. That you can walk into a building to perform your business affairs, and not expect to slip, trip and fall on a crumpled and poorly maintained floor guard or floor mat. If this does happen to you, you need to call our office immediately. As it is the fact that you are not in charge of maintaining the floor mats, it may be the outward negligence of the building owner or building maintenance crew for not carefully taking care of the floor mats and floor guards. Give us a call if you have tripped on a floor mat or guard. We are here for you and can initiate a lawsuit to help you get the compensation you need to pay for your personal injury medical bills incurred as a result of this type of accident.

Common Causes of Slip and Fall / Trip and Fall Accidents
There can be numerous causes of slip and fall or trip and fall accidents.  Based on our extensive experience in representing victims, our top attorneys with experience in slip and fall cases have amassed a list of some of the most prevalent causes of why people fall.

• Failure of staff to place a “Warning – Wet Floor Sign” after mopping a floor.
• Failure to properly inspect and repair defective or broken refrigerators resulting in leakage of water or other liquids. This usually takes place in supermarkets, local convenience stores, and grocery stores.
• Oily surfaces to vehicle leakage in gas stations. Operators have a duty to routinely inspect for and cleanup deposits of oil.
• Presence of debris and or liquids on stairwells.
• Debris and or liquids on aisles of movie theatres. The low light interior of movie theaters dramatically increases the probability of an incident if debris and trash are left on the floor. Thus, there is a heightened duty on the part of movie theatre managers to inspect for and clean up any potential hazards.
• Presence of loose or torn carpeting of floor mats on a property.
• Failure to pick up clothing or other merchandise left on the floor following a major sale. This usually takes place in major department stores like Ross, Macy’s, JC Penny, and Marshall’s.
• Failure to clean up spills on aisles in supermarkets.
• Poor lighting conditions on a property. This usually takes place in poorly run apartment complexes or condominiums.
• Potholes and cracks in parking lots, walkways, and sidewalks.
• Uneven surfaces and or dislodged flooring.
• Failure of employees to remove workplace items from the store; this may include work-gloves, dust pans, sweepers, open boxes, and step ladders.
• Wet floors in restrooms. Bathroom slip and falls can occur due to a leak, uncleaned floors, no wet floor signs after mopping the bathroom floor, etc. Guests can slip and fall on urine on floors near toilets/urinals

Common Locations Where Slip and Fall Accidents Take Place

• Supermarkets: The largest supermarkets include Safeway, Smart and Final, Ralphs, Vons, Pavilions, Trade Joes, Whole Foods, Kroger, Albertson’s, Vons, Gelson’s, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Food 4 Less, Bristol Farms, 99 Ranch Market, and Sprouts Farmers Market. Other recognized but less known grocery stores include El Super, Superior, Aldi’s, Numero Uno, Northgate Market, Milk and Eggs, and Vallarta.
• Big Box and Discount Stores: Including Costco, Food4Less, Sam’s Club, Lowes, Home Depot, Targert, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Staples, and Office Depot.
• Convenient Store, Parking Lots, and Gas Stations: Including Laundromats, Carwash, Public Storage Facilities,7-11 stores, Exxon-Mobile, Chevron, AM-PM, Unical76, and Arco.
• Fast Food Restaurants and Coffee Shops: McDonalds, Subway, Jack in the Box, Wendy’s, Burger Kings, King Taco, Carl’s Jr., Taco Bell, KFC, Starkbucks, Coffee Bean, Five Guys, InNOut.
• Public Locations: Sporting venues, stadiums including Dodger Stadium, Staple Center, Parks, and Amusement Parks like Disney Land and Magic Mountain, Water Parks like Raging Waters and Hurricane Harbor, Schools, Community Colleges, and Universities.
• Places of Work: including office buildings, manufacturing facilities, doctors’ offices, hospitals, Urgent care centers.
• Restrooms and bathrooms: slip and falls are common in restrooms/bathrooms. Regardless of where the restroom/bathroom is located, slip hazards can quickly lead to slip and falls.
• Social Settings: bars, clubs, nightclubs, etc.
• Private Social Events: parties, weddings, holiday parties, social events and gatherings, bar mitzvahs, christenings, baptisms, quinceñeras, etc.

The Dangers Presented by Display Stands

Display stands can be found in supermarkets, discount stores, big box stores, gas stations, workplaces, and many other locations. These display stands might aim at highlighting a product or information, for example. However, these display stands can actually pose a threat to innocent parties.

Let’s consider some of the possible incidents that can be caused by display stands:

• Trip and fall accidents from display stands that are improperly placed
• Slip and fall accidents from the stand blocking the view of a slip hazard
• Falling object incidents from the display toppling over or falling over

I tripped over a display stand because I could not see the stand in the bottom. A display fell on me as I was walking by. I hit the display stand after a fall nearby. If you can relate to any of these statements, then the accident injuries that you suffered were likely caused by the hazard that the display stand represented – and you might have grounds to file a lawsuit against the property owner. For more information about your legal options after an accident caused by a display stand, contact our accident injury lawyers immediately.

Common Injuries Suffered by Slip and Fall Victims
Statistics show slip and fall accidents as one of the leading causes of some of the most severe injuries. Such injuries can result in excruciating pain and lifelong suffering. Some of the most common injuries resulting in such accidents include the following

• Knee Injuries: common knee injuries due to slip and falls include torn ACL and MCL, torn meniscus, ligament and tendon tears, and shattered knee caps. Treatment for knee injuries may include physical therapy aquatic therapy, micro-fracture surgery, total or partial knee replacement surgery, meniscectomy, and meniscus replacement procedures.
• Back and neck injuries: injuries to the spinal cord: Common spinal cord injuries may include, spinal and disc compression, torn or ruptured discs, disc dislocation, slipped and herniated disc, and indentation on the theca sac, resulting in nerve root compression.
• Nerve damage: Spinal cord injuries often result in nerve damage including sciatica pain, neuropathy, pinched nerve, and lumbar radiculopathy. Common signs of nerve damage may include tingling, loss of sensation and pain in the extremities including the arms, hands, legs and feet, and severe headaches if the nerve damage results from impact to the upper cervical.
• Damage to the hips including hip fractures. In some instances, victims will require total hip replacement surgery.
• Hand and Wrist and Finger Fractures: These injuries are very common in slip and fall accidents because often victims attempt to buttress their fall by placing their hands on the floor.
• Broken Bones: Most common broken bones in slip and fall accidents include broken ankles, foot fractures, broken tibia and fibula, and cracked ribs.
• Damage to the shoulder: Shoulder damage can consist of, tendon tears, dislocations, partial or total rotator cuff injuries, and fractures.
• Damage to the head: Slip and fall accidents are the most common cause of brain injury in the United States. In order to properly evaluate brain injury, victims should be evaluated by a neurologist specializing in traumatic brain injuries, and or a neuropsychologist specializing in detecting behavioral changes following severe brain injuries. Common signs of brain damage include loss of consciousness following the impact, sensitivity to light, post-traumatic headaches including migraines, moderate to severe short-term memory loss, changes in behavior, and inability to complete usually simple tasks.
• Facial injuries: Including broken nose, damage to occipital bone, facial scarring, injuries to the jaw including TMJ injuries, fractured teeth, and damage to the eardrum resulting in ringing in the ear (also known as tinnitus injuries).
• Internal Organ Damage: Common internal organ damage following a traumatic event can include, ruptured spleen, internal bleeding, damage to the genitals, aneurysm, damage to the liver, collapsed lungs, heart attacks, and muscular tears.
• Loss of pregnancy – resulting in fetal miscarriage. Common indications of a fetal miscarriage include severe abdominal pain and bleeding.

Property Owner Liability – California Slip and Fall Laws
Under California premises liability laws, property owners and managers of commercial properties owe visitors who have the intent to conduct an economic transaction (ie shoppers) a heightened duty of care. A property owner has a duty to protect and or warn an invitee of all known and knowable dangers. Common dangers can include, wet or slippery floors, food and debris on the floor left for an unreasonable amount of time, loose carpeting resulting in trips. Of course, this applies to all slip and fall incidents, including slip and fall accidents in bars, clubs, nightclubs, parties, weddings, holiday parties, social events, social gatherings, bar mitzvahs, christenings, quinceañera, sweet sixteen’s, etc. We have also seen cases of negligence by the city where the sidewalk concrete was damaged, resulting in a trip and fall. Regardless of the location of the slip and fall accident, the property owner is subject to product liability laws and could be held accountable for the harm that the victim suffers. Our law firm can handle all trip and fall cases, even if the defendant is the government. If you are looking for an attorney who has experience in slip and fall cases in Los Angeles, you have found the right law firm to represent you. Our experienced lawyers have litigated dozens of cases.

Winning Your Case in the Court of Law – To win your slip and fall lawsuit and obtain the maximum amount of money for your injuries, you will need a compassionate and proficient attorney by your side. As mentioned above, slip and fall lawsuits are highly complex with many pitfalls. If you do this alone, you may ruin your case or significantly reduce the amount that you will receive. If you are located in Los Angeles, you can speak with a lawyer experienced in slip and fall cases right away. We can even travel to you if you are not mobile. If you are outside Los Angeles, our lawyers can get on the plane and come to wherever you are located. It is our goal to help you and get the maximum amount of money for your injuries, and we will do everything in our power to accomplish that goal.

Do I have to Sign Anything If I want to File a Claim for Slip and Fall at a Store?
If you want to file a slip and all claim, the only thing that you should be signing are documents provided to you by your lawyer. If the store owner or store manager is trying to get you to sign anything, you must be cautious. Why is the store manager forcing me to sign a release? Unfortunately, the store manager might be trying to get you to sign a liability release form – which would essentially prevent you from taking any action against the store for your personal injury accident. If you are approached by a store manager to sign any documents, you must be weary. It might make sense for you to sign a formal accident report after your accident; however, you should never sign a release form that would make you ineligible to file an injury lawsuit. Some documents might seem harmless or might purposefully be written in unclear/confusing language. By default, you should simply refuse to sign anything unless your lawyer has thoroughly reviewed the document.

This also applies to other slip and fall situations. Whether the incident occurred at a bar, nightclub, a private party, a wedding, a holiday party, a bar mitzvah, etc., you should be weary of any property owner asking you to sign any document. Although signing the requested document might seem harmless, it is important that you do not sign anything until you have discussed your situation with a lawyer. If you sign something, the success of your slip and fall lawsuit could be at risk.

Reviews from Real Clients

I definitely owe the success of my injury claim to the experts at Normandie Law Firm. There is no way that I would’ve been able to win my claim otherwise.

John C.

Thanks to the slip and fall lawyers here at Normandie Law Firm, my slip and fall claim was successful, and I was able to recover a fair amount of compensation for my injuries.

Jerry L.

Thanks to my attorney, my slip and fall accident claim was successful, and I was able to receive an amazing settlement for the injuries that I suffered in the incident.

Jonathan R.

If you need help after a slip and fall accident, you can definitely trust the experts at Normandie Law Firm. They are more than ready to fight for your right to win the highest amount of compensation available for your injury claim.

Raquel S.

Average Settlement Value for a Slip and Fall Accident Case
If you are wondering about the value of your case, it is best to consult with a lawyer with experience handling slip and fall claims to review your case. Every case comprises a unique set of factors which play significant roles in determining an average case value. Some of the most important factors in determining the settlement amount in a personal injury lawsuit are as follows:

• The specific type of injuries suffered by the victim.
• The cost of medical care including future medical and rehabilitation costs.
• Loss of wages and loss of future income caused by a long-term or permanent disability.
• Non-economic damages – including pain and suffering and availability for punitive damages.
• The percentage of fault – victims who are partially at fault for their injuries can still file a claim for compensation against other at-fault parties

Do Not Wait – Civil Cases Must be Filed within A Certain Time Period:
In Los Angeles and the rest of the state of California, personal injury lawsuits must be filed within with a certain timeline established by the state Statute of Limitations laws. The statute of limitations for trip and fall injury cases must be filed within two years from the date of the accident. The failure to file a claim within the two-year timeline will result in an elimination of your right to financial recovery via legal means. However, in some instances, courts will grant a motion for tolling the statute of limitations with the intention of allowing victims to file the claim past its official deadline. Instances, where courts have granted a tolling of a Statute of Limitations, are as follows:

• The injured victims were physically or psychologically incapacitated
• Individual was a minor – individuals under the age of 18 have two years from the date of their 18th birthday to file a claim.

Claim Against Government-Owned Facilities:  In the state of California slip and fall injury claims against state and federal government entities must be filed with the agency in questions within 120 days (six months) from the date of the accident.

If you believe you are the victim of a slip and fall or trip and fall accident and would like to speak with an attorney free of charge, please call or email us immediately. We are aggressive attorneys and we’re waiting to hear your story and file lawsuits against all appropriate parties.

Contact Us: Normandie Law Firm offers free case evaluations to all clients who call and inquire about slip and fall injuries. We give you the information you need to be well-informed about your case, including what the litigation process is like, how long you can expect to wait for a settlement, and the different courses of action we take to get your case won. We believe in transparency with our clients, as a trusting relationship is key in moving forward with a lawsuit.

In the event that you already have a lawyer and an idea of a potential settlement, we are more than happy to give you a second opinion on what you can expect to be compensated for. We are confident that we can bring you the maximum benefits possible: our team of attorneys are aggressive and will not rest until we have the maximum settlement on the table in front of you. Do not settle for the first offer given to you by an attorney; he may be coasting through the case to quickly receive his check and move along to the next one.

At the top-rated Normandie Law Firm, we put you first.

Contact us today to speak to an attorney with expertise in slip and fall injury lawsuits.

Further Information:

Common Causes of Slip and Falls

Deadline for Filing Your Case

Slip and Fall Accidents in Super Markets

Proving a Sidewalk Trip and Fall Case

Trip and Fall Injury Attorneys