A San Bernardino slip and fall attorney is needed if you fell and got injured, and if you need a lawyer to file a lawsuit and get the maximum amount of compensation for your injuries.

The city of San Bernardino lays at the heart of the Inland Empire and it is a vast region with over four million inhabitants. Our city is a vibrant economic and commercial hub with stores, shopping malls, restaurants, movie theaters, office buildings, schools, and universities. Unfortunately many of our residents will suffer serious injuries in those locations which are caused by the negligent or wrongful conducts of property owners and managers.

We Are Here to Help

Our law firm is dedicated to providing experienced and knowledgeable legal representation for victims of slip and fall and trip and fall accidents across the Inland Empire including the city of San Bernardino. Below you will find information regarding slip and fall accidents and how we can assist you in receiving the medical attention that you need and in achieving the maximum level of recovery for your loss. If you have any further questions or if you would like to speak with our attorneys regarding your slip and fall claim feel free to contact our law offices. All legal consultations are provided by our attorneys 100% free of charge.

What Causes Slip and Fall Accidents

• Failure on the part of staff to place warning signs during and after mopping the floor.
• Failure to clean up debris and liquids that have spilled on the floor in a timely manner.
• Defective refrigeration and air conditioning units resulting in the leakage of liquids onto the stores floor.
• Defectively designed or constructed stairways and stairwells. Failure to place safety strips on the edges of the stairs.
• Poor lighting in hallways and stairwells.
• Leaking roofs resulting in the spillage of water on the floor’s surface.
• Loosened carpeting and holes on the floor hidden by carpeting.
• Failure to secure electrical wires: Loose computer and other electronics wires resulting in trip and falls.
• Uneven and cracked pavements resulting in trip and falls.
• Failure to place non-skid mats at the entrance.
• Defective and loose handrails or missing handrails.
• Failure to remove hazards from the store including work products, boxes, clothing, shoes, other goods.

California Premises Liability Laws

California affords individuals who enter a property for a commercial purpose with the highest level of rights for injuries that take place due to the negligent conduct of property owners. Examples of individuals who fall under the commercial purpose doctrine include shoppers at a shopping mall, individuals who eat at a restaurant or drink at a bar, patrons of sporting events, fitness and health clubs, and office buildings. Even if a person is not entering a property for a commercial purpose, they could still sue the property owner for their injuries. For example, let’s say you enter a restaurant not to eat, but to use the bathroom. Let’s say you fall on your way to the bathroom due to wet floors. It would not be a valid argument for the store to say that you were not a customer and so you get nothing. This argument would fail.

Property owners owe a duty to faithfully investigate their property and discover any potential dangers, properly warn their patrons of those dangers, and or fix the potentially harmful issue so as to prevent any potential harm.  Trespassers those how enter ones property without consent,  are owed the lowest duty by property owners. But even if you were a trespasser, you could still sue the property owners and their insurance carriers under certain legal theories. Please contact our law offices for more information.

Receiving the Medical Attention you need for Your Injuries

Unfortunately individuals who suffer from injuries may not have access to needed medical care or do not have medical insurance at all. For that reason our law firm has spent many resources on establishing a network of medical doctors and treatment centers with specialties in injuries that are common in slip and fall accidents that will provide medical treatment for our clients at zero out of pocket costs. That means that you will not have to pay for any of your medical treatment until we are able to provide you with a successful settlement. There are numerous injuries which can be caused by slip and fall and trip and fall accidents. A list of the most common injuries resulting from slips and fall accidents is provided below.

• Back and neck injuries – usually resulting from spinal cord damage.
• Nerve damage – including neuropathy, numbness and loss of sensation, facial paralysis, and CRPS (complex regional pain syndrome).
• Damage to the internal organs – including heart attacks, collapsed lung, bowel obstruction, and liver damage.
• Orthopedic injuries – including fractured ankles, hand and wrist damage, and fracture to bones of the feet.
• Knee injuries – tear to the MCL, ACCL and meniscus.
• Facial injuries – broken nose, facial lacerations, tinnitus and other ear injuries, broken teeth, and damage to the jaws.
• Head injuries – including traumatic brain injury and concussion. Common signs and symptoms of brain injury include short term memory loss, sleepiness, ringing in the ear, changes in one’s personality, discharge of fluids from the ear and the nose, sensitivity to light, and a reduction of cognitive functions.
• Psychological damage: Many individuals who suffer from a traumatic event such as a slip and fall and trip and fall can experience bouts of mental health injuries or re-exacerbation of pre-existing psychological damage. Common injuries in this category include PTSD, depression, anxiety, mood disorders and addiction to opiates from the pain caused by the accident.

What to do after a Slip and fall / Trip and fall Accident – 3 Steps to Protecting Your Right to Recovery

There are certain important steps that should be taken immediately after an accident in order to protect your legal right to a just recovery.

(1) Seek medical attention: Do not wait to be seen by a doctor. Have the manager or the owners of the property contact the local paramedics to transport you to the nearest emergency room. Documentation of your medical injuries can be a significant factor in determining the potential value of your case.

(2) File an Incident Report: Explain how the accident took place in detail. Inform someone who works at the property, whether it’s the manager, a security guard, or any other employee, about what happened.

(3) Take pictures of where you fell: Including the surface conditions, whether there were any warning signs, the debris or liquid on the floor, any defects on the property which may have caused the fall.

Common Locations Where Slip and Fall Accidents Take Place

Some of the most common places where slip and fall accidents frequently take place in provided below.

Shopping Malls: Including Carousel Mall, Waterman Discount Mall, Fashion Plaza, Centerpointe, Target, and Wal-Mart, department stores including Macy’s, Kholes, Ross, JC Penny, and Marshalls.

Local Supermarkets: Including Sater Bros., El Super, Rio Rancho, Cardenans Market, ALDI, Raplphs, Vons, Pavilions and Superior.

Schools, universities and community college campuses: Including Loma Linda University, Sierra High School, Monterey elementary, San Bernardino Community College, San Bernardino Valley College, and Curtis Middle School.

Hospitals, urgent care centers and emergency rooms: Including community hospital of San Bernardino, Ballard rehabilitation center, St. Bernardine Medical Center, Loma Linda Medical Plaza, and Redland community hospital.

Restaurants:  McDonalds, Subway, Taco Bell, Burger King, Carl’s Jr., Jack In the Box, Claim Jumper, Denny’s, Souplantation.

Timing Deadline for Filing a Premises Liability Lawsuit in California

Your San Bernardino slip and fall lawyer can review the details of your case to make sure the deadline to filing a claim has not passed. The state of California places certain timing deadlines referred to as statute of limitations for individuals who seek recovery for their damages vial legal means. The statute of limitations is a deadline by which you have to file your lawsuit, and it is predicated on the type of lawsuit that is being filed. In the state of California victims of personal injury including slip and fall and trip and fall claims have two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit in the court of law. Failure to file a claim in a timely manner will result in the loss of your right to seek financial recovery vial legal means. Persons under the age of 18 will have two years from the date of their 18^th birthday to file a lawsuit in a personal injury claim. In some cases victims of personal injury may be able to file a claim even if the two years statute of limitations has passed. Examples include cases where the victim has been deemed physically or mentally incapacitated, when the victim is serving a prison sentence or in the military, or in a time of war.

• Government Agency Claims: many slip and fall accidents take place in facilities and property owned by local municipalities and the state of California. Claims against the government must first be reviewed via an administrative process. An administrative claim must be filed with the agency in questions within 6 months from the date of the accident. If a government claim is rejected you will have 6 months from the date of the rejection to file a civil lawsuit in the court of law.

Cost of Hiring a Slip and Fall Attorney

Many individuals who are involved in a premises liability accident are concerned about the seemingly high costs of receiving the legal representation they need. Instead many victims mistakenly believe that they can settle their claim with the at fault party or their insurance. In most occasions legal representation in a personal injury case can drastically increase the amount of recovery you will receive. Additionally, in contrast to most law firms we provide legal representation for our personal injury clients exclusively on a contingency fee basis. This means that you will not have to pay for any legal fees or costs on your case out of pocket unless we are able to successfully settle your case. We provide all our clients with a ZERO FEE Guarantee; so if we are not able to win your case you will not owe us a single penny.

San Bernardino Personal Injury Attorneys on Your Side

Our team of personal injury attorneys is dedicated to the pursuit of justice on behalf of individuals who have suffered serious injuries due to slip and fall / trip and fall accidents across the Inland Empire. Our goal is to make sure you receive the medical attention you need to fully restore you back to health and achieve the highest possible settlement for your case. Our attorneys are available to provide you with a detailed case review and analysis as to the most optimum course of action with respect to your case. If you have any questions feel free to contact us by phone or fill our online form. We do not charge a single penny to speak with our attorneys or legal representatives; in fact all consultations are provided 100% free of charge.