How to navigate slip-and-fall accidents in California

Eight million people visit hospital emergency facilities each year after falling, with 12 percent of them hurt in slip-and-fall accidents. However, these types of accidents don’t always lead to successful claims for monetary damages. Proving negligence is key to winning a premises liability suit following this type of incident in California.

Causes and compensation

Anyone who has suffered an injury after slipping and falling at a business property must prove that the injury resulted from the failure of the property owner or party occupying the premises to maintain the premises properly. Property owners may be held financially responsible for falls if they knew about or should have known about hazards on their properties but did not fix them or provide proper warnings.

Many kinds of dangerous conditions may lead to slipping and falling. These include wet floors or uneven flooring. Others range from bulging carpeting to poor lighting and debris on the ground.

Getting help

An attorney in California may help an individual who has been injured in a slip-and-fall accident file a premises liability lawsuit against the party believed to have caused the incident due to negligence. A successfully litigated claim usually leads to compensation for medical bills and lost wages the victim’s injuries prevent a return to work for an extended period. Monetary damages might also help cover emotional distress and pain and suffering resulting from the accident. Based on California’s comparative negligence law, compensation will be awarded based upon the claimant’s percentage of fault so that even victims who were 99% responsible have the right to an award of damages, less the percentage of fault attributed to them.