Local office in Fresno, CA1401 Fulton St, Suite 905Directions

Slip and fall in Fresno?Talk to a lawyer for free.

A store doesn't have to have seen the spill: if it was there long enough that the store should have found it, that can be enough. A fall on a City or County sidewalk usually means a written claim within six months.

  • No fee unless we winWe only get paid when you get paid.
  • Zero upfront costYour consultation is free, with no obligation.
  • Hablamos españolNative Spanish speakers. No confusion. No delays.
  • Available 24/7We'll meet you at your home or hospital.
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Call our Fresno office(559) 238-022324/7 line: (800) 985-9565

No attorney's fees unless we recover compensation. Clients may be responsible for case costs. Read the disclaimer

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I fell and couldn't get up! Luckily Valero Law Group had my back.
Roy H.Valero Law Group clientGoogle review

Results that speak.Millions won for injured clients.

We've won over $500 million in verdicts and settlements for our clients.

Recognized for excellence

Avvo Rating: Excellent, Top Rated Personal InjuryTop Rated by Super Lawyers
  • $6.25MPersonal injuryA confidential personal injury settlement.
  • $5MAuto accidentFor a husband and wife after the husband suffered a brachial plexus injury.
  • $2.34MAccident claimA win for a client injured in an accident.
  • $1.5MAuto accidentA win for a client injured in an auto accident.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes, and each case is different.

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Here to protect your interests, not the store's

Stores and property owners have a team.You should have one too.

Stores, landlords and property managers have insurers with adjusters and lawyers, and the City and County have their own claims staff, rules and deadlines. After a fall in a store on Shaw or Blackstone Avenue, or on a sidewalk downtown, an adjuster may call within days, and what you say about how you fell can shape the rest of your claim.

Before you sign anything, ask yourself:

  1. Did the store or owner know about the hazard, or should they have found it in time?
  2. Did you fall on public property, like a City or County sidewalk, where a six-month claim applies?
  3. Will the settlement cover your treatment and lost income months from now, not just today?

From one of our car accident cases

The insurer's best offer$410,000

What we won for our client$4.4M

A car accident that left our client with a neck injury. Most people would have taken the offer. We won more than ten times as much.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes, and each case is different.

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Our office in Fresno

Local slip and fall lawyers,right here in Fresno.

Not every firm that advertises in Fresno has an office here. We do.

Our office is downtown on Fulton Street, a short walk from City Hall and the County's Hall of Records, where claims for falls on City and County property are filed. Come in, or we'll come to you anywhere in Fresno and Madera Counties.

Nearby officesModestoBakersfieldStockton

Why choose Valero Law Group?

We champion every case,big and small.

Whether your case is worth $5,000 or $5 million, we bring the same skill, attention and determination to every client we represent.

So don't let the size of your case keep you from seeking justice: every injury deserves serious representation. Let us fight for the compensation you're owed while you focus on what matters most, your recovery.

They made me feel like a priority, and they put my needs first as a client.

IsabelValero Law Group client

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Real reviews fromour clients.

  • Samuel M. smiling in the Valero Law Group office with his $881,000 settlement check
    Samuel M.$881,000
  • Victoria M. smiling in front of the Valero Law Group logo wall with her $625,000 settlement check
    Victoria M.$625,000
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    Karina C.$625,000
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    Angela M.$625,000
  • Destiny H. smiling with her $500,000 settlement check
    Destiny H.$500,000
  • Javier P. smiling in the Valero Law Group office with his $375,000 settlement check
    Javier P.$375,000
After my slip and fall I reached out to this firm. Leticia was amazing, she was great and understanding. She, along with Kyle, got straight to business.
Marlene M.Google review
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Thank you, Valero, for helping me with my slip and fall!
Jonathan R.Google review
Thank you to Kyle for helping me with my slip and fall. I have referred two friends, and they all have nothing but positive things to say about this firm's team.
Rashidat S.Google review

What you can recover aftera slip and fall in California.

Whoever owned, leased, occupied or controlled the property, whether a store, a landlord, a property manager or the City, can be held responsible for what the fall cost you.

Economic damages

The costs you can add up

  • Emergency care, surgery and hospital bills
  • Physical therapy and rehabilitation
  • Lost wages and lost earning capacity
  • Crutches, braces and other medical equipment

Non-economic damages

The harm that has no receipt

  • Pain and physical suffering
  • Scarring and disfigurement
  • Loss of companionship
  • Lost enjoyment of life
  • 6 monthsTo file a claim with the City or CountyA fall on a City of Fresno sidewalk or in a County building usually means a written claim within six months, filed with the City's Risk Management Division at City Hall, or with the County's Clerk of the Board.
  • 2 yearsTo sue a private ownerAfter a fall in a store, an apartment complex or on other private property, you generally have two years to file a lawsuit.
  • 80%What you keep if you were 20% at faultLooking at your phone when you fell doesn't end a claim: California's pure comparative fault rule reduces an award by your share of the fault instead of erasing it.

After a fall in Fresno,what comes next.

Photos, reports, the claim and its deadlines, explained.

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  • Photograph the spot first
    Before it's cleaned or repaired: the spill, the crack, the broken step or the wet pool deck, close up and from a few steps back, with a coin or your shoe for scale. A court can rule a small sidewalk defect too minor to count, so the photo matters.
  • Ask for an incident report
    In a store or apartment complex, ask the manager to write one and give you a copy or the report number. Write down the names of employees and witnesses. Say what happened, but don't guess about how you fell or how badly you're injured.
  • Ask for the video and sweep records quickly
    Many security systems record over old footage. Stores must make reasonable inspections, so a lawyer can ask the business to keep its video along with its inspection or sweep records.
  • Get checked, and keep your shoes
    See a doctor soon, even if the injury seems minor, and keep the shoes you were wearing. Wherever you're treated, from Community Regional downtown, the San Joaquin Valley's only Level I trauma center, to your own doctor, you have a right to copies of your medical and billing records.
  • City or County? It decides where the claim goes
    City of Fresno claims go to Risk Management, 2600 Fresno Street, Room 1030, in duplicate, on the City's Claim for Damages form. Fresno County claims go to the Clerk of the Board, 2281 Tulare Street, Room 301, and can't be emailed. Some Fresno neighborhoods are County islands, so a sidewalk with a Fresno address can belong to the County. Either way, the claim is usually due within six months.
  • Was it reported before?
    Earlier complaints to the City about the same spot can matter, because the City generally must have known about the hazard, or should have found it, in time to fix it or warn people. If you report a broken sidewalk yourself, through FresGO or 3-1-1 or at (559) 621-CITY (2489), photograph it first.
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Al Barro Foundation: supporting over 400 orphans in Mexico

From the community, for the community.

Hablamos español.

We're a Hispanic-focused firm with native Spanish-speaking attorneys. We understand your family's needs, walk you through every step in your language, and fight to get you every dollar you deserve.

Organizations we support

Sponsor of the 2024 Share the Road Scholarship

Our community outreach
  • Al Barro Foundation
  • EUNIME por Tijuana, A.C.
…they speak excellent Spanish, know how to help, and look out for their clients' best interests.
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Organizations we support

Sponsor of the 2024 Share the Road Scholarship

Our community outreach
  • Al Barro Foundation
  • EUNIME por Tijuana, A.C.

Common questionsafter a Fresno slip and fall.

How long do I have after a slip and fall in Fresno?
Against a store, landlord or other private owner, you generally have two years to file a lawsuit. If the City, the County, a school district or another public agency owns the spot, a written claim is usually due within six months, and if it's rejected in writing, a lawsuit usually has to follow within six months of the notice. Call us early so no deadline slips by.
Do I have a case if the store didn't know about the spill?
Maybe. What counts is whether the store knew or should have known about the hazard and failed to fix it, guard against it or warn people. If the spill was there long enough that a reasonable store would have found it, that can be enough. If an employee created the hazard, like mopping without a sign, the store is treated as knowing about it.
I tripped on a broken sidewalk. Who is responsible?
It depends on who caused the problem and who controlled the sidewalk. California law makes property owners keep the sidewalk in front of their property in safe condition, and a city can be responsible for a dangerous condition of its property that its employee created, or that it knew or should have known about in time to fix it or warn people. So the City, the property owner or both may be responsible, and a lawyer can work out who. A claim to the City comes first.
Does a small crack or an uneven step count?
Not always. A court can decide that a defect was too minor to create a substantial risk of injury, looking at the surrounding circumstances. That's why photos with something for scale, taken before any repair, matter.
I fell on the stairs at my apartment. Who is responsible?
California requires rental homes and apartments to have floors, stairways and railings maintained in good repair. In stairways and other common areas it controls, a landlord must take reasonable precautions against unsafe conditions it knows or should have known about. Telling the landlord in writing about a broken step or railing, and keeping a copy, creates a record. See our Fresno premises liability page for more on landlords.
I fell at work. Can I sue?
Workers' compensation is usually the only claim against your own employer. A claim against someone else, such as the owner of a store or building you were working in, can still be possible. See our workers' compensation section.
Do you have an office in Fresno?
Yes. Our office is at 1401 Fulton St, Suite 905, Fresno, CA 93721, downtown. Come in if you like, or we'll come to you, at home or in the hospital. Call (800) 985-9565 any time, 24/7.
What does a slip and fall lawyer cost?
Nothing upfront. Your consultation is free, and no attorney's fees are owed unless we recover compensation for you. You may be responsible for case-related costs and expenses; we'll explain them before you sign.
Attorney Kyle Valero
Kyle ValeroAttorney, Valero Law Group

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Have a question about a potential case?Talk to a Fresno slip and fall lawyer today.

Your consultation is always free, with no obligation. We're happy to answer any questions and walk you through your options. No pressure, just honest answers.

(559) 238-0223

24/7 line: (800) 985-9565

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