Injured on a property?Talk to a lawyer for free.

An injury caused by an unsafe condition on someone else's property, or by a risk the owner should have guarded against: a stairway with a broken railing, a dark parking garage, merchandise falling from a high shelf, a balcony that gives way, a pool gate that doesn't latch, an assault where security was lacking. Slips, trips and falls have their own page, and so does mold in a rental.

Against a landlord, a business or another private owner, the lawsuit is generally due two years after the injury (Code of Civil Procedure §335.1). Against a public agency, the first step is usually a written claim, due within six months; if the agency turns it down in writing, you generally have six months from the day that notice was mailed or handed to you to file the lawsuit. For a child, the two-year clock usually waits until age 18, but the public claim deadline doesn't, though a late claim for a child made within a year must generally be allowed.

No. We handle premises liability cases anywhere in California, from our offices between Stockton and Palm Desert, and if you can't travel, we'll come to your home or the hospital.

Often, for the parts the landlord controls. California requires rentals to keep floors, stairways and railings in good repair and lighting in working order, and a landlord must inspect before you move in and keep stairwells, walkways and parking areas reasonably safe. Inside your own unit, the landlord generally has to have known about the problem and been able to repair it, which is why reporting it in writing matters.

Yes, but the rules differ from those for private owners. An agency can be held liable when a dangerous condition of its property caused your injury, as long as one of its employees created the hazard, or the agency knew of it, or should have discovered it, early enough to repair it or post a warning. Certain trails carry immunity, punitive damages are off the table (Government Code §818), and the written claim, usually due within six months, comes before any lawsuit.

Usually the dog's owner. Under Civil Code §3342, an owner is liable for a bite in a public place or wherever you were lawfully on private property, including the owner's own yard, whether or not the dog ever bit before. A landlord is generally liable only if it knew a tenant's dog was dangerous and could have acted to prevent the harm. Our dog bite page explains the rest.

Whoever controlled the pool, if it wasn't kept reasonably safe for the people the owner could expect there: a gate that didn't close and latch, a missing fence, no depth markings, a slick deck. A public pool generally needs a lifeguard or clear signs saying there isn't one (Health and Safety Code §116045). Any settlement for a child must be approved by a court.

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.