Local office in San Jose, CA45 E Julian StDirections

Premises injury in San Jose?Talk to a lawyer for free.

San Jose's Code Enforcement inspects apartment buildings, and their owners must have wood balconies, decks and outside stairs inspected too. If a stairway, railing or balcony gave way, or a parking lot wasn't kept safe, talk to us before you talk to the owner's insurer.

  • 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 San Jose office(408) 516-428324/7 line: (800) 985-9565

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

San Jose from the air at sunset, with downtown and the hills behind it
This law firm was great to work with, cooperative, friendly, helpful.
Aidan E.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.

View all results

Here to protect your interests, not the property owner's

Owners and their insurers have a team.You should have one too.

Behind most landlords, property managers and businesses is an insurer with adjusters and lawyers, and much of the evidence is in their hands: the repair requests for an apartment stairway, earlier complaints about a parking lot, the building's inspection reports. An adjuster may call within days of your injury, and what you say can shape the rest of your claim.

Before you sign anything, ask yourself:

  1. Did the owner, landlord or business know about the danger, or should it have?
  2. Could it have fixed it, guarded against it or warned you in time?
  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.

Get my free case review
San Jose from the air at sunset, with downtown and the hills behind it

Our office in San Jose

Local premises liability lawyers,right here in San Jose.

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

Our office is on Julian Street downtown, a short walk from the courthouses on North First Street. Wherever you were injured in the Santa Clara Valley, at an apartment, a store or a parking lot, we'll come to you, at home or in the hospital.

Nearby officesSalinasStocktonModesto

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

400+five-star Google reviews

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
  • Karina C. smiling in the Valero Law Group office with her $625,000 settlement check
    Karina C.$625,000
  • Angela M. smiling and pointing to her $625,000 settlement check
    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
I fell in a commercial establishment due to a wet floor that had no warning signs. I didn't know what to do or if I even had a case, but I decided to contact Valero on the recommendation of a family member, and it was the best decision.
Mia G.Google review
Read all 400+ of our reviews
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
Highly recommended for personal injury. Team is very knowledgeable.
Velia P.Google review

What you can recover afteran injury on someone's property.

In California, anyone who owns, rents, occupies or controls property must use reasonable care to keep it reasonably safe. An owner, landlord or business that didn't can be held responsible for what your injury 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
  • Medical care you'll need in the future

Non-economic damages

The harm that has no receipt

  • Pain and physical suffering
  • Scarring and disfigurement
  • Loss of companionship
  • Lost enjoyment of life
  • Jan. 1, 2026The first deadline for balcony and deck inspections at apartment buildingsFor wood balconies, decks, stairways and walkways more than six feet up, owners of buildings with three or more apartments had to have them inspected by a licensed professional by that date, then every six years (Health & Safety Code §17973). The owner must keep each report for 12 years (City of San Jose).
  • 1968The year California stopped sorting visitors by statusSince Rowland v. Christian, an owner's duty doesn't depend on whether you were a customer, a guest or neither. Why you were there can matter, but the test is whether the owner acted reasonably (Civil Code §1714).
  • 80%What you keep if you were 20% at faultIf you were partly at fault, for example looking at your phone, California's pure comparative fault rule reduces your award by your share of the blame instead of erasing it.

After an injury on property in San Jose,what comes next.

Photos, apartment inspections, balconies, crime on the property, who is responsible and deadlines, explained.

Valero Law Group attorneys meeting around a conference table
  • Photograph it before it's repaired
    The stairs, the railing or where one is missing, the lighting, the broken board or the gate that didn't latch, and your injuries. Get the names and phone numbers of anyone who saw what happened, and see a doctor the same day. Whether a stair, railing or guard met the building code can matter, and we can have it inspected.
  • More than the owner can be responsible
    A store that leases its space, a property manager or a company that runs the building can be responsible, because control alone is enough. An owner also can't pass its duty off to the cleaning or maintenance company it hired, and each of them may have its own insurance.
  • Balconies, decks and outside stairs
    At buildings with three or more apartments, wood balconies, decks, walkways and outside stairs more than six feet up had to be inspected by a licensed professional by January 1, 2026, and every six years after (San Jose's E3 program). If one gave way, ask whether it was inspected, and for the report, which the owner must keep for 12 years.
  • City, County or VTA property
    Most injury lawsuits must be filed within two years. If you were injured in a City park, library or building, at the airport, or on County or VTA property, a written claim is usually due within six months: to the City Clerk at City Hall, 200 East Santa Clara Street, by mail or in person; to the County's Clerk of the Board, 70 West Hedding Street; or on VTA's own form.
  • Renters: the City inspects apartment buildings
    San Jose's Code Enforcement routinely inspects apartment buildings, including the outside, the common areas and some of the units, every three to six years. Tenants can also ask for an inspection, at (408) 535-7770, and for a copy of any correction notice the City sends the owner. Write down when you reported the problem to the manager: an earlier complaint or notice can show the landlord knew.
  • Crime on the property
    A business open to the public, or a landlord, must take reasonable steps against crime it can reasonably anticipate on its property, such as a parking lot, an apartment's common areas or a bar. How much depends on how foreseeable the crime was; courts require guards only when it was highly foreseeable, for example after similar incidents. Report an assault to San Jose Police by phone, at 911 or (408) 277-8900, or in person, since its online form doesn't take assaults, and ask the property to save its video right away.
A man and a boy in traditional Colombian hats and jerseys holding Valero Law Group signs at a community event

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.
Yesica H.Google review
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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 questionsabout injuries on property in San Jose.

How long do I have after an injury on property in San Jose?
If a private owner, landlord or business is responsible, a lawsuit generally has to be filed within two years (Code of Civil Procedure §335.1). If it was City, County or VTA property, a written claim is usually due within six months, and if it's rejected, a lawsuit usually has to follow within six months of the notice. Call us early so no deadline slips by.
I was injured in my apartment building. Is the landlord responsible?
Often, for the parts it controls. A landlord must inspect a rental for hazards before you move in, and keep stairways, hallways, laundry rooms, parking areas and other common areas it controls reasonably safe. Inside your unit after move-in, a landlord is generally responsible only if it actually knew about the hazard and could fix it. That's why a written repair request, a City inspection or a correction notice can matter, and a lawyer can request the City's records.
A balcony, deck or outside stairway gave way. What should I ask?
Whether it had the inspection state law requires, and for the report. At a building with three or more apartments, wood balconies, decks, stairways and walkways more than six feet up had to be inspected by January 1, 2026, and the owner must keep the report for 12 years. If the inspector finds an emergency, the owner must restrict access, make emergency repairs and notify the City within 15 days. Condominium associations follow a separate rule, with inspections every nine years (City of San Jose).
I was attacked in a parking lot or at my apartment complex. Can the owner be responsible?
It can be. A business open to the public, or a landlord, must take reasonable steps against crime it can reasonably anticipate on its property, and courts look at things like similar incidents there before. On a VTA bus or light rail train, VTA must use "the utmost care" to protect riders, including from other passengers, and a claim against VTA is usually due within six months.
Someone was injured in a pool. Who is responsible?
A pool is judged like any other hazard: a gate that doesn't close and latch, a broken fence, missing depth markings or a slick deck are the kinds of things an owner must fix, guard against or warn about. At an apartment complex or hotel, the pool is part of the common areas the owner must keep reasonably safe. And a new or remodeled pool or spa at a private home must have at least two of seven drowning-prevention features, such as an enclosure, mesh fencing with a self-closing, self-latching gate, a safety cover or an alarm.
I slipped and fell. Is that a premises case?
Yes. A fall caused by a hazard the owner should have fixed, guarded against or warned about is one kind of premises case. Our San Jose slip and fall page covers falls in detail, including who is responsible for a fall on a San Jose sidewalk.
Do you have an office in San Jose?
Yes. Our office is at 45 E Julian St, San Jose, CA 95112, in downtown San Jose. 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 premises liability 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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We make getting legal help simple.

  1. Free consultationCall us 24/7 or fill out our form. We'll review your case at no cost.
  2. Review your caseOur experienced attorneys investigate and evaluate your case to build the strongest claim possible.
  3. Injury litigationWe fight for maximum compensation, in negotiation or in court.
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Have a question about a potential case?Talk to a San Jose premises liability 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.

(408) 516-4283

24/7 line: (800) 985-9565

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