Local office in Tacoma, WA1201 Pacific Ave, Suite 605Directions

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

Stores and other places open to the public owe their customers ordinary care, and in Washington that includes snow and ice on their own premises. Report the fall and photograph the spot before it's cleaned up.

  • 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.
Get my free consultationor call(800) 985-9565

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

Downtown Tacoma at dusk, with Union Station's copper dome and the I‑705 ramps
Always available for me to answer any questions I had, no nonsense, straight to the point.
Jeremy B.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.

  • $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 insurance company's

Property owners have a team.You should have one too.

Stores, landlords and other property owners have insurance companies, and their adjusters may call within days of a fall, ask for a recorded statement or offer a quick check. What you say can shape the rest of your claim.

Before you sign anything, ask yourself:

  1. Did you report the fall to the store or property manager before you left?
  2. Was the hazard there long enough that someone should have found it?
  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
Mount Rainier above Tacoma's Ruston Way waterfront

Our office in Tacoma

Local premises liability lawyers,right here in Tacoma.

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

Our office is in the 1201 Pacific tower downtown. Come in, or we'll come to you anywhere in Pierce County, at home or in the hospital.

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
I fell and couldn't get up! Luckily Valero Law Group had my back, and I'd highly recommend this firm to anyone!
Roy H.Google review
The team is fast and responsive to any and all questions that you may need answers to.
Ralph J.Google review

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

An owner who didn't use reasonable care 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
  • Help at home while you recover

Non-economic damages

The harm that has no receipt

  • Pain and physical suffering
  • Scarring and disfigurement
  • Disability
  • Lost enjoyment of life
  • Icecounts like any other hazard on a business's own lotA business owes its customers the same care for snow and ice on its own premises, such as its parking lot and entrance, as for any other hazard. Washington doesn't excuse it because the ice is natural.
  • 80%What you keep if you were 20% at faultWashington's pure comparative fault rule reduces your award by your share of the blame, for example for not watching your step, instead of erasing it.
  • 3 yearsto file most injury lawsuitsMost injury lawsuits in Washington must be filed within three years. A claim against the City, the County or Parks Tacoma comes first, on the agency's form.

After a fall or injury on a property,what comes next.

Reporting it, the hazard, who is responsible and deadlines, explained.

Valero Law Group attorneys meeting around a conference table
  • Report it and photograph the spot
    Tell the store, landlord or property manager before you leave, and ask for a copy of any incident report. Photograph the spill, the ice, the broken step or the poor lighting, and your shoes, before anything is cleaned up, and get the names of anyone who saw it.
  • Spills, and rain at the door
    Usually you'd have to show the owner knew about the hazard, or that it was there long enough to be found. But when a store's way of operating makes spills foreseeable, Washington doesn't require that proof, and in 2021 the state Supreme Court held that rain tracked into an entrance can be a foreseeable hazard too, though the floor still has to have been unreasonably dangerous.
  • Ice and snow on a business's lot
    Washington doesn't let a business off the hook because ice or snow is natural: it owes customers the same care on its own premises, such as its parking lot and entrance, as for any other hazard. Separately, Tacoma's code requires whoever is in charge of a property to clear the public sidewalk in front of it within 24 hours.
  • Broken sidewalks
    In Tacoma, the owner of the property next to a sidewalk is responsible for repairing it. The City must still use ordinary care to keep sidewalks reasonably safe, and can be responsible for a hazard it knew about, or should have found, and had time to fix.
  • Renters and shared areas
    Washington landlords must keep floors, stairs and other parts of a rental in reasonably good repair, and use ordinary care to keep shared stairs, hallways and walkways safe, including clearing snow and ice.
  • Public agencies need a claim first
    Most injury lawsuits in Washington must be filed within three years. If City, County or Parks Tacoma property was involved, a claim on the agency's form comes first, and a lawsuit can't be filed until 60 days after it (RCW 4.96.020; for the State, RCW 4.92.110).
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 questionsafter an injury on a Tacoma property.

Do I have to prove the store knew about the spill?
Usually the injured person has to show the owner knew about the hazard or that it had been there long enough to be found. But when a business's way of operating makes hazards like spills foreseeable, Washington doesn't require that proof of notice.
I slipped on ice in a store's parking lot. Can the store be responsible?
It can be. Washington doesn't excuse a business because ice or snow is natural: it owes its customers the same care for snow and ice in its own parking lot and entrance as for any other hazard.
I tripped on a broken sidewalk. Who is responsible?
It depends. In Tacoma, the neighboring owner must repair the sidewalk, and can be responsible if they created the hazard. The City can be responsible for a hazard it knew about and had time to fix. In a 1994 case brought by a pedestrian who tripped on South 8th Street, the Washington Supreme Court struck down Tacoma's attempt to make owners answer for sidewalk injuries and repay the City.
I was injured at my apartment complex. Is my landlord responsible?
A landlord can be, when a dangerous condition breaks the landlord's duties under state law and the landlord knew about it, or had a reasonable chance to find it, and didn't repair it in reasonable time. In shared areas, a landlord must use ordinary care to keep them reasonably safe.
I was attacked in a parking lot. Is that a premises case?
It can be. Washington recognizes negligent security claims: a business must use ordinary care to protect customers from crime it knows about, and from criminal conduct it can reasonably foresee, for example from similar incidents there before.
I was injured in a park or on a trail.
Owners who open land for outdoor recreation free of charge generally aren't liable for accidental injuries there, except for a known, dangerous, man-made hazard that isn't obvious and has no warning sign. Claims about Tacoma's parks go to Parks Tacoma, not the City.
Do you have an office in Tacoma?
Yes. Our office is at 1201 Pacific Ave, Suite 605, Tacoma, WA 98402. 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 Marie Ballon
Marie BallonAttorney, Valero Law Group

Our easy 3-stepcase review process.

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 Tacoma 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.

(800) 985-9565
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  • Hablamos español
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