Whether you’ve injured yourself in a trip and fall or step and fall, that injury is classified as a slip and fall in California. If you were injured by tripping over an object, stepping into an unexpected hole or slipping on a foreign substance, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit to recover damages for the injuries you’ve sustained.

The duty of California property owners

California law requires every property owner to use reasonable care in managing and maintaining their property and to avoid exposing others to an unforeseen risk of harm. A landowner must inspect the property for any unsafe conditions and to repair or give proper warning of any dangerous conditions that may cause harm. To succeed in a slip and fall suit, the victim must prove that the property owner knew or should have known about the dangerous condition that caused the harm.  A property owner may fulfill his or her duty of reasonable care by posting signs warning of the danger.

Collecting damages for your injury

If you are injured in a slip and fall accident, you may be entitled to damages for:

• Related medical bills
• Lost wages
• Loss of future earning ability
• Any damage to property such as eyeglasses
• Emotional distress
• Any other costs incurred because of the accident

California law provides the victim of a slip and fall accident two years to file a lawsuit.

What can a lawyer do?

Slip and fall cases are not always the easiest cases to prove. Again, the victim must show that a dangerous condition existed and that the property owner had actual or constructive knowledge of the condition. An experienced San Diego personal injury attorney can help by conducting a site inspection to evaluate what occurred, secure evidence and track down witnesses to develop a strong case.