When you enter a mall, grocery store, restaurant or other public entity, you are owed a legal duty of care in most cases. This responsibility means that the owner of that building is legally bound to take reasonable precautions to ensure the safety of everyone entering the premises. An owner of the property may deviate from this standard of care when he or she fails to clean puddles and other slippery surfaces. When a person slips on this surface, he or she may have a negligence claim against the owner of the property. A fall on a slippery floor can be embarrassing, humiliating and ultimately result in injuries. It is essential to take action fast after you have been injured by a fall on a slippery floor.
An entire body of California’ law has been developed around the “slip and fall” negligence case. Because of the numerous people who suffer injuries in slip and fall accidents, there is an incredible amount of case law discussing these crashes in California. These cases often hinge on the interpretation of just one or two facts, such as an owner’s knowledge of dangerous conditions. If you plan on seeking legal help, is critical to work with a lawyer who has experience in handling slip and fall cases under California laws and can effectively represent you.
Our California slip and fall accident lawyers welcome the opportunity to speak with you about your premises liability case. We value the time you spend on getting in touch with us. We understand that you likely have a busy schedule, and we are willing to meet with you for a free initial consultation at a time that works for you. Just be sure not to delay in getting in touch with our lawyers, because there is only a limited period in which you may file a slip and fall claim if you have a valid claim.
Legal Duty Owed to Invitees, Licensees, and Trespassers
Slip and fall cases often hinge on the determination of whether a visitor falls under the legal definition of an invitee, licensee or trespasser. These are terms of art within the legal world, and they possess significant weight in determining the outcome of a case. Under common law, there was once a different standard of care owed to each of these individuals. After the passage of the Premises Liability Act, these distinctions were abolished. Now, there is no difference in the standard of care owed to licensees and invitees in California. There is still a difference in the standard of care owed to trespassers in California.
Invitees include customers and their children, spectators, babysitters, job applicants, firefighters, police officers and independent contractors. These individuals enter on a property for the economic benefit of the owner. Licensees include social guests and those who come on the property for their benefit and not the interest of the owner. Trespassers are those who enter onto land, even mistakenly, without the express permission or invitation of the owner.
Most customers in grocery stores, restaurants, malls and other public places are considered invitees. A property owner owes these individuals duty of reasonable care protect invitees from an unreasonable risk of harm while visiting the property. They also owe a duty to (1) inspect property and (2) make that property safe.
The California’ Premises Liability Act
California’ Premises Liability Act further details the legal duty that an owner of the property owes to licensees and invitees. An owner of the property may be liable for slippery surfaces and other dangerous conditions on land if he or she:
- Knows or should know of the hazardous condition on the land
- Should realize the condition poses an unreasonable risk of harm to invitees
- Expects that an invitee will not discover the hazard
- Fails to exercise reasonable care to protect invitees from the condition
This law essentially means that owners of property owe a duty of care to customers to clean up slippery surfaces. In places like grocery stores, an owner of the property should realize that hundreds of customers walk down the aisles every day and that it is foreseeable for a liquid to be spilled on the floors at some point. A customer could easily knock over a bottle of soda or other liquid onto the floor, and a grocery store owner has a legal duty to clean up that liquid.
Conditions Leading to Slippery Floors
If you have been injured in a slip and fall case, know that you are not alone. While corporations may attempt to intimidate you and have you complete an accident report, it is important to realize that California slip and fall accident attorneys at Jimmie Kang Law Firm are on your side. California slip and fall accident lawyers will take time to carefully assess the facts of your case to see whether you have a valid legal claim.
Locations
- Stairways
- Hotels
- Restaurants
- Shopping Malls
- Airports
- Parking Lots
- Grocery Stores
- Nursing Homes
- Swimming Pool Decks
Causes
- Protruding Objects
- Snow & Ice
- Uneven Floor
- Wet Floors
Related Areas
- Premises Liability
- Homeowner Insurance Claims
- Slip & Fall FAQs
Chain Stores Accidents
- Walmart
- Target
- Lowes
- Home Depot
- Costco
