When you step onto someone else’s property a grocery store, an apartment complex, a parking lot, a neighbor’s home you have a legal right to be reasonably safe. Property owners in California have a duty to maintain their premises and warn visitors of known hazards. When they fail to meet that duty and you are injured as a result, you have the right to hold them accountable.
LyfeLaw is a premier premises liability law firm serving injury victims across Los Angeles. Our premises liability attorneys have recovered significant compensation for clients hurt in slip and fall accidents, swimming pool drownings, inadequate security incidents, dog attacks, and dozens of other property-related injuries. If you were hurt on someone else’s property, our legal team is ready to fight for you with no upfront costs and no fee unless we win.
Call 1-800-LYFE-LAW today for a free, no-obligation consultation with an experienced premises liability attorney in Los Angeles.
Premises liability is the area of California law that holds property owners and occupiers legally responsible for injuries that occur on their property due to unsafe or negligently maintained conditions. A premises liability claim arises when a property owner knew or reasonably should have known about a dangerous condition and failed to fix it or warn visitors about it.
California Civil Code Section 1714 establishes that everyone is responsible for injuries caused by their failure to exercise ordinary care. For property owners, this means regularly inspecting their premises, repairing known hazards in a timely manner, and warning visitors of dangers that cannot be immediately fixed.
Premises liability cases can arise on virtually any type of property residential homes, commercial retail spaces, office buildings, restaurants, hotels, schools, government facilities, construction sites, and public spaces. The type of property and the legal status of the visitor affect how a court evaluates the property owner’s duty of care, which is why working with an experienced premises liability attorney in Los Angeles is so important.
LyfeLaw’s premises accident lawyers represent clients injured in a wide range of property-related incidents throughout Los Angeles County. Our practice includes:
Slip and fall accidents. Wet floors, uneven pavement, loose carpeting, broken stairs, and poorly lit walkways are among the most common causes of slip and fall injuries. Property owners who fail to address these hazards or post adequate warnings can be held liable for resulting injuries.
Trip and fall accidents. Raised sidewalk slabs, cracked pavement, cluttered aisles, torn carpeting, and unmarked steps cause thousands of trip and fall injuries in Los Angeles each year. These accidents frequently cause serious harm to older victims, including hip fractures and traumatic brain injuries.
Inadequate security injuries. Property owners particularly apartment complexes, parking structures, hotels, and shopping centers have a duty to provide reasonable security measures. When inadequate lighting, broken gate locks, absent security personnel, or failure to address known criminal activity leads to an assault, robbery, or shooting on the premises, the property owner may be held liable under premises liability law.
Swimming pool accidents. California has some of the strictest pool safety laws in the nation. Property owners with pools are required to maintain proper barriers, covers, and safety equipment. Drownings, near-drownings, and diving injuries caused by unsafe pool conditions are compensable under a premises liability claim.
Dog bites and animal attacks. California is a strict liability state for dog bites. Under California Civil Code Section 3342, a dog owner is liable for damages if their dog bites someone in a public place or lawfully on private property regardless of whether the dog had shown aggression before. LyfeLaw handles dog bite claims as part of our broader premises and property liability practice.
Elevator and escalator accidents. Building owners and management companies are responsible for the safe maintenance of elevators and escalators. Mechanical failures, sudden stops, and door malfunctions can cause serious crush injuries, falls, and entrapments.
Falling object injuries. Merchandise that falls from store shelves, debris falling from construction sites, and structural elements that collapse due to poor maintenance are all forms of premises liability. These incidents can cause severe head and spinal injuries.
Toxic exposure. Property owners who allow dangerous levels of mold, asbestos, lead paint, or toxic chemicals to exist on their premises without proper remediation or warning can face premises liability claims for the resulting health consequences.
Amusement park and recreational facility injuries. Theme parks, trampoline parks, gyms, and sports facilities owe visitors a duty of care. Defective equipment, improperly trained staff, and unsafe facility design can all form the basis of a premises injury claim.
If your injury occurred on someone else’s property and is not listed above, contact LyfeLaw. Our premises liability attorneys evaluate cases across the full spectrum of property-related injuries in Los Angeles.
One of the most important questions in any premises liability claim is identifying who is legally responsible. In California, liability can extend beyond just the property owner to include:
Property owners. The owner of the land or building where the injury occurred is the primary target of most premises liability claims. This includes individual homeowners, corporate landlords, and commercial property owners.
Property managers and management companies. In many cases, a professional management company operates a property on behalf of the owner. If the management company was responsible for maintenance and failed to address a hazard, they share liability.
Tenants and lessees. A business that leases commercial space is responsible for maintaining the areas within its control. A restaurant that fails to clean up a spill or a retailer that ignores a broken shelf bears responsibility for injuries that result.
Government entities. Injuries that occur on public sidewalks, in government buildings, in public parks, or on public school grounds may involve a claim against a city, county, or state agency. These claims follow different procedural rules including a six-month deadline to file a government tort claim making early legal counsel essential.
Contractors and maintenance companies. Third-party contractors hired to repair or maintain a property can be held liable if their negligent work created or failed to fix a dangerous condition.
LyfeLaw’s premises liability attorneys conduct a thorough investigation to identify every potentially liable party. In many cases, multiple defendants share responsibility and pursuing all of them maximizes the compensation available to you.
To succeed in a premises liability case, your attorney must establish four key legal elements:
California also recognizes a concept called comparative fault. If a property owner argues that you were partly responsible for your injury for example, by ignoring a warning sign or looking at your phone your compensation may be reduced by your percentage of fault. Under California’s pure comparative negligence rule, however, you can still recover even if you were partially at fault.
Property owners and their insurers do not make it easy for injury victims to recover fair compensation. Here is why having an experienced premises injury attorney on your side makes all the difference:
Evidence disappears fast. Surveillance footage is routinely overwritten within 24 to 72 hours. Wet floor signs get moved. Hazards get repaired. The sooner LyfeLaw is involved, the sooner we can send preservation letters, retain investigators, and secure the evidence that proves your case.
Insurance companies will minimize your claim. Property owners carry liability insurance precisely for situations like yours. Their insurer will assign an adjuster whose job is to settle your claim quickly and cheaply. Without an attorney, most victims do not know what their case is actually worth or what to say and what not to say to an adjuster.
Premises liability law is complex. Determining the duty of care owed to you depends on your legal status as a visitor (invitee, licensee, or trespasser), the type of property, and how the dangerous condition arose. LyfeLaw’s attorneys understand these distinctions and know how to apply them to maximize your recovery.
You are managing a recovery. Dealing with medical appointments, physical therapy, financial stress, and family obligations while trying to navigate a legal claim is overwhelming. LyfeLaw handles every aspect of your case so you can focus on getting better.
Contingency fee no risk to you. LyfeLaw represents premises liability clients on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing upfront. Our fee is a percentage of the recovery we obtain for you. If we do not win, you owe us nothing.
You contact LyfeLaw by phone or through our website. One of our premises liability attorneys reviews the facts of your incident, answers your questions, and gives you an honest assessment of your potential claim at no charge.
Once you retain LyfeLaw, we act quickly. We send written preservation demands to the property owner requiring them to retain all surveillance footage, maintenance records, inspection logs, and incident reports. We dispatch investigators to photograph the scene and document the condition of the property.
Our team reviews all available evidence, interviews witnesses, obtains prior incident reports if the location has a history of similar accidents, and consults with expert witnesses including safety engineers, premises liability experts, and medical professionals.
We work with your treating physicians to document your injuries thoroughly. Where necessary, we connect you with specialists who can assess the long-term impact of your injuries on your health, your ability to work, and your quality of life. We also calculate your full economic and non-economic damages.
Once your medical treatment reaches a stable point, LyfeLaw prepares a comprehensive demand package and presents it to the property owner's insurer. We negotiate aggressively for a settlement that reflects the true value of your claim.
If the insurer refuses to offer fair compensation, LyfeLaw files suit in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Our attorneys have extensive trial experience and are fully prepared to present your case to a jury. The credible threat of trial is often what motivates insurance companies to settle fairly.
Whether your case resolves through settlement or a jury verdict, LyfeLaw handles all documentation and ensures your funds are disbursed promptly. You will receive a clear accounting of the settlement, our fee, and any liens before any funds are distributed.
A successful premises liability claim in Los Angeles can recover both economic and non-economic damages. In cases involving egregious misconduct, punitive damages may also be available.
Economic damages include all measurable financial losses:
Past and future medical expenses emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, physical therapy, medication, assistive devices, and ongoing treatment
Lost wages for time missed from work during recovery
Loss of future earning capacity if your injuries permanently affect your ability to work
Property damage for personal items damaged in the incident
Out-of-pocket expenses including transportation, home care assistance, and home modification costs
Pain and suffering resulting from your physical injuries
Emotional distress and psychological trauma, including PTSD, anxiety, and depression
Loss of enjoyment of life if your injuries prevent you from activities and relationships you valued before
Disfigurement or permanent scarring
Loss of consortium the impact your injuries have had on your relationship with your spouse or partner
Punitive damages are awarded in rare cases where the property owner’s conduct was particularly reckless or malicious such as a landlord who knowingly concealed a life-threatening structural defect or a property manager who repeatedly ignored documented security failures that led to a violent attack.
LyfeLaw conducts a full damages analysis at the start of every case. We work with medical experts, vocational rehabilitation specialists, and forensic economists to ensure every loss is documented and pursued.
In most cases, you have two years from the date of your injury to file a premises liability lawsuit in California. However, if your injury occurred on government-owned property — a public sidewalk, a city park, a school — you must file a government tort claim within six months of the incident. Missing either deadline permanently bars your claim. Contact LyfeLaw as soon as possible after your injury to protect your rights.
A valid premises liability claim generally requires that a dangerous condition existed on the property, the owner knew or should have known about it, they failed to fix it or warn you, and you were injured as a result. The best way to know for certain is to speak with one of LyfeLaw’s premises liability attorneys during a free consultation. We evaluate the facts of your case honestly and tell you what we believe your options are.
Even trespassers have some legal protections under California law. Property owners cannot willfully or wantonly injure trespassers, and they owe a heightened duty of care to child trespassers under the attractive nuisance doctrine — particularly regarding swimming pools, trampolines, and other features that attract children. If you were injured while trespassing, do not assume you have no claim. Contact LyfeLaw to discuss your specific situation
First, seek medical attention even if your injuries seem minor. Some injuries, including traumatic brain injuries and internal damage, do not present obvious symptoms immediately. Document everything: photograph the hazard that caused your injury, the surrounding area, and your injuries. Report the incident to the property manager and get a copy of the incident report. Get contact information for any witnesses. Then contact LyfeLaw before giving any statements to the property owner’s insurance company.
Workplace injuries are typically handled through workers’ compensation, not premises liability. However, if your workplace injury was caused by a condition on a property owned by a third party not your employer you may have both a workers’ comp claim and a premises liability claim. LyfeLaw handles both practice areas and can advise you on which avenue maximizes your recovery.
Cases that settle before litigation typically resolve within several months to a year, depending on the severity of injuries and how quickly medical treatment concludes. Cases that proceed to litigation in Los Angeles County can take one to three years. LyfeLaw works to resolve cases as efficiently as possible without compromising the value of your claim. We keep you informed at every stage.
Do not give a recorded statement and do not sign any documents before speaking with an attorney. Insurance adjusters are trained to ask questions in ways that can be used to minimize or deny your claim. Politely decline, and then contact LyfeLaw. Once you are represented, all communication from the insurer goes through us.
Yes. LyfeLaw represents all premises liability clients on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing upfront, and our fee is only collected if we recover compensation for you. There are no hidden costs and no financial risk to you.
Yes. The duty of care that businesses owe their customers and visitors extends to the parking lots, walkways, and other common areas of their property — not just the interior of the building. Potholes, uneven pavement, inadequate lighting, and ice or standing water in commercial parking areas are all recognized bases for premises liability claims.
LyfeLaw combines the resources of a full-service law firm with the personal attention of a dedicated legal team. We have attorneys experienced in personal injury, civil litigation, employment law, and workers’ compensation giving us the depth to handle complex cases with multiple legal dimensions. We serve clients in English and Spanish, we maintain offices in Los Angeles, Tarzana, and Westwood, and we are available 24/7. Most importantly, we do not settle for less than what our clients deserve.
If you were injured on someone else’s property, LyfeLaw is ready to help. Our premises liability attorneys will review your case for free, explain your rights, and fight to recover every dollar of compensation you are owed.
Call 1-800-LYFE-LAW available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Or complete our online contact form for a free case evaluation.
No fee unless we win. No upfront costs. No risk to you.
LyfeLaw 10880 Wilshire Blvd, 24th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90024
Serving injury victims across Los Angeles, Tarzana, Westwood, and all of Los Angeles County.
