Slip and Fall Lawyer in Los Angeles
For eighteen years, Cyrus Tabibnia has handled slip and fall and premises liability cases in Los Angeles. If you were hurt because someone didn’t maintain their property safely, we can walk you through your options and fight for compensation under California law.
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Slip and Fall Cases Fall Under Premises Liability in California
The basic idea is simple: if you invite people onto your property, you have a legal duty to keep it reasonably safe and to warn about dangers you know about—or should know about.
California doesn’t expect perfection. It expects reasonable care. That’s what these cases turn on.
To bring a claim, you generally need to show the property owner or occupier had a duty to keep the area reasonably safe, there was a dangerous condition (wet floor, broken step, uneven sidewalk, poor lighting), they knew or should have known about it and didn’t fix it or properly warn you, that condition caused your fall, and you suffered real harm—medical bills, lost income, pain, limitations.
Insurance companies will try to frame it as “you should have watched where you were going.” California law is more nuanced than that.
Common Slip and Fall Situations in Los Angeles
Injured in a Fall on Someone Else’s Property?
A bad fall can change your life in a second. One minute you’re walking through a store, across a parking lot, or into your apartment building. The next you’re on the ground with a fractured wrist, torn ligaments, or a back injury that won’t let you sleep through the night.
Medical bills start arriving. You might be missing work. The property owner’s insurance company may already be calling, trying to get a recorded statement or push a quick, low settlement.
We see the same patterns over and over again.
- Stores and supermarkets: Spilled liquids that were not cleaned up. Floors mopped with no warning signs. Leaking refrigeration units that left puddles in aisles.
- Restaurants and bars: Greasy kitchen floors tracked into dining areas. Drink spills left sitting during a rush. Tight, poorly lit walkways.
- Parking lots and garages: Broken concrete. Potholes. Uneven transitions between surfaces. Oil slicks with no cones or warnings.
- Sidewalks and walkways: Raised slabs from tree roots. Cracked pavement. Loose pavers near entrances or courtyards.
- Stairs and landings: Broken or missing handrails. Inconsistent step heights. Worn or loose carpeting. Dim lighting.
- Apartments and rental properties: Leaking pipes causing wet floors. Slippery outdoor stairs. Landlords ignoring repeated safety complaints.
- Hotels and public buildings: Wet lobby floors, unsafe pool decks, poorly maintained elevators and stairwells.
Assigning Responsibility for a Slip and Fall Accident
There may be more than one responsible party. The property owner. A tenant or business that controls the area. A management company. A maintenance or janitorial contractor.
Part of our job is identifying everyone who had a role in creating or ignoring the hazard. That can significantly affect available insurance coverage and recovery.
Can You Sue Just Because You Fell?
No. You don’t have a case just because you fell on someone’s property.
You may have a case if there was a dangerous condition, the owner or occupier knew or should have known about it, they didn’t fix it or warn you, and that failure caused your injuries.
If your case is winnable, it’s because the evidence shows it was more than “just an accident.”
What If You Weren’t Being Perfectly Careful?
California follows comparative negligence. Even if you were partly at fault—distracted, wearing less-than-ideal shoes, or walking too fast—you may still recover compensation. Your recovery may be reduced by your percentage of fault, but it does not automatically kill your case.
Insurance companies love arguments like “you were on your phone” or “you should have seen it.”
Our job is to push back with facts: how visible the hazard really was, whether warnings existed, how long it had been there, and what a reasonably careful property owner should have done.
What Damages Can You Recover After a Slip and Fall?
Slip and fall claims in California generally include both economic and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages
Economic damages can be measured. Emergency room and hospital bills. Follow-up treatment such as physical therapy, injections, or surgery. Medication costs and lost wages.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages reflect the human cost. Pain. Physical limitations. Difficulty walking, standing, sleeping, or performing daily tasks. Loss of enjoyment of life. For permanent injuries, long-term impacts on independence and dignity.
We work with your doctors and, when needed, outside experts to document not only what you experienced initially, but how the injury affects you years later.
Deadlines to File Your Case
For most slip and fall injuries in California, the statute of limitations under Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1 is two years from the date of the incident.
Miss that deadline and your right to bring a claim may be lost permanently.
Government property cases—such as sidewalks or public buildings—usually require filing a government claim within six months before a lawsuit can be filed.
If you’re even close to one of these deadlines, don’t wait. Early action helps preserve evidence that often disappears quickly.
Did You Just Experience a Slip and Fall?
- Get medical care, even if you feel okay. Some injuries appear hours or days later.
- Report the incident to the property owner or manager and request an incident report.
- Take photos and video of the hazard, surrounding area, shoes, clothing, and any warning signs.
- Collect witness names and contact information.
- Do not give a recorded statement to insurance before speaking with a lawyer.
- Contact an attorney early so key evidence can be preserved.
How Cyrus Tabibnia Will Build Your Slip and Fall Case
We approach slip and fall cases assuming they may eventually go before a jury.
We secure surveillance video before it’s overwritten, request maintenance and inspection records, and interview witnesses and employees about prior complaints or similar incidents.
We visit the scene to assess lighting, sight lines, and how visible the hazard actually was.
We work with safety experts when needed and coordinate with your doctors to document the full extent of your injuries.
The goal is straightforward: show what should have been done, how it wasn’t done, and what that failure cost you.
Case Review
Why Hire Cyrus Tabibnia for Your Slip and Fall Case?
Cyrus has over 20 years of experience handling serious injury and premises liability cases in Los Angeles. He is fluent in English, Persian, and Spanish and represents clients directly, with thorough preparation and attention to detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Maybe. It depends where the sign was, how obvious the hazard was, how long the spill or wet area was there, and whether the warning was reasonably placed. We would want to see photos, the incident report, and any video if it exists.
Very possibly. Repeated complaints plus a long-standing hazard like no lighting is exactly the kind of pattern that can establish negligence.
Yes. Claims involving public property usually require a formal government claim within six months of the fall. The standards and procedures are different. Timing matters a lot in those cases.
Be careful. Early offers almost never account for future treatment, flare-ups, or long-term limitations. Once you sign a release, you’re done, even if your condition gets worse. It’s worth having a lawyer review it before you agree to anything.
Not necessarily. Many slip and fall cases settle. But having a lawyer who’s prepared to go to trial if needed is often what gets you a fair number in the first place.
Contact Us Today
If you were hurt in a fall because someone didn’t take care of their property, you don’t have to just “eat it” and move on.
Call (866) 713-2159 for a free, confidential consultation. You’ll talk through what happened, what your injuries are, and whether a claim makes sense in your situation.
