San Francisco Premises Liability and Dangerous Property Conditions Attorneys
Each year hundreds of people in the Bay Area are injured when they slip and fall or trip and fall on the property of another. If you suffered serious injuries because of unsafe and dangerous property conditions, you may be entitled to recover damages.
Cases in which property owners are found liable for injuries are known as “premises liability cases.” Liability will hinge on whether the dangerous property condition that caused your fall was more than trivial and if the owner (or person responsible for maintaining the property) knew or should have known of the condition.
Premises liability law covers both public and private property owners, but if your injuries took place on state-owned property (like a roadway or sidewalk ) you have a shorter period of time to bring a claim. Talk with a lawyer early — understand your rights to compensation.
At The Dolan Law Firm of San Francisco, our premises liability attorneys have achieved some of the highest verdicts and settlements in California for people who have been injured because of dangerous condition of property.
- $2.4 million settlement for a 72-year-old woman who suffered a cervical fracture that led to complete paralysis (quadriplegia) after tripping on uneven sidewalk that was poorly maintained by the city and county of San Francisco.
- $175,000 settlement for a San Francisco renter who was injured when a stair gave way as she descended an old staircase.
Private Property Owners Are Responsible for Hazards on Their Property
The owner of a business or property has an obligation to keep their property safe and to warn people of potential risks. That is why Home Depot must close aisles when they move products. Likewise, when a floor is wet or being cleaned, a business owner should put out a caution / wet floor sign to warn people. Store aisles should be clean and clear of debris. Stairways should be level, even, and well lit. Parking lots should be well lit and free of debris, oil accumulation, and potholes.
Public Property Injuries
Most cities and counties have ordnances that require the property owner adjacent to a sidewalk to maintain it in a safe condition, if the adjacent land owner is a public entity, a failure leading to injuries may involve varying degrees of liability for all of the potentially responsible parties.
Because cities and counties are subject to different statutes of limitations, someone injured on public property must file a claim within six months of their injury or they may lose their right to recover damages.
When owners do not do regular maintenance or take care of property, injuries result. Lead attorney Christopher Dolan has handled many personal injury cases resulting from such negligence, including:
- Falls from a balcony collapse or stairway collapse
- Falls in potholes, on uneven or rotten stairs
- Falling down unsafe stairs that lack adequate handrails or have poor lighting
- Tripping over tree roots or uneven sidewalks, over merchandise in store aisles, on frayed or loose carpet, or on cords, string, or wires on the ground
- Slip and fall accidents on slippery sidewalks, sloping driveways, from water on slippery marble floors, from food or spilled milk on supermarket floors, from oil, or grease on garage and ramp floors,
- Being struck by falling objects in a store
Balcony and Stair Collapse in San Francisco
High moisture conditions in the California Bay Area cause wood to rot. This has caused stairway collapse to become a more common type of premises liability case in San Francisco and surrounding areas. Around a dozen Bay Area residents each year die in stairway collapses when property owners did not maintain their buildings. It is a tragedy that could be avoided and owners need to be held responsible.
What to Do If You've Been Injured on a Dangerous Property
Document the Injury: If you have been injured because of a condition of someone’s property, it is important to document the condition in a way that will show the physical characteristics of the height, width, depth, nature of the substance, etc. before someone goes out and repairs the condition. There are a few things you should do:
Take Photographs: Use a ruler to photograph the dimensions of the defect. Get pictures showing the approach that you made to the defect, including what direction you were walking in. Many defects are not visible to even the most careful pedestrians.
Put Away Your Shoes: After you fall, do not wear the shoes that you had on again at the time of your fall again. They may have evidence of oil or other debris on the bottom that can be lost by continued wear. We need to have these examined by an expert. The available traction on the bottom of your shoes at the time of your fall is also often a subject for expert review.
Statute of Limitation: It is important to act quickly if you have suffered an injury, as the statute of limitations for most personal injury actions is two years from the date that you were injured if you are an adult.
- For more information about slip and fall accidents, visit our Slip and Fall FAQ.
Oakland • San Francisco • Sacramento
Contact Our Attorneys
The premises liability lawyers of the Dolan Law Firm are dedicated to getting you the best result possible. We do not charge a fee unless we recover damages so you have nothing to lose by talking with a lawyer about your case. Contact the attorneys at Dolan Law.
Evening and weekend appointments are available. We will come to you in your home or the hospital if you are unable to come to us.
