When a person is lawfully on the premises of a property in California, there are certain standards that he or she should be able to reasonably expect will be met. For instance, a person expects that the property will be maintained in such a way that he or she will not be injured in slip-and-fall accidents due to poor conditions. If an owner did not take proper precautions to maintain the premises, he or she could be considered legally responsible for any injuries that result from a fall.
In general, floors are expected to be clean and free from debris. However, property owners must provide warnings that a floor is wet or provide barricades that close off a wet floor. Additionally, too much wax on a floor could create a fall hazard as could wax that is unevenly applied.
Unfortunately, many people are likely familiar with the fall potential that stairs create in themselves. However, if a property owner fails to take appropriate measures, he or she could be the reason for a fall. For example, stairs without a railing or with a broken railing as well as worn steps or debris on the steps could create a fall hazard.
Slip-and-fall-accidents often leave victims in California suffering from serious injuries. As a result, they may require extensive medical treatment as well as be forced to miss work. If the fall was the result of negligence on the part of a property owner, victims have the option of pursuing recourse in a civil court. An attorney with experience with personal injury cases can help those harmed as a result of a fall caused by negligent property conditions fully understand their legal options and take appropriate action.
Source: FindLaw, “Indoor Slip and Fall Accident Conditions“, Accessed on Jan. 7, 2018
