Maison Law can help you through the claims process after you’re injured in a premises liability accident in Manhattan Beach. It sounds formal, but premises liability isn’t actually all that difficult to understand when there’s something dangerous on a property that wasn’t fixed or you weren’t warned about. But one way or the other, it can leave you injured and needing answers. We can answer those questions and help you through it. Set up a free consultation today.
How a Lawyer Makes Sense After a Premises Liability Accident
After getting hurt on someone else’s property, calling a lawyer probably isn’t the first thing on your mind. And sometimes, these types of accidents only lead to minor injuries that insurance can take care of.
The problem comes when your injuries end up being more serious. And when that happens, insurance claims, paperwork, and figuring out who’s actually responsible can become overwhelming pretty quickly. That’s where having a lawyer starts to make sense, and that’s where our Manhattan Beach premises liability team can step in and:
- Take a close look at what actually happened, even when the details aren’t immediately clear.
- Explain your options in plain language so you know what to expect.
- Gather and preserve evidence before it disappears.
- Figure out who’s legally responsible for the unsafe conditions.
- Handle the back-and-forth with the insurance company—and file a lawsuit if it becomes necessary.
Most importantly, we try to make the process easier on you and your family. You’ve already been through enough. The last thing you need is the added stress of dealing with the claims process, too.
Information That’s Helpful After a Premises Liability Accident
It’s true that you have options after getting hurt on someone else’s property, but building a successful claim takes more than showing you were injured. You also have to show:
- How the accident happened, and;
- Why someone else was responsible.
That’s where information comes in. And in a premises liability accident, the scene is incredibly important. Everything starts with reporting the accident to someone in charge and getting medical care for any injuries. From there, you’ll want to try to get:
- Pictures and videos of where the accident happened, any injuries, and anything that might have caused the accident (broken floor tiles, spills, etc.)
- Contact information from anyone who saw what happened
- Contact and insurance information from the property owner or management
That largely takes care of what you need at the scene, but the job isn’t done. In the days/weeks after, other things are going to be important, like:
- Your medical records, which connect your injuries to the accident
- Incident reports that serve as an official record of what happened. If there isn’t one, keep notes about where it happened
- Notes describing how your life has changed since the accident. Note things like pain, trouble sleeping, etc.
- Pictures of your injuries as they progress
- Statements from witnesses or bystanders
Every case is different, but these pieces of information are what usually become the foundation of what comes after. And the more information you have, the easier it can be to answer important questions.
Who’s Responsible for a Premises Liability Injury?
One of the biggest questions people have after getting hurt on someone else’s property is, “Who’s actually responsible for this?”
The answer usually comes down to negligence. That’s just the legal way of saying someone didn’t take reasonable steps to keep their property safe. Sometimes that’s pretty obvious. Other times, it takes a closer look at what happened. One way to do that is by figuring out the following:
- Was it their job to keep the property safe? If you were invited onto the property or were there legally, the answer is usually yes.
- Did they know something was dangerous? Even if they didn’t actually know about it, the law can still hold them responsible if the hazard had been there long enough that they should have found it and fixed it.
- Did they have a chance to fix it before you got hurt? If they ignored the problem, put off repairs, or never warned people about it, that can point to negligence.
Most of the time, the people that own or manage the property have the overriding responsibility for keeping it safe. But there can also be a lot of moving parts in a given situation, which can bring in others like:
- Property management companies
- Employees
- Maintenance or cleaning contractors
- Event organizers
- Government agencies
- Equipment makers
Obviously, every premises liability situation is different. A cracked sidewalk near a city park may involve a government agency, while a slip-and-fall inside a restaurant may involve the business owner or a maintenance company. But one way or the other, this is just the starting point of the claims process.
What Are My Options After a Premises Liability Accident?
If your injuries happened because someone else failed to keep their property reasonably safe, your legal options are generally the same as they would be in most other personal injury cases.
- Filing an insurance claim. Most premises liability cases begin with an insurance claim against the property owner’s insurance company. This is often the fastest way to wrap things up, but insurance companies don’t always make fair settlement offers.
- Filing a lawsuit. If the insurance company won’t offer you a fair settlement—or (more likely) if their offer isn’t enough to cover your losses—you can move forward with a lawsuit. Like most injury claims, many lawsuits settle before trial, but filing one often helps move negotiations forward.
Once your claim gets underway, the focus shifts to your damages. That may include financial help relating to your:
- Medical expenses
- Future medical treatment
- Lost income
- Reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Reduced quality of life
- Property damage
California generally gives you two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. If your injury happened on public property, though, the deadline is usually much shorter. That’s one of the reasons it’s important to act quickly. Dangerous conditions can be repaired, cleaned up, or disappear entirely before they’re properly documented.
Where Do Premises Liability Accidents Happen in Manhattan Beach?
The difficult thing about premises liability accidents is that they can happen just about anywhere, but when you break them down, they tend to happen in the same spots over and over again in Manhattan Beach. That gets a little easier to understand when you look at the more common kinds of premises liability accidents there are here, like:
- Slip-and-fall accidents
- Drownings or other water accidents
- Dog bites
- Parking lot or garage accidents
- Negligent security accidents
When you consider that, it also becomes easier to see where they tend to happen throughout the city:
- Restaurants, shops, and local businesses. Whether you’re grabbing lunch downtown, shopping at Manhattan Village, or stopping into a local store, you expect the property to be safe. But wet floors, uneven walkways, damaged flooring, or broken stairs can cause serious injuries in a matter of seconds.
- Beaches, parks, and outdoor spaces. Places like The Strand, Polliwog Park, and the Manhattan Beach Pier bring people outside every day. But damaged walkways, loose railings, broken stairs, and other hazards can quickly turn a relaxing afternoon into a trip to the hospital.
- Homes and apartment complexes. Visiting someone’s home or apartment shouldn’t be dangerous. Unfortunately, broken stairs, loose handrails, poor lighting, and unsafe pool areas are all common causes of preventable injuries.
- Public sidewalks and parking lots. You’re probably not looking down with every step you take. That’s why cracked sidewalks, uneven pavement, potholes, and other hazards can be so dangerous.
- Hotels, gyms, and pools. Wet floors, broken equipment, poor maintenance, and missing warning signs can all lead to serious injuries when property owners don’t stay on top of safety.
Obviously, premises liability accidents can happen almost anywhere in Manhattan Beach. What’s important to remember is that you don’t have to deal with everything that comes afterward on your own.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I file a claim against the City of Manhattan Beach?
You can. If your injury happened on public property—like a sidewalk, park, or another city-owned area—you may have a claim against the city if negligence played a role. The biggest thing to know is that these claims usually have much shorter deadlines than other injury cases, so it’s important to act quickly.
What kinds of accidents are considered premises liability?
Premises liability covers a lot more than just slip-and-falls. It can also include trip-and-falls, dog bites, swimming pool accidents, injuries caused by falling objects, broken stairs, inadequate security, electrical hazards, and other accidents caused by unsafe property conditions.
What if I don’t know who owns the property?
Don’t worry about figuring that out right away. Your first priority should be getting medical care and, if you can, taking pictures of whatever caused your injury. From there, we can help determine who owned the property, who was responsible for maintaining it, and who may be responsible for your injuries.
Maison Law Can Help After a Premises Liability Accident in Manhattan Beach
When you’re injured because someone else failed to keep their property reasonably safe, your focus should be on getting better—not trying to figure out who owns the property or dealing with insurance adjusters.
At Maison Law, our Manhattan Beach premises liability lawyers can handle the legal side while you focus on recovering. If you have questions about your options or simply want to know what comes next, reach out today to set up your free consultation.
