As people shop at a supermarket or visit a mall, many California residents don’t know that they are owed a certain level of safety. Premises liability laws safeguard victims who are injured while in someone’s store or on someone’s property.
Business owners, property owners, and even government departments are charged with keeping their properties safe. Local owners and corporate owners are also liable if someone gets hurt due to an obstacle that could have been cleaned up or removed. Victims can ask for help with their medical bills, their lost time at work, and much more.
Premises Liability Responsibilities for California Business Owners
California has laws to protect victims in personal injury situations where someone’s careless actions cause someone else to get hurt. In regard to a business or a residential property, owners can be held liable for injuries if they know about a hazard, but don’t take action in a reasonable amount of time to remove it.
Owners and operators can also be liable if another visitor leaves an obstacle behind that causes someone to get hurt. It might be a spilled soda on the floor that should have been cleaned up, but is left there until another shopper comes along and slips and breaks an arm.
California’s Civil Code goes over what property owners and corporate owners are responsible for.
“(a) Everyone is responsible, not only for the result of his or her willful acts, but also for an injury occasioned to another by his or her want of ordinary care or skill in the management of his or her property or person, except so far as the latter has, willfully or by want of ordinary care, brought the injury upon himself or herself.”
This liability extends to more than just store and restaurant owners. Landlords must keep apartment complexes, rental homes, and condo communities in safe condition both inside and out. When tenants get hurt, they can seek help with recovery.
City, County, and State Governments are also liable under premises liability. A public park operated by the city, or a public building like a tax office, must be kept free of obstacles that might harm a resident. A crumbling stairwell must be repaired before someone can take a dangerous tumble. City park facilities must be kept in repair. A government entity could also be responsible if a lack of security causes someone to suffer a physical assault at a park. A government entity might be fully accountable for the costs of recovery.
Contact a California Premises Liability Attorney
Owners and operators whose negligence causes accidents can be liable for the cost of hospital bills and other hardships victims face. However, instead of providing immediate help, they can turn to corporate lawyers and insurance adjusters to get them off the hook. They may blame you for your fall or try to cast doubt on how bad your injury is.
If you have a serious injury, like a broken bone or head trauma, a California premises liability lawyer is an important safeguard for your case. A skilled lawyer is often able to secure much more for you in an accident claim than you could win for yourself.
Contact Maison Law for a free case consultation. There’s no obligation, but if you need our help to secure more in support, we don’t charge anything unless we win your case. Then our fee comes out of the settlement check that an owner must write for you.
