Did you slip, trip, or fall on someone else’s property in San Marcos, California? If so, you could be entitled to compensation for your loss of income, medical bills, and other damages related to your fall. The property owner and other parties could be liable under California premises liability laws.
The San Marcos slip and fall accident lawyers of Petrov Personal Injury Lawyers can help you file a claim seeking compensation for your damages. Our lawyers have recovered over $40 million in settlements and verdicts since opening our law firm in 2011. With more than two decades of experience, our attorneys are prepared to handle the most complicated personal injury cases.
Contact our law firm today at (619) 344-0360 to schedule your free consultation with a San Marcos premises liability lawyer.
How Petrov Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help if You’ve Been Injured a San Marcos Slip and Fall Accident
Insurance companies often treat slip and fall accidents as minor injuries. However, slips, trips, and falls can cause severe harm. You deserve to be taken seriously and treated fairly by the insurance provider and the property owner.
At Petrov Personal Injury Lawyers, we stand up for your rights throughout the process. We have over 20 years of combined experience handling personal injury claims. Our legal team has the resources and expertise to handle the most complicated personal injury cases.
When you hire our award-winning, top-rated San Marcos personal injury lawyers, you can trust that we will:
- Conduct a thorough investigation to determine the cause of your injury and identify the responsible parties
- File insurance claims and negotiate for fair insurance settlements
- Work with you and your physicians to document the extent of your injuries and damages
- Calculate how much your case is worth after carefully documenting your damages
- Work with leading expert witnesses, as necessary
- File a personal injury lawsuit and proceed to court, if needed
Our attorneys at Petrov Personal Injury Lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. That means you don’t pay any attorney’s fees unless and until we recover money for your slip and fall accident.
Do not accept a settlement offer from the property owner or their insurance provider without legal counsel. Call today to schedule a free case evaluation with an experienced slip and fall accident lawyer in San Marcos, CA.
Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents in San Marcos, CA
Negligence can lead to property conditions that cause injuries and deaths. A property owner who fails to warn people about hazards or repair the damage could be liable for damages caused by a fall.
Common reasons for slip and fall accidents include, but are not limited to:
- Broken steps and stairs
- Missing or damaged handrails and guardrails
- Inadequate lighting
- Slick and slippery floors
- Obstacles in walkways and aisles
- Damaged flooring
- Loose electrical wires and cords
- Unsecured carpets and rugs
- Potholes, cracks, and crumbling pavement
- Loose floorboards
After a fall, report the injury. Ask witnesses for their names and contact information so your lawyer can call them to make a statement.
If possible, take photographs and make a video of the area and what caused your fall. The property owner will likely correct the problem after you report what happened.
Injuries Caused by San Marcos Slip and Fall Accidents
A slip and fall accident can cause severe injuries. Our lawyers handle slip and fall accidents involving all types of injuries, including:
- Broken bones and fractures
- Neck injuries
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Internal organ damage
- Back injury
- Soft tissue injury
- Fractured ankles and wrists
- Sprains and strains
- Shoulder injury
It is important to seek immediate medical care after a slip and fall accident. Your medical records help link your injuries to the fall. If you do not go directly to an emergency room, see your doctor as soon as possible.
Proving Fault and Liability for a San Marcos Slip and Fall Accident
Juries are instructed that a person who owns, occupies, leases, or controls property is negligent if they do not use reasonable care to maintain the property in a safe condition. They must use reasonable care to discover unsafe conditions. Then, they must repair the property or provide adequate warning of the danger.
The party can be liable for a slip and fall accident under the theory of negligence if:
- There was a condition on the property that created an unreasonable risk of harm;
- The party knew or should have known through reasonable care about the dangerous condition; and,
- Failed to repair or protect people from the dangerous condition.
Our legal team searches for evidence proving the legal elements of a premises liability claim. Evidence could include videos and pictures, eyewitness statements, security or surveillance camera footage, and proof of payment to correct the condition after your injury. The sooner you hire our personal injury law firm for your claim, the quicker we can begin to secure evidence to prove your case.
Who Is Liable for a Slip and Fall Accident in San Marcos, CA?
In a premises liability case for a slip and fall accident, one or more parties could be liable for damages. Liable parties could include:
- Property owners
- Businesses
- Government entities
- Landlords
- Tenants
- Property managers
- Negligent third parties
- Any party with control of the property
Our legal team works to identify and name each of the parties who might share liability for your slip and fall injuries. A slip and fall accident can happen anywhere. At Petrov Personal Injury Lawyers, we handle all types of slip and fall claims, including cases that occur in:
- Parking lots and garages
- Stores
- Hotels and resorts
- Schools and playgrounds
- Parks
- Office buildings
- Nursing homes
- Restaurants, bars, and clubs
- Shopping malls
- Gyms
- Government buildings
- Amusement parks
- Entertainment and sporting venues
- Residential property
- Swimming pools and water parks
- Construction sites
- Hospitals and medical facilities
If you fell while on another party’s property, call us to learn how we can help you file a slip and fall accident claim. Our attorneys can help you prove the damages you sustained to recover compensation for your losses.
What Damages Can I Recover for a San Marcos Slip and Fall Accident?
Payment of damages is the remedy the court can provide in a civil lawsuit. The court cannot undo the injury and harm you suffered. However, it can enforce a monetary judgment to compensate you for your losses.
An injured party can receive compensation for their economic and non-economic damages in a premises liability case. Examples of damages for a slip and fall accident include:
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Diminished quality of life
- Past and future medical bills
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Rehabilitative therapies
- In-home and long-term skilled care
- Mental anguish and emotional distress
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Past and future lost wages
- Impairments and disabilities
- A decrease in earning potential
- Physical pain and suffering
The circumstances of your case determine how much your claim is worth. Your injuries are a significant factor in determining the value of damages. However, other factors could also impact the amount of money you receive, including contributory fault.
Can I Recover Compensation for a Slip and Fall Claim if I’m Partially at Fault?
Sometimes, the accident victim may contribute to the cause of their injury. For example, a person might be texting while they are walking. They do not see something blocking the pathway and fall.
A jury might find that the person is partially to blame for their slip and fall injury. If so, the jurors assign a percentage of fault for causing the accident.
Suppose the jury decides the victim is 20% to blame for their fall. If so, the court reduces the award for damages by 20 percent.
Insurance companies and property owners try to shift blame to the victim to avoid liability under the theory of contributory fault. Therefore, we strongly suggest consulting one of our attorneys before you make statements or answer questions about your slip and fall accident.
What Is the Deadline To File a Slip and Fall Lawsuit in San Marcos, CA?
Every civil lawsuit is subject to a statute of limitations that restricts the time to file the lawsuit. Most slip and fall claims in California must be filed within two years of the accident date. If not, the court could dismiss the lawsuit for failure to meet the statute of limitations.
However, the deadline to file your claim could be altered by an exception to the statute of limitations. The parties involved in the case and the circumstances of the case could change the filing deadline for lawsuits.
Therefore, we strongly recommend contacting our office as soon as possible after a slip and fall accident. Our lawyers will discuss your legal options and help you take steps to protect your legal right to compensation for damages.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our San Marcos Slip and Fall Accident Lawyers
You should not be forced to pay for another party’s negligence. Call now to request a free case review from an experienced San Marcos slip and fall accident attorney. At Petrov Personal Injury Lawyers, we are dedicated to helping accident victims receive the compensation they need and deserve.