Who is liable in a premises liability or slip-and-fall case?

Under California law, property owners and occupiers have a duty to maintain their property in a reasonably safe condition. If a dangerous condition on someone else’s property causes your injury, the property owner, tenant, or property manager may be liable.

Common premises liability scenarios include wet floors without warning signs, broken stairs or handrails, inadequate lighting, uneven sidewalks, swimming pool accidents, and negligent security.

To prove a premises liability claim, you generally need to show that the property owner knew or should have known about the dangerous condition and failed to fix it or warn visitors. Document the hazard with photos if possible, report the incident to the property owner, and seek medical attention immediately.