Pasadena Slip and fall injury attorney in Los Angeles, California Attorney

A wet floor in a Century City office building. A broken staircase railing in a Koreatown apartment complex. A cracked sidewalk outside a restaurant on Hollywood Boulevard. Slip and fall accidents happen all over Los Angeles, and the injuries they cause — broken hips, traumatic brain injuries, herniated discs — can change a person’s life in a single second.

Property owners in California have a legal duty to keep their premises reasonably safe. When they fail — when they ignore a water leak for weeks, skip repairs on crumbling steps, or forget to put out a wet floor sign — and someone gets hurt, they are liable. At McNally Law Offices, our Los Angeles slip and fall lawyers have over 30 years of experience holding negligent property owners accountable and recovering fair compensation for injured victims.

Where Slip and Fall Accidents Happen in Los Angeles

We handle slip and fall claims from every type of property across LA County:

• Grocery stores and retail shops — Spilled liquids, produce on the floor, freshly mopped surfaces without warning signs, and cluttered aisles. Stores like these have a duty to inspect for hazards regularly.
• Restaurants, bars, and nightclubs — Grease on kitchen floors, wet bathroom tiles, uneven thresholds, and poorly lit staircases.
• Office buildings and commercial properties — Worn carpet, broken elevator thresholds, slippery lobby floors, and parking garage hazards.
• Apartment buildings and rental properties — Broken handrails, unlit stairwells, cracked walkways, and unmaintained common areas. Landlords are responsible for maintaining safe conditions in shared spaces.
• Sidewalks and public property — The City of Los Angeles and LA County can be held liable when cracked or uneven sidewalks, missing curb ramps, or other public property defects cause falls.
• Hotels, resorts, and entertainment venues — Wet pool decks, poorly maintained walkways, and overcrowded spaces where trip hazards go unaddressed.

Proving a Slip and Fall Claim in California

Slip and fall cases are not automatic wins. The property owner’s insurance company will fight hard to deny your claim or blame you for the fall. To win, you need to prove three things:

1. A dangerous condition existed on the property. This could be a wet floor, torn carpet, broken step, insufficient lighting, or any other hazard.

2. The property owner knew about the hazard — or should have known. This is where most cases are fought. We prove notice by showing the hazard existed long enough that a reasonable property owner would have discovered and fixed it, or by finding maintenance logs, inspection records, and prior complaints that show the owner was already aware.

3. The property owner failed to fix the hazard or warn visitors about it. Putting out a cone or a sign is a temporary measure. If the underlying problem persists for days or weeks, the owner has not met their duty.

Our attorneys gather surveillance camera footage, maintenance records, incident reports, and witness testimony to build this proof. The earlier we get involved, the more evidence we can preserve before the property owner has a chance to alter or destroy it.

Common Slip and Fall Injuries

Falls cause injuries across every age group, but they are especially dangerous for older adults. Our clients have suffered:

• Hip fractures — often requiring surgical replacement and months of rehabilitation
• Traumatic brain injuries from hitting the head on floors, stairs, or surrounding objects
• Herniated and bulging discs in the back and neck
• Broken wrists and arms from trying to catch the fall
• Knee injuries including torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus
• Shoulder injuries including rotator cuff tears and separations
• Sprains, strains, and soft tissue injuries that can cause chronic pain

Compensation for Slip and Fall Victims

California law allows you to recover:

• Medical expenses — emergency treatment, surgery, hospitalization, physical therapy, and future care
• Lost wages — time missed from work during recovery and diminished earning capacity for permanent injuries
• Pain and suffering — physical pain, emotional distress, and reduced quality of life
• Out-of-pocket costs — transportation to medical appointments, home modifications, and assistive devices

If you were partially at fault for the fall — for example, you were looking at your phone — California’s comparative negligence rule reduces your recovery by your percentage of fault but does not eliminate it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I have to file a slip and fall lawsuit in California?

Two years from the date of the fall for claims against private property owners. If you fell on government property — a public sidewalk, a city building, a county park — you must file an administrative claim within six months. Contact us immediately so you do not miss a deadline.

What if I did not report the fall to the property owner?

While reporting helps, it is not required to file a claim. We can establish the hazard existed through other evidence — surveillance footage, maintenance records, and witness testimony. However, if you are still at the scene, reporting the incident and asking for a copy of the incident report is always a good idea.

The insurance company says I was wearing the wrong shoes. Does that matter?

Insurance adjusters look for any excuse to deny or reduce claims. Your choice of footwear does not eliminate the property owner’s responsibility to maintain safe conditions. We address these arguments with evidence showing the hazard was the primary cause of your fall.

Contact Our Los Angeles Slip and Fall Lawyers

If you were hurt in a fall on someone else’s property in Los Angeles County, McNally Law Offices can help you hold the property owner accountable. We serve clients from our Pasadena and Century City offices.

Call (626) 584-5744 for a free consultation. We take cases on a contingency basis — you owe nothing unless we recover compensation for you.