Premises Liability Attorney in Los Angeles
Injured on Unsafe Property? Get Guidance from a Firm Serving Victims Since 1993
A fall, assault, dog bite, or other injury on someone else’s property can leave you facing difficult questions. Who controlled the area? Should the hazard have been corrected or clearly marked? Depending on the facts, responsibility may rest with a property owner, tenant, manager, contractor, security provider, business operator, or public entity.
At Law Offices of Haleh Shekarchian, we handle unsafe property and slip-and-fall claims for clients across Southern California. We assess the hazard, the responsible party’s control and notice, and the connection between the condition and your injuries.
Call (855) 785-0297 to request a free consultation about an injury on residential, commercial, private, or public property.
Forum Memberships & Flexible Access for Injury Victims
Attorney Haleh Shekarchian is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. We offer services in English, Spanish, and Farsi. If your injuries prevent you from traveling, we can meet with you at home or in the hospital.
We represent clients on a contingency-fee basis. You don’t pay attorney fees unless we recover compensation on your behalf.
Unsafe Property Conditions That May Support a Claim
These claims can arise in homes, businesses, workplaces, and public spaces. A hazard alone doesn’t establish negligence. Responsibility depends on who controlled the area, whether that party knew or should have known about the danger, and whether it caused the injury.
Conditions that may warrant a legal review include:
- Wet floors, uneven pavement, loose carpeting, and other slip and fall hazards
- Broken stairs, missing handrails, damaged walkways, and inadequate lighting
- Negligent security in parking areas, apartment buildings, hotels, or businesses
- Unsafe swimming pools, elevators, escalators, balconies, or falling objects
- Dog bites and other hazards at private homes or rental properties
One location may involve several parties with different duties. A store may lease its space, a management company may oversee common areas, and an outside contractor may perform maintenance or security work. Identifying who controlled the specific area is central to evaluating a claim.
California Premises Liability Standards
California applies ordinary negligence principles to the ownership, maintenance, and use of property. A claim typically requires evidence that a party owned, leased, occupied, or controlled the property, acted negligently, and caused harm through conduct that was a substantial factor in the injury.
Notice of a hazard may also be important. Depending on the circumstances, the evidence may need to show that the responsible party knew or reasonably should have known about the danger but failed to correct it or provide an adequate warning. Under California’s comparative fault rule, an injured person may still recover compensation when partly responsible, but the amount may be reduced according to the assigned share of fault.
Evidence That Can Clarify What Happened
Property conditions can change quickly, and surveillance footage or maintenance records may not remain available indefinitely. Photographs and video, incident and maintenance records, witness accounts, and medical and wage documentation can help establish what happened and show how the injury affected you.
A premises liability lawyer may examine how long the hazard existed, whether inspections occurred, who handled repairs, and whether anyone received prior warnings. Before giving a detailed recorded statement or accepting a settlement, consider obtaining legal advice about the potential scope of your claim.
Compensation & California Filing Deadlines
Depending on the evidence and applicable law, compensation may cover economic losses such as medical expenses, lost income, and reduced earning capacity. It may also account for pain and suffering, emotional distress, and other documented harm. The available categories and amounts depend on the injury, its effects, and any disputed share of fault.
California personal injury lawsuits generally must be filed within two years of the injury, but exceptions may change that period. Claims involving a city, county, school district, transit agency, or another government body commonly require an initial public entity claim within six months. Because the correct deadline depends on the defendant and other facts, prompt case-specific advice is important.
