Los Angeles Premises Liability Lawyer
Los Angeles premises liability representation for slip and fall, negligent security, and dangerous property conditions — no fee unless we win.
California Personal Injury Legal Services
No-fee-unless-we-win personal injury representation across California. We handle car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, slip and fall injuries, dog bites, medical malpractice, wrongful death, and catastrophic injuries.
California Personal Injury Law
California follows pure comparative negligence (Civil Code). Two-year statute of limitations for personal injury, three years for property damage. We fight insurance companies to maximize your compensation.
Free case evaluation: (818) 514-7680.
Fees, Costs and Case Results
Where representation is offered on a contingency basis there is no attorney fee unless we recover, and the firm advances case costs — filing fees, expert witnesses and medical records — which are then repaid out of any recovery. If there is no recovery, you owe no attorney fee. The specific terms that apply to a matter are set out in the written fee agreement for that matter.
Where this site refers to a verdict, settlement or court order, that result was dependent on the facts of that case, and results will differ if based on different facts. Past results do not predict or guarantee the outcome of any other matter, and no particular outcome is promised or guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is premises liability under California law?
- Premises liability is the legal responsibility of a property owner or occupier for injuries caused by unsafe conditions on their property. Under California Civil Code § 1714, everyone is responsible for injuries caused by their lack of ordinary care in managing their property. The California Supreme Court in Rowland v. Christian (1968) 69 Cal.2d 108 replaced the old categories of invitee, licensee, and trespasser with a single duty of reasonable care owed to everyone lawfully on the property. To win, you generally must show the owner knew or should have known of a dangerous condition and failed to fix it or warn about it.
- What kinds of accidents are premises liability cases?
- Premises liability covers a wide range of injuries on unsafe property: slip-, trip-, and fall accidents; negligent security and assaults that a property owner could have prevented; falling merchandise or objects; stairway, escalator, and elevator accidents; swimming-pool drownings; balcony, deck, and ceiling collapses; inadequate lighting; and dangerous conditions in stores, apartments, hotels, restaurants, parking lots, and public property. We also handle dog attacks that occur because of unsafe premises, and burn or fire injuries caused by code violations.
- How do I prove the property owner was at fault?
- You must show the owner had notice of the hazard — either actual notice (they knew about it) or constructive notice (the condition existed long enough that they should have discovered it through reasonable inspection) — and failed to repair it or warn visitors. We gather incident reports, surveillance video, inspection and maintenance records, prior-complaint history, and witness testimony, and we use the negligence framework of CACI No. 1000 (premises liability) and CACI No. 400. Quick action matters, because surveillance video is often overwritten within days.
- What is negligent security, and when is a property owner responsible for a crime?
- Negligent security is a type of premises liability where a property owner fails to provide reasonable safety measures — adequate lighting, functioning locks, security cameras, or guards — and that failure allows a foreseeable assault, robbery, or other crime to harm a visitor. California courts weigh the foreseeability of the crime, often based on prior similar incidents in the area, against the burden of providing security. Apartment complexes, hotels, parking structures, bars, and shopping centers are common negligent-security defendants.
- How long do I have to file a premises liability lawsuit in Los Angeles?
- California's statute of limitations for premises liability is two years from the date of injury under Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1. If the dangerous condition was on government property — a public sidewalk, park, building, or transit facility — you must first file an administrative government claim within six months under Government Code § 911.2, and claims for a dangerous condition of public property have their own requirements under Government Code § 835. These deadlines are strict, so contact a Los Angeles premises liability lawyer promptly.
- What if I was partly responsible for my own fall or injury?
- You can still recover. California follows pure comparative negligence under Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804, so your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault but is not barred even if you were mostly at fault. Property owners and their insurers routinely argue that a hazard was "open and obvious" or that the victim was not watching where they were going. We counter these defenses with evidence about lighting, distractions, code violations, and the owner's own failures.
- What compensation can I recover in a premises liability case?
- California allows recovery of economic and non-economic damages: past and future medical expenses, lost wages and loss of earning capacity, rehabilitation and in-home care, and — under CACI No. 3905A — pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. Punitive damages may be available where the conduct was malicious, oppressive, or reckless. Serious premises injuries, such as a traumatic brain or spinal cord injury from a fall, can involve lifelong care documented through a life-care plan.
- How much does a Los Angeles premises liability lawyer cost?
- We handle premises liability cases on a contingency fee, which means you pay nothing upfront and no attorney's fee unless we win. We advance the costs of investigation, video and records preservation, expert witnesses, and litigation, and recover our fee only from the settlement or verdict. The initial consultation is free and confidential, so you can pursue full compensation without financial risk.
Contact Trembach Law Firm
Trembach Law Firm, APC
27001 Agoura Road, Suite 350, Calabasas, CA 91301
Phone: (818) 514-7680
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