You Fell, and Now You Have Questions. A Slip and Fall Lawyer in Los Angeles Who Starts With Where It Happened.”
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Slip/Trip and fall injuries are some of the most common personal injury claims in California, but the rules that apply can depend on where the fall happened and who owns or controls the property. Akaragian Law helps injured people throughout Los Angeles understand what type of claim they may have and who may be responsible.
One Fall, Possible Different Legal Paths
A slip/trip and fall can happen in seconds: a wet floor with no warning sign, a torn carpet edge, a poorly lit stairwell, a cracked sidewalk. What happens next can depend on where you fell.
If you slipped/tripped and fell at a business, at your job, or on a public sidewalk in Los Angeles, you may be dealing with pain, missed work, and uncertainty about what to do next. Here is what some people don't realize until later: the legal path for a slip/trip and fall looks different depending on whether a private business, your employer, or a government entity is involved. A fall at a grocery store follows California's standard personal injury rules. A fall at your own workplace (assuming the dangerous condition resulted out of your employment)) is generally handled through the workers' compensation system. A fall on a city sidewalk comes with a shorter filing deadline.
Akaragian Law works with people hurt in slip/trip and fall accidents throughout Los Angeles. We help identify what type of claim applies to your situation, who the responsible party may be, and what deadlines govern your case.
What to Expect When You Work With Akaragian Law on a Slip/Trip and Fall Claim
Free Consultation & Claim Assessment: We start by reviewing what happened and trying to identify what type of claim applies, whether that's a premises liability claim against a business, a workers' compensation claim through your employer, a third-party claim connected to a workplace, or a government claim against a public entity.
Case Investigation: If we move forward, we investigate the condition(s) that caused the fall, identify the responsible party or parties, and try to preserve evidence, including by photos, incident reports, and surveillance footage.
Communication & Updates: You will know where things stand. Clear, direct communication throughout your case is something we take seriously.
Pursuing Compensation: Slip/trip and fall claims may include compensation for medical costs, lost wages, and the impact your injury has had on daily life. Personal injury and premises liability cases are handled on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay no attorney's fees or costs unless a recovery is obtained.
Why Los Angeles Slip/Trip and Fall Victims Choose Akaragian Law
Slip/Trip and fall claims are rarely as simple as they first appear. The same fall can raise different legal questions depending on whether it happened at a business, at work, or on public property, and getting that distinction right early can affect the entire direction of a claim.
Our promise is straightforward. You get honest answers about what your case looks like, clear communication throughout the process, and a team that takes the legal complexity off your plate so you can focus on recovering. You are never passed off or treated like a file number.
Armen Akaragian has built a reputation as the slip/trip and fall lawyer Los Angeles families turn to when they don't know where else to start. You can learn more about Armen Akaragian and verify his standing through the California State Bar's official attorney profile. He is locally established, actively licensed, and committed to serving clients throughout Los Angeles.
What clients typically value most about working with our firm:
Clear, direct communication throughout their case
Practical guidance on claims that come with rules some people have never encountered
A team that treats them like a person, not a file number
Sabi
“Very caring and responsive. My family has used him 3 times. He’s always come through for us. Excellent attorney. Highly recommend.”
What is a slip/trip and fall claim?
A slip/trip and fall accident is an injury that occurs when a person slips, trips, or falls because of a hazardous condition on someone else's property, such as a wet floor, uneven pavement, loose flooring, or poor lighting. It is a type of premises liability claim, meaning it centers on whether the party who owned or controlled the property acted reasonably in keeping the property in a safe condition. Akaragian Law serves as a premises liability lawyer Los Angeles residents contact after a fall at a business, a rental property, or another private location.
Who is responsible for a slip/trip and fall in Los Angeles?
Under California Civil Code § 1714, property owners and businesses have a general duty to exercise reasonable care to keep their premises safe. For most slip/trip and fall claims against a store, restaurant, or other business, California courts apply an actual or constructive notice standard, including that established in Ortega v. Kmart Corp. (2001) 26 Cal.4th 1200: to recover, an injured person typically must show that the hazardous condition existed long enough that the property owner knew, or reasonably should have known, about it and failed to correct it or provide adequate warning.
For claims against a retailer specifically, Akaragian Law acts as a store accident lawyer Los Angeles shoppers can call after a fall caused by a hazardous floor, spill, or blocked aisle.
What if my slip/trip and fall happened at work?
Workplace slip/trip and falls are common. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, slips, trips, and falls account for roughly 27% of nonfatal workplace injuries nationally, and according to California's Department of Industrial Relations, slips, trips, and falls are consistently among the leading causes of nonfatal workplace injury in the State as well.
If you slipped/tripped and fell due to the actions of your employer, California's workers' compensation system is generally the exclusive remedy against your employer under Labor Code § 3600. This is a no-fault system: you do not need to prove your employer was negligent to receive medical benefits and wage loss, but in exchange, you generally cannot sue your employer directly for additional damages such as pain and suffering. Two deadlines apply: you must generally notify your employer within 30 days of the injury (Labor Code § 5400), and you generally must file a workers' compensation claim within one year of the injury date (Labor Code § 5405).
A separate personal injury claim may still exist alongside, or instead of, a workers' compensation claim in certain situations:
Third-party negligence. If a delivery driver, contractor, cleaning company, or property management company, rather than your employer, created or failed to address the hazard, you may have a personal injury claim against that third party.
Non-employee injuries. Customers, vendors, and visitors are not covered by workers' compensation. A slip/trip and fall involving a non-employee at a workplace does not fall within the workers compensation system.
Akaragian Law handles third-party premises liability claims connected to workplace slip and falls, and we can help determine which path, or combination of paths, applies to your situation.
What if I fell on a public sidewalk or other government property?
Los Angeles has an estimated 9,000 miles of sidewalks, and a portion has been reported as damaged or in need of repair. Following the 2015 Willits v. City of Los Angeles class action settlement, the City committed an estimated $1.37 to $1.4 billion over 30 years toward sidewalk, curb ramp, and walkway repairs, an acknowledgment of how widespread the disrepair had become.
Claims involving a fall on a public sidewalk, in a public building, or on other government-owned property are treated differently than claims against a private business. Under the California Government Claims Act (Government Code § 911.2), an injured person typically must file a formal government tort claim with the responsible public entity within six months of the date of injury, before any lawsuit may be filed. Missing this deadline typically bars the claim entirely, regardless of how serious the injury is. Sidewalk claims against a public entity also generally require showing that the entity had actual or constructive notice of the dangerous condition, similar in concept to the Ortega standard for private property, but evaluated under government claims law rather than ordinary premises liability.
As a sidewalk accident lawyer Los Angeles residents rely on, Akaragian Law helps injured pedestrians navigate the shorter six-month government claims deadline.
Where the Fall Happened, at a Glance
| Where It Happened | Potentially Responsible Party(ies) | Filing Deadline | Potential Issues |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private business (store, restaurant, office) | Property owner or business | Typically 2 years: personal injury statute of limitations | Constructive or actual notice of the hazard (Ortega v. Kmart Corp.) |
| Your own workplace (as an employee) | Employer, through workers' compensation | Typically 30 days to notify employer; typically 1 year to file claim (Lab. Code § 5400, § 5405) | Employer created the hazard |
| Workplace, but caused by a non-employer third party | Contractor, vendor, delivery company, or property manager | Typically 2 years: personal injury statute of limitations | Property was in a dangerous condition |
| Public sidewalk or other government property | City or public entity | Typically 6 months: Government Claims Act (Gov. Code § 911.2) | Actual or constructive notice of the dangerous condition |
What should you do after a slip/trip and fall in Los Angeles?
If needed, get medical care first. Your health is the priority. Some injuries, including soft-tissue damage and head injuries, may not be immediately apparent. A medical record connecting your injuries to the fall can be useful for any subsequent claim.
If you can, report the fall. If it happened at a business, notify someone who works there. If it happened at work, notify your employer and request a DWC-1 claim form. If it happened on public property, note the exact location so it can be reported.
Document the scene if you can safely do so. Take photos of the hazard, the surrounding area, and your injuries. Note the date, time, and any contributing conditions such as lighting or weather.
Gather witness information. Names and contact details from anyone who saw the fall can be essential. Surveillance footage, where it exists, is often preserved for only a limited period.
Be cautious with recorded statements. It may be wise not to give a recorded statement to an insurance company or claims adjuster before understanding your rights.
Contact a slip/trip and fall attorney Los Angeles residents trust to learn about your rights. Because the filing deadline can be as short as six months for a government claim or as long as two years for a private premises claim, acting sooner can help preserve evidence and clarify which deadline applies to your situation.
Slip and Fall FAQs
If you want to talk through your situation, view all FAQs or call us directly at (818) 922-8522 for a free consultation.
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Premises liability is the legal theory holding property owners and businesses responsible for injuries caused by unsafe conditions on their property when they knew, or reasonably should have known, about the hazard and failed to address it.
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Generally, yes. Under Ortega v. Kmart Corp., an injured person typically must show the hazardous condition existed long enough that the owner knew or should have known about it or that the owner created it.
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California uses a pure comparative negligence system under Civil Code § 1714, meaning your recovery may be reduced by your percentage of fault, but you are not barred from filing simply because you may have been partly responsible.
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Possibly, many firms handle both workers' compensation claims and any related third-party personal injury claims that may exist alongside them. Akaragian Law does not handle workers’ compensation claims, but knows firm(s) that do.
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Claims against a public entity generally require filing a formal government tort claim within six months of the injury under the California Government Claims Act, a much shorter window than the standard two-year personal injury deadline.
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Written by Armen Akaragian. Armen is a seasoned injury attorney with over twenty years of experience and a track record of winning high-stakes injury cases. Known for his hands-on approach and care for clients, Armen has secured multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements across California. Armen has represented victims against major corporations and earned recognition as a top-rated auto accident attorney. Whether you need steady guidance or aggressive representation, Armen brings a personal touch and experience to every case.
If you're looking for a slip/trip and fall lawyer Los Angeles trusts, Akaragian Law is here to help. As a Los Angeles slip/trip and fall attorney, Armen Akaragian will listen carefully, answer your questions honestly, and help your family understand your options under California law. Call (818) 922-8522 or request a free consultation using the form below.
