Compensations for Stairway Accidents in California

Victims who have been injured while slipping and falling on stairs can ask for compensations for their accidents. These types of surfaces can have obvious defects which the owner did not attend to or they can have construction defects and even present dangers in certain conditions like rain or snow. The owner of the house or area in which the stairs can be found is usually the one who is liable for the personal injury. However, the victim also has a duty of care and should foresee evident dangers when walking on stairs.

If you have been injured in a stairway accident or a slip and fall accident that took place on a set of stairs, you can request the help of a Los Angeles personal injury attorney.

Stairway accidents in California

Stairs can present different types of dangers and personal injury cases that involve tripping or falling on stairs rely on the victim’s ability to figure out why the accident happen and if and how the blame can be attributed to the individual maintaining the stairs.

The following issues can be considered when you have been involved in a stairway accident:

– if the surface was slippery;

– wet or icy outdoor stairs;

– building defects: the stairs had no handrails, they had an improper height or depth or they were uneven.

Like in other premises accidents, in stairway injuries cases the plaintiff must be able to provide enough evidence to support his claim that the defendant is liable for the condition of the stairs and thus the accident. This can be easily proved if the surface became slippery because of someone else’s direct negligence like an employee who spilled liquid or who knew about the surface’s defects and did not attend to them. In this case, the comparative negligence rule can apply and the defendant may make a claim that you should have been more careful and notice the spillage. 

An important element when analyzing a slip and fall claim is the owner’s conduct, for example, whether or not he is making an effort to make the property safe. Plaintiffs who are hurt on premises that are poorly kept have a high chance at claiming more compensations, especially because the owner should have been more attentive to the state of his premises.

A personal injury attorney in Los Angeles can help build the case based on these issues.

In those situations in which the accident was caused by a building defect the owner can be held liable for noncompliance with the legislation in force. An attorney can help determine if the owner of the stairs has violated the Building Code and can be held liable for not meeting the standard safety measures. 

You can watch a video about stairway accidents: 

Obtain the right compensations, helped by an Los Angeles personal injury attorney

After a stairway fall that has resulted in injuries, you may be entitled to compensation for your damages if the owner or another party was negligent. You can receive compensation for the medical expenses and any future medical expenses after the accident. Your claim can also include damages for lost wages and pain and suffering.

According to the California statute of limitations, you only have a limited amount of time to take legal action in a personal injury case: generally two years from the injury (Code of Civil Procedure §335.1), and only six months to file a written claim if the stairs belong to a public entity (Government Code §911.2).

Liability for stair accidents

Proving liability for stairway accidents will often include the need to show that the owner of the premises where the accident took place was negligent. This is established by showing that he or she has an obvious duty of care, failed to provide said care and thus directly caused the injury. The victim will also need to show, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the injuries were sustained in the accident and not in another situation. Violations of the building code, such as improper stair height or depth and improper handrails or the absence thereof can also be causes for stairway accidents and should be researched with the help of an expert.

Liability for stair accidents can be shown by proving that the owner/a responsible employee knew about the hazardous condition of the stairs and did nothing about it or that the owner/employee was the one to cause the dangerous condition. Failure to properly signal a hazardous area, like a slippery surface, can also be held against the owner of the premises.

A Los Angeles personal injury attorney can help you gather evidence and negotiate with the insurance company and/or the defendant if needed.

If you have been involved in a stairway accident, you can contact us through the form for more information about the steps you can take.

Were you injured in a stairway accident and were improperly treated once you got to the hospital? There are many reasons any physicians can fail to diagnose or treat an injury in a proper manner and human error is an explanation. If your injury was aggravated by mistreatment or misdiagnosis, medical malpractice lawyers in Los Angeles can help you claim compensation.

Are you interested in other types of accidents? This site covers many areas and types of injuries, including information for mothers who are looking for rightful financial compensation for the injuries they sustained themselves, or those their newborn was subject to, as a direct result of a doctor’s wrongful acts during childbirth. Contact birth injury attorneys in Los Angeles for more information.

Information is also available on other personal injury cases:

– truck accident attorneys in Los Angeles, 

– brain injury attorneys in Los Angeles,

– slip and fall lawyers in Los Angeles,

– wrongful death attorney in Los Angeles