If you slipped, got hurt, or were injured on someone else’s property in Pasadena, you might be wondering what your options are. Property owners have a duty to keep their spaces safe. When they don’t, people get hurt and that’s where we come in.
At the Law Offices of Adrianos Facchetti, we help regular people stand up to landlords, businesses, and even government agencies after a serious injury. Whether it’s a broken stair, a wet floor with no sign, or poor lighting in a parking lot, these aren’t just accidents. They’re preventable.
As a trusted Pasadena personal injury lawyer, Adrianos Facchetti brings real experience and a personal approach. We look at what happened, explain your rights in plain English, and fight to get the compensation you need to recover.
Maybe you were just grabbing groceries. Or dropping off your kids. And then, out of nowhere, you were injured. We help people in exactly that situation every day.
Let’s walk through what happened. We’ll listen. We’ll guide you. And if there’s a case, we’ll go after it.
What Is Premises Liability in California?
Premises liability means property owners must keep their spaces safe. If they don’t and someone gets hurt they can be held responsible under California law.
This comes from Civil Code Section 1714, which says people are responsible for injuries caused by a lack of ordinary care. In plain terms: if someone owns a property, they should fix or warn about anything that could cause harm.
Say you’re walking through a grocery store and slip on a spilled drink that’s been there for hours. That’s not just bad luck it might be a case. That’s when a premises liability attorney in California can step in to help you understand your rights and whether you have a claim.
When Are Property Owners Liable for Injuries?
Understanding the Duty of Care
Owners have a legal duty to keep their properties safe especially for guests, customers, or tenants. In California, the law also makes a distinction between invitees (like shoppers), licensees (like social guests), and trespassers. Each has different protections under the law.
If you’re invited onto someone’s property like a customer at a store the owner must check for hazards and fix them or warn you. It’s not enough to say, “I didn’t know.” They should know. That’s part of their job.
What Constitutes a Breach of Duty?
A breach happens when a property owner knows (or should know) about a danger and doesn’t fix it or give people a heads-up.
Think of a loose handrail on a stairwell in an apartment building. If a tenant reports it, and the landlord ignores it and someone falls that’s a clear breach of duty. We’ve handled cases like that. As your premises liability lawyer, we gather the facts and show where the owner fell short.
Proving Negligence in a Claim
To make a case, we have to show four things: the owner had a duty, they failed it, that failure caused your injury, and you suffered harm like medical bills, lost work, or pain.
Evidence makes the difference. Photos of the hazard, incident reports, witness statements, or maintenance logs can all support your claim. Insurance companies usually won’t hand over fair money unless you have this proof so we help you build a solid case.
Understanding Negligence in a Premises Liability Case
The 5 Elements of Negligence
Every premises liability lawsuit in California relies on the same five elements:
- Duty – The property owner owed you a duty of care
- Breach – They didn’t meet that duty
- Causation – That breach led to your injury
- Damages – You suffered real harm (like medical bills or pain)
- Foreseeability – The risk was something a reasonable person should have expected
Understanding these helps you see where the case stands and where insurance companies might push back.
Degrees of Liability & Landlord Responsibilities
In California, even if you were partly at fault, you can still recover damages. For example, if you didn’t see a warning sign but the hazard was still dangerous and unmarked you may only be partially responsible. The court adjusts the compensation based on that.
Landlords, in particular, have strong legal duties to tenants. Broken lights, loose railings, or pest problems aren’t just annoying they can be the start of a legal claim.
Special Cases: Government Properties and Public Spaces
If your injury happened on public property like a sidewalk or public building the rules change. You’ll need to file a special notice within just six months. These cases are tricky and need fast action.
Our job as your personal injury lawyer in Pasadena, CA, is to handle those rules for you and make sure your claim gets the attention it deserves.
Common Types of Premises Liability Claims We Handle
Slip and Fall / Trip and Fall Accidents
Slip and fall cases are the most common type of premises liability claim. You don’t need to fall far to get hurt just a slick floor, a loose tile, or uneven pavement can lead to serious injury. According to the CDC, more than 800,000 people a year are hospitalized because of a fall, often due to unsafe conditions like poor lighting or wet surfaces.
We’ve seen clients who tripped over a crumbling step at a retail shop or slipped in a grocery aisle with no warning sign. These aren’t just clumsy moments they’re often the result of someone not taking care of their property.
Dog Bites and Animal Attacks
In California, pet owners are strictly liable for bites even if the dog has never shown signs of aggression before. A simple walk in your neighborhood or visit to a friend’s house shouldn’t end in an ER visit.
The state sees thousands of reported dog bites every year. We’ve helped parents whose kids were bitten at a neighbor’s home, and delivery workers injured by dogs while doing their job. When an animal causes harm, the law is on your side.
Poor Maintenance and Unsafe Conditions
Not fixing hazardous conditions like broken stairs, exposed wires, or roof leaks can turn any property into a danger zone. These aren’t hidden issues. They’re signs someone just didn’t care enough to make repairs.
We’ve handled cases where tenants fell down a stairwell with a loose handrail, or customers slipped on leaking AC units that had been ignored for months. When you get hurt because a property wasn’t properly maintained, that’s a premises liability case.
Negligent Security and Assaults
Property owners must think ahead. If they know crime is an issue, they have a duty to take steps like adding lights, hiring security, or fixing broken locks. That’s called foreseeability in the legal world.
We’ve helped victims who were assaulted in poorly lit parking garages or apartment buildings with broken gates. You shouldn’t have to feel unsafe just because you’re walking to your car. When owners ignore warning signs, they can be held responsible.
Swimming Pool Accidents, Fires, or Toxic Exposure
Pools look safe, but without proper fences, covers, or warning signs, they become serious hazards especially for children. Fires and chemical exposure also fall under premises liability laws when they happen due to dangerous conditions like faulty wiring or poor storage.
The CDC reports drowning as one of the top causes of accidental death for kids. We’ve represented families after pool accidents at apartment complexes and homeowners’ properties where basic safety was ignored.
What To Do After a Premises Liability Accident
If you’re hurt on someone else’s property, the first step is always to get medical care even if you’re not sure how serious it is. That checkup helps your health, but it also documents your injuries.
Next, take photos. A wet floor. Broken stairs. A missing sign. These details matter, and they can disappear fast. Try to get contact info from any witnesses and report the incident whether it’s to a manager, landlord, or even police if needed.
Finally, call a lawyer. We understand premises liability laws, and we know how to move quickly to protect your rights. Evidence fades. Security footage gets deleted. Let’s make sure your side of the story doesn’t.
What Compensation Is Available in a Premises Liability Lawsuit?
- Economic Damages - These cover the real costs of your injury. Things like medical bills, hospital stays, rehab, and time you couldn’t work. Maybe you had to hire help at home or take unpaid leave. These losses add up and they’re part of what your premises liability claim should cover.
- Non-Economic Damages - These are the things you can’t put a receipt on: pain, sleepless nights, the stress of not being able to move like you used to. If your injury changed your daily life even temporarily you may be owed for that, too.
- Punitive Damages - When someone’s conduct is especially reckless like ignoring repeated complaints about a hazardous condition or failing to fix a known danger California courts can award punitive damages. It’s rare, but when it applies, it’s meant to send a message.
Data Note: According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the median award in premises liability lawsuits is around $90,000 but settlements can be much higher depending on the injury, fault, and proof.
Who Can You Sue in a Premises Liability Case?
It’s not always clear who’s responsible when you get hurt on someone else’s property. But the law holds different types of property owners and managers accountable when their space becomes unsafe.
If you were injured in someone’s home like a broken step at a backyard party you may have a case against the private homeowner, especially if they knew about the issue and didn’t fix it.
Stores and restaurants also have a duty to keep their places safe. If you slip in a big box store or get hurt by a loose shelf in a shop, that could be on the business or retail chain. These cases often involve insurance companies, and they usually fight hard to pay as little as possible.
Landlords and property managers are also responsible for repairs and safety in common areas like stairwells, elevators, or parking lots. If a broken light leads to a fall or an assault, they could be liable under premises liability laws.
Public property? That’s different. Government entities have their own rules and deadlines. Say you’re injured on a city sidewalk with cracked pavement. You might still have a premises liability claim, but it has to be filed quickly sometimes within just six months.
How Our Pasadena Premises Liability Attorneys Can Help
You don’t have to figure this out on your own. At the Law Offices of Adrianos Facchetti, we know how premises liability lawsuits work and how to build a case that insurance companies take seriously.
We Handle the Investigation and Evidence Collection
Right after an injury, evidence can disappear fast. We move quickly to get things like security footage, photos of the hazardous condition, maintenance logs, and even expert reports when needed. That’s how we show the dangerous conditions weren’t just an accident they were preventable.
We had a client who fell through a rotten step on a rental property. The landlord claimed they had no idea. But the maintenance records we found showed otherwise. That made the case and helped secure a strong settlement.
We Negotiate with Insurance Companies on Your Behalf
Insurance adjusters are trained to minimize your case. They might say your injuries aren’t serious or offer you a small amount upfront. We see it all the time.
Our job is to deal with them, so you don’t have to. We push for real compensation for injuries, not just quick payouts. That includes money for medical care, missed work, and what you’ve had to deal with since.
Trial-Ready Legal Representation When Needed
Most premises liability cases settle but not all of them. If your case needs to go to court, we’re ready. Some lawyers avoid trials. We don’t.
One of our clients was attacked in a dimly lit apartment lot. The property manager denied any responsibility. We took it to trial and showed the jury how long the lighting issue had gone unfixed. That case led to a six-figure verdict and real change at the complex.
You're not just hiring a lawyer. You’re hiring someone who knows how to make your case matter.
FAQs About Premises Liability in California
Is premises liability the same as general liability?
Not quite. General liability is a broader term used mostly for businesses it covers different types of risks, including property damage or injury. Premises liability, on the other hand, is more specific. It focuses on injuries caused by hazardous conditions on a property, like a wet floor, broken steps, or poor lighting. If your injury happened because a place wasn’t safe, that falls under premises liability laws.
Can I sue if my child is injured on someone’s property?
Yes. Children are owed a higher duty of care, especially in places like schools, daycares, or even a neighbor’s backyard. California law recognizes that kids don’t always see danger coming so property owners must take extra steps to keep them safe. We’ve helped families whose children were injured in apartment pools with broken gates or playgrounds in poor condition.
How does homeowners insurance factor into my case?
If you’re hurt at someone’s home, their homeowners insurance usually steps in to cover your claim. That doesn’t mean they’ll write a check right away. Most insurance companies try to settle for as little as possible, even when the owner was clearly at fault. That’s why it helps to have someone fighting for full compensation for your injuries.
What if I was partially at fault?
You can still recover damages. California uses something called comparative negligence, which means your compensation gets reduced by your percentage of fault. So, if you were 20% responsible, you could still recover 80% of your damages. We’ve seen plenty of cases where property owners tried to shift blame we know how to push back.
Schedule a Free Consultation With a Pasadena Premises Liability Lawyer Near You
If you’re hurt and unsure what to do next, let’s talk. A quick call or message can help you figure out if you have a case and what your options look like moving forward.
At the Law Offices of Adrianos Facchetti, we serve clients all across Pasadena and nearby communities. Whether you slipped in a store, got hurt in a rental, or were injured on public property, we want to hear your story.
There’s no charge to talk with us. No pressure. And if we take your case, you don’t pay unless we win. That’s our no win, no fee promise.
Don’t wait evidence disappears fast, and deadlines matter in these cases. Reach out today. Let’s get started.
