Common Questions
Tap a question to read the answer.
Under California Civil Code §1714, property owners owe a duty of care to everyone lawfully on their premises. Liable parties include landlords, commercial property managers, retail stores, hotels, government entities, and elevator/escalator contractors. California’s comparative fault rules mean you can still recover even if partially at fault.
Premises liability applies to: slip and falls on wet or uneven floors, elevator and escalator malfunctions, broken stairs and missing handrails, inadequate lighting, negligent security, dog bites, pool accidents, and structural collapses. If you were lawfully on the property and the owner failed to fix a known hazard, you have a claim.
Yes. Owners must comply with ASME A17.1 and California Title 8 regulations. Maintenance contractors share liability for failures caused by neglected repairs. We obtain maintenance logs through discovery — which often reveal a pattern of ignored safety issues. ASME estimates 17,000 elevator and escalator injuries annually in the US.
This is called spoliation of evidence. Courts may apply an adverse inference against the owner. We send evidence preservation letters immediately upon being retained. Surveillance footage overwrites automatically within 30–72 hours — contact us right away so we can act before it’s gone.
Private property: 2 years from the date of injury under California CCP §335.1. Government-owned property (city sidewalk, public building, county parking structure): you must file a Government Tort Claim within 6 months — missing this permanently bars your claim. Contact us immediately for a free same-day consultation.
Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Joseph Shirazi founded Compass Law Group with one conviction: injured Californians deserve the same caliber of legal representation as the corporations and insurers on the other side. Over his career he has taken cases to jury verdict — including a $13,000,000 trial verdict and a $14,500,000 product liability verdict — and has led a firm that has collectively recovered $250,000,000+ for California injury victims.
National Top 100 Trial Lawyers · Super Lawyers · Avvo Rating 10.0. Licensed by the California State Bar. Speaks English and Farsi. Seven California offices.
Slip, fall, or injury on unsafe property in California?
Property owners, landlords, and businesses have a legal duty to keep their premises safe. If they failed and you got hurt, you may be entitled to full compensation.
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Common Questions
Click a question to read the answer.
Under California Civil Code §1714, property owners owe a duty of care to everyone lawfully on their premises. Liable parties include landlords, commercial property managers, retail stores, hotels, government entities, and elevator/escalator contractors. California’s comparative fault rules mean you can still recover even if partially at fault.
Premises liability applies to: slip and falls on wet or uneven floors, elevator and escalator malfunctions, broken stairs and missing handrails, inadequate lighting, negligent security, dog bites, pool accidents, and structural collapses. If you were lawfully on the property and the owner failed to fix a known hazard, you have a claim.
Yes. Owners must comply with ASME A17.1 and California Title 8 regulations. Maintenance contractors share liability for failures caused by neglected repairs. We obtain maintenance logs through discovery — which often reveal a pattern of ignored safety issues. ASME estimates 17,000 elevator and escalator injuries annually in the US.
This is called spoliation of evidence. Courts may apply an adverse inference against the owner. We send evidence preservation letters immediately upon being retained. Surveillance footage overwrites automatically within 30–72 hours — contact us right away so we can act before it’s gone.
Private property: 2 years from the date of injury under California CCP §335.1. Government-owned property (city sidewalk, public building, county parking structure): you must file a Government Tort Claim within 6 months — missing this permanently bars your claim. Contact us immediately for a free same-day consultation.
Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Joseph Shirazi founded Compass Law Group with one conviction: injured Californians deserve the same caliber of legal representation as the corporations and insurers on the other side. Over his career he has taken cases to jury verdict — including a $13,000,000 trial verdict and a $14,500,000 product liability verdict — and has led a firm that has collectively recovered $250,000,000+ for California injury victims.
National Top 100 Trial Lawyers · Super Lawyers · Avvo Rating 10.0. Licensed by the California State Bar. Speaks English and Farsi. Seven California offices.