Whether you’re visiting a store, a friend’s home, or even an amusement park, you deserve safety. Premises liability law protects you when you’re injured because a property owner was negligent, meaning they didn’t take reasonable steps to ensure their property was safe.
If you were hurt because of a hazardous condition on someone else’s property, you may have a premises liability claim. At Berg Injury Lawyers in Fresno, our premises liability lawyers are dedicated to fighting for your rights and helping you get the compensation you deserve.
Understanding Premises Liability
Premises liability cases arise from many causes, all involving unsafe conditions on someone else’s property. Common examples include:
- Slip-and-Fall Accidents: These accidents often occur due to wet or slippery floors, unsecured rugs and carpets, uneven surfaces, potholes, inadequate lighting, or debris and other trip hazards left in walkways. Property owners have a responsibility to maintain their premises and to warn visitors of any of these hazards if those hazards cannot be immediately removed or mitigated.
- Swimming Pool Accidents: Swimming pools are full of potential hazards that can cause injuries, including drain entrapments, slippery surfaces leading to painful and disabling falls, head injuries from diving into shallow areas, defective ladders/diving boards, and more.
Pool owners must ensure that these hazards are mitigated as much as possible and that warnings are posted to help guests avoid them when they’re present. - Attractive Nuisance: The “attractive nuisance” doctrine recognizes that pools can be especially alluring to children, making it crucial to prevent unauthorized access. It also applies to playground equipment, trampolines, and other potentially dangerous attractions.
Property owners with swimming pools and other items or features that are enticing to children have a heightened responsibility to ensure safety by installing proper fencing and posting clear warning signs. - Negligent Security: Property owners, particularly those of commercial establishments, must provide reasonable security measures to protect visitors from foreseeable crimes. This may include security guards, surveillance cameras, proper lighting, and well-maintained locks.
- Dog Bites: Dog owners in California are strictly liable for injuries caused by their dogs, even if the dog has never displayed aggression before. Owners must take reasonable steps to prevent their dog from biting and to warn others about it.
- Fire Hazards: Property owners must adhere to fire codes and regulations to prevent fires and ensure safe evacuation in an emergency. This includes maintaining fire alarms, extinguishers, and clear exit routes.
- Exposure to Toxic Substances: Property owners can also be held liable for injuries caused by exposure to hazardous substances on their properties, such as asbestos, lead paint, mold, or chemicals.
These are just a few examples of the many scenarios that can lead to a premises liability claim in Fresno. If you’ve been injured on someone else’s property, it’s important to document the accident scene and your injuries, seek medical attention, and consult with an experienced premises liability attorney to determine if you have a valid claim.
Slip-and-Fall Accidents in Fresno
Slip-and-fall accidents are among the most common types of premises liability cases. They can happen in grocery stores and restaurants, as well as in apartment buildings, on sidewalks, and in parking lots. Hazards such as wet floors, uneven pavement, broken stairs, poor lighting, and cluttered walkways can lead to painful injuries.
Why Slip-and-Falls Happen
In many cases, these accidents occur because property owners or managers fail to keep their spaces safe. That might mean not cleaning up spills quickly, ignoring uneven flooring, skipping regular safety inspections, or failing to warn visitors about temporary hazards. Even short-term conditions like rainwater tracked into a store or construction debris left in a hallway can create serious dangers.
Where Slip-and-Falls Commonly Occur in Fresno
Slip-and-falls often happen in everyday places across Fresno:
- Grocery stores and retail shops with wet floors, spills, or cluttered aisles
- Restaurants where food and drink spills aren’t cleaned up promptly
- Sidewalks and parking lots with cracks, potholes, or ice in winter months
- Apartment complexes and private homes with poor lighting or loose flooring
- Public attractions or pool areas, where slippery surfaces create fall risks
Your Legal Rights After a Fall
Under California law, property owners and managers have a duty to maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition for visitors. If they fail to do so and you’re injured as a result, they can be held financially responsible for your medical bills, lost wages, and other damages.
If you’ve been hurt in a slip-and-fall accident, seek medical attention immediately, report the incident to the property owner, and document everything you can. Our lawyers can handle the investigation, gather evidence, and pursue full compensation on your behalf.
Swimming Pool Accidents and Injuries
Fresno’s warm weather makes pools popular year-round—but they’re also dangerous. Pool owners must follow safety standards to protect guests. When they fail to maintain their property, supervise swimmers, or secure the area, people get hurt.
Common Swimming Pool Hazards
- Wet or slippery pool decks and missing safety signage
- Faulty or unmaintained equipment, such as drains, ladders, and diving boards
- Lack of lighting in evening or indoor pool areas
- Poor supervision, especially when children are present
- Chemical imbalances or electrical hazards
- Missing or inadequate fencing, which can allow children unsupervised access
These conditions can cause drowning, near-drowning, head and spinal injuries, broken bones, and severe infections or chemical burns.
Who May Be Responsible
Several parties may share liability for a pool-related accident:
- The property owner or management company for failing to maintain safety standards
- Maintenance contractors who are responsible for upkeep
- Equipment manufacturers if a defect contributed to the injury
- Lifeguards or supervising staff for negligent monitoring
- Public entities, if a city, school, or county facility operated the pool
Recovering Compensation After a Pool Accident
Victims of pool-related injuries may be eligible for compensation for:
- Emergency medical treatment and ongoing care
- Lost wages and loss of future earning capacity
- Pain and suffering, emotional distress, or trauma
- Long-term rehabilitation or therapy
- Permanent disability or disfigurement
Swimming pool cases often involve multiple liable parties. Our team investigates what happened, works with safety experts, and holds negligent parties accountable.
Proving Negligence in a Premises Liability Case
To win a premises liability claim, you must prove that the property owner:
- Owned or controlled the property where the accident occurred,
- Knew or should have known about the dangerous condition, and
- Failed to fix or warn visitors about it in a reasonable amount of time.
Evidence like photos, witness statements, inspection logs, and security footage can prove negligence. We gather this evidence quickly to build strong cases.
Common Injuries in Premises Liability Cases
Premises liability accidents can result in a wide range of injuries, some minor and others life-altering. Common injuries include:
- Broken Bones (Fractures): These are often caused by falls, especially in slip-and-fall accidents or incidents involving stairs or escalators.
- Soft Tissue Injuries: These include sprains, strains, and contusions, which can cause pain, swelling, and limited mobility.
- Lacerations and Abrasions: Cuts and scrapes can occur due to falls, contact with sharp objects, or debris.
- Burns: These can result from fires, exposure to hot surfaces, or chemical spills.
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI): These can range from mild concussions to severe brain damage, resulting in cognitive, emotional, and physical impairments.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: These injuries can result in partial or complete paralysis, significantly impacting a person’s quality of life.
Some injuries can require extensive medical treatment, physical therapy, and rehabilitation, leading to substantial medical bills and lost wages from needing to take time off work. In severe cases, the injuries may be permanent, causing lifelong disability and pain.
Where to Get Treatment for a Premises Liability Injury in Fresno
When you’re injured on a dangerous property, you need immediate medical treatment. Fresno is home to many top-rated hospitals and healthcare clinics, many of which have 24/7 emergency departments or availability. Local facilities that can treatment premises liability injuries include:
Make sure to inform your doctor how the injury occurred when you receive treatment.
How to Hold Negligent Property Owners Accountable
If you were injured on a dangerous property, there’s a good chance you’re not the only victim. Unfortunately, many property owners refuse to make their properties safe for guests, even after multiple injuries occur. Thankfully, the City of Fresno provides a means for residents to report dangerous and substandard buildings.
In Fresno, residents can report unsafe or substandard properties through the City of Fresno’s Code Enforcement Division, which investigates complaints about dangerous structures, neglected maintenance, or safety hazards. Reporting these issues not only protects others but can also support your claim if you were injured due to similar conditions.
Compensation for Premises Liability Injuries
If you’ve been injured due to a property owner’s negligence, you may be entitled to various types of compensation to help you recover and rebuild your life:
- Medical Expenses: This covers all costs associated with your medical treatment, including hospital stays, doctor visits, surgeries, medication, physical therapy, and any future medical care you may need.
- Lost Wages and Future Earnings: If your injuries prevent you from working, you can seek compensation for your current and future lost income.
- Pain and Suffering: This includes compensation for the physical pain and emotional distress caused by your injuries.
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life: If your injuries have diminished your ability to participate in activities you once loved, you may be able to recover compensation for this loss.
- Disability and Disfigurement: If your injuries have resulted in permanent disability or disfigurement, you may be entitled to compensation for the impact on your life.
The amount of compensation you can recover after an injury on someone else’s property depends on the severity of your injuries, the impact on your life, and the specific circumstances of your case. Our experienced Fresno premises liability lawyers can carefully evaluate your case and fight for the maximum compensation you deserve.
How to Help Your Lawyer Build Your Premises Liability Injury Case
Winning a premises liability claim requires plenty of evidence that proves the property owner was negligent. Important evidence that can help increase your chances of success includes:
- Pictures of the dangerous property and conditions that led to your injuries
- Pictures of your injuries
- Witness statements
- Medical records of any treatment you received
- A copy of the accident report filed, if your injury occurred at a business or location open to the public
If your premises liability injury resulted in a police investigation, you can also request a copy of the police report through the City of Fresno’s Public Records Center.
Choose Our Fresno Premises Liability Lawyers
If you’ve been injured on someone else’s property due to their negligence, you don’t have to navigate the legal system alone. The experienced Fresno premises liability attorneys at Berg Injury Lawyers are here to help. We understand the complexities of premises liability law and have a proven track record of success in securing compensation for our clients.
Our team can handle every aspect of your case, from investigating the accident and gathering evidence to negotiating with insurance companies and, if necessary, representing you in court. We’re committed to providing personalized attention and aggressive advocacy to help you achieve the best possible outcome.
Don’t let a premises liability injury derail your life. Contact Berg Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation. And with our No Fee Guarantee®, if you don’t win, you pay nothing.
