Slip and Fall Attorney in San Francisco
No win, no fee slip and fall attorneys in San Francisco: You pay no attorney’s fees unless we recover compensation for you.
Injured in a slip and fall accident in San Francisco? You know it only takes a cracked sidewalk or a wet grocery store floor to change everything. Suddenly, you’re facing painful injuries, expensive medical bills, and time away from work. And all because someone didn’t take proper care.
You shouldn’t have to pay for someone else’s negligence.
Property owners in California have a legal duty to keep their premises reasonably safe. If they don’t, and you were injured as a result, you may have the right to seek compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.
Stoll & Haynes is a San Francisco slip and fall attorney firm that has represented injury victims for 30+ years. We handle everything on a no win, no fee basis, so you can focus on healing.
Why Choose Our San Francisco Slip and Fall Lawyers?
It’s simple: Choosing the right lawyer can make all the difference in the outcome of your case.
Here at Stoll & Haynes, we care passionately about helping injury victims recover the compensation they truly deserve. Filing a slip and fall claim shouldn’t have to be a stressful process.
Our slip and fall attorneys in San Francisco offer:
- Decades of experience: We’ve proudly supported personal injury victims in San Francisco since 1994.
- Proven results: We’ve recovered substantial settlements for people injured in slip and fall accidents.
- No win, no fee representation: You don’t pay anything unless we recover compensation for you.
Our team has extensive experience in this area of personal injury law. Here’s an example of one of our success stories:
Slip and fall in store
Amount awarded: $350,000
A customer was injured after tripping over signage in a store, leading to a foot fracture and complications. Our attorneys held the store accountable for failing to maintain a safe environment for its customers.
Meet Our San Francisco Slip and Fall Lawyers
Learn more about the Stoll & Haynes team:
Albert G. Stoll, Jr.
Al has more than three decades of personal injury law experience. He has an AV Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
Walter A. Haynes IV
Walt represents victims in personal injury matters like slips and falls. He is co-founder of the San Francisco Lawyers Network.
Joseph Cagigas
Joseph is a San Francisco personal injury attorney who can work with you to prove fault and hold the negligent party accountable.
Michael Seville
Michael has extensive experience in personal injury and wrongful death. He can fight for justice on your behalf after a slip and fall.
What Is a Slip and Fall Accident?
A slip and fall, in the context of premises liability, happens when an individual is injured due to hazardous conditions on someone else’s property. A San Francisco slip and fall attorney can hold the responsible party accountable.
Slips and falls can occur almost anywhere, from sidewalks to grocery stores to apartment buildings. However, we find that the underlying issue is the same: the property wasn’t kept safe.
Under California law, property owners (and those who control property) have an obligation to keep their premises in a reasonably safe condition. Typically, this means inspecting the property or taking other steps to find hazards. If a dangerous condition is discovered, or would have been discovered through reasonable care, they must fix it or give a clear warning if it can’t be fixed right away.
Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents in San Francisco
Slips and falls can happen for various reasons, including:
- Wet or mopped floors without warning signs
- Uneven or broken sidewalks (may be more common in areas of San Francisco with older architecture, such as Haight-Ashbury and Jackson Square)
- Cracked steps
- Loose rugs or carpeting
- Poor lighting
- Broken or missing handrails
- Ice or debris on walkways
Whatever the cause of your accident, getting legal guidance from a reputable slip and fall accident lawyer is critical. In California, you generally have 2 years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury claim for a slip and fall. If you miss this deadline, you may miss out on compensation that’s rightfully yours.
Recommended reading: What To Do After a Slip and Fall
Slip and Fall Injuries
Serious injuries that result from slip and fall accidents include:
- Broken bones and fractures
- Head injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Hip injuries
- Shoulder and knee damage
- Torn ligaments
However, physical injuries don’t always tell the whole story. Victims may also experience anxiety or PTSD after a slip and fall, with the emotional effects not visible on an X-ray.
We think this is unacceptable. Property owners must be held accountable for what happened. Otherwise, more people might end up getting seriously hurt, both physically and mentally.
Places where slip and fall injuries can occur
If hazards are not addressed, certain locations in San Francisco can present conditions where slips and falls may be more likely:
- Grocery stores (mopped floors, crowded aisles)
- Sidewalks and crosswalks (uneven pavement)
- Restaurants (food/drink spills)
- Hospitals (slippery surfaces from frequent cleaning)
- Construction sites (debris, uneven ground)
- Parking lots (poor lighting, oil spills)
Damages You Can Recover with a Slip and Fall Claim
If you were injured in a slip and fall in the Bay Area, you may be entitled to compensation depending on your situation. Damages are normally divided into the following categories:
Economic damages
These cover all the financial losses associated with your accident, such as:
- Medical expenses (past and future)
- Lost wages
- Lost or reduced earning capacity
- Property damage (damaged clothing, personal belongings, etc.)
Non-economic damages
These are intangible losses after an accident. In other words, things you can’t assign a price to:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium (the impact of your accident on relationships with your spouse or family)
Punitive damages
In rare cases of malice or extreme recklessness, the court may award punitive damages. These are meant to punish the at-fault party for their wrongdoing and prevent the same thing from happening again.
Wonder how much compensation you might actually receive? Stoll & Haynes can determine what your claim may be worth based on the average slip and fall settlement in California.
Slip and fall risk in San Francisco
San Francisco has unique conditions that may increase the likelihood of a slip and fall accident:
- The steep hills our city is famous for can create uneven walking surfaces.
- Frequent fog and moisture often leave sidewalks and steps damp and slippery.
- Older buildings may have broken steps or flooring.
Understanding Premises Liability in California
Slips and falls fall under premises liability. This is a legal principle that holds property owners liable for injuries caused by unsafe conditions on their property.
Under California law, property owners are expected to inspect their premises regularly and fix any hazards like wet floors or broken steps. If they can’t repair a hazard immediately, they must warn visitors about the risk.
When property owners don’t take the right precautions, innocent people like you often pay the price. A premises liability lawyer with experience in slip and fall cases can help you understand your rights.
Falls are the leading cause of non-fatal injury emergency department visits in the U.S., according to the CDC.
How to Prove a Slip and Fall Case in California
Want to recover compensation after a slip and fall? You need to prove that the property owner was negligent. In California, this typically involves establishing four elements, which we can help you with:
1. Duty of care
Property owners must maintain reasonably safe conditions for visitors at all times. That’s the law.
2. Breach of duty
You need to show that the property owner failed to fix a dangerous condition or failed to warn you about it.
3. Causation
You must prove that the dangerous condition directly caused your slip and fall accident and resulting injuries.
4. Damages
You need to prove that you suffered actual damages from your injuries, which are things like lost wages and emotional trauma.
We often see the at-fault party’s insurance company blame a victim for a slip and fall or say they’re partially to blame. This might be to reduce, deny, or delay compensation.
That’s why you need to build the strongest case possible, preferably with a reputable San Francisco slip and fall lawyer. The right one can gather surveillance footage, maintenance records, witness statements, and other evidence to support what really happened.
While slip and fall accidents are often caused by unsafe property conditions, some may involve defective products such as faulty floor materials or unsafe equipment. A product liability lawyer in San Francisco can help you seek compensation for your injuries if this is the case.
Recommended reading: How to Prove a Slip and Fall Case in California
What Happens When You File a Slip and Fall Claim?
Slip and fall claims might sound intimidating, but they can help you get the compensation you deserve. Here’s what to expect after contacting an attorney:
Consultation
This is your chance to explain what happened and discuss your injuries with a slip and fall lawyer. The attorney will explain your legal options and next steps. Stoll & Haynes offers free consultations, so you can get professional legal advice without any obligation whatsoever.
Investigation
If things move forward, your attorney will carry out a thorough investigation to identify what caused your slip and fall and prove negligence. This may involve talking to any witnesses and reviewing surveillance footage.
Claim Filing
Formally filing a slip and fall claim kickstarts the legal process. The at-fault party will be notified that a claim has been filed against them and the damages you’re seeking.
Negotiation/Litigation
Your attorney will negotiate a full and fair settlement with the responsible party’s insurance company. This typically leads to resolution, as most personal injury claims settle before reaching court.
In some circumstances, your attorney might file a lawsuit in court, and a judge or jury might decide the outcome of the case. If this happens, there’s no need to worry. A good slip and fall claim attorney will support you every step of the way.
How a Slip and Fall Attorney in San Francisco Can Help
Insurance companies can play dirty tricks to minimize payouts. For example, they might try to:
- Downplay your injuries
- Say the accident was your fault
- Give you a quick settlement that doesn’t come close to covering the extent of your suffering
This is where a skilled slip and fall attorney comes in.
With Stoll & Haynes, you don’t have to argue with insurers or collect evidence on your own. We do all the hard work for you, so you can focus on recovery.
Slip and Fall Attorney in San Francisco FAQs
Premises liability holds property owners (and those in control of a property) accountable for injuries that happen on their premises because of unsafe conditions.
Seek medical attention straight away, even if your injuries seem minor. If it’s safe to do so, document the accident scene by taking photos and videos. A Bay Area slip and fall attorney can help determine whether you have a valid claim.
This depends on various factors, including the severity of your injuries and how your accident has affected your life. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, which is why scheduling a consultation with a slip and fall attorney in San Francisco is so important.
You typically need to show that the property owner knew about (or should have known about) the hazard and failed to fix it. A skilled attorney can help you collect evidence that proves negligence.
Not necessarily. Most claims like this settle through negotiations with insurance companies. However, if a fair settlement can’t be reached, filing a lawsuit may be the best way to seek compensation.
California has a pure comparative negligence rule, meaning you may be able to recover compensation even if you were partially to blame for your accident. However, your compensation could be reduced based on your percentage of fault. Contact a slip and fall injury lawyer to learn more.
It depends on the circumstances, but you may be able to pursue compensation under California law. Like any business, a restaurant has a legal duty to keep its premises reasonably safe.
You generally have 2 years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury claim. Claims involving the City of San Francisco or another government entity, such as slip and falls on sidewalks, may have shorter deadlines.
Located on Montgomery Street in the Financial District, our San Francisco personal injury firm has focused on slip and fall cases since 1994. We operate on a no-win, no-fee basis and offer free case reviews, meaning you can speak with an attorney about what happened during an initial consultation at no cost.
Read more FAQs about San Francisco personal injury cases.
Contact a Bay Area Slip and Fall Lawyer
Injured in a slip and fall accident? It’s time to get justice.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. If you need advice about your specific situation, please contact Stoll & Haynes directly.