Santa Rosa Slip and Fall Lawyer
At Cutter Law, our dedicated legal team has extensive experience navigating slip and fall and premises liability cases. Call our law office today to learn more.
Slip-and-fall cases are a type of premises liability claim. They often involve injuries caused by unsafe conditions on someone else’s property. To pursue a claim, an injured person generally must show there was a dangerous condition, the property owner or manager owed a duty of reasonable care, the owner or manager knew or should have known about the hazard, and the hazard caused compensable harm.
In Santa Rosa, slip and fall incidents can be caused by wet surfaces in grocery stores, uneven sidewalks downtown, and inadequate lighting in apartment stairwells, among other issues. No matter how your injuries occurred, our skilled legal team could help with your case. Call the Santa Rosa slip and fall lawyers at Cutter Law today to get started on building a compelling claim.
Why You Need a Slip and Fall Lawyer From Cutter Law
Choosing Cutter Law means having an experienced and dedicated legal team in your corner, committed to pursuing the compensation you deserve. We bring decades of experience handling personal injury cases, from collecting crucial evidence to negotiating with insurance companies.
At the heart of our practice is a client-first approach. We treat every client and their family with care and respect, while leveraging our knowledge of local courts and judges to strengthen your case. Insurance companies know we are prepared to fight relentlessly, and will not hesitate to take your case to trial if that is what it takes.
Our Successful Slip and Fall Settlements
Attorneys Brooks Cutter and Margot Cutter obtained a $10 million settlement during jury selection for a trip and fall accident that resulted in major injuries.
Attorneys Brooks Cutter and Margot Cutter obtained a $350,000 for a client involved in a slip and fall accident in San Jose.
Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents
Slip and falls are typically caused by an external force that may or may not be attributable to negligence. An accident may be eligible for a premises liability claim if one of the following factors contributed to it:
- Spills – Slippery winery patios and wet grocery store floors
- Poor lighting – Dark corridors and outdoor pathways
- Broken or uneven flooring – Poorly maintained sidewalks and staircases
- Missing handrails – Unguarded stairwells and escalators
- Cluttered walkways – Unswept hallways and built-up debris
- Weather-related hazards – Icy parking lots and wet floors from rainfall
Property owners have a duty to maintain safe conditions on their premises. When they fail in this duty, the injured party can bring a claim against them to recover damages.
Common Slip and Fall Accident Injuries
A slip and fall can result in injuries ranging from minor to catastrophic. Some of the most common types of injuries seen in these accidents include the following:
- Broken bones and fractures
- Deep cuts and lacerations
- Spinal cord trauma
- Brain injuries
- Death
The severity of injuries can affect the case outcome and the need to file a claim, especially if the victim faces high medical bills and time off work. Our compassionate slip and fall attorneys in Santa Rosa can review the details of your case and help calculate your total losses.
What To Do After a Slip and Fall Accident in Santa Rosa
Take proactive steps immediately after a slip and fall to ensure proper treatment for your injuries and to collect all the information needed for your claim.
- Report the incident: Tell the property owner, manager or on-site staff as soon as possible and ask that an incident report be completed. If the fall is serious or there is an emergency, call 911. You may also need to notify your own insurer, depending on the situation and your policy.
- Document the scene: Take photos or video of where you fell, including the hazardous condition, lighting, warning signs and anything else that may have contributed. Photograph visible injuries and the shoes and clothing you were wearing. Get the names and contact information of witnesses and, if possible, identify who owns or manages the property.
- Get medical care: See a doctor promptly, even if symptoms seem minor. Medical records can help document your injuries, treatment and how the fall affected you.
- Talk with a lawyer: Contact a premises liability attorney early to help preserve evidence, such as surveillance video, maintenance records and incident reports. A lawyer can investigate what happened, assess liability and explain your options for seeking compensation under California law.
Proving Liability in a California Slip and Fall Case
To prove liability in a California slip-and-fall case, an injured person generally must show four elements: duty of care, breach, causation and damages.
- Duty of care: Property owners and managers generally must use reasonable care to keep premises in a reasonably safe condition. That can include inspecting for hazards and repairing them or providing adequate warnings within a reasonable time.
- Breach: A breach may be shown if the owner or manager failed to act with reasonable care under the circumstances. This can include situations where the owner or manager knew about a dangerous condition and did not address it, or where the condition existed long enough that it should have been discovered through reasonable inspections and maintenance.
- Causation: The injured person must show the hazardous condition caused the fall and resulting injuries. Evidence may include medical records, incident reports, witness statements, and photos or video of the scene.
- Damages: The injured person must show compensable losses, such as medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, or long-term limitations. An attorney can help document losses and pursue compensation the person may be entitled to recover.
California follows a pure comparative negligence rule, which assigns responsibility for damages based on each party’s percentage of fault. This means that even if you are partially responsible for the accident, you can still recover compensation, though your portion of fault will reduce the total amount you receive.
What Compensation Can You Recover in a Slip and Fall Accident?
The damages you are entitled to from a slip and fall will be reflected in your medical documentation and other forms of evidence. Generally, premises liability claims result in compensation for the following economic and non-economic damages:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Future care
- Emotional distress
The more serious your injuries, the more extensive your damages will likely be, which can increase potential compensation.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Do I Have To File a Slip and Fall Claim in California?
In California, you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit.
Can I Sue if I Fall on Public Property in Santa Rosa?
Claims against a public entity generally require a government claim to be presented within 6 months of the injury, before filing a lawsuit.
What if I Was Partially at Fault for My Fall?
California uses pure comparative negligence, so you can still recover damages even if you share some fault, but your percentage of responsibility will reduce your compensation.
How Long Will a Slip and Fall Case Take To Settle?
Settlement timelines vary, but most slip and fall cases resolve within several months to a couple of years, depending on the complexity and whether the case goes to trial.
Get Trusted Legal Help From a Santa Rosa Slip and Fall Attorney
If you have been injured in a slip and fall, do not wait to get the help you need. Reach out to Cutter Law for a free consultation today. Our experienced Santa Rosa slip and fall lawyers are ready to handle every legal detail so you can focus on your recovery. We will guide you through the process, gather the necessary evidence, and fight for the compensation you deserve, giving you space to heal.
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Start with a free consultation. We listen to what happened, how it’s affected your life, and what you need to move forward.
You’ll have a direct line to our attorneys. We keep communication open and ensure you always know what’s happening with your case.
From day one, we go all in—gathering evidence, negotiating with insurers, and preparing for trial if needed. You pay nothing unless we win compensation for you.
California slip and fall victims generally have two years from the date of their injuries to file a claim for damages. Though there are exceptions to the deadline.
Some claims may reach a pre-litigation settlement relatively quickly, while others may take years to resolve, especially if they proceed to trial.
You can sue a grocery store for negligence that caused your slip and fall accident if you can prove it failed to maintain a safe environment.
As a family run California law firm we pride ourselves in providing every client personal attention and representation. The outstanding results we have gotten for our fire clients are a direct result of our commitment to understanding and presenting all aspects of their case.
Hear from our previous clients about the relationships we build together.
The attorneys at Cutter Law are knowledgeable and client-focused. They’re easy to work with and they deliver quality results. I highly recommend them if you’re looking for a personal injury attorney in California!
Cuter law is an awesome professional family owned operation that strives for excellence for there client. If your looking for someone that knows the law and will continuously advocate for you on your behalf I would highly recommend you contact them.
Brooks has a long-established, respected reputation as a skilled trial attorney and a record of proven success.