Slip and Fall matters in San Francisco
San Francisco is a city built on hills, fog, and old buildings, and that combination produces a lot of falls. Steep public stairways, slick marble lobbies in downtown office towers, and rain-soaked entryways turn an ordinary walk into a serious injury. When the hazard existed because a property owner or manager failed to keep the premises reasonably safe, the law treats that fall as something more than bad luck.
These cases turn on facts: what the hazard was, how long it was there, and whether the owner knew or should have known about it. Building a strong claim early — before a spill is mopped or a step is repaired — often makes the difference.
Why slip and falls happen here
- Union Square and Market Street retail floors that stay wet from foot traffic, cleaning, and tracked-in rain
- Downtown and Financial District office lobbies with polished stone and unmarked transitions
- Hotels and restaurants with dim entries, loose mats, and spilled food or drink
- Apartment buildings and Victorians with steep, narrow interior stairways and worn treads
- The city's famous public stairways and sloped sidewalks during the wet, foggy season
The California law that controls
Under California premises-liability law, a property owner owes visitors a duty of reasonable care to keep the property safe and to warn of dangers they knew about or should have discovered through reasonable inspection. To win, you generally must show the owner had actual or constructive notice of the hazard and failed to fix it or warn you in time. If your fall happened on property owned by a public entity — a city stairway, a transit station, a government building — a separate rule applies: under Government Code section 911.2 you must file an administrative claim with that entity within six months, long before the ordinary lawsuit deadline.
Common injuries and case types
- Wrist, hip, and ankle fractures from breaking a fall
- Head injuries and concussions from striking stairs or stone floors
- Back, neck, and spinal injuries
- Torn ligaments and shoulder injuries
- Falls on stairs, in parking structures, and at building entrances
What you may recover
California lets injured people pursue both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages cover measurable losses: medical treatment, future care, lost wages, and reduced earning capacity. Non-economic damages address pain, suffering, and the disruption a fall causes to daily life. California follows pure comparative negligence, so even if you are found partly at fault, your recovery is reduced by your share rather than barred. No lawyer can promise an amount; the value of any case depends on its specific facts and evidence.
Deadlines and how MMG Law Firm helps
Most California personal-injury claims carry a two-year deadline under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, and a claim against a public entity must satisfy the six-month rule under Government Code section 911.2. San Francisco cases are filed in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, generally at the Civic Center Courthouse. MMG Law Firm handles these matters statewide from Glendale: we gather evidence, work with you remotely, and appear in court when your case requires it. Consultations are free, available in English, Armenian, and Russian, and we work on contingency — no fee unless we win.
Our attorney
How Mihran M. Ghazaryan helps with slip and fall
Premises cases turn on notice — whether the owner knew or should have known about the hazard — so Mihran M. Ghazaryan builds the timeline early, before surveillance video is recorded over and conditions are fixed. He secures incident reports, photographs, and maintenance records, identifies the right defendant, and presents a documented demand rather than letting the insurer set the terms.
Types of slip and fall accidents we handle
Wet-floor and spill cases
Sweep schedules, mop logs, and warning-sign placement decide these. We pull them via subpoena when necessary.
Stair, handrail, and step defects
Code-compliance review and expert measurement of riser and tread tolerances drive liability.
Inadequate-security claims
Where assault or robbery occurred on premises and the owner knew of risk. Police-call records and prior incidents matter here.
Damages
What compensation can cover
Every slip and fall claim is different, but California law allows injured plaintiffs to seek several categories of damages. We build each one with documentation — medical records, wage statements, expert opinions — so nothing is left on the table.
Medical expenses
Emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation, and the future treatment your providers say you'll need.
Lost wages
Income you lost while recovering — and, where the injury affects your ability to work, diminished future earning capacity.
Pain and suffering
Compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, and the ways the injury has changed how you live day to day.
Property damage
Repair or replacement of your vehicle and other property damaged in the incident.
Out-of-pocket costs
Transportation to appointments, medical equipment, household help, and the other expenses an injury forces on you.
How we work
- 1
Free, no-pressure consultation
We listen first. We answer your questions. There is no fee for the initial conversation — and you decide whether to engage us at the end of it.
- 2
Investigation and evidence preservation
Police reports, scene photos, witness statements, vehicle data, surveillance video, medical records. The earlier we collect, the harder it is for the other side to reshape the story later.
- 3
Treatment, demand, and negotiation
We coordinate with your providers, document the full extent of damages — medical, lost income, pain — and present a demand backed by evidence. We push back firmly when an insurer lowballs.
- 4
Litigation when necessary
Most matters settle. When an insurer refuses to be reasonable, we file. Preparing every case as if it will be tried is what makes the settlement number move.
What to do right away
- Report the fall to the property manager and ask for a written incident report.
- Get a copy of the incident report before leaving — they are routinely 'lost' later.
- Photograph the hazard, the area, and your shoes.
- Preserve your shoes and clothing as worn.
- Get witness contact information immediately.
- Call us before signing anything from the property's insurer.
The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.
Deadlines that matter
Most California personal-injury claims must be filed within two years of the injury (Code of Civil Procedure §335.1). Miss the window and the court will almost always dismiss the case, no matter how strong it is.
Claims against government entities are much shorter — generally a written claim within six months (Government Code §911.2). Crashes involving city vehicles, public buses, or dangerous public-road conditions can fall under this rule.
Exceptions exist in both directions — discovery rules, minors, continuing violations, out-of-state defendants — so don't assume your deadline has passed or that you have time to spare. Call (818) 539-7969 and we'll tell you exactly where you stand.