If you or your loved one has suffered injuries in a premises liability accident, don't face the aftermath alone. Our Long Beach premises liability lawyers are here to help.
Free ConsultationUnsafe property conditions throughout Long Beach can lead to serious falls, head injuries, spinal injuries, and other lasting harm when property owners fail to address known dangers or reasonably maintain their premises.
One moment, you are walking through a grocery store near Bixby Knolls, heading into an apartment building downtown, or spending an evening in Belmont Shore. Then, you are dealing with an injury that never should have happened.
At The Beliz Law Firm, our Long Beach premises liability attorney represents injury victims of unsafe property conditions across Long Beach and surrounding communities. California native Michael Beliz has 20 years of legal experience. He understands the local communities, businesses, and courts that handle these cases.
We focus on providing direct attorney access, personalized attention, and strong advocacy for injured clients during some of the most stressful moments of their lives.
Case Spotlight
$34,000 Settlement AmountSlip and Fall Accident
The Beliz Law Firm settled a case for a client that was involved in a slip and fall incident where the client incurred a small, faint scar to the head. The client parked his vehicle in a parking structure. The client got out of the vehicle and opened the rear hatch to organize his work equipment. The client wanted to close up the vehicle so the client took a step back while grasphing the rear hatch door. The client’s foot and pant leg snagged onto a 3-inch metal bolt. The client lost his balance while his hand was still on the rear hatch door. The door comes straight down and struck the client’s head.
The strike caused a laceration to the client’s head. The client went to the emergency room and the visit revealed no significant damage to the client’s head. The doctors stitched the wound up.
The client had an original attorney but received zero offers from the defendants. The Beliz Law Firm signed up the client and sent the client to a plastic surgeon to determine the permanent nature of the scar.
The scar was small and faint, however the client was employed as an undercover agent in law enforcement. The Beliz Law Firm argued that the scar would compromise the client’s ability to be undercover.
Settlement negotiations happened immediately after a lawsuit was filed against the owners of the parking structure among others. Even though the client’s medical bills were under $3,400.00, the Beliz Law Firm settled the case for $34,000.00.
What Is Premises Liability in Long Beach?
Premises liability refers to a property owner’s legal responsibility to maintain reasonably safe conditions for visitors. When a dangerous condition exists on someone’s property and causes an injury, the injured person may have the right to pursue compensation.
These accidents happen in everyday places throughout Long Beach. Someone shopping along 2nd Street in Belmont Shore may slip on a recently mopped floor without warning signs.
A visitor dining at The Pike Outlets may trip over damaged pavement or poorly maintained walkways. A tenant in a downtown apartment building may suffer injuries because their landlord failed to repair broken lighting, unsafe stairs, or loose railings.
Long Beach’s mix of busy retail districts, waterfront attractions, apartment complexes, and older commercial properties creates many situations where unsafe conditions can develop.
What Are the Different Types of Premises Liability in Long Beach?
A Long Beach premises liability attorney investigates whether an owner failed to maintain the property, repair hazards, warn visitors about dangers, or provide reasonable safety measures under the circumstances. Common types include:
- Slip and fall accidents. Wet floors, recently mopped surfaces, leaking refrigeration units, and slippery entryways can create dangerous conditions in grocery stores, restaurants, hotels, and retail businesses throughout Long Beach.
- Trip and fall accidents. Uneven sidewalks, broken pavement, loose carpeting, damaged stairs, and exposed cords may cause serious fall injuries in apartment complexes, parking garages, and commercial properties.
- Negligent security claims. Property owners may face liability when inadequate lighting, broken gates, malfunctioning locks, or insufficient security measures contribute to assaults, robberies, or other violent incidents.
- Elevator and escalator accidents. Sudden stops, leveling issues, poor maintenance, or mechanical failures can result in serious injuries in hotels, shopping centers, office buildings, and parking structures.
- Structural collapse accidents. Unsafe balconies, weakened staircases, collapsing ceilings, and defective railings can cause catastrophic injuries, particularly in aging residential and commercial buildings.
- Falling object injuries. Merchandise, construction materials, tools, or improperly stored items that fall from shelves or overhead areas may cause head, neck, and back injuries.
- Toxic exposure claims. Mold, asbestos, chemical exposure, and other hazardous substances may create unsafe living or working conditions when property owners fail to address known environmental dangers.
Premises liability claims can involve many different hazards, but they often come down to the same issue: whether the property owner acted reasonably to protect visitors from foreseeable harm.
The specific facts surrounding the accident, the condition of the property, and the actions taken before the injury all play an important role in determining liability.
How Do I Sue for a Premises Liability Injury in Long Beach?
To recover compensation in a premises liability case, you generally need to prove that the property owner acted negligently and that the unsafe condition caused your injuries. You must prove the following 4 elements.
Duty of Care
The first issue is whether the property owner owed you a duty of care. In California, the level of responsibility can depend on why you were on the property:
- Invitees. Invitees are people who enter property for business purposes, such as customers at stores, restaurants, hotels, or shopping centers. Property owners owe invitees the highest duty of care and are generally expected to inspect the property for hazards and repair dangerous conditions.
- Licensees. Licensees are social guests or people who enter property with permission for non-business reasons. Property owners must warn licensees about known dangers that may not be obvious.
- Trespassers. Trespassers generally receive less legal protection under California law because they entered the property without permission. However, property owners still cannot intentionally create dangerous conditions meant to cause harm, and special rules may apply when children are involved.
A lawyer can help determine which category applies to your situation and how that may affect your premises liability claim.
Breach of Duty
After establishing that a duty existed, you must show that the property owner failed to act reasonably under the circumstances. This is known as a breach of duty.
Common examples of a breach of duty in premises liability cases include:
- Failing to clean spills or slippery surfaces;
- Ignoring broken stairs, handrails, or sidewalks;
- Failing to provide adequate lighting in walkways or parking areas;
- Neglecting routine inspections or property maintenance;
- Providing inadequate security in areas with foreseeable criminal activity; and
- Failing to repair unsafe structural conditions.
Whether a property owner acted reasonably often depends on what they knew about the hazard, how long the condition existed, and whether reasonable steps were taken to protect visitors from getting hurt.
Causation
You must also prove that the dangerous condition directly caused your injury. Insurance companies often dispute how the accident occurred or argue that the injury was unrelated to the incident.
A Long Beach premises liability lawyer can help gather evidence linking the unsafe condition to your injuries, including surveillance footage, witness statements, photographs, incident reports, and medical records.
Damages
Finally, you must show that the accident caused actual losses or harm. In a premises liability case, damages may include:
- Medical expenses,
- Future medical treatment,
- Lost wages,
- Reduced earning ability,
- Pain and suffering,
- Emotional distress, and
- Loss of enjoyment of life.
The extent of your injuries, the length of your recovery, and how the accident affects your daily life can all impact the damages involved in a premises liability claim.
What If I Am Partly at Fault for the Incident in Long Beach?
Being partly at fault does not automatically prevent you from bringing a premises liability claim. California follows a pure comparative negligence rule, which means you may still recover compensation even if you contributed to the incident in some way.
However, your compensation will be reduced based on your portion of fault.
A lawyer can help evaluate how fault may apply in your case, what evidence may affect the percentage of fault assigned to you, and how shared fault could impact the compensation available in your claim.
Protect Your Rights After a Serious Premises Liability Accident. Speak to an Experienced Long Beach Premises Liability Lawyer
After a serious premises liability accident, you deserve answers, support, and an advocate who takes your case personally. The Beliz Law Firm serves injury victims throughout Long Beach with direct attorney communication and compassionate representation. We know how disruptive a serious injury can be to your health, finances, and daily life.
Contact The Beliz Law Firm today for a free consultation and speak with a premises liability lawyer in Long Beach about your legal options and next steps.
What Else Should You Look For In A Long Beach Premises Liability Attorney?
When you’re looking for the best legal representation for your personal injury case, you want to find someone you can trust.