Property Owners Owe You a Safe Space. When They Fail, We Make Them Pay For It.
Slip and falls, negligent security, unsafe stairs, dog bites — California premises liability law gives injured visitors real remedies.
You may have a case if…
- ›You were injured on commercial property due to unsafe conditions.
- ›You were assaulted in a place that lacked basic security.
- ›You fell on a wet, uneven, or poorly lit surface.
- ›You were bitten by a dog or attacked by an animal on someone's property.
- ›A loved one was killed in a foreseeable premises-related incident.
Property owners and operators owe a duty of reasonable care to visitors. The scope depends on the visitor's status and the foreseeability of harm. Commercial properties — stores, restaurants, parking lots, apartment complexes — owe the highest duty of care to invited guests.
We aggressively pursue premises cases against corporate property owners, often uncovering prior incident reports, inadequate maintenance records, and security shortcomings that establish notice and foreseeability.
Duty, Breach, Causation, Damages
Standard negligence framework. We focus on proving the owner had notice (actual or constructive) of the dangerous condition and failed to take reasonable steps.
Negligent Security
When violent crime is foreseeable (prior incidents, high-crime area, inadequate lighting, broken locks), property owners owe a duty to take reasonable security measures. We have litigated these cases against major apartment owners and commercial property operators.
Dog Bite Liability — Civil Code §3342
California imposes strict liability on dog owners for bites in public places or while the victim is lawfully on private property. No 'one free bite' rule.
What you can recover
- •Past and future medical expenses.
- •Lost wages and earning capacity.
- •Pain and suffering.
- •Disfigurement and scarring damages.
- •Wrongful death damages.
- •Punitive damages where the owner's conduct was reckless or in conscious disregard.
The process
Step 01
Investigation
Scene photos, incident reports, surveillance preservation, prior-incident research.
Step 02
Notice Evidence
Discovery of maintenance logs, prior complaints, prior incident reports.
Step 03
Litigation
Filed in Superior Court with expert support — premises safety, security, medical.
Step 04
Resolution
Settlement, mediation, or trial.
Why Okojie Law
Frequently asked questions
What if I was partly at fault for not watching where I was going?+
California is pure comparative fault. You can still recover; your award is reduced by your percentage of fault.
How do I prove the owner knew about the hazard?+
Discovery: prior incident reports, sweep logs, maintenance records, employee depositions. Sometimes the condition itself (months of wear, repeat issues) establishes constructive notice.
Are negligent security cases winnable?+
Yes, especially when prior incidents made the harm foreseeable. We have pursued cases against apartment owners and commercial property operators where prior assaults put the defendant on clear notice.
What if the property is owned by a corporation?+
All the better. Corporate defendants have insurance and assets to satisfy serious verdicts.
What about government property?+
Claims against government entities have strict 6-month notice deadlines under the Government Claims Act. Call us immediately if your injury occurred on government property.
What does it cost?+
Nothing up front. Contingency representation.
Tell us what happened.
Confidential. No obligation. We respond within one business day.
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