Los Angeles Premises Liability Lawyer

Were you injured in a premises liability accident in Los Angeles, CA?

At Cohen Injury Law Group, we provide recognized premises liability representation for injured clients throughout Los Angeles.

If you were hurt by a collapsing balcony railing, attacked in a poorly lit parking garage, or bitten by a dog on someone else’s property in Los Angeles, you may be facing surgery, lost income, and an owner who denies responsibility. These claims often involve several parties, including owners, management companies, and security contractors.

Landlords, businesses, homeowners, and public agencies can be held accountable when unsafe property injures someone in Los Angeles, and our firm pursues those claims. Consultations are free, and a Los Angeles, CA premises liability lawyer can review the conditions that led to your injury.

Premises Liability Lawyer Los Angeles, CA

A premises liability lawyer represents people injured because a property owner or occupant failed to keep the property reasonably safe. These cases cover far more than falls. They include dog attacks, assaults caused by inadequate security, swimming pool injuries, fires, falling objects, and structural failures.

Los Angeles County’s Veterinary Public Health program receives more than 9,000 animal bite reports each year, according to the county’s Public Health department. A Los Angeles premises liability attorney can determine whether the property owner, the dog’s owner, or a landlord shares responsibility for an attack.

Types of Premises Liability Cases We Handle in Los Angeles

Unsafe conditions can cause injuries in homes, rental units, businesses, and public spaces. Our Los Angeles premises liability attorneys regularly see the following kinds of claims.

• Slip and falls. Wet floors, torn carpeting, and uneven walkways cause many premises injuries. These claims often depend on how long the hazard existed before the fall.
• Dog bites. Dog attacks frequently happen at the owner’s home or in shared areas of apartment complexes. A landlord who knew about a dangerous dog and allowed it to remain may share responsibility.
• Burn injuries. Faulty wiring, missing smoke detectors, and blocked exits can turn a fire into a serious injury. Property owners must maintain fire safety equipment and correct known electrical hazards.
• Construction accidents. Visitors and passersby can be hurt by falling materials, open trenches, and unsecured scaffolding near job sites. The property owner and the contractor may both be responsible.
• Sexual abuse. Property owners and managers may be liable when broken locks, poor lighting, or inadequate security allow an assault on their premises. Prior incidents at the property can show that the danger was foreseeable.
• Airbnb injuries. Guests in short-term rentals can be injured by broken stairs, unfenced pools, and faulty appliances. Both the host’s coverage and the platform’s policies may apply.
• VRBO injuries. Vacation homes may have hazards that guests have no reason to expect, such as loose deck boards or unstable railings. Hosts are expected to fix loose railings and similar hazards they know about or should find through reasonable checks.
• Hotel slip-and-falls. Lobbies, pool areas, and parking structures at hotels see heavy use by guests and visitors. Hotels must inspect these areas and warn guests about hazards they cannot immediately fix.
• Brain injuries. Falls from balconies, stairways, and elevated walkways can cause traumatic brain injuries. These injuries may require long-term rehabilitation and affect a person’s ability to work.
• Wrongful death. Drownings, fires, and structural collapses can take a life when an owner ignores a known danger. Surviving family members may seek compensation for their loss.

Why Choose Cohen Injury Law Group as My Premises Liability Lawyer in Los Angeles, CA?

A Background in Legal Scholarship

Wayne Cohen served as Executive Editor of the University of Miami Entertainment and Sports Law Review in 1991, the year he began practicing law. He has published articles in two law reviews, including the American University Law Review, as noted in his Martindale-Hubbell biography. Premises claims often depend on how the law of duty and notice applies to a specific property, and our firm handles these cases as part of its work as a personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles, CA.

Precision Combined With Care

Nicholas Cohen combines precision with genuine care for the people he represents. For a premises claim, that precision applies to identifying every party with control over the property, including owners, management companies, and security contractors. He also handles negotiations with the insurers for those parties.

Understanding Premises Liability Cases

What Should You Bring to Your Premises Liability Consultation?

Bring the following items to your consultation if you have them.

1. Photographs or video of the hazard, the surrounding area, and your injuries.
2. Any incident report, security report, or police report connected to the injury.
3. A lease, rental agreement, or booking confirmation if the injury happened at a residence or rental property.
4. Medical records, bills, and a list of your treating providers.
5. Letters, emails, or texts with the owner, landlord, or an insurance company, including any earlier complaints you made about the condition.

We will go through these materials with you and identify each party that may share responsibility. If the hazard was one the owner could not reasonably have known about, we will tell you that at the outset.

What Are Important Aspects of a Premises Liability Case?

Premises claims share several features that shape how they are investigated and valued.

• Control of the property. Responsibility often follows control. An owner, a tenant, a property manager, or a contractor may each control different parts of the same property.
• Knowledge of the danger. Owners usually answer for hazards they caused, were told about, or would have found by inspecting the property. Prior complaints and repair requests can establish that knowledge.
• Foreseeability of crime. In negligent security cases, earlier assaults, break-ins, or police calls at the property can show that an attack was foreseeable.
• Public versus private property. Injuries on city or county property follow special claim procedures and shorter deadlines.
• Multiple insurers. Owners, management companies, and security firms often carry separate policies, and each insurer may try to shift responsibility to the others.

Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Premises Liability Cases

California Civ. Code 1714 makes every person answerable for harm caused by failing to use ordinary care in managing property. An owner who allows a dangerous condition to remain, fails to warn visitors, or ignores repeated complaints may be liable for the resulting injuries. Compensation is measured under Section 3333, Civil Code, and it may cover medical treatment, rehabilitation, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, and non-economic losses such as pain and suffering.

In cases involving conduct that shows a conscious disregard for safety, such as ignoring repeated warnings about a known danger, punitive damages may be available under Civ. Code § 3294 if the evidence is clear and convincing. When several parties share fault, each defendant’s share of non-economic damages is limited to its percentage of fault. An injured person who was partly at fault can still recover, with the award reduced under California’s comparative fault rule.

What Is the Premises Liability Case Timeline?

Premises liability claims tend to follow a predictable sequence.

• Our attorneys investigate the property, request maintenance and security records, and identify everyone with control over the area.
• You continue medical treatment while we gather records of your expenses and lost income.
• We present a demand to each responsible insurer once your long-term condition is clear.
• Negotiations with the insurers may lead to a settlement without a lawsuit.
• If a fair settlement is not offered, we file suit, conduct discovery, and prepare the case for mediation or trial.

Claims against a public agency require a written claim before any lawsuit, which adds a step at the beginning of the process.

Most Dangerous Locations for Premises Liability Accidents in Los Angeles

Premises injuries in Los Angeles occur on both public and private property, and the type of owner affects how a claim proceeds. The city’s Department of Recreation and Parks alone oversees 559 park sites across Los Angeles.

Public properties:

• City playgrounds number 411, and broken equipment or unsafe surfacing can injure children.
• Public swimming pools and aquatic centers, 59 of them citywide, require lifeguards, fencing, and well-maintained decks.
• Griffith Park covers 4,282 acres, according to Griffith Observatory, and its trails, roads, and facilities draw large crowds.
• Recreation centers operated by the city host sports leagues, classes, and events in gyms and on outdoor courts.

Private properties:

• In apartment complexes, broken gates, unlit stairways, and failing locks can lead to injuries or assaults.
• Hotels and motels must maintain pools, balconies, and parking areas used by guests at all hours.
• Parking garages with poor lighting or no security patrols can expose visitors to crime.
• Residential pools without proper fencing pose a drowning risk to young children.
• Homes and yards where dogs are kept can become the site of serious bite injuries.

Reach Out to Cohen Injury Law Group to Schedule a Consultation

Contact us and a Los Angeles premises liability attorney will review your injury with you at no cost. We can identify the parties who controlled the property, explain the deadlines that apply, and begin preserving key evidence such as security footage. There is no fee for our services unless we recover compensation on your behalf.

Premises Liability Statistics in Los Angeles

Dog bites are one of the most common premises injuries in the county. Children 9 years old and younger are bitten by dogs more frequently than other age groups, and most people are bitten by a dog they know rather than a stray, according to Los Angeles County Public Health.

Pools and other bodies of water also pose serious risks. About 4,000 people die from unintentional drowning in the United States each year, according to CDC drowning data, and more children ages 1 to 4 die from drowning than from any other cause.

Other figures from county, city, and federal agencies are listed below.

• An estimated 8,000 nonfatal drownings lead to emergency department visits in the United States each year.
• The Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks oversees more than 16,000 acres of parkland.
• The department operates 123 recreation centers across the city.
• Animal bites are under-reported in Los Angeles County, so the 9,000 annual bite reports reflect only part of the total.

Questions to Ask a Premises Liability Lawyer Before Hiring

Choosing a lawyer is an important decision after a serious injury. The following questions can help you compare attorneys and understand how your case will be handled.

1. Have you handled cases involving this type of property? Claims against a landlord, a hotel, a homeowner, and a city agency each involve different rules and insurers. Ask about the attorney’s experience with the type of property where you were hurt.
2. Who will handle my case day to day? Some firms pass cases to staff members after the first meeting. Ask who will communicate with you and how often you can expect updates.
3. How do you investigate the property? A strong premises case depends on records the owner controls, such as maintenance logs, security reports, and prior complaints. Ask how the attorney obtains and preserves this evidence.
4. What deadlines apply to my claim? Claims against private owners and public agencies have different deadlines. The attorney should identify every applicable deadline at the first meeting.
5. How are fees and costs handled? Ask whether the firm works on contingency, what percentage it charges, and how case costs are paid if there is no recovery.
6. What is my case worth? An attorney cannot promise a result, but he or she should explain the factors that affect value, including your injuries, medical costs, and the strength of the evidence.
7. Will you take my case to trial if necessary? Insurers evaluate claims partly on whether the firm is prepared to go to court. Ask how the attorney prepares cases for trial.
8. How will you communicate with me? Ask whether you can reach the attorney by phone or email and how quickly calls are returned.

Los Angeles Premises Liability Lawyer FAQs

How much does a premises liability lawyer in Los Angeles cost?

Premises liability clients pay us through a contingency fee rather than hourly billing. There is no retainer, and the fee is a percentage of the settlement or verdict obtained in the case. You will see the exact percentage in writing before any work begins. Unsuccessful cases carry no attorney fee of any kind. The first consultation is free, and during that meeting a Los Angeles premises liability lawyer can explain how case costs are handled, what the fee covers, and answer any other questions you have.

How is a premises liability case different from a slip and fall case?

A slip and fall claim is one type of premises liability case. Premises liability is the broader category that covers any injury caused by an unsafe property condition, including dog bites, negligent security, swimming pool injuries, fires, and falling objects. The same basic duty of reasonable care applies to each, but the evidence differs. A negligent security claim, for example, focuses on prior crimes at the property rather than on how long a spill was on the floor.

Can a property owner be responsible if I was assaulted on the property?

Yes, in some cases. An owner or manager may be responsible when an assault was foreseeable and reasonable security measures, such as working locks, adequate lighting, or security staff, could have prevented it. Records of prior crimes, police calls, and tenant complaints help establish foreseeability. A premises liability attorney in Los Angeles can request these records and evaluate whether the owner, a management company, or a security contractor failed to take reasonable steps to protect visitors and residents.

What if I was bitten by a dog on someone else’s property?

The dog’s owner is usually the primary party responsible for a bite. In some situations, a landlord or property owner who knew the dog was dangerous and allowed it to remain may also share responsibility. Report the bite to the county’s Veterinary Public Health program or your local animal control agency, seek medical treatment, and photograph your injuries and the location where the attack happened. Homeowners or renters insurance often provides coverage for dog bite claims in California.

What if I was injured at a city park or public pool?

Claims involving property owned by the City of Los Angeles or another public agency follow special procedures. Before suing the City of Los Angeles or another agency, an injured person generally has six months to submit a written claim. The claim must describe the injury, the location, and the condition that caused it. Because the deadline is short, it is important to gather photographs and witness information quickly and speak with a Los Angeles premises liability lawyer soon after the injury.

Can I file a claim if I was injured at a friend’s home?

Yes. Homeowners must use reasonable care to keep their property safe for guests, and homeowners insurance typically covers injuries to visitors. Many people hesitate to file a claim against a friend or relative, but the claim is usually paid by the insurance company rather than the homeowner personally. A Los Angeles premises liability attorney can handle communications with the insurer so that the claim does not strain your relationship. Photographs of the hazard and prompt medical records remain important in these claims.

Is my landlord responsible for injuries in my apartment building?

Landlords must maintain common areas, such as stairways, hallways, laundry rooms, parking areas, and pools, in a reasonably safe condition. A landlord who receives notice of a dangerous condition and fails to repair it may be liable for resulting injuries. Written repair requests, photographs, and records of earlier complaints are important evidence. A premises liability attorney in LA also reviews whether a property management company shares responsibility for maintenance and security, since many Los Angeles buildings are run by outside managers.

How long do I have to file a premises liability lawsuit?

The general window to sue a private owner or business in California is two years from the injury. Property controlled by a public agency adds a separate step: a written claim that is usually due within six months. Evidence such as security footage and maintenance records can also be lost or overwritten over time if no one requests it. A premises liability lawyer in LA can identify each applicable deadline that affects your claim and take steps to preserve evidence promptly.

What compensation can I recover in a premises liability case?

Compensation may include medical expenses, future treatment, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, and pain and suffering, along with property damage in some cases. In cases where an owner ignored repeated warnings about a known danger, punitive damages may also be available. The amount depends on the severity of your injuries, the long-term effect on your life, and the strength of the evidence. A Los Angeles, CA premises liability attorney can explain the categories of compensation available to you after reviewing your medical records, bills, and employment information.

How long does a premises liability case take to resolve?

The timeline depends on the number of parties involved, the severity of your injuries, and whether the owner disputes responsibility. Claims with a single insurer and clear evidence may resolve within months of finishing treatment. Negligent security claims, cases with several defendants, and claims against public agencies tend to take longer, particularly once a lawsuit is filed. Our attorneys provide an estimated timeline at the start of your case and keep you updated as each stage is completed.

Important Resources for Los Angeles Premises Liability Cases

What Are Important California Legal Resources for Premises Liability Cases?

Filing deadlines and the division of damages in premises cases are governed by the statutes listed below. You can read each one on the state’s legislative information site.

• California CCP § 335.1 is the source of California’s two-year personal injury filing period.
• Gov’t Code § 911.2 sets the time to present a claim to a public entity, generally six months.
• Civil Code 1431.2 limits each defendant’s share of non-economic damages to its percentage of fault.

What Are Important Local Resources for Los Angeles Premises Liability Cases?

Injured people may need to report an animal bite, contact the agency that manages a park, or obtain emergency care for a child. The following organizations serve Los Angeles.

• Veterinary Public Health: (213) 288-7060. This county program receives animal bite reports for most of Los Angeles County and oversees quarantine of animals that have bitten people.
• LA Recreation and Parks: (213) 202-2700. The city department manages parks, playgrounds, pools, and recreation centers throughout Los Angeles.
• Children’s Hospital Los Angeles: 323-660-2450. This East Hollywood hospital operates the only freestanding Level I pediatric trauma center in Los Angeles County.

Cohen Injury Law Group does not endorse and is not affiliated with any organization listed above. This list is provided for informational purposes only.

About Cohen Injury Law Group

Cohen Injury Law Group’s downtown Los Angeles office is one of three, along with locations in Santa Monica and Ventura. Washingtonian magazine named Wayne one of the Top 50 Lawyers in D.C. in 2002. Before law school at Loyola, Nicholas studied at USC.

What Our Clients Say

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Additional Resources for Los Angeles Premises Liability Cases

• Should I Accept the First Settlement Offer? Red Flags to Watch For
• Settlement vs. Trial: Which Path Is Right for Your Case?
• Can’t Afford a Lawyer? How Contingency Fees Actually Work
• Common Mistakes That Tank Personal Injury Cases

Contact Cohen Injury Law Group

An injury caused by an unsafe property can affect your health, your finances, and your sense of security at home or in public. Our firm accepts these cases throughout Los Angeles on a contingency basis, so there is no cost to begin. A Los Angeles premises liability attorney can meet with you for a free consultation, and you can contact us online or call to set a time. We will discuss what happened, identify the responsible parties, and explain how we can help you move forward.