Slip & Fall Attorney in Palo Alto

Legal Help After a Serious Fall in Palo Alto, CA

A sudden fall can change your life in seconds. One moment you are walking through a store, office, or apartment complex, and the next you may be facing pain, limited mobility, missed work, and medical bills. 

If you were hurt in a slip or trip and fall in Palo Alto, our team at Needham Kepner & Fish LLP can talk with you. We help people throughout the Bay Area who are injured because a property owner or manager did not take reasonable care to keep the premises safe. While you focus on healing, we work to handle the legal issues and insurance company pressures.

Our slip and fall lawyer in Palo Alto provides the resources you would expect from a larger firm and the attentive service you usually find at a smaller practice. We handle the investigation, the claim paperwork, and negotiations with insurers, and we offer mediation services when that may be a practical way to resolve a dispute outside of court. 

Let our Palo Alto, CA, slip and fall lawyer help you. You can contact us for a free consultation to learn about your options.

How Slip & Fall Claims Work in California

Slip and fall cases in California are often based on premises liability law. That area of law considers the responsibilities of property owners to keep their spaces reasonably safe. When they overlook hazards or delay repairs, people who are lawfully on the property can be harmed.

In a typical claim, our Palo Alto lawyer looks at whether the responsible party created a dangerous condition, knew about it, or should have known about it through regular inspections. 

Conditions that may lead to liability include: 

• Wet floors without warning signs
• Uneven walkways
• Loose rugs
• Broken steps
• Poor lighting
• Cluttered aisles in a store

California uses a comparative fault system. This means that insurers may try to argue that you were partly at fault, perhaps by saying you were distracted or ignored a warning. Our role includes gathering facts that show how the hazard contributed to your fall and addressing attempts to shift blame unfairly.

Many cases resolve through negotiation. If the insurer does not make a fair offer, we can discuss filing a lawsuit and the expected timeline. We may also explore mediation, which can provide an opportunity to reach a resolution with the assistance of a neutral third party.

What to Do After a Slip & Fall

In the minutes and days after a fall, it can be hard to know what to do first. Your health comes before anything else, and you may also be worried about protecting your rights while evidence is still available. The steps below can help, although you may not be able to complete each one, and that is understandable.

Key steps to protect your health and claim:

• Get medical care: Seek medical care as soon as you can, even if you think your injuries are minor, so that your condition is documented and hidden injuries are identified.
• Report the slip and fall: Report the incident to the property owner, manager, or on site security and ask that an incident report be created, then request a copy if possible.
• Document the scene: Take photographs of the area where you fell, including any liquids, objects, broken surfaces, or poor lighting, and keep photos of your visible injuries.
• Get witness information: Collect the names and contact information of any witnesses who saw the fall or the hazardous condition.
• Maintain evidence: Preserve the shoes and clothing you were wearing, and avoid cleaning or altering them, in case they become important evidence later.

Insurance adjusters for a property owner or business may contact you quickly. Before agreeing to anything, it is wise to talk with a Palo Alto slip and fall attorney who can explain what you are being asked to sign and how it might affect your rights. If you contact our firm promptly, we can start working to preserve evidence and communicate with insurers on your behalf.

Compensation in Slip & Fall Cases

Falls on hard surfaces or down stairs can cause serious injuries, especially when they involve the head, back, or hips. Injuries can include fractures, ligament tears, herniated discs, shoulder injuries, and concussions in these cases. Even when you eventually recover, the process can involve significant pain, time away from work, and changes in your usual routines.

Slip and fall victims can receive compensation for:

• Medical costs
• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering
• Property damage
• And more

Our slip and fall attorney in Palo Alto has a history of obtaining significant settlements in personal injury cases, which reflects the care we take in preparing and presenting claims. While results always depend on the facts and law in each situation, our goal is consistent. We work to seek compensation that accounts for the immediate and lasting effects of your fall.

Why Choose Our Slip & Fall Lawyers in Palo Alto

Choosing the right slip and fall lawyer in Palo Alto is not only about legal knowledge. It is also about having a team that can devote the time, attention, and resources your case deserves. At Needham Kepner & Fish LLP, personal injury law is a central part of what we do for clients across the Bay Area, including people injured in falls on unsafe property.

Our firm brings together the advantages of a larger practice and the individual care of a smaller one. We have the staff and systems to gather and review records, analyze insurance coverage, and prepare detailed claim submissions. At the same time, we work to provide you with regular updates, clear explanations, and guidance tailored to your situation, rather than feeling like just another file.

Our attorneys have achieved substantial settlements for injured clients. These results reflect our focus on documenting the full impact of an injury, from medical expenses and lost income to long term effects on daily life. 

We also offer mediation services in appropriate cases. For some people, especially those who want to avoid the time and stress of a full trial when possible, mediation can provide a structured setting to work toward resolution. We can discuss whether that option makes sense in your situation and how it fits into an overall strategy to seek fair compensation.

To talk with our team about a slip and fall in Palo Alto, CA, call (408) 716-1668.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if I have a slip & fall case?

You may have a case if a dangerous condition on someone else’s property contributed to your fall and the owner or manager failed to address it. We review how the hazard arose, how long it existed, and what steps were taken to fix or warn about it.

What if I was partly at fault for my fall?

California allows recovery even when you share some responsibility. Your compensation can be reduced by your percentage of fault. Insurers often argue that injured people were careless, so we look closely at the property condition and available evidence to respond to those claims.

How long does a slip & fall claim usually take?

The length of a claim depends on factors like the severity of your injuries, how long treatment lasts, and how quickly the insurer negotiates. Some cases resolve within months, while others that require litigation or mediation can take longer. We keep you informed throughout.