Who is Liable for Trip-and-Fall Accidents on Los Angeles Sidewalks?

It may be hard to believe that trip-and-fall liability lawsuits involving sidewalks cost the City of Los Angeles $3 million to $5 million every year. The Los Angeles Times states that 42 percent of the 10,750 miles of mostly concrete sidewalks throughout Los Angeles require repairs amounting to about $1.6 billion, and at the current rate repairs are being completed, which is close to nothing, it could take almost 70 years to finish

So who is legally responsible for injuries caused by a trip-and-fall accident involving a dangerous or broken sidewalk? The answer isn’t as simple as one would hope and ultimately depends on the circumstances of a specific accident. For instance, a typical tug-of-war between the city and homeowners often revolves around property owners demanding that the city pay for sidewalk repairs because the city planted the trees that caused the destruction. On the other hand, some city officials claim that many of the trees actually belong to homeowners.

However, overall, a homeowner can actually be held liable if he or she contributed to the disrepair or danger on the sidewalk. The city is liable when a person falls on a sidewalk that is damaged and the injured person can prove that the sidewalk posed a danger and caused the injury accident.

With these points in mind, what matters most is finding a solution that will prevent people from being injured from tripping or not being able to pass along a public sidewalk. It is also important to keep the elderly, disabled individuals with mobility challenges, mothers with strollers, and others who use sidewalks safe and out of harm’s way.

A premises liability lawyer in Los Angeles at Carpenter & Zuckerman understands how important it is for an injured individual to obtain compensation for medical bills, physical therapy, lost wages, and other damages after being involved in a trip-and-fall or slip-and-fall accident. Our law firm has obtained dozens of six-figure awards for victims injured by poorly maintained sidewalks and other dangerous conditions on premises. One of these awards amounted to $110,000 in which the City of Long Beach was held liable for the injuries a woman suffered after tripping and falling due to a dangerous sidewalk condition. To learn more about the many accomplishments of our law firm and to find out how we can help you with your specific situation, call 213-514-8332 today.