This page was written and reviewed by Michael J. Cefali, Esq. Attorney Cefali is a founding partner of Cefali & Cefali, APC, based in San Juan Capistrano, CA. He holds a Juris Doctor from Chapman University Fowler School of Law and a B.A. in Global Studies & Maritime Affairs from the California Maritime Academy. Widely recognized for his advocacy in personal injury law, he has secured multi-hundred-thousand-dollar settlements in motorcycle accidents, hit-and-runs, and red-light collision cases. He maintains a perfect 10.0 “Superb” rating on Avvo.
Beyond his legal practice, Mr. Cefali actively supports his community through the Rotary Club of San Juan Capistrano, contributes to housing and meal programs for those in need, and enjoys fishing and spending time with his rescue dogs.
The date below reflects when this page was last reviewed for accuracy. Please see our Editorial Guidelines.
If you were injured in a slip and fall on someone else's property in Garden Grove, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering. Under California premises liability law, a property owner who fails to keep their property reasonably safe can be held responsible for the harm that results. Cefali & Cefali represents slip and fall victims throughout Orange County on a contingency fee basis, so you pay nothing unless we win. Call (949) 325-7790 for a free consultation, available 24/7.
We handle every part of your claim, investigating the fall, gathering evidence, dealing with the insurance company, and pursuing the full value of your losses, so you can focus on recovering.
What is premises liability in California?
Slip and fall claims fall under premises liability. California Civil Code section 1714 and the California Supreme Court's decision in Rowland v. Christian (1968) require property owners and occupiers to use reasonable care to keep their property safe for people who are lawfully there. California does not sort visitors into rigid categories; instead, the owner owes a general duty of reasonable care to everyone lawfully on the property, and the question is what a reasonable owner would have done under the circumstances.
What do you have to prove in a slip and fall case?
To win a slip and fall claim, you generally must prove four elements:
The owner or occupier owed you a duty of reasonable care.
They breached that duty, by creating or failing to fix a dangerous condition.
The breach caused your injury.
You suffered actual damages, such as medical bills or lost wages.
The hardest element is usually the breach, and it turns on notice. You generally must show the owner created the hazard, knew about it and failed to fix it (actual notice), or should have discovered it through reasonable inspection (constructive notice). For example, a spill left on a store floor for an hour with no cleanup or warning supports constructive notice; a spill that happened seconds before your fall usually does not. Our guide on how to prove negligence in a slip and fall explains this in more detail.
Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents
Slip and fall accidents commonly result from:
Wet or freshly mopped floors without warning signs
Spilled liquids left unattended in stores
Uneven pavement, flooring, or stairs
Torn carpeting or loose mats and rugs
Poor lighting that hides hazards in walkways and stairwells
Missing or loose handrails
These accidents happen most often in grocery stores, restaurants, hotels, apartment complexes, and parking lots, the kinds of high-traffic properties throughout Garden Grove where owners have a clear duty to inspect and maintain the premises.
What should you do after a slip and fall?
Seek medical attention right away, even if injuries seem minor, since some appear later.
Report the fall to the store or property manager and ask for a written incident report.
Photograph the hazard and the scene right away, before it is cleaned up or fixed.
Get witness contact information.
Do not give a recorded statement to the property's insurer, or sign anything, before speaking with a lawyer.
Contact a slip and fall attorney promptly, since surveillance footage is often overwritten within days.
What if you were partly at fault?
Property owners and their insurers often argue that the injured person was careless, for example not watching where they were walking or wearing improper footwear. California follows pure comparative negligence, so even if you were partly at fault, you can still recover, with your compensation reduced by your percentage of fault and no cutoff. If you are found 20 percent at fault on a $50,000 claim, you still recover $40,000. One limit worth knowing: a trespasser is generally owed a lesser duty, though an owner can still be liable for willful harm or a known trap.
What compensation can you recover?
An injured person may recover both economic and non-economic damages, and California places no cap on these damages in an ordinary injury case. Recoverable losses include:
Medical expenses, current and future
Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
Pain and suffering and emotional distress
Property damage to items damaged in the fall
Where the owner's conduct was especially egregious, punitive damages may also be available under Civil Code section 3294. If a fall was fatal, surviving family members may bring a wrongful death claim under Code of Civil Procedure section 377.60.
How long do you have to file a slip and fall claim in California?
Under California Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, you generally have two years from the date of the fall to file a personal injury lawsuit. If the property is owned by a government entity (such as a public building or sidewalk), you must file an administrative claim within six months under the California Government Claims Act. Because deadlines are strict and video evidence disappears quickly, it is best to act promptly.
Why Choose Cefali & Cefali
Slip and fall claims turn on proving notice, and property owners and their insurers fight hard to shift blame onto the injured person. We move quickly to preserve surveillance footage and the incident report, investigate how long the hazard existed, work with medical experts to document your injuries, handle the insurer, and pursue the full value of your claim, ready to take the case to trial if the offer is not fair. We represent injured people only, never property owners or insurers, and we work on a contingency fee basis, so you pay no fee unless we win.
We represent slip and fall victims in Garden Grove and throughout Orange County, including Anaheim, Santa Ana, Westminster, Fountain Valley, and Orange. We also handle car accidents, dog bites, and other injury claims, and you can learn more about Orange County personal injury cases on our main page. Call (949) 325-7790 or contact us for a free consultation. No fee unless we win.
Michael Cefali is a dedicated accident attorney based in San Juan Capistrano, California, committed to securing justice and fair compensation for accident victims.
A graduate of Newport Harbor High School, he went on to earn his Bachelor’s degree in Global Studies and Maritime Affairs from the California Maritime Academy, followed by his Juris Doctor from Chapman University School of Law.
Deeply invested in his community, Michael is an active member of the Rotary Club of San Juan Capistrano, contributing to efforts that provide meals, housing, and support to those in need. Outside of his legal work and volunteer service, he enjoys fishing in Dana Point and spending time with his three rescue dogs—a Chihuahua, a Spaniel mix, and a Shepherd mix.
Driven by his strong belief in justice and fairness, Michael remains steadfast in advocating for individuals harmed by the negligence or inaction of others.
