Falling on someone else’s property in Santa Cruz can lead to serious injuries, including broken bones or a concussion. The coastal community of Santa Cruz has unique hazards, such as fall risks on the boardwalk, beach access points, downtown sidewalks and shops.
As a slip and fall accident victim, you could qualify for financial compensation for your injuries, including medical cost coverage, from a careless or negligent property owner under California’s premises liability laws.
If you find yourself in this situation, it’s important to protect yourself by working with a local slip and fall accident lawyer in Santa Cruz. Jacoby & Meyers has more than 50 years of experience in personal injury law and premises liability cases.
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Common Locations for Slip and Fall Accidents in Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz receives over one million tourists every year due to its famous boardwalk, beaches, historic landmarks and mountains. If public areas are not properly maintained, however, visitors and residents alike can suffer serious injuries due to slip or trip and fall hazards.
In Santa Cruz, falls may occur in the following high-risk locations:
- Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and surrounding areas
- Downtown Pacific Avenue shopping district
- Wharf and harbor facilities
- UC Santa Cruz campus
- Local hotels and vacation rentals
- Beach access stairways and paths
- Hiking trails and state parks
- Restaurants and bars in tourist areas
Under California’s premises liability laws, property owners (including the government) have a legal obligation to ensure the safety of their land. If they allow unsafe conditions to exist, they can be held responsible for related slip and fall accidents.
Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents in Santa Cruz
In the City of Santa Cruz, if a business owner or private property owner is negligent in the care and maintenance of a premises, many slip and fall accident risks can arise.
Common examples include:
- Wet or sandy surfaces without proper warning signs
- Poorly maintained boardwalk and wharf areas
- Weather-related hazards (rain, fog, ocean spray)
- Inadequate lighting in tourist and entertainment venues
- Uneven walking surfaces and unexpected steps
- Poor maintenance of historic buildings
- Lack of care at hotels, motels and vacation rentals
- Beach and trail conditions
- Seasonal crowding in popular tourist areas
If it can be shown that the property defect or hazard occurred due to the owner’s failure to act with reasonable care, the injured victim will have grounds to file a claim.
California Premises Liability Laws Affecting Santa Cruz Cases
A premises liability claim is a type of civil case that allows an injured accident victim to be made whole again by seeking financial compensation for related losses. California Civil Code § 1714(a) states: Everyone is responsible, not only for the result of his or her willful acts, but also for an injury occasioned to another by his or her want of ordinary care or skill in the management of his or her property.
Under this law, property owners have specific duties of care when it comes to premises safety. These duties depend on the type of visitor:
- Invitee: someone invited to the property for the owner’s benefit, such as customers at a business. They are owed the highest duties of care, including a responsibility to inspect a property for unknown hazards, fix any defects in a timely manner and warn guests of potential risks.
- Licensee: someone with permission or authority to enter a property who does so for their own benefit, such as a salesperson. They are owed a slightly lesser duty of care compared to invitees; property owners do not have to inspect for unknown or hidden hazards.
- Trespasser: someone who enters or remains on a property without the owner’s permission or legal authority. Trespassers are not owed any duties of care in Santa Cruz besides a duty not to intentionally cause them harm.
Different standards of care apply to commercial vs. recreational properties in Santa Cruz. There are immunity considerations for land used for recreational purposes. There is also a difference between holding a private property owner and the government liable. Work with an attorney from Jacoby & Meyers to navigate the legal elements of your specific case, including any recent court decisions that affect Santa Cruz slip and fall cases.
Who Can Be Held Liable for Slip and Fall Accidents in Santa Cruz?
Liability – meaning legal and financial responsibility – for a slip and fall accident in Santa Cruz depends on the party in charge of maintaining and controlling the property. The individual or entity held liable should have ownership, control or occupation of the property at the time of the accident.
Accused parties or defendants in slip and fall accident cases may include:
- Commercial property owners and businesses
- Landlords for accidents on rental properties
- City of Santa Cruz for public property incidents
- Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk operators
- Hotel and vacation rental owners
- University of California for campus incidents
- State park and beach management entities
- Restaurant and bar operators
- Property management companies
- Private property owners
Identifying the correct defendant(s) in your slip and fall case is a task an attorney can perform for you after a thorough investigation. Your lawyer can collect evidence needed to prove fault, which may include surveillance footage of the fall, photos of the property defect, witness statements, property maintenance and inspection records, medical records documenting injuries, and expert testimony.
Why You Need a Specialized Santa Cruz Slip and Fall Attorney
Having the right lawyer represent you during a slip and fall injury case in Santa Cruz can lead to the results you need, including compensation for your past and future medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. However, it’s important to search for the ideal attorney for your specific needs.
A specialized slip and fall lawyer in Santa Cruz will have traits such as:
- Knowledge of local Santa Cruz property ordinances and codes
- Familiarity with Santa Cruz County courts and judges
- Experience investigating tourist and recreational area incidents
- Relationships with local medical providers and experts
- Understanding of beach and coastal property regulations
- Track record of successful slip and fall settlements
- Resources to take on large tourism businesses and government entities
- Understanding of how injuries impact enjoyment of Santa Cruz lifestyle
You should be able to count on your lawyer for services such as accident investigation and reconstruction, evidence collection, injury documentation, insurance settlement negotiations, and litigation in Santa Cruz County courts, when necessary, to achieve the case results you deserve.
Jacoby & Meyers has earned the trust of tens of thousands of clients through years of providing exceptional legal representation. To schedule a free case consultation with our Santa Cruz slip and fall accident lawyers, call our local law office at (408) 341-6883 or contact us online anytime.