Torrance Unsafe Parking Lot Attorney
With the dramatic increase in large pickup trucks and SUVs on our roads, today’s parking lots receive more wear and tear than ever. These rough, unstable roads can result in serious falls and other devastating injuries.
A diligent Torrance unsafe parking lot lawyer from Soofer Law Group always pays close attention to the details. In our experience, these details make a difference. California’s law on premises liability contains many subtle nuances, and cases often turn on seemingly obscure facts. Our meticulous nature sets us apart from the rest.
To better understand the Soofer Law Group experience for yourself, contact us today for a free consultation at (310) 478-5090.
WHY CHOOSE A TORRANCE UNSAFE PARKING LOT LAWYER FROM SOOFER LAW GROUP?
- Soofer Law Group lawyers always provide the most aggressive yet compassionate legal representation for our Torrance injured victims.
- Our unsafe parking lot attorneys will fight to protect your best interests and your financial well-being.
- Ramin Soofer, the founding Torrance personal injury attorney has been practicing personal injury law since 1993. Devoting his entire career to helping clients, he has a proven track record achieving a favorable financial income for clients.
What Causes Torrance Parking Lot Falls?
Because of the parking lot conditions mentioned above, it does not take long for these surfaces to become extremely hazardous. Furthermore, parking lot safety inspections are not very high on most retailers’ to-do lists. Finally, there may be ownership issues. In many strip malls, individual retailers control the parking lot area immediately in front of their stores, and the landlord must maintain the remainder. Some specific hazards include:
- Cracks,
- Potholes,
- Insufficient lighting,
- Broken or misplaced wheel stops, and
- Vehicle oil slicks.
These seemingly minor hazards are easy to correct. For example, dangerous oil slicks usually require only superficial treatment. Because of this relative ease, damages are often rather high in parking lot slip and fall claims, as set out below.
Legal Issues in a Los Angeles County Parking Lot Fall
Burden in reducing the risk of a fall is one of the factors set forth in California law regarding the owner’s duty of care. Essentially, if the harm was easy to prevent or reduce, the owner’s duty of care is higher. Some other factors include:
- Owner’s Control: This point is quite complex in parking lot fall claims. As mentioned, different owners often control different parts of a parking lot. This point is also important with regard to the res ipsa loquitur doctrine, as set out below.
- Likelihood of Injury: This factor weighs strongly in favor of victim/plaintiffs. Parking lots do not just have lots of foot traffic. They have lots of vehicle traffic as well. So, the chance of a fall is very high.
- Knowledge of Hazard: The owner must have actual or constructive knowledge (should have known). So, evidence on this point could be direct, like an internal email, or circumstantial, such as a pothole that was unfilled for many weeks.
Other factors include the property’s location and a possible injury’s severity.
Your Claim for Damages
Many fall claims are no-witness claims. No one saw the victim fall, and there may not be a nearby security camera. If the victim sustained a serious injury, the victim may be unable to give testimony about the fall.
A legal doctrine called res ipsa loquitur (“the thing speaks for itself”) may apply in these cases. California juries may presume negligence if:
- Negligence usually causes that type of incident,
- The area was under the defendant’s exclusive control, and
- The victim was not partially at fault.
For example, Sam parks toward the back of a parking lot. He slips and falls as he makes his way to the front, but there are no witnesses. The res ipsa loquitur rule could apply here. That’s assuming Sam’s lawyer filed suit against the correct party, which would probably be the property management company as opposed to the retailer.
Connect with Hard-Hitting Lawyers
Parking lot falls often lead to serious injuries and complex legal questions. For a free consultation with an experienced Torrance unsafe parking lot lawyer, contact the Soofer Law Group. Attorneys can connect victims with doctors, even if they have no money or insurance. Call today for more information at (310) 478-5090.