Redondo Beach Slip and Fall Lawyer
Who owns the ground you fell on decides almost everything about a Redondo Beach slip and fall claim. A fall on City property, such as a City sidewalk or a public area of the City’s waterfront, starts with a written claim to the City of Redondo Beach, generally due within six months (Gov. Code § 911.2). A fall inside a store at the South Bay Galleria, a restaurant on the harbor, or an apartment building is a claim against the private owner or tenant, with two years to sue (CCP § 335.1). The proof is different too.
Redondo Beach slip and fall lawyer Jon Olsson represents people hurt in falls on public and private property across the city, and he handles every case himself. There’s no charge to talk with him about your fall, and no attorney’s fee unless we recover compensation for you.
Redondo Beach Slip and Fall Claims: Key Facts
- Falls on City property: a written claim to the City is generally due within six months, on the City’s liability claim form, signed by hand and delivered in person or by U.S. mail to the City Clerk’s Office.
- Falls on private property: a lawsuit is generally due within two years.
- Private owners’ duty: everyone must use ordinary care in managing their property (Civ. Code § 1714).
- Public property: the City is liable only for a “dangerous condition” it created or had notice of in time to fix (Gov. Code § 835).
- Your own carelessness: reduces the award but doesn’t bar the claim (Li v. Yellow Cab Co.).
- Courthouse: a slip and fall lawsuit from Redondo Beach is generally heard at the Torrance Courthouse, 825 Maple Avenue.
- Cost: no attorney’s fee unless we recover compensation for you.
Why Jon’s Corporate Defense Experience Helps Your Redondo Beach Slip and Fall Claim
Jon spent the early part of his career on the other side of injury cases, so he knows how insurers and their lawyers will size up your claim. Before founding Olsson Law, he spent six years at a large international law firm defending companies in complex litigation, including serious injury and product liability matters. He then joined a Los Angeles personal injury firm, where he represented injured people in motor vehicle collisions, dangerous property conditions, public entity cases, and disputed liability matters. That background tells him what evidence moves a defense lawyer, and what they look for to justify paying less.
Jon stays directly involved from your first consultation through the resolution of your case, and works to reduce medical bills and liens so more of any settlement goes to you.
- Education: Georgetown University Law Center (J.D.); New York University (B.A.)
- Bar admissions: California, Texas, and Massachusetts
- Community: member of the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, and the South Bay Bar Association
Prior Results
- $3.85 million: wrongful death settlement
- $700,000: car accident, back and neck injuries
- $400,000: slip and fall, knee injury
These results include matters personally handled by Jon Olsson at prior law firms and matters in which he participated as part of a legal team. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Read more about Jon Olsson, our approach, and prior results.
Where Falls Happen in Redondo Beach, and Who Answers for Them
There’s no official count of slip and fall injuries by city, so the useful local question is ownership. Around the harbor alone, the City’s harbor parking page lists two parking structures alongside privately operated lots, and the deadline and the proof change at that line.
| Where you fell | Who is usually responsible | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| City sidewalks, streets, parks, and public areas of the City’s waterfront | City of Redondo Beach | Written claim generally within 6 months |
| City-listed waterfront parking, including the Pier Parking Structure at 100 W. Torrance Boulevard and the Plaza Parking Structure at North Harbor Drive and North Pacific Avenue (City of Redondo Beach) | Possibly the City; confirm who owns and operates it early, since a City claim has the short deadline | Written claim generally within 6 months |
| Privately operated harbor lots along North Harbor Drive, Marina Way, Yacht Club Way, and Portofino Way | The lot’s owner or operator | Lawsuit within 2 years |
| Stores and common areas at the South Bay Galleria and other shopping centers | The store, the center’s owner, or both | Lawsuit within 2 years |
| Restaurants and bars, including tenants on the pier and harbor | The business, and sometimes the property owner | Lawsuit within 2 years |
| Apartment buildings | The landlord or property manager | Lawsuit within 2 years |
When it isn’t clear who owns or maintains the spot, Jon treats the claim as if a public agency may be involved and files within six months, so the short deadline can’t run out while ownership is sorted out.
What You Have to Prove
The rules differ for private and public property.
Private property. Under California’s jury instructions, an owner is negligent if a condition created an unreasonable risk of harm, the owner knew or reasonably should have known about it, and the owner failed to repair it, protect against it, or warn about it (CACI No. 1003). A spill nobody could have seen yet is harder; a spill that sat for an hour, or a leak staff walked past, is the kind of evidence that supports a claim.
City property. You must show the property was in a dangerous condition, that it created a foreseeable risk of the kind of injury you suffered, and that a City employee created it or the City had notice long enough to protect against it (CACI No. 1100). A condition that creates only a minor risk isn’t a “dangerous condition” (CACI No. 1102), so a small sidewalk crack may not qualify, while a raised slab or a broken stair often does. Notice can be actual, or it can be shown by a hazard that existed long enough, and was obvious enough, that the City should have found it (CACI No. 1103).
Who Pays After a Fall in Redondo Beach?
| Where you fell | Who may pay |
|---|---|
| A store, restaurant, or shopping center | The business’s or owner’s liability insurer |
| An apartment building | The landlord’s liability insurer |
| City property | The City of Redondo Beach, after a timely written claim |
| At work | Workers’ compensation, and possibly a separate claim against a property owner who isn’t your employer |
| Treatment costs while the claim is pending | Your health plan, which can seek repayment out of the settlement |
After a Fall in Redondo Beach: First Steps
- Get medical care. Falls cause fractures and head injuries that aren’t always obvious at first. Severe injuries may call for a trauma center such as Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, which is Level I.
- Photograph the spot before it’s cleaned or fixed: the spill, the broken step, the uneven pavement, the lighting, and any missing warning sign. Put something in the frame for scale.
- Report it to a manager at a business and ask for a copy of the incident report, or at least the name of the person who took it.
- Keep your shoes and clothing as they were.
- Get witnesses’ names and numbers, and ask the business in writing to keep its security video.
- Write down exactly where you fell, with a nearby address or landmark, so ownership can be confirmed.
- Check with a lawyer first if the property owner’s insurance company calls asking to record your account of the fall.
How Jon Builds a Redondo Beach Slip and Fall Case
- Ownership: property records, leases, and maintenance contracts to identify every party responsible for the spot, public or private.
- The hazard: photos, video, measurements, and, where useful, an expert on stairs, flooring, or lighting.
- Notice: cleaning and inspection logs, prior complaints, and video showing how long the hazard was there.
- The cost of the fall: treatment records and bills, time off work, and what your doctors expect you’ll need next.
- Resolution: a documented demand and negotiation, and a lawsuit if needed. Injury lawsuits are generally filed in the court district where the injury happened, which for Redondo Beach is the Torrance Courthouse.
More on slip and fall claims and premises liability.
Redondo Beach Slip and Fall FAQs
I Fell on the Redondo Beach Pier. Who Do I File Against?
It depends on the exact spot. A public walkway the City maintains generally means a written claim to the City within six months. A fall inside a restaurant or shop on the pier is usually a claim against that business. Note exactly where you fell, and act early in case the City is involved.
Does It Matter Whether the Store Knew About the Spill?
Yes. A private owner is responsible if it knew, or reasonably should have known, about the hazard and didn’t fix it, guard it, or warn you. Evidence of how long the spill was there, such as video or cleaning logs, is often what decides the case.
I Tripped on a Cracked Sidewalk. Is Any Crack Enough?
No. The condition has to create a substantial risk of injury to people using reasonable care, not just a minor one. Raised or broken slabs often qualify; small cracks often don’t. Photos with a ruler or other object for scale help show the difference.
How Long Do I Have to Bring a Claim?
Generally six months for a written claim against the City, and two years to sue a private owner. If the City rejects a claim in writing, a lawsuit is generally due within six months of that notice (Gov. Code § 945.6).
What Does a Redondo Beach Slip and Fall Lawyer Cost?
Jon’s fee comes out of any recovery as a percentage, so no recovery means no attorney’s fee, and the fee agreement must be put in writing (Bus. & Prof. Code § 6147).
Talk to a Redondo Beach Slip and Fall Attorney
Spills get mopped and broken steps get repaired, so the hazard that caused your fall may not be there for long. For a free consultation about your fall, call Jon Olsson at (310) 304-4756 or send us a message. You owe no attorney’s fee unless we recover compensation for you.
Our Redondo Beach personal injury lawyer page covers other kinds of injuries in the city.
This page provides general information about slip and fall claims in Redondo Beach. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Deadlines and rules can change and may depend on the facts of your case.