Slip and Fall Lawyer Serving Sacramento

Table of Contents

I was looking at my phone when I slipped in a Sacramento store. Can I still recover anything?

You may still recover. California uses a system of “pure” comparative negligence, so the injured person’s own negligence does not bar recovery. Instead, the damages are diminished in proportion to the amount of negligence attributable to that person (Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975) 13 Cal.3d 804). The Law Offices of J. Chrisp serves people hurt in slip and fall accidents in Sacramento.

The Law Offices of J. Chrisp offers a free consultation and works on a contingency fee, with no fee unless we win. Calls to 877-J-CHRISP (877-524-7477) are answered 24/7. Since 2010, the firm has recovered over $350 million for clients, according to its case results page.

Who must prove the injured person’s share of fault

The burden is on the defense. Under CACI No. 405, a property owner or business that blames the injured person must prove both that the injured person was negligent and that the negligence was a substantial factor in his or her harm.

Slip and fall results

The firm’s slip and fall page says that since 2010 it has successfully concluded many serious personal injury slip/trip and fall cases, with millions of dollars in results for its clients. Results it has obtained in cases involving dangerous conditions on property include:

$5,000,000 in a case involving a dangerous pool that caused a child’s brain injury
$300,000 in a case involving a dangerous apartment staircase that led to a knee replacement

Every case is different, and prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Claims against the City or County of Sacramento

For the City of Sacramento, the City of Sacramento Claim Form is submitted by mail or delivery to the Office of the City Clerk, 915 I Street, 5th Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814. The City states that the City Clerk’s Office is the only office to which claims may be submitted. For the County of Sacramento, the claim form goes to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, 700 H Street, Room 2450, Sacramento, CA 95814.

Timing is set by state law. Under Government Code section 911.2, six months is the outer limit for presenting a personal injury claim to a public entity, measured from accrual of the cause of action. A person who misses that date may still make a written application for leave to present the claim late, no later than one year after accrual and within a reasonable time (section 911.4). The board must grant that application in listed situations. They include a delay caused by mistake, inadvertence, surprise or excusable neglect that did not prejudice the public entity, and an injured person who was a minor during the whole six months (section 911.6).

The Sacramento court and the two-year lawsuit deadline

Code of Civil Procedure section 395 treats the superior court in the county of the injury as a proper court, subject to exceptions in other laws. For a fall in Sacramento County, that is the Sacramento Superior Court. For a claim against a private property owner or business, the lawsuit generally must be filed within two years (section 335.1). Those two years are counted from the date the cause of action accrues, except where a statute provides a different limitation for a special case (section 312).

Offices and service area

The firm does not have an office in Sacramento. Sacramento is among the places the firm lists as areas it serves, along with Sonoma, Napa, Lake and Mendocino counties and the San Francisco Bay Area. The firm’s main office is at 9667 Highway 29, Lower Lake, CA 95457. It also has an office at 3558 Round Barn Blvd, Suite 200, Santa Rosa, CA 95403, and one at 1330 Bush Street, Suite 9D, San Francisco, CA 94109.

Frequently asked questions

Who decides my percentage of fault, and who does the math?

In a jury trial, the jury determines the injured person’s percentage of responsibility. Under CACI No. 405, the judge then calculates the actual reduction in the damages.

Can a business argue that I had the last clear chance to avoid the fall?

The doctrine of last clear chance was abolished in Li v. Yellow Cab Co.

Where does a claim go for a fall at a Regional Transit stop or a SMUD property?

It does not go to the City of Sacramento. The City says claims against the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, Sacramento Regional Transit, the County of Sacramento, the Sacramento Municipal Utilities District and the Sacramento Unified School District are separate and go directly to each agency.

Can I email a claim to Sacramento County?

The County of Sacramento says electronic submissions are not allowed. Its claim form is submitted by mail or delivery.

If you were hurt in a fall at a store, apartment or other property in Sacramento, call the Law Offices of J. Chrisp 24/7 at 877-J-CHRISP (877-524-7477) for a free consultation. There is no fee unless we win.

About the Law Offices of J. Chrisp

The Law Offices of J. Chrisp is a Northern California personal injury law firm founded by attorney Jesse Chrisp, who was raised in Lake County. The firm represents injured people, with offices in Lower Lake (main office), Santa Rosa and San Francisco, and serves Sonoma, Napa, Lake and Mendocino counties and the San Francisco Bay Area. Consultations are free, the firm works on a contingency fee with no fee unless the firm wins, and the phone is answered 24/7 at 877-J-CHRISP (877-524-7477). The firm was named to Best Law Firms 2026 (Tier 1, Santa Rosa, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs). Jesse Chrisp has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America since 2024 and selected to Super Lawyers from 2023 to 2026.