Slip and Fall Lawyer Serving Lake County

Table of Contents

The stairs at my Lake County rental gave way under me. What does California law expect from the landlord?

After a tenant moves in, a landlord must take reasonable precautions to prevent injury from an unsafe condition in an area the landlord controls, if the landlord knows or reasonably should have known about it. That is how California’s civil jury instructions state the landlord’s duty (CACI No. 1006). The Law Offices of J. Chrisp represents people hurt in falls on rental and other property throughout Lake County.

The main office of the Law Offices of J. Chrisp is in Lake County, at 9667 Highway 29, Lower Lake, CA 95457, telephone (707) 994-0529. Consultations are free. Fees are on a contingency basis, and there is no fee unless we win.

Inspections before and during a tenancy

CACI No. 1006 sets out when a landlord must look for hazards. Before giving a tenant possession, a landlord must conduct a reasonable inspection of the property for unsafe conditions. The landlord must then take reasonable precautions to prevent injury from conditions that were found or reasonably should have been found. The inspection must include common areas under the landlord’s control.

The instruction is given when the injury happened on rental property and the landlord is alleged to be liable.

Staircase and slip and fall results

The firm reports that since 2010 it has successfully concluded many serious personal injury slip/trip and fall cases, and that they have resulted in millions of dollars for its clients. One result listed on chrisplaw.com fits this page’s topic: $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.

Ties to Lake County

Born in Santa Rosa, founding attorney Jesse Chrisp was raised in Lake County. His work includes thousands of cases in Sonoma, Mendocino, Napa and Lake counties. In Lake County itself, he holds the record for the highest personal injury verdict.

Deadlines and the proper court

Injury lawsuits against a private landlord or other private party generally have a two-year limit (Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1). That clock runs from accrual of the cause of action, except where a statute sets a different limit for a special case (section 312). Unless another law provides otherwise, the superior court of the county where an injury occurs is one proper court for the case (section 395). For a fall in Lake County, that is the Superior Court of California, County of Lake.

For a fall on property owned by a city, county or other public entity, Government Code section 911.2 gives six months from accrual of the cause of action to present an injury claim to the entity. After that, the claimant may still ask the entity in writing for leave to file late, within a reasonable time and no later than one year after accrual (section 911.4). A local public entity’s claim can be delivered to its clerk, secretary or auditor, or mailed to one of them or to the governing body at its principal office (section 915).

Offices and service area

Besides the Lower Lake main office, the firm has offices at 3558 Round Barn Blvd, Suite 200, Santa Rosa, CA 95403, and at 1330 Bush Street, Suite 9D, San Francisco, CA 94109. Within Lake County, the service-area list on its website names Clearlake, Kelseyville, Lakeport, Lower Lake and Lucerne. The firm does not have an office in Clearlake, Kelseyville, Lakeport or Lucerne. Beyond Lake County, it serves Sonoma, Napa and Mendocino counties and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Frequently asked questions

What if the hazard was in a part of the rental the tenant controls?

The rule is narrower there. For an area under the tenant’s control, the instruction says the landlord must take reasonable precautions if the landlord has actual knowledge of the condition and the right and ability to correct it (CACI No. 1006).

When must a landlord make periodic inspections?

Whenever the landlord has the legal right of possession, California’s jury instruction says the landlord must conduct reasonable periodic inspections of the rental property (CACI No. 1006).

Where are the Lake County courthouses?

The Superior Court of California, County of Lake has a courthouse at 675 Lakeport Blvd., Lakeport, CA 95453, and a branch at 7000-A South Center Drive, Clearlake, CA 95422.

What should I photograph after a fall on rental stairs?

Photograph the broken tread, the handrail, the lighting and the whole stairway from several angles before anyone repairs it. Save texts or emails to the landlord or manager that mention the stairs.

If you were hurt in a fall at a rental, store or other property in Lake County, 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.