Table of Contents

After tripping on a broken city sidewalk in Sonoma County, do I need to act faster?

Yes: for a fall on public property, a written government claim for an injury is generally due within six months after the claim arises (accrues) (Government Code section 911.2). The Law Offices of J. Chrisp, which has a Santa Rosa office at 3558 Round Barn Blvd, Suite 200, has successfully concluded many serious personal injury slip/trip and fall cases since 2010. A late-claim application is possible within limits (section 911.4).

The Law Offices of J. Chrisp is 100 percent focused on personal injury law. The sections below cover the firm’s results, who is responsible for a fall on someone else’s property, falls on public property and the evidence to gather.

Case results

Since 2010, the firm has successfully concluded many serious personal injury slip/trip and fall cases. These have resulted in millions of dollars for its clients. Results the firm has obtained in cases involving dangerous property conditions 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.

Who is responsible for a fall on someone else’s property?

Under California law, a person who owns, leases, occupies or controls property is negligent if they fail to use reasonable care to keep it in a reasonably safe condition (CACI No. 1001). That includes using reasonable care to discover unsafe conditions and to repair them or give adequate warning. The duty comes from Civil Code section 1714, as applied to possessors of land in Rowland v. Christian (1968).

Not every fall leads to a claim. The injured person must prove that the defendant was negligent in the use or maintenance of the property, and that this negligence was a substantial factor in causing the harm (CACI No. 1000).

Falls on public property and filing deadlines

A city, county or other public entity can be liable for a dangerous condition of its property only when specific conditions are met (Government Code section 811.2; section 835).

A written government claim for an injury is generally due within six months after the claim arises (accrues) (Government Code section 911.2). A late-claim application is possible within limits (section 911.4). A lawsuit generally cannot be filed until the claim is acted on or deemed rejected (section 945.4), and that lawsuit has separate deadlines (section 945.6). Most other personal injury lawsuits have a two-year deadline, counted from when the claim arises (Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1 and section 312).

Evidence to gather after a fall

Photos of the exact spot, the hazard, the lighting and any warning signs, taken before anything is cleaned up
The names and phone numbers of witnesses and employees who saw the fall or the hazard
A copy of the incident report, or at least the name of the person who took it
The shoes and clothes you were wearing, kept as they are
Medical records from your first visit onward

Get legal advice before giving a recorded statement about the fall.

Stores and restaurants

Ask the manager to write up an incident report before you leave, and ask for a copy.

Apartments and rental homes

Keep copies of written repair requests and texts to the manager.

How fault is shared in a slip and fall case

California uses pure comparative fault under Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975). If you were partly responsible for your fall, you can still recover. Your damages are reduced in proportion to your share of the fault.

Offices, service area and recognition

The firm serves Sonoma County, along with Napa, Lake and Mendocino counties and the San Francisco Bay Area. Besides Santa Rosa, it has offices in Lower Lake, the main office, and San Francisco.

The firm was named to Best Law Firms 2026 (Tier 1, Santa Rosa, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs). Founding attorney Jesse Chrisp has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America since 2024. He was selected to Northern California Rising Stars from 2013 to 2021, an honor awarded to only 2.5% of attorneys in the state. He has represented thousands of injured clients. He holds the record for the highest personal injury verdict in Lake County. The firm is 100 percent focused on personal injury law. The firm is willing to meet you in your home, hospital room, or at the scene of the accident. The firm has Spanish-speaking staff.

One client wrote: “The outcome was far better than expected.” (Gerard Fowler)

Frequently asked questions

Can I sue if I slipped and fell in a store in Sonoma County?

You may have a claim if the store failed to use reasonable care to keep the property reasonably safe, and that failure was a substantial factor in causing your harm. A fall alone does not show that the store was negligent.

What do I have to prove in a California slip and fall case?

The injured person generally must prove four things. The defendant owned, leased, occupied or controlled the property. The defendant was negligent in the use or maintenance of the property. The injured person was harmed, and the negligence was a substantial factor in causing that harm. These elements come from California’s civil jury instruction CACI No. 1000, which applies the duty in Civil Code section 1714 and Rowland v. Christian.

Can I still recover if I was partly at fault for my fall?

Yes. California uses pure comparative fault under Li v. Yellow Cab Co. (1975). Your damages are reduced in proportion to your share of the fault rather than barred.

How long do I have to file a slip and fall claim?

Under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, the deadline for most personal injury lawsuits is two years from when the claim arises. If the claim is against a city, county or other public entity, a written government claim is generally due within six months under Government Code section 911.2. A later lawsuit against the entity has separate deadlines under Government Code section 945.6.

How much does a slip and fall lawyer cost?

The consultation with the Law Offices of J. Chrisp is free, and the firm works on a contingency fee. There are no fees and no case costs unless we win.

If you were hurt in a fall on someone else’s property in Sonoma County, call the Law Offices of J. Chrisp 24/7 at 877-J-CHRISP (877-524-7477) for a free consultation. There are no fees and no case costs 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 and no case costs 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.