Slip and fall accidents happen more often than you might think in Orange County. Walk through any busy shopping center in Irvine or along the Newport Beach boardwalk, and you’ll see countless opportunities for these incidents. Wet floors, cracked sidewalks, poor lighting – the hazards are everywhere.
What’s frustrating is that most of these accidents could have been prevented. Property owners know about these dangers, or they should know. When they ignore basic safety measures, people get hurt. Sometimes badly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over one million people visit emergency rooms annually due to slip and fall injuries nationwide.
If you’ve been hurt in a slip and fall accident, don’t wait to get help. The team at Kubota & Craig offers free consultations to discuss your case and your options.
Why Slip and Fall Accidents Are So Prevalent in Orange County
Orange County stays busy. Really busy. The Irvine Spectrum draws millions of visitors each year. Beaches like Huntington and Newport see constant foot traffic. Add in office buildings, restaurants, and retail centers throughout Mission Viejo, Anaheim, and beyond – that’s a lot of people walking around.
All this activity creates more chances for accidents. Different properties have different safety standards, too. A high-end mall might maintain pristine conditions while a strip mall struggles with basic upkeep. The variety of spaces means hazards can pop up anywhere.
Falls are particularly dangerous for older adults – the CDC reports that one in four Americans aged 65 and older falls each year. California’s premises liability law recognizes this reality. Property owners must keep their spaces reasonably safe for visitors. When they fail at this basic duty, they can be held responsible for the injuries that result.
7 Most Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents
1. Wet or Slippery Floors
You’ve seen it before. Someone mops the floor at Ralph’s or Albertsons without putting up warning signs. A customer rounds the corner and hits the deck. Hard.
Wet floors cause more slip and fall accidents than almost anything else in Orange County. Restaurants deal with spills constantly. Public bathrooms stay damp. Even office buildings struggle with leaky roofs during our occasional rainy seasons.
The law is clear here – property owners must warn people about wet conditions or block off the area until it’s safe. No signs? That’s often negligence. And negligence means you might have a case.
2. Uneven Pavement and Sidewalks
Mission Viejo has beautiful tree-lined streets. But those mature trees sometimes push up sidewalks, creating dangerous lips and cracks. Broken curbs near shopping centers catch people off guard. Potholes in parking lots seem to appear overnight.
Here’s where it gets tricky – who’s responsible depends on where you fall. City sidewalks? Usually the city’s problem. Private property sidewalks? That’s on the property owner. Sometimes it’s not clear cut, though. That’s why you need someone who knows Orange County law inside and out.
3. Inadequate Lighting
Poor lighting turns any walk into a gamble. Parking garages with burnt-out bulbs. Apartment stairwells that stay dim to save money. Restaurant patios where you can barely see your feet.
I think property owners sometimes forget how much lighting matters. Your eyes need time to adjust when you move from bright areas to dark ones. If there’s a hazard in that dark zone, you’re probably going down.
4. Loose Rugs, Mats, or Floorboards
Those decorative rugs in hotel lobbies? They look nice, but they better be secured properly. Same goes for entrance mats, loose carpet edges, and wobbly floorboards.
This one bothers me because the fix is usually simple. A few strips of carpet tape or some screws can prevent serious injuries. When businesses skip these basic steps, they’re basically gambling with your safety.
5. Weather-Related Hazards
Orange County doesn’t get much rain, but when we do, watch out. Smooth surfaces become ice rinks. Entrances to buildings get muddy and slippery. Beach areas develop sandy, unstable walkways.
Smart property owners prepare for weather changes. They put out anti-slip mats when rain is coming. They clean up muddy areas quickly. The lazy ones? They wait for someone to get hurt first.
6. Cluttered Walkways and Obstacles
Retail stores love their displays. Sometimes they love them a little too much. Boxes stacked in aisles. Extension cords running across walkways. Merchandise displays that stick out into foot traffic.
Businesses need to balance their desire to show products with basic safety. Clear walkways aren’t just good practice – they’re required by law. When temporary obstacles create permanent injuries, someone needs to be held accountable.
7. Broken or Missing Handrails
Stairwells without handrails are accidents waiting to happen. Even worse are handrails that look secure but break when you grab them. Apartment buildings, office complexes, and older retail centers often have these problems.
Missing handrails don’t just cause falls – they make falls much worse. When you can’t catch yourself, a simple stumble becomes a trip to the emergency room.
Who’s Legally Responsible for These Hazards?
California’s premises liability law puts the responsibility squarely on property owners. This includes business owners, landlords, property management companies, and even cities for public spaces. But – and this is important – you have to prove they knew about the hazard or should have known about it.
As California Civil Code Section 1714 makes clear: “Everyone is responsible, not only for the result of his or her willful acts, but also for an injury occasioned to another by his or her want of ordinary care or skill in the management of his or her property.” This foundational principle means property owners cannot simply ignore dangerous conditions and hope for the best.
The “reasonable care” standard applies here. Property owners don’t have to make their spaces perfect. They do have to act like reasonable people would act. Regular inspections, prompt repairs, proper warning signs – these are all part of reasonable care.
Sometimes proving knowledge gets complicated. Maybe the owner genuinely didn’t know about that loose tile. But if it had been loose for weeks and customers complained, that changes everything. Successfully proving fault in premises liability cases requires understanding both the legal standards and the evidence needed to meet them.
What to Do After a Slip and Fall in Orange County
Your first priority is always your health, but if you can manage it, document everything. Take photos of the hazard that caused your fall. Get pictures of the surrounding area. Note the time, weather, and lighting conditions.
Report the incident immediately to whoever manages the property. This creates an official record. Don’t let them brush you off or promise to “look into it later.” Get their name and contact information.
Seek medical attention even if you think you’re fine. Adrenaline masks injuries. What feels like a bruise today might be something more serious tomorrow. Plus, medical records help prove your case later.
Keep your clothes and shoes from the accident. They might contain evidence of what caused your fall. Perhaps there’s residue from a slippery substance or damage that shows how the incident happened.
Contact a slip and fall injury lawyer in Orange County as soon as possible. California gives you two years to file a lawsuit, but evidence disappears quickly. Witnesses forget details. Security cameras get recorded over.
How Kubota & Craig Can Help You Recover
Premises liability cases require specific knowledge of California law and local Orange County courts. The team at Kubota & Craig has spent years handling these exact types of cases. They know which defenses property owners typically use. They understand how to prove negligence and get results.
Every case gets personal attention. Your slip and fall isn’t just another file to them. They take time to understand how your injuries have affected your life, your work, and your family.
The firm has secured significant settlements and verdicts for fall injury cases throughout Orange County. While past results don’t guarantee future outcomes, their track record speaks to their commitment and skill.
Free Case Evaluation — Call an Orange County Slip and Fall Lawyer Today
Don’t let a property owner’s negligence derail your life without fighting back. You deserve compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
The attorneys at Kubota & Craig offer free consultations to evaluate your case. No fees unless they win your case. No risk to you for getting answers about your rights.
If you’ve been injured in a fall, knowing what to do after a slip and fall accident can protect both your health and your legal rights.
Call today or fill out their online contact form. Your slip and fall accident might seem like just bad luck, but if negligence played a role, you have options. Let an experienced Orange County premises liability attorney help you explore them.
About the Author and Legal Information
Legal Disclaimer: This blog post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every slip and fall case is unique, and outcomes depend on specific facts and circumstances. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. All case examples and settlement amounts mentioned are for illustrative purposes only. Consult with a qualified California premises liability attorney for advice specific to your situation.
Attorney Advertising Notice: This communication is attorney advertising as defined by California Rules of Professional Conduct Rule 7.3.
By Yoshiaki C. Kubota, Esq. California State Bar #175555 | AV Preeminent Rating. Published: October 13, 2025
About the Author:
Yoshiaki C. Kubota is a founding partner at Kubota & Craig, PC, and has been a California-licensed attorney since 1994 (State Bar #175555). With over 30 years of experience in personal injury law, he has successfully handled hundreds of slip and fall and premises liability cases throughout Orange County. He holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell and has been recognized as a Super Lawyer from 2010-2025. His firm has recovered over $200 million for injured clients, and he has personally tried more than 45 jury trials. Kubota has particular expertise in complex premises liability cases and helping clients navigate California’s challenging property owner negligence laws.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific legal guidance regarding your slip and fall case, please consult with a qualified premises liability attorney.
Sources and Disclaimers:
Attorney Yoshiaki C. Kubota is licensed by the State Bar of California (License #175555). This article contains general legal information and should not be construed as legal advice for specific situations. Laws and regulations may change, and individual circumstances vary. For current legal advice regarding your specific situation, please consult with a qualified attorney.
Sources:
- California Civil Code Section 1714 (General Negligence and Premises Liability)
- California Civil Jury Instructions (CACI) 1000-1012 (Premises Liability)
- California Code of Civil Procedure Section 335.1 (Statute of Limitations)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Fall Prevention Statistics
- National Safety Council Injury Facts Database
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Fatal Work Injury Reports
- Orange County Health Care Agency Injury Prevention Data
- California Department of Public Health Injury Surveillance Reports
