A carpenter who was injured in a Los Angeles County fall accident while working on movie star Barbra Streisand's home is suing the celebrity for California premises liability. Daniel Ortiz says he was working on the award-winning singer's Malibu home when he fell into a ditch.
As a result of the Malibu, California fall accident, Ortiz says he experienced discomfort, humiliation, anxiety, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, physical distress, and emotional distress. He is accusing Streisand of both neglecting to warn him of the unsafe conditions on her property and not making the hazardous conditions safe.
California Premises Liability
A property owner can be held liable for California premises liability if a victim is able to prove that the property owner knew or should have known about the hazardous condition, is responsible for the danger on the premise, neglected to warn that the danger existed on the property, and failed to act as a "reasonable" person would have by taking steps to prevent the fall accident from happening.
Los Angeles fall accidents can result in hip injuries, fractures, back injuries, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, and other painful and debilitating injuries.
Examples of fall accidents:
- Falling into an opening on a property
- Falling down a flight of stairs
- Slipping and falling onto the ground
- Tripping over an item on the ground and falling
Fall accidents can be costly to treat and can take a long time to recover from. The Center for Disease Control reports that 2.2 million people were treated in US emergency rooms in 2007 because they were injured in fall accidents--the number one cause of emergency room visits and one of the leading causes of injuries and deaths to minors. According to the National Safety Council, falls were the number one cause of accidental death for people older than 85 in 2008.
If a worker was injured in an Orange County, California fall accident while on the job, he or she may be entitled to personal injury compensation from third parties that are not the victim's employer.
Barbra Streisand Sued By Carpenter Over Ditch Fall, All Headline News, December 7, 2009
Related Web Resources:
Proving Fault in Accidents on Dangerous or Defective Property, NOLO
Premises Liability Overview, Justia
Our Los Angeles County fall accident lawyers offer prospective clients free case evaluations. Contact Howard Nassiri today.
