Property owners have certain duties to visitors and guests to keep their premises reasonably safe and free from hazards, so as to minimize the risk of an accident. When they breach this duty, and a visitor is injured as a result, the owner may be held liable for the injured party's damages through a personal injury lawsuit based on the legal theory of premises liability.
In California, these claims come up often in cases involving people who were badly injured when they fell in a restaurant, a store or some other privately-owned facility that is open to the public. However, they can also come up in cases involving a person who was injured in an accident on property that is owned by the local, state or federal government.