Personal Injury Lawyer
Say that you are out for a walk and you slip and fall on a piece of broken sidewalk. After your slip and fall, you suffer injuries that require medical treatment. You could fracture a bone or injure your spine and hence lose your ability to work temporarily or permanently. In this instance, your injuries were caused by negligence on behalf of the city. You can build a negligence case against it with a personal injury lawyer, like from the Law Office of Daniel Wright.
Filing a Notice of Claim
Before you file the lawsuit, you will need to file the Notice of Claim. In the notice, you would include the following:
- Names and contact information
- Descriptions of the accident, where it occurred and when
- Descriptions of the injuries
- Cost of damages
In some states, you have to file the Notice of Claim with a deadline. You only have a short period after the accident to file. If you do not file the notice, then your entire case may be dismissed. It is important to talk to a lawyer as soon as possible about the deadline.
Understanding Immunity
When it comes to lawsuits against cities, it can be a little more complex than individuals. In all personal injury cases, you have to prove that the defendant had some type of duty of care towards you. For instance, if you are a guest in a shop and the floor is slick, you can sue if you’re injured after a fall. The store had an obligation towards you.
When it comes to filing a lawsuit against the city, for instance, the city may be required to clean up snow and ice around a courthouse or on the sidewalks, but if you trespass on city property and suffer an injury, then the city may owe you nothing. Likewise, some laws grant immunity to cities. An example is that in some states if a pedestrian is injured by a police officer on duty because the pedestrian was jaywalking and not listening for sirens, the city may not be liable. If you talk with a lawyer, you can find out if your particular situation calls for a lawsuit against the city.
If you suffer an injury and you believe that the city or government is at fault, there are routes you can take to file a lawsuit. When filing a lawsuit against a municipality, it is crucial to set up a consultation with a lawyer. These cases tend to be more difficult than cases against other civilians.