Rancho Mirage Public Property Injury Lawyer
Sustaining injuries on public property is always unexpected. You can fall when walking up the stairs to the library or trip on a cracked sidewalk. While you may think such occurrences are mere bad luck, usually someone is responsible.
Public properties in Rancho Mirage are owned by government entities. They are responsible for keeping them safe for visitors. If you got hurt because the government acted negligently, you could seek compensation. Since fighting against the government can be more complicated than other premises liability claims, you should consider hiring a Rancho Mirage public property injury lawyer.
How Public Property Accidents Usually Occur
Without due maintenance, public places become dangerous very quickly. Since hundreds of people visit areas like the Rancho Mirage Public Library and Observatory or the Community Park every day, these places need frequent maintenance. Without it, both adults and children can sustain serious trauma. The most common areas where public property accidents occur are:
Parking Lots and Garages
Insufficient lighting or lack of clear signage can cause car accidents. Meanwhile, poorly maintained surfaces or excessive debris can cause falls.
Parks and Playgrounds
Faulty play equipment can lead to anything from a few broken bones to serious head injuries like TBI.
Public Buildings (Libraries, Museums)
Wet or slippery floors, especially near entrances or restrooms, can cause people to slip and fall. Also, malfunctioning elevators that stop suddenly may cause bruises and sprains.
Public Swimming Pools
Lack of lifeguards or inadequate barriers can lead to serious incidents in the water. Meanwhile, wet surfaces around the pool can cause people to slip.
Public Restrooms
Wet floors due to leaks or spills can cause people to slip and sustain injuries. Meanwhile, faulty hot water systems can cause burns.
Sidewalks
Cracked pavement can cause pedestrians to trip and fall. This can lead to sprains, fractures, or cuts.
The key to recovering damages in such accidents is establishing liability. To do that, the injured party would have to prove several points, including the owner’s duty of care and the breach of this duty. With the assistance of an experienced public property injury lawyer in Rancho Mirage, they could collect relevant evidence and file their claim on time.
Public Property Liability Laws in California
According to California Civil Code, § 1714, owners can be liable for any injury that occurs on their property due to their negligent behavior. It means that the public property owner, which is usually the government or one of its agencies, is responsible for removing hazards that could cause injuries to visitors.
In most cases, sovereign immunity protects government agencies from liability in personal injury cases. However, the California Tort Claims Act allows the person to sue the government if its negligent actions cause their injuries.
This means that demonstrating the at-fault party’s negligence is the most important part of the personal injury claim against the government. An experienced Rancho Mirage public property injury attorney would have to prove this negligence by collecting evidence, bringing in expert witnesses, and gathering eyewitness testimony.
While personal injury cases on public properties may seem straightforward, they rarely are. That’s why professional legal assistance is highly recommended.
Contact a Rancho Mirage Public Property Injury Attorney
If you got seriously hurt on public property, you may have the right to seek damages from the government. While it may be harder to get the money you deserve from a government entity, your chances increase with the right legal assistance.
At Walter Clark Legal Group, we aren’t afraid to take on the government if it means protecting an injured person’s rights. Schedule a free consultation with a Rancho Mirage public property injury lawyer today.
