Property owners have a duty to ensure their sidewalks are safe for pedestrians to use on a daily basis. Unfortunately, they do not always live up to this responsibility, and often, pedestrians find themselves seriously injured as a result. If you have been hurt in a sidewalk accident, contact the dedicated lawyers here at California Personal Injury Law Firm, APC for a free phone consultation.
Slip or trip and fall sidewalk accidents can be devastating. If you have sustained an injury in one, you need a team of Orange County personal injury lawyers who can effectively fight for the compensation you deserve. Fortunately, you are in the right place.
Sidewalk accidents can occur for a variety of reasons, though they are often a result of unsafe sidewalk conditions. Unfortunately, property owners frequently fail to maintain their sidewalks adequately. Some of the most common hazards that lead to sidewalk accidents are as follows:
Generally speaking, public sidewalks are the responsibility of the local municipality that owns them. This means that the city, county, or state has the duty to inspect, repair, and maintain the sidewalks and to warn pedestrians of any hazards. However, California law also allows municipalities to delegate this duty to the owners of the property that abuts the sidewalk. This means that if you own a house or a business that faces a public sidewalk, you may be required to fix any cracks, holes, or uneven surfaces on the sidewalk and remove any snow, ice, or debris that may cause someone to slip and fall. If you fail to do so, you may be liable for any injuries that occur on the sidewalk in front of your property.
Private sidewalks are usually the responsibility of the owner of the property where they are located. This could be an individual, a corporation, or a homeowners’ association. The owner of a private sidewalk has the same duty as the owner of any other private property: to exercise reasonable care to prevent harm to anyone who enters the property with permission. This means that the owner must inspect, repair, and maintain the sidewalk and warn visitors of any dangers. If the owner breaches this duty and someone gets injured on the sidewalk, the owner may be sued for negligence.
If we can satisfy the burden of proof in your personal injury claim, you may be entitled to compensation to help you recuperate from the economic and non-economic damages you have incurred.
Importantly, however, the statute of limitations to file a Notice of Claim (in the event the sidewalk was owned by the government) is only six months. For sidewalk accidents that occur on privately owned sidewalks, the statute of limitations is, generally, two years. In either case, it is paramount that you bring your claim to an attorney’s attention sooner, rather than later.
Do not face the implications of a sidewalk accident on your own. Contact the Irvine sidewalk accident lawyers here at California Personal Injury Law, APC for a free phone consultation today.
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