Slipping and falling on anyone’s property can be complicated. If it was a friend, you may feel awkward wanting to file a claim (but still need insurance money to cover your medical bills). If you slipped at your favorite restaurant you may feel uncomfortable moving forward with a claim because you still want to be able to go to this restaurant in the future even if you argue for compensation for your injuries. Things can become significantly more complicated, however, if you slip and fall on government property. When this happens, you may have no idea who you are supposed to contact and how you should go about filing an insurance claim.
Determining Who Is At Fault
The first thing you should do (just as you should do with any personal injury claim) is determine who is at fault. In some instances, this might be quite clear. In others, it can become murkier. So, slipping and falling on government property does not necessarily mean that the government entity that owns that property is liable. If you were walking along the sidewalk and someone else tripped you or dropped something that caused you to slip and fall, you would not necessarily make a claim with the government entity that owns the property. Instead, you will need to prove that:
- There was a government employee or entity who was negligent
- This negligence caused you to become injured.
Getting the Timing Right
When you are filing your claim, you want to make sure you have everything accounted for. This means you need to ensure you get your claim in on time. There tend to be strict rules when it comes to filing a claim against a government employee or entity. To begin the process — according to a slip and fall lawyer from MartinWren, P.C. — your lawyer will need to file a notice. This notice will include things like your name and contact information, when the accident occurred, how it occurred, what kinds of injuries you are suffering from, and what your losses are (medical bills, lost wages, etc.). Your lawyer can help you understand more about the deadline, but you may only have 30 days after you become injured to submit this notice.
What is important to your claim?
One of the most important aspects of your claim will be the evidence you provide. It cannot be emphasized enough how important it is to have pictures or videos that detail how you became injured and what caused the injury. Things can easily be fixed, so by the time you get around to filing your notice, the thing that caused you to become injured could be fixed. It is crucial you take pictures at the scene of the accident.
If you need help with your notice and claim or would like to learn more about the process, reach out to a law office as soon as possible.