Broken Chair in a Government Building Accident Injury Lawyer
Visiting a government office is a necessity at some point in our lives, whether we need to renew identifying documents or file a legal action against someone that has wronged us. A lot of these offices have people that are waiting to be seen, which is why it’s necessary to provide chairs for them to sit on. For example, you will see rows of chairs in the waiting area of a Social Security office or the DMV. You also see chairs and benches in a court room, whether you’re in a municipal, county, or federal court building.
You take it for granted that these chairs will stay in place and hold you up while you’re sitting in them. But injuries from broken chairs are fairly common incidents, especially with chairs that are used by many people throughout the day. Chairs in government buildings get more wear and tear compared to those in our homes. As a result, building owners and managers have a duty to ensure that these chairs are repaired or replaced as soon as there are signs that they may be unsafe.
Did you hurt yourself from falling off a broken chair in a government building? These are serious accidents with the potential for catastrophic injuries. That’s why it’s essential to take action on a compensation claim, which we can help you with at our law firm. To schedule a free case evaluation with a broken chair accident injury attorney, contact us at your earliest convenience.
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For many of us, “embarrassment” is the first word that comes to mind when we think of a chair collapsing underneath us. Certainly, unwanted attention is one of the negative consequences of falling down in public, but this is nothing compared to the injuries that are caused by these accidents. These include:
- Extensive bruising, cuts, and puncture wounds
- Broken bones
- Fractured tailbone, ribs, or shoulder
- Dislocation of the knee and other joints
- Dental damage – chipped / broken teeth
- Hip fracture or broken pelvis
- Soft tissue injuries
- Brain injury, including permanents brain damage
- Rupturing of the internal organs
- Spinal cord damage / neck injury
- Paralysis from nerve damage
- Loss of smell, taste, or hearing resulting from head trauma
Normally, when you are injured on someone else’s property, you would file an injury claim with their insurance company and negotiate a settlement for the compensation you deserve. If negotiations are not successful, you can file a lawsuit and continue to work towards a settlement, or ask for a trial date.
But the process is quite different when you’ve been injured in a building that’s owned by the government. In that case, you must figure out the agency that’s responsible for the property, which may be a city, county, state, or federal entity. Then, you will need to file a compensation claim with information about the accident, the damages you are seeking, and legal justification for why you deserve payment.
Claim forms can be downloaded online through the applicable agency’s website. For example, if you were injured from a broken chair in a municipal court house, you would file a claim with the city, i.e., municipality. Once you submit your claim with the necessary evidence, the agency will do one of three things:
- Approve your claim for damages and offer you a settlement within 45 days
- Deny your claim and send you notification in writing within 45 days
- Fail to respond at all within 45 days
A denial notice isn’t the end of the road if you are seeking justice as someone that was injured by a broken chair in a government building. If your claim is rejected in writing, you can still petition the court for a lawsuit within 6 months of the date of notice. Usually, government agencies do send a written response, but there are times when they fail to respond to a compensation claim within 45 days from the date of receipt. If you are in this situation, you are allowed to file a lawsuit within two years of the day you were injured from a broken chair in a federal building, county office, or any other government-owned property.
Should I get an Attorney for a Broken Chair Accident Case?We certainly encourage you to obtain legal representation, though it’s not required by law. You should do so as soon as possible, since the claims process can be quite complicated. Keep in mind that you only have 6 months from the time you are injured from a broken chair to submit your claim. Your demands for compensation must be backed by extensive evidence. Otherwise, it’s more than likely that the agency in charge will find a way to deny your claim.
Hiring a lawyer is especially important if you have serious injuries with extensive medical needs, loss of wages, pain and suffering, and other monetary damages. An experienced government claims attorney can determine how much you are entitled to and fight to bring you maximum payment for your injuries. They can also represent you in court if you need to proceed with a lawsuit. To learn more about the advantages of hiring a broken chair accident lawsuit lawyer, call us for a free consultation.
How Much is the Average Broken Chair Accident Settlement?The value of a broken chair or bench injury case will differ from one victim to another, as it’s based on details that are unique to their accident. Settlements negotiated by our attorneys typically range between $75,000 to $2,500,000 for these cases, and as you probably expected, the degree of injury is the most important factor. Case values are especially high for those with permanent complications, such as nerve damage or brain injury, but there are many factors that determine the amount of damages you deserve from a broken bench or chair accident claim.
Due to the additional steps that are required for a lawsuit against the government, these claims usually take longer than legal actions involving private entities. For example, a personal injury lawsuit against a business often takes around 6 to 10 months to settle, unless the case goes to trial. Some cases will come to an end much faster, as long as the insurance company makes a fair payment offer. Government claims, on the other hand, can take around 1 to 2 years, especially when they involve serious injuries. This is due to the fact that many of these cases progress to a lawsuit, which is a time-consuming process even if your case is settled before the trial date.
California Lawyers with Experience in Lawsuits against the GovernmentWhile there are laws to help those who have been injured by acts of negligence, it’s not easy to succeed in a personal injury lawsuit. This is particularly true when the negligent party is a government agency, like the DMV, a court building, or city office. DTLA Law Group is here for you if you sustained bodily harm from a broken chair in a government building.
Aside from initial case evaluations, we can meet with you for a free second opinion if you already filed a claim or lawsuit against a government agency. Whether you have questions about your legal options or concerns about your lawyer’s abilities, we are happy to provide legal advice at no cost to you. In addition, we operate under a contingency-fee structure, so you will receive free legal services if you decide to hire us. We only collect payment once you receive your settlement check, and if we don’t win your case, you owe us $0 under the terms of the Zero Fee Guarantee.
Contact us right away to discuss your case if you were injured from falling off a defective or broken chair at a government building.
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