10 Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Accident Case
Avoid these top 10 things after being injured in an accident.
Can You Sue A Government Entity For Personal Injury Or Wrongful Death?
When someone is injured or killed on public property because of the negligence of a government or public employee, or because of a dangerous condition of that public property, a governmental entity can be liable for damages. This is true whether the safety hazard or negligent act is traced to an employee or official of the federal government, the state, a city or county, a school district or water district or other public body.
The right to sue is not the same as successfully prosecuting a claim. The legal team at Guenard & Bozarth has secured settlements and jury awards involving governmental and quasi-public entities at the federal, state and local levels, including the city of Elk Grove, various transit districts, the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Transportation and the U.S. Postal Service.
Experienced Representation In Claims Against Public Bodies
Our accomplished lawyers have expertise in the preparation and trial of cases involving dangerous roadways. In the state of California, all state highways are owned and maintained by the Department of Transportation (Caltrans). Lawsuits for collision injuries or wrongful death alleging dangerous conditions of public property are complicated and expensive, but our team understands how to successfully prosecute such cases.
Guenard & Bozarth has handled cases alleging highways unsafe and unfit because of:
- Hazards caused by road resurfacing
- Poorly designed bridge abutments, guardrails and median dividers
- Negligently managed construction zones, including lack of proper or visible signage
- Inadequate temporary lighting at resurfacing and construction sites, rendering pedestrians, other vehicles and landmarks difficult or impossible to see
- Bad road design, including lanes that are too narrow or turns that are improperly banked
- Surface defects, including potholes, loose gravel or other pavement hazards that cause vehicles to lose control
All California citizens and motorists are entitled to drive on public roadways that have been properly built and maintained. Where improper maintenance or design results in serious injury or death, the law firm of Guenard & Bozarth is ready to intervene.
In addition to dangerous conditions of public property, the public entity wrongful death specialists at Guenard & Bozarth have extensive experience in representing citizens who have been injured through the negligence of public transportation systems. Citizens are killed each year as a result of errors and negligence involving buses and light rail trains. Under California law, these “common carriers” are required to operate with the highest degree of care possible to ensure the safety of their passengers and the public. Those transit agencies are liable for negligent and dangerous operation of buses and trains, and for negligent hiring, training or retention of public transit drivers. Additionally, public entities are required to maintain their vehicles in a manner that is safe and fit, consistent with the “highest degree of care” to avoid serious or fatal injury to their passengers.
Similarly, government entities are accountable for maintaining safe conditions for citizens who visit public buildings, public spaces and government property. We have brought successful premises liability claims for a range of cases, from sidewalk defect trip-and-falls to falling branches in a city park.
Preserve The Evidence And Your Claim
In many cases, there is a six-month window after the accident or after the subsequent death to file a notice of claim against a state or local entity. In federal claims, the statute of limitations runs longer, but it is always in your best interests to talk to an attorney as soon as possible to protect your rights and preserve evidence and witness accounts important to your case.
Our California public entity lawsuit attorneys have been successful in Northern California in obtaining millions of dollars for individuals and families in suits against public entities. If a member of your family or a loved one has been fatally injured by the act or omission of a public employee, contact us today.
Vehicle Accidents
INJURY PRACTICE AREAS
VEHICLE ACCIDENTS
We will promptly investigate your car, motorcycle or truck crash to pursue maximum damages.
INJURIES ON PROPERTY
Wrongful Death
PERSONAL INJURY
We fight back when legitimate claims are unfairly denied by insurance companies.
INSURANCE BAD FAITH
Bad faith litigation is becoming more common as the insurance industry continues to engage in dishonest practices that trample the rights of policyholders.
INSURANCE COMPANIES KNOW US BECAUSE THEY’VE PAID OUR CLIENTS OVER $130 MILLION DOLLARS.
$2.9
MILLION
CAR ACCIDENT INJURY
Guenard & Bozarth llp obtained a $2,962,903 jury verdict in the Sacramento County Superior Court for plaintiff David Schoonover, who suffered head and neck injuries and fractures in a head-on accident on Roseville Road in Roseville on July 22, 2012
$300
THOUSAND
HAIR SALON INJURY
Guenard & Bozarth LLP recently settled a case for $300,000 involving a hair weave that went terribly wrong. Our client was a young lady, and aspiring model, who experienced pressure necrosis from a tight weave and it changed her life.
$500
THOUSAND
SLIP & FALL INJURY
Guenard & Bozarth LLP recently settled a slip and fall case for $500,000 a couple weeks before trial. The client slipped and fell on a wet piece of cardboard in a grocery store and sustained a serious shoulder injury that required surgery.
$300
THOUSAND
NEGLIGENCE INJURY
On February 13, 2013 Maricela, a Certified Nursing Assistant presented to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Emergency Room with complaint of neck and back pain. She was diagnosed with a neck strain and was given Ibuprofen and instructed to return if her symptoms did not subside.
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