Injuries that you get on public property can be covered by the city’s insurance company; you may slip and fall on government property, such as at city hall, or you may fall on a public sidewalk. Defective sidewalk injuries can be tricky: there is usually a fair amount of back and forth and finger pointing as to who is truly responsible for the upkeep of a sidewalk and who should be held liable for any injuries and damages coming about from its defects. No insurance company is willing to pay out victims, and pinpointing who is to blame is key in receiving compensation. Kenmore Law Group, one of the top law firms in Los Angeles, makes it a priority to correctly file a claim against the properly responsible party, as we believe that our clients deserve the fairest compensation possible and do not deserve to be swindled or misled by insurance companies. If you need to find a broken sidewalk injury attorney in Los Angeles, look no further. Our clients come to us in the wake of injuries sustained after falling or tripping on a public sidewalk, and they ask us questions on how to best move forward with legally seeking restitution. Examples of such questions include:

• Where can I find an attorney that has experience in sidewalk injury cases?
• I need an attorney with expertise in sidewalk fall claims. Who can I contact?
• I fell over a broken sidewalk. Who can I sue?

The Concept of Responsibility

Although sidewalks are considered public property, it is usually up to the property owner to maintain the sidewalk and make sure that it is safe and does not pose a hazard to any pedestrians. This includes taking care of it if it snows or sleets, wherein the owner must clear away a path by shoveling or snow blowing. He can lay down salt to help the ice and snow from accumulating. If he does not do so, pedestrians may slip and fall, and he will be held responsible. On the other hand, if there is snow on a sidewalk in front of a government building, the city is responsible for the cleanup and any potential injuries that come about. You can sue the city if there were no attempt to make the sidewalk safe for walking.

Similarly, upkeep of a sidewalk must be done by the relevant property owner. If a sidewalk becomes defective in some way, it is up to the property owner to either contact the city about remedying the situation or fix what is broken himself. Some examples of defective sidewalks include a cracked sidewalk, a crack in the sidewalk, an uneven sidewalk, a raised sidewalk, a buckled sidewalk, a broken curb, a sunken sidewalk, a damaged sideway, or a cracked walkway. There may also be potholes on the sidewalk. If your foot gets stuck in a pothole, you can injure yourself upon falling. It is up to the property owner to fill in any holes or repair any cracks, or else hire a contractor who will do the work for him.

Some locations do not have sidewalks or walkways for pedestrians; instead, the property owner’s lawn extends all the way to the curb. Pedestrians usually walk alongside the curb or in the street, which can pose many dangers. If the streets are defective, pedestrians can trip and fall in the road and risk many injuries, including the risk of being struck by a passing vehicle. Some examples of defective streets include a sunken street, pavement damage, missing pavement, and potholes. More often than not, the city will be responsible for maintaining the street. However, not every defect on city property can be used to cite their responsibility; for example, a crack in the sidewalk may have to measure a certain amount of inches before it is considered their problem. This is not a care afforded to property owners.

Contact Kenmore Law Group to speak to a skilled lawyer experienced in sidewalk trip and fall accidents. You can rest assured that you will have a claim correctly and punctually filed on your behalf.

Possible Injuries from Falling on a Broken Sidewalk

A damaged sidewalk fall can lead to various types of injuries. Most of these injuries affect the legs and feet; for instance, a sprained ankle is the most common damage. You can suffer sprained feet and toes, sprained knees, torn ligaments and tendons, and even broken bones. A sidewalk fall can occur very quickly, especially if you are hurrying, and the increased speed will increase the damage you sustain when you fall.

You may put your hands out to break your fall, which can cause you to damage your wrists, fingers, and hands. Tripping on a pothole while carrying items can even cause you to be unable to protect yourself when you tumble, leading to head injuries and back injuries. Further, the risk of head and back injuries increases with inclement weather. Ice and snow are extremely slippery, and falling on them can cause severe damage to your body.

If you fall while in the street, you risk debilitating injuries due to passing vehicles. Drivers do not always see objects in the street, and it may be dark when you fall; as a result, you can be hit by a car going quickly down the road, leading to broken bones, crushed ribs, severed limbs, and more. In the worst of cases, you can be killed or left incapacitated forever.

If you have been injured due to a defective sidewalk, contact a broken sidewalk trip and fall attorney to file a cracked sidewalk accident lawsuit. Kenmore Law Group can help. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help if you tripped and fell on the sidewalk.

Claim Information

When it comes to defective sidewalk injuries, you can file a personal injury claim against a homeowner who is responsible for the sidewalk’s upkeep and failed to do so, or you can file a government claim. Whichever claim is relevant, you would greatly benefit from a sidewalk trip and fall attorney, especially because of how different some of the laws are regarding government entities and civilians.

For instance, while you have two years from the date of the injury or the discovery of the injury to file a personal injury claim against a person or a business, you do not have nearly the same amount of time if you have a grievance against the city or government agency. Against government agencies, you only have six months to file a claim, or your lawsuit will likely be barred or thrown out. This is information that experienced lawyers or Los Angeles or anywhere in California can give you, but not all will be competent enough to follow through with the claims due to their laziness or other reasons.

In filing a broken sidewalk lawsuit, you can recover various damages from the responsible party. You can be reimbursed for:

• Medical Expenses: Your costs stemming from the hospital, such as the stay itself, medication, surgery, ambulatory transportation, drug fees, and the ensuing physical therapy, can be covered. Also, you can have both your future and past medical expenses covered; if you require additional treatments, you will not have to worry about paying for them.
• Lost Wages: If an injury and hospitalization caused you to miss work, you can be compensated for the lost days. You should not suffer monetarily or professionally because of another party’s negligence. As with medical expenses, you can recover both past and future wages.
• Pain and Suffering: Some injuries cause debilitating emotional damage that cannot be readily overcome. You may be treated with therapy and medication, but the effects are not able to be measured. Anxiety, fear, PTSD, and more can be claimed in the wake of an injury.
• Punitive Damages: Gross negligence is usually that which is cited when it comes to punitive damages in sidewalk injury cases. Only an expert sidewalk accident lawyer will be able to argue for and successfully get punitive damages. They are awarded to punish a defendant for his or her outright negligence which resulted in danger for another’s life.

It is crucial that you seek out a qualified lawyer for sidewalk injury cases, as you will be much more likely to earn proper compensation if you are represented by someone with ample experience handling similar claims.

Why Kenmore Law Group?

Our top-rated law firm in Los Angeles, Kenmore Law Group, is filled with accomplished attorneys who have dealt with sidewalk injury cases for years. We have fought for our clients’ rights in court against civilian defendants and government entities. We will aggressively work towards bringing you the compensation you deserve for damages that were not your fault.

To speak to a slip and fall lawyer for broken sidewalk injuries, call us today. You will receive a free legal consultation with your call or visit, and you will be able to ask any questions you want about the legal process and your case itself. We will be more than happy to give you our opinions on what we believe we can earn for you and make sure you are well informed about these types of claims.

By selecting us to represent you, you guarantee that you do not have to pay us any fees until the case is completed. Our zero fee guarantee is in place to make sure that our fees come from the settlement we win for you; in other words, we only get paid if we win your case, and you do not pay anything out of pocket for our services. If we lose, you do not owe us a nickel.

Contact Kenmore Law Group to speak to an experienced attorney in Los Angeles about your sidewalk fall injuries today.