What to Do if You Fall Because of Broken Sidewalks or Roads

 Posted on December 15, 2023 in Premises Liability

When you fall and get hurt on a public sidewalk or road, you should be aware that you may be able to get compensation. Just because it is a public area and not a private business does not mean there is nobody to take accountability. A Texas personal injury lawyer can help you determine who the reliable party would be and take the next steps.

Seek Legal Representation

After suffering injuries because of poor sidewalk or road conditions, immediately contact an attorney. A lawyer can investigate defective public walkways, enabling legitimate injury claims against negligent municipalities. Photos, documentation, and witness statements strengthen evidence exposing government liability for ignoring obvious hazards that ultimately cause harm.

An attorney may send formal notices to the proper public entity demanding compensation for damages through settlements or court action if necessary. Navigating complex state laws on injury claims against public agencies requires expertise from the start through case resolution. Legal representation can quickly enable you to preserve evidence before repairs hide defective conditions.

Gather Crucial Evidence

Collecting compelling proof of the dangerous surface problems causing your fall means immediately seeking photographic evidence from incident sites. Take clear pictures displaying cracked, uneven, or crumbling pavement conditions from multiple angles and distances. Take photos of any obstacles you tripped over, like exposed tree roots, loose bricks, or protruding rails.

Show the location's relationship to crosswalks, signage, low lighting, or transit stops impacting the public thoroughfare’s safety. Documenting visible negligence strengthens claims against the entity accountable for reasonable walkway upkeep and repair.

Written details from witnesses who saw falls can further substantiate official liability if they observed hazardous conditions pre-fall. Lawyers incorporate extensive documentation validating injury claims against public property owners failing safety obligations.

Pursue Legal Accountability

Armed with well-compiled documentation, attorneys then issue pre-suit notices directing at-fault municipalities to correct walkway deficiencies while compensating victims’ damages through settlement discussions. If public entities ignore notices or reject reasonable demands, court filings follow alleging premises liability for avoidable hazardous sidewalks or roads causing injuries

Exposing such negligence through relentless, ethical, and legal advocacy motivates preventing future incidents by improving public property safety measures. Securing financial restitution also helps victims recoup losses from disabilities, lost income, and medical bills without using only their limited insurance.

Contact an El Paso, TX Personal Injury Attorney

No pedestrian should risk enduring harm because of deficient public infrastructure maintenance issues when legal solutions exist. While no outcome is guaranteed, it may be worth your time to speak with an El Paso, TX personal injury lawyer and see what you may be able to get out of the situation. Call Cal Mundell Law Firm, PLLC at 915-250-0700 for a free consultation and to see what types of compensation you may have potential to try and get.