When you were injured while on another person’s private property or at their place of business because they were negligent in property upkeep, you may be able to seek damages for the losses you sustained by filing a standard premises liability claim. However, when your injury occurs on public property or in a government building, different rules could apply, and a skilled premises liability attorney from Tomeny | Best could help you with this process.
To ensure that you give yourself the best chance of obtaining compensation for your losses, you must work with an experienced Plaquemine and Iberville Parish public property injury lawyer who could guide you through the necessary steps. Our diligent legal professionals could evaluate the circumstances that led to the injury and help ensure that just compensation is provided.
Defining the Types of Public Property Accidents
The city has many public properties, like libraries, fire stations, police stations, museums, schools, courthouses, and post offices. There are also public lands, which include places such as parks, beaches, and pools. People sustain different kinds of injuries depending on the type of property involved. Some of the most common types of accidents that occur on government property include:
- Slipping or tripping accidents
- Accidents from improper maintenance of public buildings
- Falls and other accidents occurring at a park, such as from defective or dangerous playground equipment
- Drownings at public pools or beaches due to lack of supervision, insufficient numbers of lifeguards, or inadequate lifeguard training
Our well-practiced Iberville Parish attorneys could review any police reports, medical records, and eyewitness testimony to precisely understand what caused a public property injury so that negligence could be established.
How to Bring a Claim Against a Public Entity
The requirements for bringing a lawsuit against a government entity are considerably stricter than those for civil claims against private individuals and businesses. The Louisiana Governmental Claims Act outlines these details.
Grounds for Bringing a Claim
People who sustain injuries on public property can file claims against their city governmental authority, the local parish, or the state of Louisiana if they can prove that the governmental agency or other public entity failed to keep the public property reasonably safe for visitors. An injured person would need to show that the appropriate governmental authority allowed a dangerous condition to exist on their grounds and that the condition injured them. For instance, if a visitor walking through a local courthouse slipped on freshly mopped floors, they could argue that the local authorities in charge of maintaining the courthouse knew or should have known that the wet floor could cause someone to get hurt.
Types of Damages
When suing a government employee or agency, an injured person can generally only pursue recovery of special damages, such as medical costs, lost wages, and loss of future earnings.
Our decisive Iberville Parish attorneys could explain what an injured person could expect when filing a suit against government authorities and provide pertinent information about the basis for these public property claims.
Call a Plaquemine or Iberville Parish Public Property Injury Attorney for Help Today
Suing a governmental authority involves different issues and rules. Failure to comply with the precise procedural requirements when filing a lawsuit against a public entity could destroy your chance of recovering damages. Our experienced legal team at Tomeny | Best can ensure you adhere to the strict requirements necessary for a successful claim.
You deserve to give yourself the best chance of obtaining the compensation you need. Call a dedicated Iberville Parish public property injury lawyer at our firm to set up an initial consultation.