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Sidewalk Accident Lawyers in Encino Representing Injury Victims

Whether you’re taking a leisurely stroll around your neighborhood, walking to go to work, or heading out to run errands, you have the right to expect that the sidewalks you use are well-maintained and even. If you’ve been injured because of an uneven or poorly maintained sidewalk, you may be entitled to compensation. Many injured pedestrians get hurt because of unsafe or defective sidewalks owned by the city. Broken and cracked sidewalks can lead to severe injuries, including broken bones, contusions, concussions, and more.

Tracking down negligent parties in cases like these can be difficult, especially if the building adjacent to the sidewalk is public property or owned by the city. With an experienced attorney on your side, you can go after the responsible party to recover damages.

If you’ve been hurt in a sidewalk accident, you deserve compensation for your injuries and pain and suffering. An experienced personal injury lawyer can help you hold liable parties accountable and seek damages for what you’ve gone through. At V&A Law Firm, we are dedicated to helping out clients get the compensation they deserve. For a free consultation and to learn more about our services, call (818) 369-3270 today.

What Are Common Causes of Sidewalk Accidents?

Slip-and-fall accidents can happen for a number of reasons and are unfortunately common. However, some circumstances often cause sidewalk accidents.

These circumstances include:

  •  Overgrown plants. Grass and shrubs should always be trimmed back so they don’t overhang onto the sidewalk. Overgrown plants can disguise cracked and uneven sidewalks, leading to accidents.
  •  Uneven surfaces. Sidewalk accidents caused by tree roots are unfortunately common. As trees grow and spread their roots underground, they can push up on the sidewalk, causing bumps and cracks. These tripping hazards can easily cause a slip-and-fall accident.
  •  Poor maintenance. Repairing and maintaining sidewalks is typically a homeowner’s responsibility. However, replacing sidewalks can be expensive, and many homeowners neglect this responsibility in favor of saving money.
  •  Bad weather. Snow, ice, and rain can all make sidewalk accidents happen more often. However, it is typically the homeowner’s responsibility to ensure that sidewalks are still safe to walk on, even in poor weather. This could mean clearing them of debris or putting salt on the sidewalks to melt snow and ice.

What Kind of Injuries Are Common in Sidewalk Accidents?

Sidewalk accident injuries vary a lot depending on what the environmental factors are like. However, some injuries are common in sidewalk accident cases.

These injuries include:

  •  Broken bones
  •  Bodily injury, like bruises, contusions, and cuts
  •  Traumatic brain injuries
  •  Neck and shoulder injuries
  •  Spinal cord injuries
  •  Wrongful death

Sidewalk accidents can also cause damages that aren’t physical, like damaged property or mental anguish. If you’ve been injured or damaged in some way after a sidewalk accident, don’t hesitate to reach out to our experienced team for help.

What Should I Do After a Sidewalk Accident?

Being injured in a sidewalk accident can be frightening, and many people aren’t sure what to do right after. However, you can take some key steps immediately to protect yourself and help build a case against the negligent party.

If you are injured, be sure to:

Seek Medical Attention

If you’ve been injured in a sidewalk accident, seeking medical attention right away is essential. Even if your sidewalk trip wasn’t serious, you could still have underlying personal injuries you don’t know about. These injuries could take days or even weeks to show symptoms, so it’s best to get checked out as soon as possible.

Record Any Medical Expenses

Keep a record of any medical expenses, including hospital visits, doctor’s appointments, or physical therapy appointments. Having a record of how much you spent on each visit will help you seek damages later on and also prove how much your injuries have cost you monetarily.

Record Lost Wages

As you recover, record any lost earning potential you may be going through. If you’ve had to miss work or you lost your job because of your injuries, make a note of that. This will help our accident lawyer prove your pain and suffering.

Contact Personal Injury Lawyers

Proving negligence in a pedestrian accident case is more complex than you might expect. Going after homeowners or a public utility company on your own can be difficult and may not be the best way to receive compensation. Once you are able to, contact personal injury attorneys in your area to start building your case and seeking damages for your injuries as well as your pain and suffering.

Who is Liable in a Sidewalk Accident?

Determining liability in a sidewalk accident case is the first step to seeking compensation for damages. Typically, the responsible party is the property owner. This could be a homeowner adjacent to the sidewalk, the city, or the town.

In most cases, the city or town you reside in is responsible for monitoring and reporting sidewalk issues. Still, the homeowner is responsible for repairing their sidewalks promptly. Many homeowners neglect this responsibility because of the high cost of sidewalk repair. However, if the building adjacent to the sidewalk is owned or maintained by the city or state, then it’s that municipality’s responsibility to repair the sidewalks. Similarly, if the building or area is public property, then the sidewalks are likely the responsibility of the public utility company.

Finding a party to be held liable for a defective sidewalk can be time-consuming, which is why it’s crucial to have a personal injury attorney on your side. Our experienced personal injury lawyers will help you track down the liable party and demand the compensation you deserve.

What Kind of Compensation Can I Recieve?

Pedestrian accident victims can receive compensation for any injuries they’ve received. The amount and type of payment you can get depends on the nature of your accident and any sustained injuries. However, there are some common types of damages that you can request as an injured party.

These damages may include:

  •  Medical bills
  •  Lost wages
  •  Pain and suffering
  •  Emotional damages
  •  Damaged property
  •  Wrongful death

In any of these instances, the negligent party would be responsible for any damages. Having a personal injury attorney on your side will help you prove dangerous conditions to get the maximum payout.

How Can a Sidewalk Accident Lawyer Help Me?

After a pedestrian accident, the last thing you want to do is track down homeowners or go through the city to recover compensation. These liable parties often try to give you the minimum payout or even nothing at all. Our team of injury attorneys will review your legal options and assist with your personal injury case so you can focus on resting and recovering from your injuries.

Please don’t feel like you have to go through this trying time alone. Call V&A Law Firm at (818) 369-3270 for a free case evaluation. Our injury attorneys are dedicated to giving you legal help so you can seek compensation for what you’ve gone through.