Maison Law represents the victims of accidents and trauma that occur on and around Fresno State University. From pedestrian accidents, to assault, to hazing incidents, the University and the State of California could be fully liable. Fraternities and other students could also be financially accountable. Contact us to set up a confidential and free case review. Our college injury lawyers demand compensation for injured students and staff when a University fails to keep them safe.
Do I Need a Lawyer After Suffering an Accident at Fresno State?
If you suffer a serious injury, and someone else caused your accident, such as another student or the negligence of Fresno State, you should take a free consultation with a skilled Fresno personal injury lawyer. It’s critical that you have an idea of what your case is worth. When medical bills surge upward, insurance companies representing colleges and universities will fight hard to avoid having to accept blame. If they can’t reject your claim outright they may try to get you to accept as little as possible in compensation.
If your injury leaves a University or a Fraternity liable, you could face teams of state lawyers working to try to limit the support you receive. They’ll attempt to blame you for what happened or offer you far less than you need to fully recover. It’s a good idea to have a lawyer on your side who can fully investigate what happened and collect strong evidence to back your injury claim. This safeguards your case from tactics used by attorneys for the University of California System (UC) and insurance companies.
What Kinds of Dangers Can Be Found at Fresno State?
California State University, Fresno enrolls around 25,000 students each year. It’s a fantastic experience for enrollees and a great place to get an education. But with so many people in one place, accidents are a fact of life.
Some accidents can’t be prevented, but with many incidents, a little caution shown by those responsible for overseeing Fresno State could help avoid them altogether. The State of California and the UC system are responsible for a “duty of care” under premises liability laws. It means the school system must protect the students it admits in and all visitors as much as possible.
The school must clean up, repair, or remove hazards in buildings on campus, in dorms, on sidewalks, at intersections, and in parking lots. They must also protect students from the criminal actions of other students and people allowed on campus. When schools or organizations fail to keep students reasonably safe and secure, victims can file injury claims or lawsuits to seek support.
These are just a few of the dangers a college or university could be held liable for:
- Slip-and-fall accidents on campuses and dorms
- Stairwell hazards
- Construction hazards on campus
- Sports participation, sporting events, and campus activity dangers
- Alcohol-related incidents
- Physical and sexual assault
- Hazing and fraternity and sorority accidents
- Pedestrian accidents, runners hit on campus
- Negligent security in dorms and parking lots
- Negligence or recklessness by campus security
- Discriminatory behavior
Fresno State’s campus is a busy place and motorists and pedestrians can face added risk during the rush hours. Pedestrians along Barstow Avenue and San Ramon Avenue may face extreme risk just walking to class. Maison Law is ready to hold at-fault drivers responsible for your medical bills and the classes you must miss while injured. The university itself may also owe support to victims if a street configuration or a traffic problem leads to an increased risk of collisions.
Careless drivers in and around the campus are also a constant threat. If you are hit by a reckless driver and suffer a serious injury, contact a Fresno Car Accident Lawyer to find out what your case is worth and how to hold a car insurance company fully liable.
Lawsuits Against Fraternities at Fresno State
Fresno State is home to 38 fraternities and sororities. “Greek Life” is a valuable experience for many college students. But Fraternity and Sorority Houses are also places where students can overindulge in alcohol and be encouraged to make bad decisions that endanger others.
Fraternities can sponsor events where safety is the last concern and pledges and members end up getting hurt. Parties can lead to life-threatening alcohol poisoning. With a lack of supervision, students may be placed at risk of physical and sexual assault and emotional trauma.
They may engage in initiation rituals and dangerous hazing. Hazing is illegal in California and Greek groups and their parent organizations can be sued if you or your child are hurt.
These social organizations are often run by a large central board that controls chapters across California. They may even be operated by corporations that can afford teams of lawyers. When seeking damages from a negligent fraternity or sorority, you’ll want a skilled California Fraternity Accident Lawyer representing your case who can seek justice for you or your child
Can I Sue a California State University If I Signed a Waiver?
Students may sign waiver forms before being allowed to participate in certain college events and sports, even fraternity activities. But these waivers don’t protect universities and Greek organizations from all lawsuits.
Waivers cover common risks that students may face, but when school operators and fraternities and sororities create risk that goes beyond the normal educational experience, they can be held responsible for any injury or traumatic event that’s allowed to occur.
Your Fresno College Injury Lawyer would gather evidence to show that a school or fraternity showed gross negligence and didn’t deserve protection just because you signed a liability waiver. Your attorney takes on major organizations and school systems on your behalf while giving you the time you need to recover.
Do I Have to Wait on a Criminal Trial to Seek Compensation After an Injury on Campus?
Some of the harm that comes to local college students isn’t an accident, they are often criminal acts. This can include incidents of physical and sexual assault, and rape. Suspects will face a criminal trial, but your civil claim can proceed separately. You can file a claim even if the criminal proceedings haven’t started.
A civil trial will usually be directed at the organizations that allowed the crime to happen, like a university or fraternity. Your lawyer helps you file your civil injury claim when your case is ready. Your lawyer also helps negotiate with those at-fault parties to seek the most possible in a settlement check for you and your family.
If a university like Fresno State refused to accept responsibility or rejected your claim outright, your Maison Law attorney would have evidence ready to file a lawsuit and take the State of California to court. Guilty organizations often decide to provide a fair settlement rather than face the expense and embarrassment of defending themselves before a judge and jury.
Compensation Available for Fresno State Accident Victims
Your Maison Law representative will be aggressive in seeking justice for victims and their families. This means seeking support for every hardship victims are left to face after an accident or an attack.
The damages shouldn’t just include the financial cost of medical and psychological treatment. The emotional trauma and physical pain victims endure must also factor into the amount on a college accident settlement check.
These are just a few of the factors your lawyer will be demanding support for:
- The costs of current medical treatment and any care expected to be necessary in the future.
- Potential future income loss if permanently disabled and unable to work.
- Costs relating to the pain experienced as a consequence of the accident.
- Support for emotional trauma a frightening accident or attack causes.
- Support for the effect the accidents had on the victim’s quality of life.
- Setbacks to the education progression for a student.
- Income lost from a college job.
- Reimbursement for personal property damage.
- Wrongful death benefits for families who lose a loved one to a tragic college accident.
Contact a Fresno State University Accident Lawyer
Maison Law aggressively protects victims and loved ones after an accident or an attack on Fresno State’s campus. We want to handle the frustrating negotiations with careless fraternity chapters and lawyers working for universities. Our California University Accident Attorneys fight for justice while victims are allowed to focus on healing and families are permitted to grieve a loss.
Maison Law offers a free and confidential case consultation to all victims who suffer harm on campus or at a Greek house. Contact us today and let us answer your questions and go over the best options for holding a fraternity or sorority responsible for their negligence.
There’s no obligation, but if you feel we can help you earn justice and more in support, you won’t need any money to hire us. Maison Law doesn’t get paid unless we win your case for you and your family. Then our fee comes out of the money a university must provide.
Additional Resources:
Runners Struck By Drivers on Fresno State Campus
