Maison Law can guide you through the claims process when you’re injured on a sidewalk in Fresno. Our premises liability lawyers understand how difficult this situation is—even before you reach the claims process itself. We’ll look into your situation, explain your options, and help you. Set up a free consultation today.
Do I Need a Lawyer?
Most sidewalk injuries don’t feel dramatic at first. You’re walking to your car. Heading into a store. Cutting across the block like you always do. Then all of a sudden, you’re hurt. But do you need a lawyer? The honest answer is that it depends. Some falls don’t lead to lasting injuries. Others clear up with time and medical care.
But the vast majority of these situations get complicated once you try to answer one question: who was actually responsible for the sidewalk where you fell?
One stretch of sidewalk might be maintained by the City of Fresno. A block later, responsibility could shift to Fresno County, a private business, or a property owner. That distinction matters because it controls:
- Who pays for your damages
- How much time you have to act
- What rules apply to your claim
This is where our team becomes helpful. We know where to look and what to look for in these situations. And you can help yourself by getting certain information right after the accident happens.
What Information Should I Try to Get After a Sidewalk Injury?
A sidewalk injury is frustrating on a basic level. These are public walkways. They’re supposed to be safe. But in a city like Fresno—with older neighborhoods, heavy foot traffic, and constant utility and construction work—things get missed. So, while it’s easy to see how this leads to accidents, it’s also about helping yourself by getting:
- Photos or video showing cracks, height differences, broken edges, or uneven repairs
- Wider shots showing lighting, shade, and nearby landmarks
- Shoes, clothing, or personal items damaged in the fall
- Names and contact info for anyone who saw what happened—or knew the sidewalk was a problem
- Any reports made by police, city workers, or property management
- A short note to yourself about how the fall happened while it’s still fresh
You don’t need to gather everything perfectly. Most people are shaken, sore, or embarrassed after a fall. Even a few photos or a quick note on your phone can help show what the sidewalk looked like before it was repaired. And once it’s repaired, proving what caused your injury becomes much harder.
Who Pays for My Damages After a Fresno Sidewalk Injury?
Unfortunately, this is one of the hardest questions to answer. Liability in these situations depends almost entirely on who was responsible for maintaining the sidewalk where you were injured. That sounds simple, but it often isn’t because of the different people and groups involved. Usually, this includes:
- The City of Fresno, for many public sidewalks
- Fresno County or the State of California, for certain roads or routes
- A business owner or property management company
- A private property owner
Again, the problem is that responsibility overlaps. That can open up more potential sources for damages—but it also impacts how you’re allowed to move forward.
How Do Injury Claims Work After a Sidewalk Accident?
With sidewalk injuries, you generally have the right to file an injury claim. How you do that depends on whether the sidewalk was public or private.
- If the injury happened on a public sidewalk, California law usually requires claims against cities or counties to go through the California Tort Claims Act first. This process moves faster than most people expect:
- A formal Notice of Claim usually must be filed within six months
- The government agency has 45 days to respond to your claim
- Your damages have to exceed $10,000
- If the claim is denied—or no response is given—you can move forward with a lawsuit
Missing a deadline can shut the door on a claim entirely, even when injuries are serious. That’s why timing matters so much with public sidewalk cases.
- If the sidewalk was part of private property, the process looks much more familiar to other accidents. You generally have two years from the date of injury to file either:
- An insurance claim out of court
- A personal injury lawsuit
With a claim filed, the focus turns to your damages. This usually includes costs relating to your:
- Medical care and future treatment
- Lost income because you couldn’t work
- Damage to personal items like shoes, phones, or glasses
- Ongoing pain or physical limitations
- Emotional distress and changes to your daily routine
Every case is different. What matters is the evidence you have and how clearly it shows that the sidewalk wasn’t reasonably safe. But it’s also about what actually happened.
How Do Sidewalk Injuries Actually Happen in Fresno?
When you hear “sidewalk accident”, you probably are thinking of a simple trip and fall—and that does happen. But sidewalk injuries in Fresno show up in a lot of different ways, like when you:
- Catch a foot on a raised slab that sticks up just enough to send you forward
- Step onto a patch of sidewalk that looks flat but dips or tilts under your weight
- Slip on loose gravel, dirt, or landscaping debris blended into the concrete
- Lose balance where sidewalks slope at driveways or curb cuts
- Miss surface damage because early-morning or evening light hides cracks
- Run into poles, signs, or tree roots creeping into the walking path
- Are forced to walk around cords, hoses, or construction equipment left across the sidewalk
- Hit a crack or gap while using a scooter, wheelchair, stroller, or walker
- Step into the street to get around an obstruction and get hurt in the process
- Stumble into someone nearby, causing multiple injuries
What these situations usually have in common isn’t carelessness. It’s a sidewalk that wasn’t maintained the way you and other pedestrians reasonably expect—especially in the city’s busy areas, older neighborhoods, or construction zones.
Free Consultations From Maison Law After Sidewalk Injuries in Fresno
Sidewalk injuries are frustrating because they come out of nowhere. You’re not doing anything unusual—you’re just trying to get where you’re going. When a sidewalk isn’t maintained properly, the consequences fall on the person least able to prevent it.
Our Fresno premises liability team at Maison Law can help you understand what happened, who may be responsible, and what options actually make sense for you. If you were hurt on a Fresno sidewalk and aren’t sure what comes next, we’re here to talk you through everything. Reach out today to set up a free consultation.
