Maison Law can help you if you’re injured on a sidewalk in Hanford. These types of injuries don’t take much. One uneven slab. A lifted edge. A patch that didn’t quite line up. In a split second, a normal walk can turn into a serious injury—and suddenly you’re dealing with pain, missed work, and questions you never expected to ask. Our Hanford premises liability lawyers can answer your questions and help you through the claims process. Set up a free consultation today.
Should I Get a Lawyer?
Sidewalks are supposed to be the safest part of getting around town. You use them without thinking—walking downtown, heading into a shop, pushing a stroller, or cutting through your neighborhood on a familiar route.
In Hanford, though, aging concrete, shifting ground, and inconsistent upkeep can turn those everyday paths into hazards. And whether you actually should get a lawyer depends on a few key details:
- How badly you were hurt
- Where the fall happened
- Who was responsible for maintaining that stretch of sidewalk
Those details aren’t always obvious at the scene—especially when you’re shaken up or in pain. When you talk with our team, we can:
- Explain your real options in plain language
- Figure out who owned or controlled the sidewalk
- Get evidence before repairs change things
- Handle conversations with insurance companies or public agencies
- Step in formally only if it actually helps your situation
Not every sidewalk in Hanford is maintained by the same entity. One block might be under the City’s control. The next could belong to a business, an apartment complex, or a private property owner. Some areas fall under county or state responsibility. Sorting that out early can make a real difference.
What Should I Try to Document After a Sidewalk Accident?
Sidewalk conditions don’t stay the same for long once someone gets hurt. Cracks get filled. Edges get ground down. Holes disappear. If you’re able, gathering a few things early can protect your options later. Here’s what you should try to document:
- Photos or video of the sidewalk showing cracks, lifted slabs, or uneven surfaces
- Wider shots showing lighting, visibility, and nearby landmarks
- Shoes, clothing, or personal items damaged in the fall
- Names and contact information for anyone who saw what happened—or noticed the hazard before
- Any reports made by police, city workers, or property management
- Your own notes about how the fall happened, written while it’s still fresh
You don’t need to do this perfectly. Even small details can help show what the sidewalk looked like before it was changed. And with this information, it’ll give you a clue as to who exactly was responsible for your injuries.
Who’s At Fault for a Sidewalk Accident in Hanford?
The biggest—and usually hardest—question you’ll need to answer after a sidewalk accident in Hanford is simple: who’s at fault? At least legally, it comes down to this:
- Did the person or agency responsible for the sidewalk know—or reasonably should have known—about the dangerous condition and fail to fix it within a reasonable amount of time?
With that, location is important, but it also brings in several different possibilities:
- The City of Hanford for many public sidewalks
- Kings County or the State of California for certain roads or routes
- A business owner or property management company
- A private property owner, like a landlord or homeowner
Often with these kinds of accidents, more than one person is going to be involved. That means a lot of finger pointing, but it doesn’t change your rights.
What Type of Claim Do I Need to File After a Sidewalk Injury?
Simply, you’ll be filing an injury claim after you’re hurt in a sidewalk accident in Hanford. But the type of claim depends almost entirely on who maintained the sidewalk where you fell. The easiest way to break it down is to split it between public and private sidewalks:
- Public sidewalk. If the injury happened on a public sidewalk, California law usually requires going through the government claim process under the California Tort Claims Act. This process has strict rules and faster deadlines than most people expect:
- A formal Notice of Claim generally must be filed within six months of the accident
- The city, county, or state then has 45 days to respond
- In most cases, damages need to exceed $10,000 for the claim to move forward
If your claim is accepted, the government has to pay your damages within 60 days, but if they deny it, you can go forward with a lawsuit.
- Private sidewalk. If the sidewalk was part of private property, the process is more familiar:
- You generally have two years from the date of the fall
- Claims often start with an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit
No matter which option applies, the focus is the same: your damages. That can include:
- Medical care and follow-up treatment
- Income you lost because you couldn’t work
- Damage to personal items like shoes, phones, or glasses
- Ongoing pain or physical limitations
- Stress and disruption to your daily routine
Where the fall happened often explains more than people realize—not just how it happened, but why the sidewalk was in that condition in the first place.
Where Do Sidewalk Accidents Happen Most Often in Hanford?
Sidewalk injuries in Hanford tend to show up in the same types of places, especially where foot traffic is steady and maintenance doesn’t always keep up. That means accidents happen around:
- Older sidewalks near downtown Hanford, where concrete has shifted over time
- Residential neighborhoods near schools and parks, where walkways see constant use
- Shopping centers and parking lot entrances, where vehicle traffic breaks down pavement
- Apartment complexes with shared walkways that don’t get repaired quickly
- Construction or utility work zones with uneven patches or temporary surfaces
- Poorly lit sidewalks early in the morning or after sunset
Most of these injuries aren’t about carelessness. People walk familiar routes because they trust them. Sidewalks aren’t meant to feel like an obstacle course.
What Kinds of Sidewalk Accidents Can Happen?
“Sidewalk accident” sounds simple, but the reality is broader than most people expect. Injuries in Hanford often involve:
- Tripping over cracked or lifted concrete slabs
- Losing footing on uneven or poorly patched repairs
- Slipping on loose gravel, dirt, or debris
- Falling at sidewalk-to-driveway transitions
- Being forced into the street to get around an obstruction
- Falls caused by poor lighting that hides surface damage
- Wheelchair, walker, or stroller incidents due to broken pavement
What these situations usually have in common isn’t carelessness—it’s a surface that wasn’t kept up the way you reasonably expect it to be. No matter what kind of accident it was or even what caused it, the outcome is pain and problems for you and your family. That’s where our team can help you.
Get Help After a Sidewalk Injury in Hanford
Getting hurt on a sidewalk can leave you sore, frustrated, and wondering how something so ordinary turned into such a serious problem. Cracked concrete and neglected walkways aren’t things you expect to watch for when you’re just trying to get where you’re going.
Our Hanford premises liability team at Maison Law is here to help you understand your options and move forward at your own pace. Reach out today to set up a free consultation to get the process started.
