Skateboarders riding on Madera streets or crossing crosswalks can be sent to the ground by broken pavement and suffer broken bones and even head injuries. In many cases, those injured by potholes can seek help with their medical bills from the city.
Business owners and landlords might also be liable for the harm potholes cause in their parking lots. To find out who might be responsible and how much to demand for a painful injury, injured skateboarders can contact Maison Law of Madera for a free, no-obligation case consultation.
Do I Need a Lawyer After Getting Taken Down by a Pothole While Skateboarding?
The seriousness of your injuries or your child’s injuries usually decides whether you should talk to a lawyer about your case or not. A serious injury like a foot fracture or a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) would usually be a high-value case due to the increased medical costs. This means insurers for the city would fight harder to avoid having to pay the bill.
A Madera skateboard accident lawyer would immediately investigate your accident and have evidence ready when an insurer tries to blame your accident on clumsiness or tries to downplay your injury. Then your Maison Law attorneys demand the maximum in support for your case.
Complex Cases Against the City: Another reason you’ll want strong legal representation is that cases filed against governments come with an especially high degree of difficulty.
The City of Madera and Madera County have special protections against litigation. The first obstacle is that there’s a much shorter deadline for filing an injury claim against a governmental department. You may only be granted 6 months to file a claim or lose your chance to get help forever.
You’ll also have to file complicated paperwork simply to seek permission from the city to file a claim. They can actually deny your ability to file a claim or lawsuit. You’ll want to make sure you have the evidence to force the city to take your claim seriously.
Your Maison Law attorney helps you build a strong case. Your attorney would file your claim for you. The stacks of paperwork would be filed correctly and would meet all sneaky deadlines.
Who Is Responsible for My Skateboard Accident?
The owners and operators of a street or parking lot would be liable for the safety of the people using those surfaces to go to work or school, or for exercise and recreation. In many cases, this leaves the City of Madera liable for the potholes they fail to repair and maintain.
There are a few other parties that may have to contribute to a skateboarder’s injury expenses:
- A business owner or a retail chain, like Walmart, would be liable for safe surfaces in their parking lots
- A landlord or property management company could be liable for potholes left in apartment complex parking lots
- Construction companies that cause damage to roads and sidewalks around their projects may be left financially accountable
A parent who watches a child go through a painful recovery may be unaware that the government or an owner could be called upon for help. It’s often necessary to have an experienced legal representative examine the liability for all parties. In some cases, more than one party may be liable and would have to contribute to the support of a young skateboarder now and in the future.
How Can I Win a Skateboard Pothole Accident Case Against the City?
There will be powerful evidence at the scene of an accident. Victims should secure these details if possible. That includes proof of the pothole that took down a skateboarder, because it may be fixed very quickly after the city receives word of what happened.
First things first, victims should always see to their care and safety. Skateboarders should call 911 immediately if they’ve been hurt. If victims were struck by cars as a result of a pothole sending them out of control, an officer would be sent to the scene. A car insurance company may also have to provide support to the victim.
Once the scene is secure and if the victims feel okay moving around, they should get detailed photos of the pothole. They must show its size, perhaps comparing the size to a foot or a hand included in the picture. They should take photos of their injuries. At the scene, victims should get contact information from any witnesses present.
Victims should also get fully checked out by paramedics and go to the emergency room. They should also go to their own doctors in the days that follow to get all injuries and any new injuries appearing fully documented.
Once your lawyer has been hired, your attorney collects your evidence and additional details. Your Maison Law representative would dive in and be looking for evidence that a pothole had been reported to the city or a property owner. Proving that Madera public works knew about the hazard or should have known will be very helpful in proving fault and liability. Your attorney would determine how long the pothole had been left to sit and whether it had claimed any other victims in the past.
Why Are Pothole Accident Cases Against the City More Difficult?
Another reason you’ll want strong legal representation is that cases filed against governments come with an especially high degree of difficulty.
The City of Madera and Madera County have special protections against litigation. The first obstacle is that there’s a much shorter deadline for filing an injury claim against a governmental department. You may only be granted 6 months to file a claim or lose your chance to get help forever.
You’ll also have to file complicated paperwork simply to seek permission from the city to file a claim. They can actually deny your ability to file a claim or lawsuit. You’ll want to make sure you have the evidence to force the city to take your claim seriously.
Your Maison Law attorney helps you build a strong case. Your attorney would file your claim for you. The stacks of paperwork would be filed correctly and would meet all sneaky deadlines.
Help for Madera Skateboarders Hit By Drivers
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I earn in a skateboard accident settlement?
Your Maison Law attorney would demand support for all of your current medical bills and any expected in the future. The paychecks you lose while having to miss work should be reimbursed for as long as recovery takes. You should receive support for the pain you must live with and the emotional trauma that an accident and difficult injury recovery cause. You should also earn money to cover skateboard repairs or replacement.
Do children need additional compensation after a skateboard accident?
Yes. We strongly believe they do at Maison Law. Children should receive additional compensation for the future when their injuries, like broken bones, may affect their development into adulthood. We would demand extra settlement money to cover any additional surgeries or physical therapy young victims could need in their teen years.
What if I can’t afford to pay a skateboarding accident attorney?
You won’t need any upfront money to hire a skilled lawyer to handle your case while you focus on healing. Maison Law doesn’t get paid unless we win your case for you. Then our fee comes out of the settlement that the city and its insurers must pay you.
Contact a Madera Skateboard Pothole Accident Lawyer
If you are seriously hurt after riding over a pothole, reach out to Maison Law for a free case consultation that comes with no obligation. We represent accident victims hurt across Madera County.
