Maison Law represents victims injured due to a premises liability on the CSU Channel Islands campus. Premises liability on campus is when the university fails to maintain a safe environment, and someone gets hurt. Premises liabilities can arise from hazardous conditions such as wet floors, faulty facilities, unrepaired sidewalks/pathways, or poor safety measures. These injuries often come with a heavy financial and physical cost for students.
Fortunately, there are legal avenues to get your life back on track. At Maison Law, we protect you from liability after an injury and ensure you are fully compensated for the full extent of your damages. So, if you’re an injured student at CSU Channel Islands, don’t wait until it’s too late to take legal action. Contact Maison Law today for a no-cost, no-obligation consultation.
Do I Need a Lawyer for an Injury at CSU Channel Islands?
CSUCI is the newest of the 23 California State University campuses and is the only public four-year institution in Ventura County. The university has created a path for many students in Ventura County to begin their education, but if there is an unsafe condition on campus, then a student’s educational aspirations can come to a halt very quickly.
And unfortunately, what most injured college students don’t realize until it’s too late is that a university’s insurance is designed to pay you as little as possible if you are injured. In certain cases, they may even outright deny your claim and your right to compensation. At Maison Law, our law firm will manage every aspect of your claim against CSU Channel Islands and negotiate with their insurance on your behalf to ensure you are compensated for the following damages:
- Economic damages: financial damages you incurred due to the accident.
- Medical bills
- Lost Wages
- Loss of future potential earnings
- Loss of property
- Cost of property repair or replacement
- Non-economic damages: these are subjective, non-compensatory damages.
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Loss of consortium
- Punitive damages: these are damages awarded to serve as punishment to the at-fault party.
- Reckless behavior (intentionally risking others’ safety, extreme carelessness)
- Actions performed out of spite
How to File a Claim Against CSU Channel Islands
When you file a claim against CSU Channel Islands for a personal injury, you will be attempting to resolve the issue between yourself and the university. To do this, you can fill out this form here. Or, you can submit a written personal injury claim that includes the following:
- Your name and address
- Address where you’d like to receive notice
- Date, location, and circumstances surrounding the incident
- A general description of damages caused by the incident
- The name or names of the CSU employee (if applicable) or employees that caused the injuries
- The dollar amount you are claiming, including estimated amount of prospective loss
- If you are claiming more than $10,000 you must state if your lawsuit will be considered a limited case (less than $25,000) or an unlimited case (a demand for more than $25,000).
Your claim will need to be signed by you, or a parent or guardian who can sign on your behalf. The letter must also be filed with CSU Office of Risk Management within six months after the incident or mailed to The CSU Office of the Chancellor Risk Management, 401 Golden Shore 5th Floor, Long Beach, CA, 90802-4210.
Filing a Lawsuit Against CSU Channel Islands
Filing a lawsuit against a public university like CSU Channel Islands is more complicated than suing a company or individual because public universities are considered government entities. However, it is not impossible to sue a public university for compensation. If you would like to file a claim against CSCI, your first steps should be to file a notice of your claim against the school district and wait for the district to complete an investigation of the incident.
To file a claim against California state agencies or employees, you will need to go to the California Department of General Services, Office of Risk Management. This site allows for any person to file a government claim to receive compensation for damages caused by the state of California.
If the school district does not take action after a certain period of time or denies some part of the claim, then Maison Law will help you file a lawsuit against the university. To see what legal options are available, contact Maison Law today for a free case review.
What Should I Do After a Premises Liability Injury at CSU Channel Islands?
If you’re injured in a premises liability accident, you should seek medical attention immediately. Seeking medical attention is not only important to your health, but it is an essential step to building a strong case if you elect to take legal action, even if you feel you’re not injured. Following medical treatment, it is recommended to:
- Report the injury to CSU Channel Islands via the online portal here, or to the campus police. Premises liability accidents require a prompt investigation by the university. A report will ensure your side of the story is recorded.
- Take your own photos of the scene and get witness statements. Hazardous conditions can be removed or remedied very quickly to prevent more accidents, so it is important for you to capture the dangerous environment while it is still there.
- Follow up on your injuries with a doctor. Any injuries you’ve sustained from your accident will become a part of your case, and you will need a doctor to corroborate your injuries.
- Contact Maison Law to protect your rights to compensation. Most accident victims find themselves overwhelmed by the incident and fail to realize the enormous impact an injury can have on their lives. Our experienced attorneys can help you understand your legal options and get you the compensation you need to make a full recovery.
How Do I Know if I Need a Lawyer After a Premises Liability Accident at CSU Channel Islands?
Determining whether you need a lawyer after filing a premises liability accident claim with the university’s insurance will depend on a number of factors. For example, if the university’s insurance does not fully cover your damages or disputes your claim, it is recommended to consult with the Premises Liability Attorneys at Maison Law to understand what your legal options are.
Premises Liability at CSU Channel Islands
Student life feels relaxed and nature-oriented: Think hiking nearby trails, beach trips, outdoor study spots, and a slower pace that lets you “truly learn and dive deeply.” It’s primarily a commuter campus, though there are dorms (with a decent social vibe in housing), and the area is suburban — you’ll likely need a car for off-campus fun, as it’s secluded from big city nightlife (LA is a drive away).
CSU Channel Islands features many walking trails that guide students to their classes, dorm rooms, library, the beach, and outdoor study spots. Even with such an expansive university layout, CSU Channel Islands has a legal obligation to maintain safe conditions across their entire campus. A violation of this legal obligation is considered a premises liability. Examples of premises liabilities and actions that lead to premises liabilities on college campuses include:
- Failing to ensure walkways, dorms, classrooms, and other facilities are safe and up to code
- Failing to address hazards such as wet floors, broken stair railings, or inadequate lighting to prevent injury
- Knowingly install or fail to replace faulty equipment
- Hire unqualified employees
- Fail to properly train employees about safety protocols
- Fail to hire enough staff to supervise the property and customers
If the university fails to exercise reasonable care over their property and someone gets injured, they can be held liable for a premises liability according to California’s Civil Code 1714(a), which states:
“Everyone is responsible, not only for the result of his or her willful acts but also for an injury occasioned to another by his or her want of ordinary care or skill in the management of his or her property or person, except so far as the latter has, willfully or by want of ordinary car, brought the injury upon himself or herself.”
Sidewalk Injuries at CSU Channel Islands
One of the most common premises liability injuries on a college campus is sidewalk injuries. This is because sidewalks often have uneven surfaces due to cracks, tree roots, debris, or poor maintenance that goes unattended for too long, and puts many students at risk.
Thousands of students rely on sidewalks at CSU Channel Islands to get to their classes, dorm rooms, or extra-curricular activities. But let’s say, for example, the route along Santa Paula Street is in poor condition. You suffer a trip-and-fall accident because of an unrepaired pothole, causing you to suffer a head injury. This can have a major impact on your well-being, as well as your ability to return to your classes and continue your education.
This may sound like a freak accident, but sidewalk trip-and-fall injuries are extremely common. According to United Educators, poorly maintained sidewalks are the most common causes of bruises, fractures, and concussions amongst college students. So, if you’re injured due to a trip-and-fall on a campus sidewalk, be sure to contact us at Maison Law for a free consultation to see if you have a premises liability case.
Contact Maison Law | CSU Channel Islands Premises Liability Lawyers
If you or a loved one has suffered injuries on campus property at CSU Channel Islands due to a hazardous condition or careless act, the Personal Injury Lawyers at Maison Law can help. Regardless of whether a public or private university caused your injuries, our firm has years of experience in aggressively pursuing fair compensation for college students injured on campus.
Contact Maison Law today for a free consultation and case evaluation. We operate on a no-win, no-fee contingency basis. So, there are no charges unless we win your case.
