Maison Law represents students injured due to premises liability at CSU Fresno. In the state of California, universities are responsible for ensuring their campus is safe, which entails inspecting for hazards, repairing dangerous conditions, and following safety protocol.
If you or a loved one has suffered a premises liability injury due to CSU Fresno failing to keep their campus safe, then you have the right to take legal action to recover compensation. At Maison Law, we stand up for injured students and help them reach successful settlements to cover medical bills, missed time at work/class, and mental trauma.
Don’t wait until it’s too late to take legal action. Contact Maison Law for a free consultation and case evaluation.
Do I Need a Lawyer for a Premises Liability Injury at CSU Fresno?
With CSUF’s rich agricultural region, most students will spend their time taking agricultural classes in the classroom and on the farmlands, interacting with like-minded students. This is essentially what the college experience at CSU Fresno should be for anyone pursuing an education at the university. But what happens if you suffer a serious injury due to hazardous conditions, such as:
- A wet floor
- Faulty building construction
- Loose railing on a dorm hall stairwell
- Uncovered manhole on the sidewalk
- An accident with a campus vehicle
The scenarios listed above are just examples, but if your injury was caused by any type of hazardous condition or negligence, then you can file a claim to receive compensation. If your claim is not quickly addressed by CSU Fresno, then you may need to take further legal action. And that’s where Maison Law can help.
At Maison Law, we can manage your injury claim or file a lawsuit on your behalf if necessary. We help injured students by connecting them to immediate medical care, collecting essential evidence pertinent to their claim, and building a strong case on their behalf to ensure they are financially compensated for the following damages:
- Past, current, and future medical bills
- Rehabilitation, therapy, in-home care, nursing care, medical devices, and medication
- Lost wages and employment benefits (if applicable)
- Permanent disability
- Reduced or lost earning capacity
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Costs to repair or replace damaged property
- Pain and suffering
- Negative impact on mental health
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Loss of enjoyment of life
How Maison Law Helps Students Injured at CSU Fresno
CSU Fresno is a unique university, offering students astronomy education and stargazing at their planetarium, and horse-riding with their nationally ranked equestrian team. But even with so many opportunities on campus, if safety protocols are ignored for any reason, then aspiring students can find themselves dealing with a life-changing injury. Fortunately, there are legal avenues to help injured students get their lives back on track.
At Maison Law, if you’ve been injured due to an unsafe campus environment, then our law firm will take the following steps to pursue fair compensation on your behalf:
- Increase your initial settlement by letting the insurance adjuster know you intend to invoke your right to fair compensation and engage in settlement negotiations
- Make you aware of the compensation you are owed to treat your injuries, make a full recovery, and cover future potential damages
- Help you understand what your case is worth based on the details of your case
- Build a case by gathering evidence such as:
- Proof of the damages your child has suffered
- Evidence that a person, or the school, was liable for your injuries
- Evidence that the accident was in no way you or your child’s fault, nor could they have done anything to prevent it
- File a claim in court if a settlement cannot be reached, and present your case in front of a jury
How to File a Claim Against California State University Fresno
When you file a claim against California State University Fresno 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 California State University Fresno
Filing a lawsuit against a public university like California State University Fresno 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 CSUF, 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.
How is Fault Determined for a Premises Liability Injury?
California law determines fault for a premises liability injury through the law of comparative negligence. Comparative negligence allows an injured party who shares fault for their injuries to receive compensation, as well as have their compensation reduced by their percentage of fault. This legal action is covered under the Comparative Negligence Law, which states:
“Under the pure comparative negligence rule, the state allows the plaintiff to claim damages for the 1% they are not at fault even when they are 99% at fault.”
So, for example, let’s say you were skateboarding in the University Dining Hall at CSUF, and your wheels lost traction on a wet floor. You hit your head on the tiles, fracturing your skull, which resulted in a trip to the emergency room. If the university failed to warn you about the wet floor, they can be held responsible. However, if you’re not allowed to skateboard indoors at the university, you could also be held partially at fault.
If a settlement for this injury is not reached, then a judge and jury will assign a percentage of fault to both parties, and your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault. So, if you’re found to be 40% at fault, then you would receive 60% of the compensation awarded.
How to Prove Fault in a Premises Liability at CSU Fresno
To establish that the university was careless and caused your accident, you would need to prove the following:
- Duty of care: The university has a legal obligation to keep students and visitors safe and prevent hazardous conditions
- Breach: The university failed to uphold their duty of care toward students and visitors
- Cause: The university’s carelessness was a direct cause of your injury
- Damages: You suffered verifiable damages and incurred heavy losses due to the injuries sustained from the accident
These elements of carelessness appear relatively straightforward. However, proving these careless acts to an insurance company takes legal experience and the expertise of a Premises Liability Lawyer at Maison Law.
What Compensation Can I Expect From a Premises Liability Injury at CSU Fresno?
It is difficult to know the specific amount of compensation you can receive for a personal injury at CSU Fresno because the cause of the injury differs drastically on a case-by-case basis. However, the more severe your damages are, the more compensation you can typically expect to get. Damages from injuries usually include:
- Medical costs
- Lost wages
- Retraining or re-education for job placement if you have suffered a disability from the accident
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
It is important to note that most personal injury cases never make it to trial and are often settled outside of court. Both the defendant (the liable party) and the plaintiff (the injured party) usually will reach an agreeable settlement to:
- Avoid the uncertainty of a trial
- Avoid more stress and save time
- Save on costs and attorney fees
- Protect their privacy
Maison Law | CSU Fresno Premises Liability Injury Lawyer
If you or a loved one has sustained injuries due to a premises liability, earthquake, or a careless act at CSU Fresno, Maison Law can get you the maximum compensation for the damage done to your life. We understand how hard you’ve worked to get to college, which is why we work hard to get student their life back after suffering an injury.
Contact Maison Law today for a no-cost, no-obligation consultation and case evaluation. There are no upfront charges for our services and we only get paid if we win your case.
