Cal State San Bernardino students hurt on campus can seek compensation for their medical bills, their physical pain, and other damages. The California State University system should be liable for all of it.
Maison Law of San Bernardino represents injured students and demands compensation for victims when universities are negligent in keeping them safe.
We provide a free, no-obligation consultation for all victims and their families. Contact us to set up a confidential case review to find out what an injury should be worth and how to hold universities fully responsible.
Do I Need a Lawyer If My Child Is Hurt on the Campus of CSU San Bernardino?
If you or your child suffers a serious injury on campus, and the university’s carelessness caused the accident, it’s a good indicator that you should have a lawyer for your case. A lawyer can protect your claim when school lawyers are called in to poke holes in your case. A lawyer can also help you take home more in support.
These are some of the biggest benefits of having a skilled California College Premises Liability Lawyer on your side when taking on a giant school system:
- A full investigation is conducted, looking into your accident and into the school’s negligent actions.
- All evidence is collected and preserved to back a powerful case.
- Complicated paperwork is filled out correctly and on time.
- Your lawyer files your claim for your family and handles all communication and negotiations. This allows you to focus on recovery.
- Your lawyer doesn’t stop fighting until you earn the maximum in compensation possible for your case. This is usually much more than you could earn by filing yourself.
- Your lawyer has a lawsuit ready to file if a university refuses to accept 100% blame and liability for your accident. Your lawyer represents the threat of a trial, making schools more likely to treat you better during settlement negotiations.
- No upfront costs for strong legal representation. While you’re hurt and your medical bills are piling up, you may not have the money to hire a lawyer for your case. That’s okay. Maison Law works on a contingency basis. It means we don’t get paid unless we win your case for you. Then, once a case is won, we are paid out of the settlement CSU San Bernardino is forced to provide.
Who Is Responsible for an Accident on Campus?
Under California premises liability laws, all owners and operators of public places, including institutions, are responsible for the safety of anyone who enters an establishment. This means CSU San Bernardino is accountable for the safety of students while they are in their dorm rooms, in class, in the cafeteria, and while they are attending extra-curricular events on campus.
The school must monitor for accident risks that its own employees or contractors might create. They must be on the lookout for hazards that students carelessly leave behind that might harm a classmate.
These accident dangers must be repaired, replaced, or cleaned up in a reasonable amount of time. If school officials delay, and someone gets hurt, victims can seek full compensation for their recovery costs.
Maison Law helps victims recover the maximum in support for many types of personal injury accidents.
These are a few of the risks on campus that can lead to injury claims:
- Fall hazards on unmaintained stairs. Stairs with trash on steps. Loose stair railings.
- Unsecure decking, ramps, and platforms.
- Hallway spills and bathroom leaks leading to slip-and-fall risks.
- Dorm accident risks, such as puddles on floors, exposed wiring, and mold.
- Parking lot potholes, landscaping obstacles, and unsafe crosswalks.
- Unsafe decking that’s rotting or incorrectly supported.
- Accident hazards at sporting events, rooting for the Yotes, at gyms, and in auditoriums. Bleacher injuries, falling ceiling pieces and lighting gear injuries. Crowd control issues.
- Injuries suffered while using school transportation or while on a school trip.
- Injuries suffered on field trips or off-campus study, such as trips to local farms.
- Accidents at sorority or fraternity houses and at Greek events. A lack of oversight from the university that leads to a serious accident.
- Use of unsafe machinery, tools, and hazardous substances in classrooms and labs.
- Hiring faculty and staff without proper background checks who lack certification to oversee students safely.
- Lack of safety training for staff members.
- Negligent security, such as door locks that don’t work and a lack of security guards, leading to an assault.
Sidewalk Accident Risks on CSU San Bernardino Campus
Cal State schools can be liable for each step students take, and that includes their journeys down sidewalks each day. Sidewalks and breezeways are the main paths into class, into dorm buildings, and into the library, and should be obstacle-free.
Debris and trash must be removed so it doesn’t send students tripping forward to suffer a knee injury or facial lacerations. Schools must also maintain sidewalks so they are free of broken concrete and large gaps that can catch bicycle tires, causing dangerous bicycle crashes.
Crews must control tree root damage on campus that breaks up sidewalks and creates unlevel segments, leading to fall injuries. A skilled slip-and-fall lawyer can help the victims of sidewalk accidents earn what they require to get back on their feet and get back in class.
What Should I Do After an Accident on a CSU Campus?
After an accident and injury, Cal State San Bernardino students can help build a strong case showing that the school was 100% responsible for what happened.
An accident scene may take shape after a sudden fall in a bathroom at Pfau Library. Perhaps a student fell on liquid soap that dripped on the tile. The scene might unfold at Palm Desert Campus when the student trips on a cracked sidewalk as they walk from the parking lot to class.
Victims should contact 911 if they are hurt, and then, if they feel okay to move around, they should document the hazard that caused the accident. The obstacle will likely be long gone before a lawyer can visit the scene. Staff members will either repair or clean up the hazard so the evidence disappears.
To help hold the school liable, victims should try to collect these and other details at the scene:
- Alert School Staff – Notify a school official about the incident as soon as possible. School employees will likely be instructed to prepare an incident report, which can serve as strong evidence in the case.
- Seek medical attention – Allow paramedics to check out every pain and go to the emergency room if necessary. You should also see your family physician in the days that follow. Your doctor can document any new pain you have. Some injuries aren’t apparent on the day of the accident, when shock can mask pain. Have your doctor document all discovered injuries and any that suddenly appear later. Follow the doctor’s orders and save all receipts.
- Take photos of the scene – Show evidence of the hazard that caused your injury. This obstacle will likely be cleaned up or repaired when your lawyer visits the scene later. Take photos of any visible injuries.
- Get witness contact information – You will turn witness phone numbers and addresses over to your personal injury lawyer so your lawyer can obtain powerful testimony.
- Reach out to an experienced San Bernardino Lawyer – You may be made to wait and wait on communication from the school. Or you may hear from lawyers for CSU within days, ready to write you a check. Beware. This is often a tactic used to get you to sign off on a “lowball” settlement offer before you know the full extent of your injuries and future hardships. It’s important to have a legal representative always check over settlement offers. It’s best to let a local attorney handle all communications and negotiations with insurance adjusters and school lawyers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is filing an injury claim against a public school like any other personal injury case?
No. It can be much more complex, and victims need to be careful when taking on such a large state entity. Public institutions are protected by some legal safeguards in lawsuits. To begin with, victims have a much shorter amount of time to file a claim than in a normal personal injury case. Victims may only have months, often just 6 months, to file a claim or lose their chance forever. Victims must also alert the university to their accidents and basically ask permission to file a claim. A case filed with a state school will require victims to fill out complicated paperwork throughout the process. These documents must not have errors, or they can be used as an excuse to reject the case. State lawyers can also get involved, and it’s a good idea to have strong legal representation to make sure they don’t find a way to rob you of injury compensation.
What types of things are compensated in a campus accident settlement?
Students and their parents must seek money to pay 100% of their medical bills. The physical pain and emotional trauma a student is put through must also factor into a settlement check. The student’s lost income while they are away from a Campus job must be reimbursed. The student must receive the university’s help in resetting their college educational track if they must miss weeks or entire semesters of classes. Wrongful Death claims: Families are empowered to seek financial help if a university’s mistake claims a precious life. A San Bernardino Wrongful Death Lawyer at Maison Law can help families seek justice and support for the future.
Will my family have to go to court to get compensation after an accident on a CSU campus?
Not usually. The majority of personal injury cases are settled outside of court. The state will try to avoid going before a judge and jury at all costs. A trial can be very expensive and can lead to bad publicity. Your attorney will use this as a negotiating tool. A trial is a serious threat that makes insurers for the university try harder to put forth a fair settlement offer rather than try to keep recovery money away from those who need it most.
Contact a San Bernardino State Premises Liability Attorney
Maison Law aggressively protects students and their families after an accident on a state university campus. We want to handle the frustrating negotiations with lawyers working for the Cal State system. Universities are quick to accept tuition checks each year, but they must also be first in line to help students who are injured on campus.
Maison Law offers a free and confidential case consultation to all victims who suffer harm on campus, at a Greek house, or even off campus. Contact us today and let us answer your questions and go over the best options for holding a school responsible for your pain.
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