Maison Law represents students injured at UC Merced due to a premises liability. Your time at UC Merced is meant to be a time of growth and fun, new experiences. But if you suffer injuries due to unsafe conditions or careless actions on the UC Merced campus, the college experience can feel more like a nightmare. Injuries at college can result in costly medical bills, missed time in class, and mental trauma, essentially altering your life experience. That’s why at Maison Law, we advocate on behalf of students injured in premises liability accidents to ensure they receive the necessary compensation to get their lives back.
Don’t let an injury define your life. Contact Maison Law today for a no-cost, confidential consultation to see what legal options are available for your situation.
Do I Need a Lawyer for an Injury at UC Merced?
According to UC Merced’s website, their insurance provides coverage for property damage, loss, or injuries as a result of the University’s routine operations. Their insurance extends to every campus department and employee engaged in university business. Their site also states that all claims will be evaluated on their merit, and filing a claim does not mean you will receive compensation. This is pretty typical of how insurance companies treat injured victims.
But that’s where Maison Law can help. 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 UC Merced 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
Filing a Claim Against UC Merced
Filing a lawsuit against a public college like UC Merced 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 UC Merced, 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 general liability claim, you should:
- Fill out the Claim Form here.
- Include relevant documentation of the incident and damages
- Submit the claim to RiskServices@ucop.edu, or call (510) 987-9832 with any questions.
If you elect to file a lawsuit against the university, Maison Law can help you with this process. Contact us today for a free review of your case and we’ll help you take the next steps.
Filing a Lawsuit Against UC Merced for Premises Liability
Filing a lawsuit against a public college like UC Merced 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 college for compensation. If you would like to file a claim against UC Merced, your first steps should be to file a notice of your claim against the university 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 agency you are suing does not have a claim form, you still have options. Under these circumstances, you can draft your claim. Your written, personal injury claim must include 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 of the employee (if applicable) or agency that caused the injuries
- The dollar amount you are claiming
- If you are claiming more than $10,000 you must state if your lawsuit will be considered a limited case (less than $35,000) or an unlimited case (a demand for more than $35,000).
If UC Merced does not take action after a certian period of time or denies some part of the claim, then it is recommended to contact one of our attorneys at Maison Law to see if a lawsuit is necessary for your situation. Contact Maison Law today for a free case review, and we’ll be glad to help you take the next steps.
Premises Liability at UC Merced
UC Merced has a legal obligation to maintain safe conditions on their campuses. 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 UC Merced
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 UC Berkeley to get to their classes, dorm rooms, or extra-curricular activities. But let’s say, for example, the route along Ansel Adams Road 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 | UC Merced Premises Liability Lawyers
If you or a loved one has suffered injuries on campus property at UC Merced 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.
