Maison Law represents the victims of accidents that occur while attending California state and county fairs. Our personal injury lawyers demand compensation for injured victims when fairground owners and operators, and government agencies allow guests to get hurt. Contact us to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation for all victims and their families.
Do I Need a Lawyer After Suffering an Injury at a California State Fair?
If you suffer a serious injury at a state fair, you should speak to a California State Fair Accident Lawyer. Anything beyond a few minor scrapes or soreness could result in the need for expensive medical care. As hospital bills rise, owners and operators of the fair, and the State of California will be fighting even harder to avoid accepting blame for what happened to you.
Just trying to get your emergency room bills paid can put you up against unhelpful insurance adjusters and lawyers all assigned to try to limit the support you receive. They will try to blame you for what happened and downplay your injury. Your Maison Law attorney is your safeguard against this type of treatment. We fully investigate what happened and present strong evidence to force the park to provide the maximum in benefits available.
How Could I Get Hurt at the California State Fair?
The official California State Fair brings smiles and delight to thousands of guests each year in Sacramento. There are also annual fairs in each of California’s 58 counties that launch over the summer and fall months.
These are exciting events that supply plenty of family fun that highlights the greatness of our state. Unfortunately, with so many people in attendance and so many different foods, displays, and rides all in one place, accidents are a real possibility.
Fair attendees can be placed in harm’s way by a ride malfunction on popular attractions like the Ferris wheel or a mistake made by a fair employee. They may be exposed to illness at a petting zoo. Fairgoers could take a tumble down some stairs or off a metal platform to fracture a bone or suffer a deep cut.
These are just a few of the dangerous accidents that might leave fairgoers seeking injury support:
- Ride malfunction, manufacturing defect
- Ride operator error
- Electrical hazards on rides and from cords
- Burn injuries from the metal on rides and fire hazards
- Slip-and-fall hazards from food and drink spills
- Stairway, ramp, boardwalk, and sidewalk trip-and-fall obstacles
- Food poisoning
- Parking Lot hazards
- Overcrowding
- Exposure to chemicals and other harmful substances
- Exposure to illnesses like Legionnaires’ disease, E.coli, Salmonella, and cryptosporidiosis from expo displays and contact with animals
- Injury at a concert
- Negligent Security and crime risk
The California State Fair in Sacramento has full-time California Exposition and State Fair Police protecting fairgoers. They enforce a code of conduct and are responsible for the safety of all guests. You can visit the State Fair site to read over some of the safety precautions Fair Officials and local law enforcement take. Of course, a police presence and a code of conduct cannot prevent a number of injuries at the fair each year.
Who Is Responsible If I’m Hurt at a State or County Fair?
The organizers and those who bring in booths, merchandise, rides, and other equipment can all be found liable for injuries to you or a family member at a fair. California personal injury law would empower you to seek full compensation for every recovery cost you faced, including the time you lost at your job while injured.
Under California’s premises liability laws, amusement parks and fair operators must show their guests a legal “duty of care.” It means owners and operators must do everything possible to monitor for potential dangers and to remove them in a reasonable amount of time.
They are responsible for the hazards fairground employees may cause. But event organizers must also monitor for the obstacles other fairgoers leave behind. When someone gets hurt due to the negligence of this duty of care, victims must
These are just a few of the owners, operators, and companies that might be forced to provide you with a settlement check:
- Cal Expo and State Fair Officials, The State of California.
- California Department of Food & Agriculture’s (CDFA) Division of Fairs & Expositions. The CDFA helps put on many county fairs including the Big Fresno Fair.
- Fairgrounds owners such as city and county parks departments.
- Ride Manufacturers.
- Ride Inspectors for The Division of Occupational Safety and Health also known as Cal/OSHA.
- Food vendors
- Retail vendors
In some cases, there may be multiple parties that contribute to an accident that causes you or your child to suffer an injury. A skilled Maison Law State Fair Accident Attorney would identify every party that should contribute to your recovery. It’s an important task for victims, because the more insurance companies that may be drawn from, the better chance that victims in need get 100% of their damages covered.
What If I Signed a Waiver of Liability Before Entering the State Fair?
Whether you notice it or not, you probably signed a waiver of liability when you bought a ticket to the fair. This waiver protects organizers from getting sued over some normal hazards expected when riding rides and being around so many other people. But a waiver doesn’t protect fair operators from all liability after an accident. Organizers may be protected from responsibility for common dangers, but if they failed to ensure that rollercoasters were safe, or ignored building codes, waivers do not protect them from being sued.
A lawyer can remove the waivers that departments under the State of California like to hide behind and make sure those in pain get the help they require.
For more on what to do if you are hurt at other state fairs, please visit our pages on other popular events:
Kern County Fair Injury Lawyer
Mariposa County Fair Injury Lawyer
Merced County Fair Injury Lawyer
Sacramento County Fair Injury Lawyer
Salinas Valley Fair Injury Lawyer
San Bernardino County Fair Injury Lawyer
Alameda County Fair Injury Lawyer
Madera District Fair Accident Lawyer
Stanislaus County Fair Accident Lawyer
What Is My State Fair Injury Worth?
It’s difficult to estimate how much support your state fair injury claim will generate for you. Compensation is hard to determine until a lawyer has had time to investigate your accident and the park’s actions. Your lawyer will need to hear from you about what you went through and how an injury has affected your life.
The severity of your accident and how long it takes you to heal will be a big determining factor in the size of your injury settlement check.
Your lawyer files your injury claim once it’s ready and it must include a full list of the recent medical bills you’ve been hit with. Your lawyer also ensures that any hardships you could face in the years ahead are estimated and included. These damages must also be the full responsibility of the at-fault parties.
Your lawyer will demand compensation for these and other factors:
- The totals for your hospital care and physical therapy expenses.
- The estimated costs for care in the years to come if you suffer a long-term injury or a permanent physical disability. These are common with accidents involving amusement rides that can make amputations necessary and cause severe brain trauma.
- Travel costs while making doctor’s appointments and going to see specialists. This includes the cost of shuttle services if you can’t be on your feet or drive.
- Non-economic damages such as the physical pain and emotional distress you endure. This includes depression, anxiety, and a loss of enjoyment of life due to your injuries.
- Past and future lost income while you must miss work. Estimates on your lost earning capacity if you have a permanent disability.
- Damage or destruction of property.
- Wrongful death benefits for the families of victims. With the extremely dangerous hazards associated with fairs and fast-moving rides, victims can lose their lives. Their close relatives can ask for support for funeral costs and remaining medical bills. They should also receive help in the future when a loved one’s guidance and income may not be available.
What If I Am Hurt at a California Amusement Park?
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I can’t afford to pay a State Fair accident lawyer?
If you feel Maison Law can secure more in compensation for you, you won’t need any upfront money to hire us. We don’t get paid unless we win your case for you. Then our fee comes out of the money insurers are forced to provide.
How long do I have to file a California State Fair accident claim?
Victims and their families have up to two years to file a claim after an accident and injury. Act as soon as you can though. If you wait, evidence can be harder to secure and witnesses can be harder to find.
What should I be aware of when filing a lawsuit against the State of California?
Filing an injury claim against a government agency can be much more complex than filing a normal personal injury claim. A county or state department may be protected by laws that force you to seek permission to file a claim. You may also have to deal with a much shorter deadline to file. The statute of limitations to sue a government entity could only be a few months. Allow a skilled Maison Law attorney to help you meet all deadlines.
Contact a California State Fair Injury Lawyer
After a slip-and-fall accident or any injury at a California fair be sure to discuss your case with an experienced California State Fair Accident Lawyer. You should be able to focus on your recovery without worrying over the hospital bills piling up and the paychecks you’re missing while out of work.
Allow Maison Law to go to work on your case to secure the most compensation possible for your recovery. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation to find out how we can assist you. Your case review is completely confidential.
