Have you been injured by a Tulare County Area Transit (TCaT) bus? If so, Maison Law is here to help you get compensation for your injuries. Making a claim against TCaT is different than a typical lawsuit, and the legal team at Maison Law has the experience to be successful in getting you the compensation you deserve.
(TCaT) is a government run transportation service that runs to and from cities within Tulare County and to destinations within cities. It also has a fleet of Dial-A-Ride buses to fill in the gaps where the fixed route buses do not provide service.
People get injured in automobile accidents with a TCaT bus or as a rider involved in the accident or injured in some other way. When any of these happen, you will need to make a claim against Tulare County.
You Can’t Sue the State
In California, like every other state in the U.S., there is a doctrine called “sovereign immunity” that prevents the government from being sued for just about anything they do. It comes from way back in England, and it’s still used today in the U.S.
In California, the legislature passed the California Tort Claims Act which allows some suits against the government with caps on damages and other limitations. A claim for injures by TCaT is one of those areas.
Types of Claims Against the State
The claims act doesn’t specify which types of claims are allowed but limit them to negligence claims where money damages can be awarded. This includes injuries against TCaT, and some of the common claims are:
- Auto Accidents
- Pedestrian Accidents
- Bicycling Accident
- Injuries While Riding
- Premises Injuries (Walkways, steps, stairs, train stops)
To make a successful claim, the injured person must show that TCaT was in someway negligent in their actions that led to the person’s injuries. The bus driver might run a red light or there might have been a loose handrail on the bus causing you to lose your balance.
To prove that TCaT was negligent, you have to show they operated a vehicle carelessly and without due regard for other’s safety. Or they could have failed to fix something on the bus or at a bus stop that caused an injury.
Do You Need an Attorney to Make a Claim Against TCaT?
While it’s not a legal requirement, it is advisable. When it comes to suing the government, there are certain notice requirements and deadlines that if are not met might result in the dismissal of your claim. An experienced attorney will know what to file, what to claim, where to file and when to file.
Contact a Tulare Personal Injury Lawyer.
After any accident involving a serious injury in Tulare County, contact attorney Martin Gasparian for a free consultation and case evaluation. Mr. Gasparian takes a hands-on approach to every case. He believes that every client should work directly with their lawyer, get honest advice and the personalized attention to detail their case deserves.
