However, you don’t have to be a senior citizen to experience a fall. A slippery floor in an Encino market, an unmarked step down from one level to another in an unfamiliar building in Van Nuys, a poorly lit parking lot in Woodland Hills can all be potentially dangerous. A fall, which we managed without serious injury as children, can be life-threatening and/or life-altering for an adult; the danger escalates with advancing age.
A broken hip means surgery and often a precipitous decline in overall health for the elderly. A blow to the head from a fall can cause permanent and debilitating traumatic brain injury, affecting memory and function at any age. A construction worker with a broken leg may be unable to work for months, threatening his livelihood. A young wife and mother with a broken arm or sprained wrist will find cooking and cleaning difficult to impossible, let alone caring for an infant or young child. Rice & Bloomfield lawyers will recover money for lost earnings and medical expenses, as well as to compensate for pain, suffering, and lost quality of life.
In order to determine whether a legal claim is warranted, Rice & Bloomfield will determine who owns or controls the property where the injury occurred, as well as whether the condition that caused the fall is a “dangerous condition,” for which the owner may be legally responsible. If there is any question as to whether the fall occurred because of a dangerous condition, Rice & Bloomfield has experts who will examine the scene, research building codes for violations, and testify at trial.
If the dangerous condition occurred on public property, the law requires a special claim be made with the governmental entity responsible for maintaining the property in question. This claim must be made within six months of the date of injury and before a lawsuit can be filed. While a judge will occasionally allow a claim to be made at a later date (but never more than a year), an injury occurring on public property should be discussed with a Rice & Bloomfield lawyer as soon as possible after the fall, so they can make sure a timely government claim is made on your behalf.
If the injury occurs from a dangerous condition on private property, the time in which to bring a lawsuit is up to two years. It is never a good idea to wait to consult a lawyer, however. Conditions change, memories fade – making proof of a case more difficult. Contacting Rice & Bloomfield at the earliest possible date allows them to begin the work necessary to prove your case at trial and, thus, increase the chances for a favorable settlement.
If you or someone you care about is injured in a fall, do not hesitate to contact Rice & Bloomfield for a free consultation and advice. You can be assured that its lawyers have the experience and expertise to provide the highest quality representation and results.
