Are you the victim of an accident that was caused by a city of Atwater agency or one of their employees? Did you sustain one or more injuries that have left you with financial losses? If so, please contact us right away to learn about your rights and legal options. The legal process to sue a private individual or entity, like a store or restaurant, is fairly straightforward. Unfortunately, obtaining the compensation you are owed is not so simple when it comes to accident claims against the government. What if, for example, you had a slip and fall accident in a government building? Or, maybe you’ve been in a car crash with a city of Atwater emergency service vehicle.
In these situations, you will need to file an accident claim with the city of Atwater to detail the damages you’ve suffered and the compensation you are owed as a result of their negligence. While you can go about this process on your own, it’s in your best interest to seek guidance from a lawyer that’s experienced in lawsuits against public entities. Our lawyers have the skill and experience to fight for the justice you deserve if the city of Atwater is responsible for your accident. For a free consultation with one of our attorneys, contact Normandie Law Firm as soon as possible.
Your Right to Sue under the California Tort Claims Act
The legal process you will need to undertake is defined by the California Tort Claims Act (CTCA). This law applies to lawsuits against public entities, including agencies, properties, and employees of government agencies throughout California.
To sue the city of Atwater for your injuries, you must file a “City of Atwater Claim Form” within 6 months from the date of your accident. Please note that you must file your claim by the 6-month deadline, or you will permanently lose the right to sue for monetary damages. If it turns out that your claim is rejected, you will have a limited amount of time to proceed with a lawsuit.
If the city agency responds to you within 45 days with a rejection of your claim, you have 6 months to file a lawsuit for personal injury. Another possibility is that the agency will not respond at all within 45 days, which means your claim has been rejected by default. In this situation, you have two years from the accident date to bring forth a lawsuit.
Our Recent Verdicts and Settlements
$2.5 Million
$1.1 Million
$1.5 Million
$600,000
$525,000
$734,851
Accidents that are Covered under the CTCA
No matter what type of entity you are suing, your first task is to establish that they are responsible for your injuries. This is accomplished by proving an act of misconduct or negligence by the government agency or their employees. For example, let’s say you were injured by a falling tree branch in a city park. If the branch fell due to the city’s failure to maintain the tree, that would constitute an act of negligence. When the city of Atwater creates a hazard or fails to resolve a dangerous condition, innocent bystanders may be injured from the following accidents:
- Slip and fall / trip and fall
- Injuries from falling objects
- Bus / train / public transportation accidents
- Car accidents with city vehicles
- Injuries in schools operated by the city of Atwater
- Assault and battery / sexual assault
How to File a City of Atwater Accident Injury Claim
As previously stated, you will need to fill out a notice of claim form, which you can download from the city website or obtain from the city government’s Human Resources Department. Make sure to answer each question thoroughly and include clear, detailed information to describe the accident, your injuries, and the losses you’ve sustained.
Once you’ve completed the forms, you can mail them to the city office or drop them off in person. Please consider using a priority mail or certified mail service, so that you have confirmation of delivery. We also recommend calling the City Hall of Atwater at (209) 357-6310 to verify the address for drop off or mailing, since there is very little information that’s available on their website.
Please note that the claims process can be much more complicated than what we’ve described here. Most injury victims are unaware of how detailed they need to be on these forms in order to be approved for payment. Claim rejections are very common, so you will most likely need help from an experienced personal injury lawyer, who can guide you through the entire process.
Settlement Value of a Lawsuit against the City of Atwater
When we meet with clients for the first time, they have many questions on their mind, including “How much can I receive if I sue the city for my accident?”
This is not a question we can answer right away, as there are many elements that must be examined in order to determine what an accident injury lawsuit is worth. What is the total cost of your medical expenses? What is the extent of your emotional trauma? Will your injuries compromise your ability to perform your job duties? These are just some of the factors we will discuss with you during a free initial consultation. Based on your answers, your case may be worth anywhere from $15,000 to several million dollars if we look back on our past verdicts and settlements. If you’re interested in finding out what you may be entitled to from a lawsuit against the city of Atwater, call us right away to speak with one of our attorneys.
How long will it take to Settle my Claim?
Here at Normandie, we always set out with the goal of recovering a client’s settlement within 6 months of submitting an injury claim. However, case timelines vary significantly, ranging anywhere from just a few weeks to over 2 years. It’s also worth noting that the severity of your injuries plays a big part in how long it will take to resolve your claim. This is particularly true if your case progresses to a lawsuit, which is typical in situations involving serious injuries and/or extensive property damage.
Free Second Opinion
Are you in need of advice regarding an active accident claim against the city of Atwater? If so, we hope you’ll consider a second opinion with the personal injury lawyers of Normandie. Most people associate second opinions with doctors when they’re in need of confirmation on a medical diagnosis. However, lawyers can provide a similar service if you have concerns about a legal case. This is a completely free service, which you can schedule by giving us a call here at our office. We hope you’ll give us the opportunity to meet with you and advise you of your available legal options.
Schedule a Free Case Review
While there are laws in place to protect those who have been injured by another party’s negligence, obtaining justice is much harder than most people realize. That’s why you should retain the services of a knowledgeable attorney as soon as possible if you’ve been harmed by an entity that’s owned, operated, or employed by the city of Atwater.
However, there’s no denying that accident victims are struggling to make ends meet due to their medical bills and needing time off from work. That’s why we’ve always worked on contingency, which means you never pay upfront if you choose us to represent you. In fact, you won’t pay anything at all, since all legal fees are covered by the defendant as a part of your settlement award. If we don’t come through in bringing you the compensation you deserve, you owe us nothing under the Zero Fee Guarantee.
To learn more about your rights and the legal actions that are available to you, contact Normandie Law Firm to schedule a free case evaluation.
