Sidewalk Accidents

Walking down a sidewalk is a fairly routine activity that many of us engage in without ever thinking twice about it. Oftentimes, the municipality takes the appropriate steps to ensure that pedestrians have a safe surface to walk on free of serious hazards, but this is unfortunately not always the case. If you have been injured on a sidewalk due to a hazard such as a pothole or degraded surface, or because of unsafe construction practices, then you may be entitled to compensation either through a claim with an insurance company, filing a lawsuit, or by filing a claim against the municipality. There are other cases where you may be able to seek remuneration from a private entity responsible for maintaining a sidewalk on their property, which we will additionally be happy to represent you for.

Determining the first steps to take after a sidewalk accident can be confusing, and the reality is that the process will not get any easier as you continue with your case. This is why it is important to work with an experienced personal injury lawyer like those at Hipskind & McAninch, LLC. While you focus on recovering from your injuries, we will be able to take your case straight to the responsible party or their insurance company in order to get you the money that you deserve, and not just the money the insurance company wants to pay you.

Contact Hipskind & McAninch, LLC Now For a Free Consultation

We offer a free consultation for personal injury victims of all types of accidents, sidewalk accidents included. During this consultation, you will be able to get legal advice from an experienced professional, as well as learn more about how you can benefit from working with our team. The early days after an accident can be extremely overwhelming, especially if you have mounting medical bills and missed work because of your injuries. Once you have a lawyer representing your case, you can stay focused on your recovery with peace of mind knowing that there is someone working to recover all of your losses so that you do not have to take on the financial burden caused by the negligence that led to the dangerous sidewalk conditions.

Read more below about sidewalk accidents, and contact our law firm as soon as possible to get started on your claim today.

Who Is Responsible For Your Sidewalk Injury?

Before you can even start to think about compensation, you will need to identify the responsible party liable for your injuries due to their failure to maintain a safe sidewalk. Depending on the circumstances, there is any number of entities that may assume partial or full liability for your injuries.

Homeowners

A homeowner may not be responsible for the actual infrastructure of the sidewalk in front of their property (in certain cases), but they are often responsible for snow cleanup and debris on the sidewalk that may impede traffic and lead to accidents. However, there are other instances where a property owner is additionally responsible for the upkeep of the actual sidewalk depending on the local bylaws. We will need to look at the specifics of the sidewalk and the abutting property before determining whether or not the property owner is the liable party.

Local Governments

There are other instances where the local government is responsible for your injuries based on the local ordinances and the type of disrepair or hazard that caused your injuries. Suing a local government is often a bit more complicated than suing a private individual or filing a claim with their homeowners’ insurance, so we will need to take a measured approach to the start of this case in order to complete all of the appropriate steps without impeding your ability to seek full compensation.

Construction Companies

When a construction company is performing work on a sidewalk under contract with the government, they typically carry a surety bond that guarantees that they will pay specified damages in the event of a failure to complete their work properly. However, surety bonds do not cover personal injuries, meaning that you will need to file a lawsuit either against the construction company or file a claim with an insurance policy that they have protecting them from liability. Determining which step to take can be confusing, but we will help you identify the most appropriate course of action and move forward aggressively.