Delaware has many public properties, such as parks and public buildings like courthouses, that serve important purposes for local communities. If you sustain an injury on government premises, however, filing a successful property liability claim can be complicated. Public liability claims involve legal intricacies that are best resolved by a capable property accident attorney.
Government entities are responsible for public premises, and they are afforded stronger protections from liability. If you suffered an injury on state property due to the government’s negligence, it is time to call an experienced Dover public property liability lawyer at Doroshow, Pasquale, Krawitz & Bhaya for help.
What Is Municipal Liability?
Municipalities are responsible for public property throughout the state and can be held liable under municipal liability laws if someone suffers damages on government premises. In this context, municipality refers to the city, state, town, or county responsible for the property in question. These properties include buildings, public parks, sidewalks, and roadways. While government entities are not barred from property liability lawsuits, there are exacting restrictions that apply.
In your government property liability claim in Dover, your attorney will also need to prove the losses you suffered. These include:
- Current and ongoing medical bills
- Lost income and any losses that relate to your earning power in the future
- Physical pain and emotional distress
- Permanent or disabling effects of injuries
Proving these losses requires evidence that speaks to the extent of your damages. Your injury lawyer can calculate the value of your claim and support it with medical records and other key documentation.
How to Prove Negligence
If you slipped and fell down the steps of a public building due to a buildup of slippery debris over time, you may have a public property liability claim. However, to bring a successful claim, you will need to first prove that the municipality was negligent, and then prove that their negligence caused your injuries.
This is not easy to do, and it is best to let a Dover attorney experienced with public property liability handle it. Proving the government agency’s negligence begins with demonstrating that a hazardous condition existed on public premises, and the municipality knew about the dangerous condition or reasonably should have known about it.
Then, you must show that the municipality failed to resolve the risk factor or failed to provide adequate warning within a reasonable amount of time. From here, you will need to draw a direct line from the government agency’s negligence to the accident that caused you to suffer legal damages.
Applicable Rules and Deadlines
When filing a public property liability claim in the state, it is important to know that the amount of time you have to act is short and that special rules apply. To begin, public entity liability claims require notice, and the time allowed for your Dover attorney to file an initial notice of claim is only 90 days. The statute of limitations for filing a lawsuit also plays a role.
Additionally, there are damage caps in place that can limit the amount of compensation you could receive from public parties, even if your losses are immense. That is why you need a skilled injury lawyer to maximize your compensation.
Contact an Experienced Public Liability Attorney in Dover Today
You should not have to fight with a state agency to receive the money you deserve for injuries sustained on public property. A knowledgeable Dover public property liability lawyer from Doroshow, Pasquale, Krawitz & Bhaya can assist you with your claim. We are committed to helping you successfully navigate the challenging path toward a successful claim against the government agency whose negligence caused your injury. Learn more about what we can do to help by contacting us online or giving our firm a call today.