The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) outlines government-endorsed standards if a sidewalk is in need of repair. Among the reasons for repair are:
- “Surfacing issues such as cracks, holes, surface deterioration.”
If a sidewalk develops cracks, becomes broken, or develops other flaws that may become tripping hazards and a danger to public health, the FHWA recommends:
- Filling in cracks in the sidewalk
- Patching broken areas of sidewalk
- Grinding the sidewalk down so that raised edges are no longer hazards for tripping
If sidewalks are left in disrepair, those who walk on those sidewalks may be at risk of suffering a serious or fatal injury. If you or a loved one suffered an injury because of a disrepaired sidewalk, call the team from Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 794-0444 to learn how a Los Angeles cracked or defective or broken sidewalks lawyer may be able to help you bring a lawsuit.
Los Angeles’ Infrastructure is in Disrepair
You may find a plethora of complaints about the state of Los Angeles’ sidewalks. If you spend any time walking around Los Angeles, you may have noticed cracked, uneven, and otherwise neglected sidewalks yourself.
KCRW Los Angeles asked, “Why can’t Los Angeles fix its sidewalks?” with an investigation in 2019. Some of the possible reasons given for the widespread problem of damaged sidewalks in Los Angeles based on this included:
- There are approximately 9,000 miles of sidewalks in Los Angeles, and the city has yet to deploy the resources necessary to address structural problems.
- As of July 2019, there were more than 1,500 repair requests yet to be fulfilled, suggesting that the city is not acting with urgency.
- Trees planted alongside many of Los Angeles’ sidewalks may lead to root damage.
- The city government took on the responsibility to fix sidewalks in the 1970s, taking that power away from property owners.
The City of Los Angeles provides online forums to post complaints about specific sidewalks, but time may be better spent in a number of other ways. If you or your loved one have already been injured because of a disrepaired sidewalk, the future damage inflicted may be inevitable.
Sidewalks may be an essential route for those who walk, ride a bicycle, or use electric scooters around the city of Los Angeles, and those people may be in danger because of the poor state of Los Angeles’ sidewalks.
Subpar Sidewalks may put Many Groups at Risk
Though anybody walking down a sidewalk with cracks or other tripping hazards may be at risk, certain groups may be more susceptible to sidewalk accidents than others. Some groups that could be at a heightened risk of being injured on a sidewalk include:
- The disabled, whether they use a motorized scooter, cane, or walk without assistance.
- The elderly, who may have diminished balance and could be at a greater risk of serious injury due to a fall.
- The visually impaired, who may not be able to spot cracks, changes in elevation, or other hazards caused by a damaged sidewalk.
If you or a loved one were injured because of a damaged sidewalk in Los Angeles, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses through a personal injury lawsuit, and a Los Angeles cracked or defective or broken sidewalks lawyer may be able to help.
Call our team at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm for a free consultation about your injury and eligibility for a lawsuit.
For a free legal consultation with a Cracked Or Defective Or Broken Sidewalks Injuries Lawyer serving Los Angeles, call (800) 794-0444
How to Sue After a Possible Sidewalk-Related Injury
If you are injured on a dangerous sidewalk, you may:
- Have to receive medical care to treat your injury
- Miss work because of your injury
- Require a significant period of time to recover from your injury
- Incur various medical expenses, including but not limited to the cost of treatment for your injury
You may be able to sue a liable party if you believe the sidewalk was in a condition that posed a clear threat to you, and that the condition of the sidewalk caused or contributed to your injury. Depending on where you were injured, the liable party may be:
- A local, state, or federal governmental entity
- A private citizen
You may not be aware of the law governing liability as it pertains to a dangerous sidewalk, and a lawyer may be able to clarify who may be liable for your injury. In addition to helping you determine who may be liable for your injury, a lawyer may:
- Help you file a claim with the local government, which may be helpful as you pursue compensation you may be entitled to
- File your lawsuit in the appropriate legal locale
- Collect relevant evidence such as photographs of the sidewalk in its current condition, as the city or private resident responsible for the sidewalk may repair it should they become aware of your lawsuit
- Represent you in settlement negotiations
- Represent you at trial
- Calculate and pursue the awards that you may be entitled to
The state of sidewalks in Los Angeles represents a foreseeable danger, and the predictability of sidewalk-related injuries may indicate negligence by those responsible for making repairs.
Los Angeles Cracked Or Defective Or Broken Sidewalks Injuries Lawyer Near Me (800) 794-0444
Call Our Team at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm for a Free Consultation
Our team at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm may be able to help keep you from suffering more harm than you already have because of your sidewalk-related injury. Having a Los Angeles cracked or defective or broken sidewalks lawyer may be in your best interest, and may save you time and effort.
Call our team at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 794-0444 for a free consultation. We work on a contingency-fee basis.
Call or text (800) 794-0444 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
