It is a common occurrence, walking down the street and slipping or falling due to an abnormality in the sidewalk or road. Most of the time, people shrug these trips off and keep on walking, but now and then, someone suffers a serious injury. The question then becomes, can you sue the municipal or state government for your injury? Is anyone liable? This post will go over the background in suing governments and outline the various entities that could be responsible for your injury.
Traditionally, you could not sue the government because it enjoyed “sovereign immunity.” Sovereign immunity meant that governments could neither be sued nor found liable in an accident. But both the federal and state governments have passed laws to reduce this blanket immunity and permit suits on a few grounds.
he first thing you need to do is differentiate between the different layers of government. You cannot sue the federal government for injuries suffered on a city sidewalk and vice versa. Typically you will have a federal government, state government, and municipal government. Sometimes you may have a county or district government intermixed between state and municipal.
Whether or not you can sue your state or municipality is a matter of state and local law. These laws are structured in a variety of ways and impose different notice requirements.
Were you injured due to a dangerous property condition? If so, you may want to call a personal injury attorney to discuss your options. You should always visit a doctor as a safe measure, many people suffer serious injuries and do not realize it for hours or days. If you suffered a significant injury, like back or neck, then a lawyer can help you get the compensation you need to pay for your medical bills and lost work.