If you’re walking through a city park or crossing a public sidewalk, and a broken step or a hidden hazard sends you to the ground, you may be able to bring a claim. Accidents happen, but when a government entity fails to keep its property safe, finding the right Athens public property liability lawyer can make all the difference.
However, cases against the government come with special rules and tight deadlines. If you miss one, you could lose your right to recover anything. An experienced premises liability lawyer knows how to advance your case quickly and protect your claim from the beginning. At Massey Injury Law, we handle these tricky cases head-on and update you on a regular basis.
Public property is anything a government body owns or maintains, such as a city, county, or state. If you suffered injuries in one of the following places, a government entity may be responsible:
Figuring out which government body controls the property is step one. It isn’t always obvious if the city, county, or state maintains a road. An experienced public property injury lawyer operating in Athens can determine responsibility so you can file your claim against the right entity.
Winning a public property case comes down to proof. To hold a government entity responsible, you have to show they knew about the hazard, or should have known, and didn’t fix it. The right evidence makes that case for you, so we work fast to preserve it before it disappears. Strong evidence includes:
The difficult part is that some of this evidence is in the government’s files, and they may attempt to withhold it. An Athens lawyer with experience in public property accident cases knows how to find the evidence and use it to build a winning liability claim.
Sovereign immunity protects governments, which means you can only sue them under specific conditions. The biggest condition is the ante litem notice, a formal written warning you must send before you can file suit.
The deadlines are very short. Under Official Code of Georgia Annotated § 36-33-5, you only have six months to notify a city. For a county, O.C.G.A. § 36-11-1 gives you twelve months, and for the state, O.C.G.A. § 50-21-26 also sets a twelve-month deadline. If you miss it, you may get a denial, no matter how bad your injuries are. That’s why calling a public premises liability attorney right away is so important if you suffered injuries in Athens.
Suffering an injury on public property is frustrating, and the strict government deadlines only add to your stress. Filing deadlines begin from the moment of your injury, so waiting can cost you your claim. An experienced Athens public property liability lawyer can protect your rights and proceed with the case so you can focus on recovery.
At Massey Injury Law, we treat you like a Friend of the Firm, with a friendly 25% fee and the same great service you’d expect from a top legal team. Don’t let a deadline expire. Call us today for a free case review, and remember: Massey is my lawyer friend.
(706) 395-9160