Have you been the victim of a car accident caused by a city government employee? If you were injured in the accident and believe you can prove that it was caused by an act of negligence, then you may be entitled to seek compensation from the city administration.
Suing the city or the state government is much like suing a private individual, but there is an added level of bureaucracy and a more restricted time scale. Talk to an experienced personal injury attorney if you are wondering just how difficult it is to obtain the compensation you think you deserve.
City and State Laws Regarding Government Personal Injury Claims
Before you can file a personal injury claim with the city government, you must first officially notify the government of intent to make a claim. The "notice of claim" form can be obtained from the city’s website. Include all relevant details of the accident and why you think a city employee or an agency was to blame. The claim will be investigated to confirm whether the city was liable. More often than not, the claim will be rejected, or you may never hear from the city about the claim. If this happens, file a personal injury claim as you might do with a private individual.
Make sure that the notice of claim is sent in within 12 months of the injury. In fact, the sooner a claim is initiated, the better. Success may depend on the amount of evidence, such as photos that were taken at the crash scene, a police report, witness statements and any investigation into the government vehicle’s mechanical condition or examination of the employee’s previous driving record.
Potential Car Accident Causes
Bus accidents are probably the most frequent types of accidents that involve government property, but there are other reasons why you might consider claiming against the city. Poor road maintenance can cause you to try and avoid a pot hole or other surface danger and end up crashing into something else.
There are several government vehicles that are in the city fleet, and any one of these may be involved in a collision with your own car if driven badly. The circumstances must involve proven negligence. Liability may be denied if the other vehicle was responding to a genuine emergency, such as a police car pursuing a suspected offender.
Reasons For a Collision With a Public Transit Bus
Based on the fact that there are more buses around than any other government owned vehicles, bus accidents are a more frequent cause of personal injuries. Bus drivers’ actions are often the main reason why collisions occur. Defects in some part of the bus’s mechanism, defective parts, or some other reason other than the actions of the bus driver may be another accident cause, or act in combination with driver error.
Common driver errors that can lead to a collision include:
- inadequate training or lack of experience;
- distracted driving, typically illegal use of a cell phone;
- driving intoxicated or under the influence of drugs or medication;
- fatigue;
- inattention, or failure to see a vehicle while making a maneuver;
- failure to signal;
- failure to yield the right of way at an intersection or while changing lanes.
It is Advisable to Talk to an Attorney before Submitting a Claim against the City
Claims against any government entity are generally regarded as more complicated, time consuming and difficult than any other personal injury claims. It is easy to make a mistake if attempting to make a claim without legal help. You are more likely to successfully resolve a claim against the city or the state government if you hire an experienced personal injury attorney to provide advice and legal help.
Disclaimer
The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against the city of Tulsa, or the state government of Oklahoma, or any other party, you may not be entitled to any compensation.
