It is possible to sue a municipality for an accident in some cases. In all such cases, you can expect a very difficult process. Let’s say that a police vehicle crashes into you after running through a stop sign without turning on its lights. Or you fell on the hazardous sidewalk in front of a government structure. You might have a reason to file a claim against the city.
What’s the first steps in a Negligence Lawsuit Against a City Government
That would the Notice of Claim, a written notification alerting the city that you intend to file a lawsuit against them. This notice would need to detail the names and contact info of anyone who has anything to do with the incident, the details of the accident, the details of your injuries, and how much you are asking for in the lawsuit.
What should be included in your lawsuit?
You will need the evidence necessary to prove that the city was negligent. This will mean witness testimony, adequate pictures, medical records, and more. In a nutshell, you would need to demonstrate that the city owed you a duty of care, the city failed to fulfill this duty, this failure caused your injury, and you were in fact injured.
In Some Cases, a City Can Simply Claim Immunity
The most powerful defense a city may have is simply pointing to the fact that it has immunity in many circumstances. If a trespasser falls on city property, the city does not owe that trespasser a duty of care. A city could be immune for issues with sidewalks in front of its structures as well. If a squad car’s sirens are running, the city can probably claim immunity to any accidents that the vehicle is involved in, and so on.
Build the strongest case possible with the trusted help of one of our Raleigh personal injury lawyers, who have nearly 40 years’ experience. In order to better understand how strong your case is, and what you can expect from the process, don’t hesitate to contact the Whitley Law Firm at your earliest convenience.
