Injured While On Government Property?
Were you Injured While On Government Property? If you were, your right to seek compensation from the government agency is significantly limited as compared to your rights against a private entity or person. Specifically there are specific notices you must comply with, not only time mandated notices but you also have to provide those notices to the proper government officials/agency. Also, the time you have to settle your claim or file a lawsuit is shorter as well.
Take the case of Vinieegra v Town of Parker, which involved a man who slipped and fell at the Town of Parker Cemetery. Arizona’s Court of Appeals just issued a ruling upholding the Superior Court’s dismissal of the Plaintiff’s claim for failing to comply with the law governing claims against a governmental agency. Unfortunately the Plaintiff interpreted and relied on actions by the city’s risk adjudicator to mean that the Plaintiff would not have to comply with the shortened time limitations. He argued on appeal that because the City made certain statements during the claim process that he relied on hat the Court should allow his claim to move forward.
The Court did not side with the Plaintiff, instead the Court found that there were no facts which would support allowing his claim and the failure to timely settle his claim or file a lawsuit barred his claim against the City of Parker.
The lesson is that if you were injured on government property or even in a car accident with a government employee, you have to be aware that your rights are more limited.