The concrete on the sidewalk was broken up and while trying to cross it, I fell and broke my arm. Is the city liable for not repairing it fast enough? Shouldn’t the city have had a warning sign?
It’s hard to say how long the city had to repair the sidewalk, so the city’s liability may not be based on the fact that the sidewalk had not been fixed. However, if the city had received any notification whatsoever that there was a problem with the sidewalk, the city should have put some type of warning sign or barriers to protect people using the sidewalk. Therefore, the city may be liable for your injury. Be prepared for the city to argue that you were partially at fault for trying to cross the damaged section of sidewalk. Whether the city prevails on that theory will depend, in large part, on the facts of your case.
At any rate, you will be dealing with government insurance adjusters who are traditionally less likely to hand out generous awards from public funds. No matter how cut and dried your case seems, you will want to talk to an attorney who has experience with these types of cases as soon as possible to make sure that you comply with the often shorter statute of limitations that applies to cases against governmental entities and to assist you with any settlement negotiations.
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