San Francisco Injury Lawyer Blog

Federal, state and local governments have responsibility in maintaining parts of the United States, so if something happens on federal or state land, the proper authorities are responsible for it. This not only applies to where lawsuits are held, but also to who may be responsible for the injury. State and local governments are responsible for most of the roads and pathways, and if accidents occur as a result of that maintenance, then they would likely have responsibility. For example, if the signs on a certain road are inaccurate and cause an accident, the city or state may be responsible for a part of the accident, and maybe even the entire thing.

In Delaware on October 30, 2009, Kenneth Matlock won $6 million for the injuries that he sustained when a tree limb fell on his car and broke his neck. The incident happened in 2006 when he was driving in the car with his wife and three children. The tree limb fell on top of their SUV, and the car continued until it hit a guardrail on the opposite side of the road. Matlock’s wife’s neck was broken as well, and he lost use of his right hand. It was determined that the tree was the responsibility of the Department of Transportation of Delaware, and because of the flooding that had happened there, the tree was rotted out.

A tree expert and registered arborist testified for Matlock and stated that the state should have known about the condition of the tree and should have corrected it before the accident occurred. The jury unanimously awarded the damages to the Matlocks. Have you or a family member been injured in a car accident or any other incident that involved the negligence of the state government? If so, you should contact the attorneys of Greenberg & Rudman LLP right away for a free consultation of your case. Pick up the phone and call us now at 1-800-252-9776 (1-800-ALAWPRO). Please go to www.alawpro.com to read more about premises liability lawsuits and slip and fall cases.