How to File a Claim for an Accident with the City of Bishop, CA

Bishop, CA has the distinction of being Inyo County’s only incorporated city, as well as its most populated community. Formerly known as Bishop Creek, the city is located near the northern end of the Mojave Desert and Owens Valley. The city has a population of less than 4,000 people, which is not uncommon in towns throughout Inyo County. Due to its location and landscape, Bishop has been used as a shooting location for many Western films, including The Four Horsemen, The Law and Jake Wade, and Tremors.

Bishop may seem like a quiet, secluded town where very little happens on a day to day basis. That’s how it should be, but unfortunately, careless conduct, poor leadership, and other examples of negligence by the government can lead to a serious accident. These incidents include, but are not limited to:

• Car accidents caused by police, fire department, and other city workers
• Accidents resulting from negligence by city contractors
• Slip and fall or trip and fall on government property
• Injuries caused by falling objects and collapsing structures
• Assault and battery / sexual assault

If you or someone in your family was harmed from careless or reckless conduct by a city agency or someone working for the city of Bishop, you have the right to file a claim for compensation. To learn more about the process of filing a city of Bishop accident claim, contact the offices of Normandie Law Firm.

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How to File a Claim against the City of Bishop, California

To file a claim against the city of Bishop, you’ll need to visit or contact the City Administration Office. The address, along with contact information for various offices, can be found here. A good place to start is by calling or emailing the City Clerk, since this is the office that usually accepts official paperwork, like claims for damages.

Generally, the claims process involves filling out the forms and attaching evidence that shows the city’s liability and the damages you have suffered as a result of its negligence. The claim is usually filed with the City Clerk, but reviewed by Risk Management, or another department. Per the laws in California, this agency has 45 days to notify you in writing that your claim is accepted or denied. Keep in mind that this is 45 days from when the department reviewing your claim receives the paperwork, which you should be notified of. If the acceptance or denial notice is being sent through the mail, it may take longer than 45 days to account for delivery times.

While the process of filing a claim may seem easy at first, proving that a government entity is liable for an accident is actually quite difficult. It can also be challenging to locate evidence, compile it in a format that’s acceptable to the city, and show that you are entitled to a specific amount of compensation. Legal advice from a government claims attorney is the key to succeeding in a claim against the city of Bishop, so please contact our office as soon as possible.

What can I Do if the City Rejects my Claim?

Finding out that the city won’t pay out your claim is frustrating, but please know that you are not alone when it comes to getting a rejection notice from the city of Bishop. In fact, this is why the law allows you to go forward with a lawsuit within 6 months of when the city rejected your claim. This is a tight deadline, as lawsuits take considerable time and effort to prepare and file with the county courts. With that in mind, you should contact a personal injury lawyer for help, if you have not done so already.

At this point, perhaps it has occurred to you that the city may not meet the deadline of 45 days to issue their decision in writing. So, what happens now? Well, since the city failed in their duty to respond, you can petition the courts for the right to file a lawsuit, which must be done within 2 years of when the incident occurred.

Average Case Value of a Lawsuit against Bishop, CA

Our lawyers recover anywhere from $5,000 to over $3,000,000 from government entities for accidents caused by negligence. That’s why it’s impossible to say what the average claimant receives from a claim against the city of Bishop. If you have serious injuries, it’s likely that your case value will exceed $125,000, and those with permanent complications, like disability, may receive in excess of $1,500,000. But there are plenty of claims that are settled for under $50,000, and this may be perfectly acceptable based on the victim’s circumstances. No matter the value, our job is to fight for your interests and secure the highest possible settlement. To find out how much you are entitled to from a city government accident injury claim, contact us today.

How Long It Takes to Settle a City of Bishop Accident Claim

If the city is willing to accept liability based on your claim, you may receive payment for your monetary losses within a few months. Realistically, though, city governments reject more claims than they accept, meaning that victims need to file a lawsuit through the appropriate court system. This is why 1 to 2 years is a likely timeframe in which to settle a compensation claim with the city of Bishop, California. Ultimately, there’s no way to say for sure how long it will take to achieve a fair settlement offer. And if you need to try your case in court, the process of obtaining payment can take over 3 years. But trials are extremely rare, so 12 to 24 months is the timeline that we would consider “average” when it comes to lawsuits against the government.

Speak to a City of Bishop Accident Claims Attorney

Are you in need of a legal expert that can help you file a claim for injuries caused by the city of Bishop, CA? Normandie Law Firm is here for you, with a dedicated team of lawyers that are ready to fight for you and the compensation you deserve.

By contacting our legal team, you will receive a Zero Fee Guarantee, so there’s no need to worry about attorneys’ fees. As long as we win your lawsuit, the city of Bishop pays for the cost of representing you, so in other words, recovering your settlement is the only way we get paid.

Call us right away and talk to an accident injuries lawyer about your rights and legal options.

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