Open Manhole Injury Accident Lawyer

While walking down the sidewalk or crossing the street in Los Angeles, San Diego, or any other city in California, the last hazard you might expect to see is a gaping hole due to an open manhole. But sadly, this is not as rare an occurrence as most pedestrians would think. When manhole covers are properly in place, you might never notice them other than the slightly different feel as you walk across one or the contrast in color to the concrete sidewalk or pavement. So, no one spends their day staring at the ground, looking for missing manhole covers. These items are typically large and extremely heavy, so it is difficult to believe that anyone would lift and move one without it being a part of their job.

However, when you review the number of open manhole injury lawsuits filed in California, you will be shocked to learn this is a somewhat common injury incident that can result in significant harm. In addition, you will discover that manhole covers can be found in public spaces as well as on private property, covering utility vaults, access to sewer and drainage systems, and other utility areas. So, the general public needs to understand the hazards related to manholes, especially open manholes.

If you or a loved one recently suffered an open manhole injury accident, please know that the team experienced in open manhole lawsuits at Normandie Law Firm is just a phone call away. Our office staff can be reached 24/7 to provide the answers and legal guidance you need to feel hopeful for a future that is not filled with stress and excessive medical bills and expenses. Our team will help you understand the rights of a personal injury victim and how to seek any compensation owed to you if someone else’s negligence is the reason for your open manhole injury accident.

In addition, we hope you will take advantage of our offer for a free consultation with a seasoned open manhole injury lawyer to discuss the facts of your case in depth. Once they have all the facts, they will explain the legal merit of your claim and if you have grounds to file an open manhole injury lawsuit to seek the compensation needed to cover your losses and expenses due to those injuries. But please contact our staff today, as the time limit to file your claim with the court could be substantially shorter than you might expect.

Our Recent Verdicts and Settlements

Why Are There Open Manhole Hazards In My City?
Human error is the most common reason for an open manhole in any city in the country. These metal discs are heavy and fit very snuggly into the opening of the vault or sewer line. They will not be dislodged by a person or vehicle moving across the surface of the manhole. The cover must be carefully removed using a good amount of force. In most instances, the open manhole is the result of someone removing the cover as part of their job but failing to replace it. Often, it is a city or utility worker who opens the manhole to complete a task but forgets to properly replace the manhole cover when their work is done, and sadly, it is often an innocent pedestrian who pays for this oversight when they suffer severe injuries that could include:

• Broken, fractured, or shattered bones
• Complete joint dislocations or damage to the soft connective tissue of joints
• Harm to the back, neck, or spinal cord
• Severe lacerations or puncture wounds
• Damage to internal organs and internal bleeding
• Harm to the delicate facial skin, eyes, ears, nose, or mouth
• Soft tissue and nerve damage
• Injuries to the head that could range from a severe concussion or skull fracture to a brain bleed or traumatic brain injury

If you have suffered any harm due to an open manhole, please contact 911 immediately for emergency medical care. Once you have gotten the treatment needed for your injuries, please reach out to Normandie Law Firm to discuss the details of your open manhole injury incident with a skilled personal injury lawyer to determine if you have grounds for a lawsuit.

Who Is Often To Blame For Open Manhole Injury Accidents?
As you might imagine, few people ever need to access what lies under a manhole cover. The most common people to access these spaces are utility and city workers who need to perform a task in the vault or sewer line under the manhole cover. It is rare that anyone ever removes these covers for any other reason because of the size, weight, and difficulty of removing a manhole cover without the proper tools and training. Depending on the location of the missing manhole cover, the possible liable parties include:

• The property owner or their staff
• The city and the city workers who were in the area recently
• A utility company or their contractors who were working in the area

While the list is not lengthy, it can feel overwhelming as you worry about who to contact to seek compensation as you lay at home injured and unable to work. Please know that the staff at Normandie Law Firm is here to assist you in determining who could be to blame for your injuries and who owes you compensation to cover your expenses and losses.

What Is The Possible Value Of My Open Manhole Injury Lawsuit?
Victims of personal injuries need to know that there are no predetermined values for injury lawsuits. Instead, the legal system devoted much time and energy to evaluating the actual losses and expenses incurred by each personal injury victim. You will work with your Normandie Law Firm, an open manhole injury lawyer, to compile all documentation verifying your losses and expenses caused by your open manhole injuries. The items typically used in this process include but are not always strictly limited to:

• All current and estimated future medical expenses related to the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of the injuries caused by the open manhole incident
• The replacement cost of any personal property damaged or destroyed in the open manhole accident injury incident
• The legal cost to prepare, file, and litigate your open manhole injury accident lawsuit
• Any lost income if the open manhole injuries sustained prevent you from working at your regular job until fully healed or if you miss work to attend essential medical care for those injuries

In cases that involve severe harm, additional compensation for the victim’s pain and suffering is permitted. Because this is not a documented amount, your Normandie Law Firm open manhole injury lawyer will provide guidance in selecting a reasonable amount to include for pain and suffering. They will base their recommendation on recently resolved cases with similar injuries and recovery times to ensure you are fully compensated.

How Long Do I Have To File My Open Manhole Injury Lawsuit?
The Statute of Limitations for most personal injury claims is two years from the date of the injuries. This applies to all cases except those that are being filed against a government entity or agency. If the manhole where you fell was owned by the city, state, or a government agency, and they are the responsible party, you have only six months from the date of the injury incident to file your claim with the court. So, it is vital that you reach out to Normandie Law Firm as rapidly as possible to ensure you have the time needed to prepare and file a claim.

Victims must also know that the time limit to file a claim is strictly enforced. If their case is not filed when the Statute of Limitations expires, they will lose the right to seek compensation for their injuries in the form of a lawsuit. Finally, very few exceptions will provide added time to take legal action once the time limit has passed. Please reach out to the expert team at Normandie Law Firm today to discuss the facts of your open manhole injury incident, who could be responsible for the harm you suffered, and how long you have to decide if you wish to pursue legal action.

No Upfront Legal Fees Or Added Stress
When you hire Normandie Law Firm, you will be pleased to confirm that we never require any upfront payments from our clients. We understand that you are likely facing many other financial challenges, and upfront legal fees are not always easy to afford. Sadly, many victims never seek the legal services they need and deserve because they are already facing monetary hardships and think that hiring a legal team is beyond their capability. For those reasons, the Normandie Law Firm payment policy is only to get paid after the case is completed, and our client has the compensation needed to cover their legal costs and other expenses.

Finally, you owe our firm nothing for our time and investment in building your case if we fail to win your open manhole injury lawsuit and get you the funds you so desperately need to overcome the expenses and losses of this unfortunate event. Please do not hesitate to contact the skilled personal injury lawyers at Normandie Law Firm today to learn more about how the legal system will assist you in securing the compensation that is owed to you for harm caused by someone else’s negligence. Our caring team can be reached 24/7, and your initial consultation with an open manhole injury lawyer is always free to ensure you understand your rights as the victim of a personal injury.

Other Pages on Our Website Related to This Topic
Exposed Manhole Injury Accident Lawsuit