Without a doubt, the county fair is something that many of us look forward to every year. Most of us can easily access at least a few county fairs (like the LA County Fair and the OC County Fair), while others are eager to travel a longer distance to experience the county fairs in counties outside their own. Although visits to these county fairs can be full of fun, thrills, and lots of treats, these visits can also be dangerous – that is, there are a number of incidents that can occur that could lead to injuries and even deaths.
Were you or a loved one harmed while visiting a county fair? If so, you could have grounds to file a lawsuit for the injuries or for the wrongful death resulting from the incident. You should seek legal assistance as soon as possible. Our lawyers are ready to evaluate your claim and provide you with the guidance that you need to file your lawsuit after an incident at the county fair. Do not hesitate to contact the experts here at our law firm immediately.
List of County Fairs in California
If you are local to the Los Angeles area, then you are likely very familiar with the Los Angeles County Fair and the Orange County Fair, for example. However, there are multiple different fairs throughout all of California. These fairs include the following:
- Alameda County Fair
- Amador County Fairgrounds & Event Center
- AV Fair & Event Center
- Big Fresno Fair
- Butte County Fair
- Calaveras County Fairgrounds
- California Exposition & State Fair
- California Mid-State Fair
- California Mid-Winter Fair & Fiesta
- Chowchilla-Madera County Fair
- Cloverdale Citrus Fair
- Colorado River Fair
- Colusa County Fairgrounds
- Contra Costa County Fairgrounds
- Cow Palace Arena and Event Center
- Del Norte County Fair
- Desert Empire Fair
- Dixon May Fair
- Earl Warren Showgrounds
- Eastern Sierra Tri-County Fair
- El Dorado County Fair & Event Center
- Glenn County Fair
- Gold Country Fairgrounds & Event Center
- Humboldt County Fair
- Inter-Mountain Fair of Shasta
- Kern County Fair & Event Center
- Kings Fair
- Lake County Fair
- Lassen County Fair
- Lodi Grape Festival
- Los Angeles County Fair
- Madera District Fair
- Marin County Fair & Exposition
- Mariposa County Fair & Homecoming
- Mendocino County Fairgrounds
- Merced County Fair
- Merced County Spring Fair
- Modoc District Fair
- Monterey County Fair & Event Center
- Mother Lode Fair
- Napa County Fair & Fiesta
- Napa Valley Exposition
- National Orange Show Event Center
- Nevada County Fairgrounds
- OC Fair & Event Center
- Placer County Fair @The Grounds
- Plumas-Sierra County Fair
- Redwood Acres Fair
- Redwood Empire Fair
- Riverside Co. Fair & National Date Festival
- Sacramento County Fair
- Salinas Valley Fair
- San Benito County Fair
- San Bernardino County Fair
- San Diego County Fair
- San Joaquin County Fair
- San Mateo County Event Center
- Santa Clara County Fair
- Santa Cruz County Fair
- Santa Maria Fairpark
- Schools’ Agriculture and Nutrition Program
- Shasta District Fair & Event Center
- Silver Dollar Fair
- Siskiyou Golden Fairgrounds
- Solano County Fairgrounds
- Sonoma County Event Center at the Fairgrounds
- Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds & Event Center
- Southern California Fair & Event Center
- Stanislaus County Fairgrounds
- Tehama District Fairgrounds
- Trinity County Fair
- Tulare County Fair
- Tulelake-Butte Valley Fair
- Ventura County Fairgrounds & Event Center
- Yolo County Fair
- Yuba-Sutter Fairgrounds Event Center
These fairs are typically full of games, rides, specialty food, and even animal exhibits (like petting zoos). Some fairs even offer live music and concert series. These events are fun for all ages.
Unfortunately, these county fairs can be full of hazards that could contribute to dangerous accidents which can possibly lead to injuries some of which can even be fatal.
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Possible Incidents at County Fairs
There are many incidents that could occur at county fairs, some of these incidents include the following:
- Slip and fall accidents
- Trip and fall accidents
- Falling object incidents
- Ride incidents
- Animal bites
- Assault and battery incidents
- Sexual assault incidents
Slip and fall accidents are the most common types of personal injury accidents. These accidents can occur essentially any time that there is a slip hazard present. Examples of slip hazards can include the following: wet floors, spills, leaks, littered floors, missing or misplaced warning signs, etc.
Trip and fall accidents are also very common. They can occur at any time as long as trip hazards are present. These trip hazards can include broken flooring, uneven flooring, broken concrete, potholes, exposed wiring, and more.
Falling object incidents can also be common, but the hazards that cause these incidents are very different. These hazards are different because they are elevated hazards, which can include light fixtures, lamps, shelving, signs, posters, poles, etc. Even rides can pose a risk – as parts of the rides can come loose and detach, falling on those below.
Ride incidents can happen especially when conditions are poor. When rides are not properly assembled or in disrepair, incidents can happen during use. Additionally, when rides are not inspected or operated properly, incidents are also likely to happen. These accidents can be some of the most devastating types of accidents.
Animal bites are common in fairs that have animal attractions. Unrestrained animals, a lack of supervision, poor handling, etc. can all increase the risk of animal bites and other animal attacks.
Assault and battery and sexual assault incidents can both be caused by insufficient security, no surveillance, poorly lit areas, negligent hiring, etc. can all increase the risk of these attacks happening.
Fair Incidents and Possible Injuries
The incidents listed above can all lead to a number of injuries, some of which can include the following:
- Head injuries and traumatic brain injuries
- Neck injuries (including whiplash)
- Back injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Shoulder injuries
- Hip injuries
- Knee injuries
- Fractures
- Lacerations
- Burn injuries
- Shock injuries
- Sprains and strains
- Scrapes and bruises
- Animal bites and infections
- Crushing injuries
- Sexual assault injuries, include injuries to reproductive organs, sexually transmitted infections, etc.
Although some of these injuries could be easily treatable, some injuries can require long-term care. Some injuries can also result in permanent damage. Of course, injuries can also be fatal.
Can I File an Injury Lawsuit?
Yes – if you were injured while visiting a county fair, you could have grounds to file a lawsuit. If a member of your family lost his or her life in an incident at a county fair, you could also have grounds to file a lawsuit for wrongful death. For more information about the legal options available to you, do not hesitate to contact the experts here at our law firm as soon as possible.
Who can I sue? County fairs are owned and operated by the California Department of Food and Agriculture. This means that if you or a loved one was injured on the premises of a county fair, you would have to file a government claim.
How to File an Accident Injury Claim after a County Fair Accident
After an accident at a county fair, you might be unsure how to move forward. You might have may questions about your legal options or about the steps that you should follow after your accident. After an accident, it is recommended that you do the following:
- Take photos of all your injuries
- Take photos of the hazard or dangerous condition that contributed to the accident
- Speak to witnesses and collect their contact information
- Report the accident (request a copy of the report)
- Gather any available insurance information
- Seek medical attention as soon as possible
- Collect all medical records
- Collect records of lost wages
- Seek legal assistance as soon as possible
Of course, since an accident at a county fair would give you grounds to sue a city agency (the Department of Food and Agriculture), you would need to file an administrative claim to get the legal process started. You need to file this claim within 6 months. After filing, the city agency will have 45 days to respond. If they respond denying your claim, you will have 6 months to file your lawsuit in civil court. However, if they fail to respond during this time, you will have 2 years to file your lawsuit in civil court.
If you are ever unsure of what to do next, simply seek legal assistance. The lawyers here at our law firm are ready to guide you every step of the way.
What Compensation is Available for County Fair Accident Claims?
Based on the details surrounding your county fair accident claim, you could be entitled to recover monetary compensation. You could potentially recover compensation for the following:
- Medical expenses
- Lost income
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
- Punitive damages
- Legal fees
Wrongful death benefits: if you are filing a wrongful death after a fatal county fair accident, you could be compensated for funeral and burial costs as well as the loss of consortium.
What is the average case value if I sue after a county fair accident? This is a normal question to have. In general, the average value can range from $150,000 to $350,000. However, the value of your claim will be strictly based on the details surrounding your accident – this means that if you suffered severe injuries, your case could be worth much more than $350,000.
For mor information about the possible value of your claim, do not hesitate to contact our experts as soon as possible. Our lawyers are ready to aggressively fight for your right to recover the highest payout available for your claim.
Contact Normandie Law Firm Today
If you are ready to speak with a lawyer with experience in county fair accidents, contact us today. Here at the Normandie Law Firm, our lawyers have decades of experience handling all sorts of injury claims, including accident claims stemming from incidents at county fairs. Our lawyers can help you. Here at our law firm, we offer free legal services. These free legal services include free consultations and free second opinions – our experts will be available to answer all your questions and address all your concerns, making sure that you have all the information that you need to begin or continue your accident claim or wrongful death claim. We offer a Zero-Fee guarantee; therefore, our clients will never have to pay upfront legal costs for our legal services. In addition, because we work on contingency, our clients will not be responsible for paying any legal costs until after winning their claims; if you do not win, you will not be responsible for paying anything. If you are ready to speak with our attorneys, contact us today!
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