Located along the shores of Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains, the city of Big Bear Lake is often confused with Big Bear City. However, Big Bear Lake is an incorporated municipality all on its own, with a population of 5,019 as of the 2010 Census. The lake is the most notable attraction in Big Bear Lake, being one of the most popular fishing spots in Southern California. It’s also used as a snowboarding and skiing destination during the winter months, and there are two popular ski resorts in the area: Bear Mountain and Snow Summit.
Big Bear Lake is a charter city, which means they can govern themselves according to their own laws, as long as it’s not in direct conflict with federal and state laws. Governing a city includes many duties, including the maintenance of buildings, repair of sidewalks and roadways, providing emergency services, and ensuring that parks and other outdoor areas are free of hazards. If the city breaches their duty of care, people can end up with injuries or damage to their property. Here are some of the most common accidents that can happen in Big Bear Lake due to the city’s negligence:
- Slip and fall in city-owned buildings
- Trip and fall in parking lots or on sidewalks
- Public transportation accidents (Mountain Area Regional Transit Authority, aka MARTA)
- City vehicles causing injuries to motorists and pedestrians
- Assault and battery
- Sexual assault
- People being struck by falling objects
Those who have suffered injuries resulting from someone else’s conduct have the right to sue for monetary damages, like cost of medical care, lost wages / job benefits, and pain and suffering. For a free case evaluation on your right to seek compensation from the city of Big Bear Lake, contact our office.
Our Recent Verdicts and Settlements
$2.5 Million
$1.1 Million
$1.5 Million
$600,000
$525,000
$734,851
How to File an Accident Claim against the City of Big Bear Lake
Before you can file a lawsuit against the city, or any government entity, you must file a claim for compensation using the correct forms. For the city of Big Bear Lake, you can click here to download the paperwork or contact the City Clerk’s office at (909) 866-5831 ext. 120 or cityclerk@citybigbearlake.com if you need to have the form mailed to you.
Please note that no matter how you receive the form, it must be mailed back to the City Clerk’s Office. The address is indicated on the form, along with other important instructions. For example, any claim for injuries or property damage from an accident caused by the city must be filed with the City Clerk no less than 6 months from the incident. The deadline for a city of Big Bear Lake accident injuries claim is absolute, as it’s a legal requirement under the California Tort Claims Act. So, please don’t wait to contact a lawyer that can help you with a city government claim to ensure that your paperwork is filed within the statute of limitations.
From the City Clerk’s Office, your claim will be forwarded to the Risk Management Division for review. Within 45 days, Risk Management must notify you of their decision in writing, which is usually done through postal mail, though some city governments use email. In their response, the city will either agree to pay you for the requested damages, or they will deny your claim for payment due to lack of evidence, failure to prove the city’s liability, or some other reason.
What Do I Do if my Claim is Rejected?
No one likes to find out that their claim for compensation was rejected, but this is not unusual when it comes to suing a government entity. From the date on the rejection notice, you have a deadline of 6 months to file a lawsuit. This is not a lot of time, considering the work that’s involved in preparing and filing a complaint according to the court’s requirements, so please seek help from an experienced personal injury attorney.
There is another type of rejection, which is commonly referred to as a rejection by default. It refers to a city’s failure to provide the claimant with a response by the deadline of 45 days. Since the city failed to make a decision on your claim by the required time limit, you are allowed 2 years starting from when you had the accident to file a lawsuit for monetary compensation.
Average Settlement Value for a City of Big Bear Lake Injury Claim
The majority of injury claims at our law firm are settled for $75,000 or more, with settlements exceeding $2,000,000 for severe injuries with permanent health complications. But some of the payments recovered by our attorneys are under $10,000, and this is suitable based on the circumstances that are involved. Thus, how much you will receive from an accident case with the city of Big Bear Lake is an individual matter that must be discussed with a government claims injury lawyer. To learn more about the compensation you can demand from a lawsuit against the City of Big Bear Lake, don’t hesitate to give us a call.
Amount of Time to Settle a Claim with the City of Big Bear Lake
How long it takes to settle a City of Big Bear Lake compensation claim can range from a few months to over 2 years, though it’s safe to say that many of the claims at our law firm take between 1 and 2 years. This amount of time to reach a settlement is fairly typical when the entity you are suing is part of the government. Unfortunately, government agencies have additional protections compared to private entities, and a result, it takes longer to work through the legal requirements and ensure that the victim is fairly compensated. Retaining a seasoned accident injury lawyer can help you settle your case much faster than acting on your own, so please consider reaching out to us for a free consultation.
Zero Fee Guarantee
We know the pressure that’s on you as an accident victim where your finances are concerned. During this time, we feel it’s unconscionable to ask you, the victim, to pay for the cost of legal representation. With that in mind, we charge you $0 to hire us and add the cost of legal fees to the amount you are entitled to from an accident claim. That means the city of Big Bear Lake is responsible for paying us, which we only receive if you are compensated for the harm you suffered.
Contact Normandie Law Firm today and learn about the ways we can assist you if you were injured from negligence by a city of Big Bear Lake department or employee.
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