Carpinteria is a small seaside town located on California’s Central Coast in Santa Barbara County. The name means “carpentry” in Spanish, but the city is actually known as a surfing destination. People also come to the city to admire the seals and sea lions that can be seen in the area from December to May, along with other species of marine life, such as starfish, sea urchins, sea anemones, snails, crabs, and octopuses.
Most people would describe Carpinteria as a quaint seaside community where nothing bad could ever happen. In reality, there are plenty of incidents where people are injured or find that their property is destroyed or significantly reduced in value. So, what can you do if a city employee or department caused you injury or property damage?
This article will provide you with information on how to file a claim for damages if the city of Carpinteria was negligent in its duty of care to you as a resident or visitor. If you have any questions about the process of suing the city of Carpinteria, don’t hesitate to give us a call.
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Filing a Claim for Damages against the City of Carpinteria
Unlike most other cities in California, the city of Carpinteria does not clearly list the procedures for how to file an accident claim on its website. Thus, you will need to contact the City Clerk’s office to ask about the steps you’ll need to take. But going by what happens in most other cities, the process generally involves filling out a claim form and filing it with the appropriate city agency.
It sounds pretty simple, but the questions on the claim form are actually quite difficult to answer for the average person. For one thing, you will have to provide a legal basis for why the city is liable, i.e., legally responsible for what happened to you. You must include evidence of the harm you’ve suffered, which can include medical bills, expert testimony, assessment of property damage, etc., or the city will not take your claim seriously. Most of these forms also have categories for monetary damages, which you may not understand.
Because of these issues, it’s very common for the government to reject an injury claim and avoid paying an accident victim what they rightfully deserve. Hiring a personal injury lawyer is the best way to overcome these obstacles and obtain compensation for the harm you’ve suffered.
You Must File a Claim within 6 Months!
That’s right – the deadline to submit a compensation claim for damage caused by the city of Carpinteria is 6 months. The clock starts ticking from the moment you are injured, so it’s essential to obtain the necessary paperwork and submit your claim as fast as possible.
Our lawyers have extensive experience with the city government claims process. You can count on us to assemble the necessary evidence and build a strong and solid case that shows how the city is responsible for your accident. For help with a city of Carpinteria accident injury claim, contact us today.
How Long Does it Take to Hear Back from the City?
Once your claim is processed by the City Clerk’s Office, they have a deadline of 45 days to respond, either with an acceptance letter or denial notice. The denial notice may be discouraging, but it’s not the end of the road when it comes to your legal rights. Within 6 months of the date on the rejection notice, you have the right to file a lawsuit against the city of Carpinteria.
At this point, you may be wondering, “Are there instances where the city doesn’t get back to you in 45 days?” It doesn’t happen very often, but yes, the city may not get back to you by the required deadline. In that case, you can proceed with a lawsuit through the civil courts, which must be filed no later than 2 years from the accident date.
Settlement Values for a City of Carpinteria Accident Claim
A city of Carpinteria accident case can be settled for around $10,000 on the lower end, and $2,000,000 and above for extremely serious injuries and/or damage to one’s property. Frankly, the vast majority of cases fall within the 5 to 6 figure range, but ultimately, how much you are entitled to is based on many details that are specific to your injuries and the losses you have suffered as a result. This is why it’s important to speak with a lawyer who is experienced in lawsuits against city governments in the state of California. For a free consultation with a member of our legal team, contact the offices of Normandie Law Firm.
Amount of Time to Settle a Lawsuit against the City of Carpinteria
Based on our many years of experience with lawsuits against public entities, it’s safe to say that accident claims with the city of Carpinteria take at least 1 year from start to finish. Depending on the complexity of our lawsuit, obtaining payment from the city can take anywhere from 1 to 2 years, and over 3 years if we need to ask for a trial date. It’s quite rare for a case to be tried in court, so it’s more than likely that your case will be settled by exchanging settlement offers with the city’s legal representative. But how long that process takes can vary considerably from one case to another.
Contact a City Government Lawsuit Attorney
Victims who have suffered monetary losses due to negligence need guidance from an experienced personal injury attorney. That’s why you should contact us, as we can offer you a free consultation on your rights and legal options.
In addition, we provide a Zero Fee Guarantee if you decide that we are the best law firm to represent you. That means we charge you $0 and wait until the end of your case to receive payment from the city of Carpinteria. We only get paid if you receive payment from a city accident claim or lawsuit, so if we don’t win your case, you owe us absolutely nothing.
For more details on how we can help you with a City of Carpinteria compensation claim, contact our law firm as soon as possible.
Other Pages on Our Website Related to This Topic
How to File an Accident Injury Claim against the City of Temecula
How to File a Complaint or Accident Report with the City of Salinas, CA
How to File an Incident Report with the City of El Monte, CA
