Located in Southern LA County, the city of Compton is one of the oldest cities in California, with a population of 95,740 as of 2020. Compton has an unfortunate reputation as a violent and impoverished city, and it’s true that crime rates are higher than normal within the community compared to other towns in Los Angeles County. But there are many aspects of Compton that residents are proud of, like the variety of non-profit organizations that provide food, educational opportunities, community gardens, and many other services. Residents can also take pride in the long list of athletes, civic leaders, actors, and singers that were raised in Sunny Cove, Richland Farms, or another neighborhood in the city. These include tennis players Venus and Serena Williams, rapper and producer Dr. Dre, and comedian Paul Rodriguez.
Much of what goes on in Compton depends on the city government, who are in charge of many duties, like enforcing the law, putting out fires, fixing the roads, and maintaining city parks. But there are many instances where government agencies and workers fail to do their job. If carelessness, reckless conduct, lack of supervision, failure to make repairs, or any other dangerous condition caused you to be injured in Compton, you can seek compensation by filing a claim with the city. Claims for damages can be filed for just about any accident, including:
- Trip and fall on a city sidewalk
- Slip and fall in a city-owned building
- Injured by a roof or ceiling collapse
- Hit by a branch or other falling object at a city park
- Car accident with a city of Compton fire or police vehicle
- Assault and battery, particularly police brutality
- Sexual assault
Our lawyers are here for you 24/7, whether you need to file a slip and fall claim against the city of Compton or want to sue the city for excessive violence by the police. Contact our law firm and schedule a free case evaluation at your earliest convenience.
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 Compton
To file a city of Compton liability claim, you’ll need to start by downloading the claim forms here or calling the City Comptroller if you need them mailed to you. Either way, you will need to complete all the questions on the form and attach additional pages if you need more space for answers. You should also attach documentation of the injuries you’ve suffered, evidence that shows the city’s involvement, and the amount you are seeking. Please note that you must itemize the expenses you have incurred and your method for calculating how much you are owed for each category of damages.
The completed forms must be sent to the City Comptroller’s Office by mail or in person, and from there, it will be forwarded to the City Attorney. Like any government agency in California, the City Attorney has 45 days to approve or deny your claim based on their investigation. If your claim is approved, that means the city has agreed to accept responsibility and pay you the requested damages. That’s easy enough, but what if your compensation claim is denied by the city of Compton?
As long as you received written notice that your claim was denied (by postal mail or email), you have the right to file a civil lawsuit through the court system. You only have 6 months to file the lawsuit, so you should be prepared to act immediately upon finding out that the city has refused to compensate you.
Asking for help from a personal injury lawyer is the best course of action, whether you are about to sue the city of Compton for an accident or you are in the process of filling out a Claim for Damages Form.
I Didn’t Hear Back from the City and It’s been 45 Days. What Happens Now?
This can happen from time to time, so don’t panic if you do not receive an email or letter in the mail from the City Attorney’s Office. First, we advise that you wait one more week, as the city has a window of 5 additional days for approval or rejection notices that go out by mail. If you definitely receive nothing by that time, you have the option of filing a lawsuit no less than 2 years from the date of your accident.
The Deadline to Seek Compensation from the Government is 6 Months
This is a very important piece of information to keep in mind if you are eligible for monetary payments from the city of Compton. Under the requirements of the California Tort Claims Act, all claims against the government based on negligence or misconduct must be filed in 6 months. So, you have 6 months starting from the day of your accident to submit a claim to the City Comptroller Office.
If you are like many victims, you probably feel overwhelmed by your recovery needs and can’t see how you will complete the required paperwork within such a short amount of time. Don’t worry, as our attorneys can take care of the claims process from start to finish, all by the statutory deadline.
How Much in Compensation can I Receive from the City of Compton?
On the lower end of the spectrum, a liability claim against the city of Compton may be worth $5,000 to $25,000. If you have one or more serious injuries that require long-term treatment, you may be entitled to $75,000 to $500,000 in damages. For those with permanent or severe injuries, lawsuits values will likely exceed $1,000,000.
While it is the most important factor, your injuries are not the only issue we need to consider. With that in mind, we would like to offer you a free consultation so that we can learn more about your case. That way, we can provide you with an accurate settlement value based on your level of harm and suffering.
Average Length of Time to Settle a Claim with the City of Compton
Overall, we would say that the average amount of time required to settle a city of Compton accident claim is 1 to 2 years. This may sound like a long period of time, and yes, compared to suing a private entity, claims against the government do take longer to resolve. This is based on a number of factors, including the need to file a claim and give the government a certain amount of time to respond. Then, you have to consider that many of these claims are denied, so the victim needs to move forward with a lawsuit. This in itself can add 12 or more months to the process of obtaining compensation from the city of Compton.
At the end of the day, we can only provide estimates until we know the specific details of your accident. To discuss your case with one of our legal experts, please give us a call.
Hire a City of Compton Lawsuit Attorney for $0
All legal fees here at Normandie Law Firm are paid by the negligent party, not the injury victim. That’s why you can hire us immediately without paying a single penny upfront. Once we negotiate your compensation award, the city of Compton will add our fees to your settlement check. And if we don’t win your case, our Zero Fee Guarantee is our promise to you that you won’t be responsible for any legal fees.
Our legal team is waiting to advise you of your rights and legal options, so contact us today if you suffered injuries or property damage due to negligence by the city of Compton.
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