Can I file a civil suit against a university?
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Can I file a civil suit against a university?
On 12/04/08 I tripped over a bolt of fabric at school. The fabric fell as I was going out of the doorway without me knowing. I have had 2 surgeries and the university is not taking care of any of the bills (medical bills and lost wages). I filed a claim with them in 06/09.
Asked on February 22, 2011 under Personal Injury, Alabama
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
You can certainily try to sue them, but unless there's more to the accident than you have written about, you will likely lose.
The fact that somone is injured on another's property does not make the property owner automatically liable for the person's injuries. There instead must first be fault, which is usually in the form of negligence, or unreasonable carelessness. If there was no fault, there is no liability or obligation to pay. Unless you believe--and can prove--that it was unreasonably careless to have a bolt of fabrice in that location, then it is very unlikely that you will be able to prove fault. Sometimes when people are injured, there is no one else financially liable; that seems to be the conclusion that the university and/or it's insurer have come to, if they did not pay your claim.
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