Samaroo Law is a Personal Injury law firm with a high success rate. We have been helping citizens receive compensations that they deserve in in different accident situations including those when victims sustained injuries due to breaking and falling of light poles.

Light poles are part of city utility services and belong to the Florida Power & Light Company (FPL). But there are several accidents that have resulted in damaged properties and crippling injuries to humans. Matters are extremely complicated when it comes to city light poles and here are the main reasons why:

• Most city light poles are very old some even more than five to six decades old and often found in rusty conditions that lead them to crumble down on their own.
• FPL is supposed to carry out inspection of these light poles at a regular interval of 6 years to access their condition and make necessary repairs or alterations.
• Records put up in court have shown that some poles have not undergone inspection for over 40 years.
• Most poles do not stand free and have wires and heavy hardware attachments fixed to them by the cable companies.
• Federal laws stipulate that cables be drawn at least at a height of 15 feet and 6 inches. Very often they run at lower heights that pose a big hazard when large vehicles pass by.

Lack of maintenance, negligence and communication gaps make the light poles across Florida a threat to life and property. Citizen that are affected by accidents of falling poles are often left in a bad situation with little hope of any relief from the authorities. Added to these is the proposition of having to face government in a long-drawn legal battle with their powerful self-protective regulations that are almost invincible.

As a firm of seasoned lawyers that have dealt with hundreds of personal injury cases that often involve the city authorities. Our lawyers take stand for victims that have sustained any type of injury that they have sustained for no fault of their own. We pride ourselves as the best Personal Injury lawyers having obtained thousands of dollars by way of compensation for our clients.

Is being injured by a falling light pole a Personal Injury?

It is important that you understand what is a Personal Injury. A lot of people are deprived of their rightful dues when they are injured due to no fault of their own but because of someone else’s fault.

Here is all that you need to understand concerning Personal Injury:

• Personal Injury is a legal term that refers to injury caused to the body, mind, and emotion.
• They are injuries that are caused by negligence, reckless conduct or due to intentional misconduct.
• The lawsuits are filed against such people that are responsible for the harm caused with the aim of recovering compensation for the injury caused.
• The damage cost is calculated on the nature and type of injuries that the victim has sustained.
• These calculations are done with the help of expert medical consultants, caregivers, and other related professionals.
• Costs usually include medical bills arising due to the impact of the accident – both present and future, lost wages, loss of potential income, emotional pain suffered, separation or loss of partner and loss of quality of life.
• Personal Injury claims can be filed by the victim herself/himself or by the near and dear ones in case of death of the victim.

Light pole Personal Injury

When a light pole in the city falls on you or your vehicle without you hitting it and you sustain injuries due to the impact, they fall under Personal Injuries. You are eligible to file a suit against the authorities and claim compensation for damages you have suffered.

In case your car is damaged and you too sustain an injury due to a pole that has fallen down and is lying on the road, the case can be a bit complicated unless you take the help of an experienced personal injury lawyer.

Your lawyer needs to prove that the authorities have been intimated about the pole lying there for a reasonable length of time. The time should be sufficient for them to act on it, remove and repair. These are intricate issues that only lawyers can handle as it involves carrying out serious investigation and documentation to prove the case and validate the claim.

Case of light pole falling and Personal Injury damages being awarded

There are instances when the state courts have awarded fitting compensation to people that have been severely affected by light poles falling on them.

In 2011, the Dayton Beach court awarded Stephen Abramowitz, 43, with $960,000 as the damage for the physical pain he suffered and future medical expenses to be incurred. Stephen had just strapped his two children in the car in 2006 when the light pole fell on the car and injured his back. The 50 years plus rotten pole had snapped at the base when a passing truck’s top caught the wires on the top of the pole.

The case was quite complicated with three parties involved in the accident. Bright House Networks cable, the truck driver and the FPL. The wires were fixed at a height lower than the stipulated as the truck’s height was 13 feet and 6 inches only. Finally, the court awarded the victim the much-needed relief.

In 2004, a lineman working for Xcel energy Colorado was paralyzed by a light pole falling on him. He sued the Qwest Services Corp. and the court awarded him $18 million in terms of punitive damages. Court records show that the poles had not been inspected for over 40 years then.

We can help you win your case

Suing the governmental agencies be it at the local, state or federal levels can be nightmarish as the government has enjoyed limited sovereign immunity that limits the judgment that you can win against it.

At I4routeguide, we are a group of seasoned lawyers that have handled several cases where we had success against the government agencies. We know the laws and the avenues to take while presenting your case in the court of law for success.

If you have sustained an injury due to a light pole for no fault of your own and looking for justice and compensation, we are here to establish your case successfully.

Call us right away at (407) 250-1200