Government Liability Lawyer

We all have the right to file a personal injury claim when the owner of the property was negligent, causing an accident that led to someone getting hurt. This right extends to instances where the property owner or the responsible party was a government agency. However, municipalities, counties, and other public agencies or departments have a number of protections that can make suing them for damages complicated.

municipal of New York City

TonaLaw has extensive experience in these matters, and we can assist you with suing a municipality or suing a city for negligence. We assist you with filing your personal injury claim or another type of complaint against a government entity. We help you ensure that your claim has all of the right information, gets filed to the right place, and is backed up by the evidence you need to assert that your injury was caused by the government’s negligence.

Our municipal accident lawyers can provide legal representation in matters related to:

If you have been hurt and you think that the city, county, state, or other public entity is to blame, you don’t have to be afraid of suing the government. You can speak to a Long Island municipal accident lawyer for free during a confidential, no-obligation initial consultation. Schedule your consultation now when you call 1-833-TONALAW or contact us online.

What Are the Rules When Suing the Government or Filing a Lawsuit Against a Municipality in New York?

Public entities have, unsurprisingly, enacted a number of protections against liability through laws, regulations, and codes passed over the past few centuries.

The most important rule to remember when suing a municipality is that you are almost always required to file a Notice of Claim within 90 days of your injury-causing accident. If your injury was diagnosed several days or weeks after your incident, then you may still be restricted to the 90-day time frame from the estimated date when the accident initially occurred.

Government entities may be immune to liability in situations where another person or company was more directly at fault. For instance, if you are struck by a vehicle after an MTA vehicle forced it to change lanes, then the vehicle driver may be the one who bears the full brunt of liability, not the state agency.

Qualified immunity is another concept that can prevent municipalities and other government entities from being sued. This legal concept states that if the entity performed due diligence and could not have foreseen the risk of the accident happen based on their due diligence, then they are not liable for any damages that resulted. For example, if a poorly placed traffic light led to a pedestrian accident in the city of Hempstead but the city performed an extensive study evaluating possible designs, then they may not be held liable for the accident.

As you can see, suing a government agency or department can get quite complex. You must navigate a number of particular rules, and any mistake could result in your claim getting quickly dismissed.

Working with an experienced municipal accident lawyer team in Long Island can increase your odds of putting forth a successful claim and holding the government responsible for the harm they caused.

Proving Negligence: Four Main Showings

In order to prove that the city, state, county, or other government entity was at fault for your injuries and, thus, liable for their costs, you and your personal injury lawyer must usually show that the defendant was negligent.

Proving negligence requires four main showings:

  • The defendant had a duty of careto protect the injured plaintiff from harm
  • The defendant breached their duty, either by acting carelessly, failing to act in a way that could have prevented harm, or breaking an explicit rule or policy in a way that resulted in danger
  • The breach in the defendant’s duty directly caused an injury (proximate cause) to the plaintiff
  • The injury resulted in damages that can be recovered through the legal or insurance system

Many claims must also prove that the danger was somehow foreseeable by the allegedly negligent party. Otherwise, the defendant can say that they had no way to predict or prevent the risk. Typically, your attorney will attempt to prove that a condition was foreseeable by demonstrating express knowledge of the dangerous condition, or they will attempt to uncover a pattern of negligence that showed the dangerous condition was inevitable.

Other common defenses against government liability are that the plaintiff or another party was actually at fault for the injury. They can allege that the injury was not directly caused by any demonstrated negligence, too.

To combat these defenses, your personal injury lawyer will vigorously research your case, assemble all available evidence, and pursue all available legal avenues to the fullest extent that the law allows.

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Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer to Be Your Ally when Suing the Government

Suing a public entity can be intimidating, but you don’t have to go it alone. You can work with qualified, experienced, and compassionate lawyers who want to give your case the best chance of success possible.

TonaLaw is a no-fee law firm – We get paid when we win your case!

To learn what your case could be worth and what your optimal strategy for suing a municipality or other public entity might be, schedule a free consultation with one of our attorneys. Call 1-833-TONALAW or contact us online to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation now.

What Our Clients Are Saying

TonaLawExcellentTonaLaw5.0 Based on 397 reviews fromSee all reviews review us onDavid MottDavid Mott ★★★★★ The help I recieved at TonaLaw was second to none. I am unfamiliar with law and they were able to get me going in the right direction. Thank-YouRose FrancisqueRose Francisque ★★★★★ Kj MuchKj Much ★★★★★ The whole team has been extremely passionate, caring and understanding thru this whole process. This was a first for me. The firm came highly recommended thank you Ralph.Special thanks to Jayda a Ana. Thanks again.RONZA DIGIORGIORONZA DIGIORGIO ★★★★★ I was referred to Tona law by a friend following a horrific accident. Mr. Tona himself called me immediately from his family vacation and set me up with a team of professional , caring people that guided me through my recovery every step of the way. I would give 10 stars if i could !Muhammad KhanMuhammad Khan ★★★★★ Jayda and laureen are so nice and professional and they really helped me from start to finish and they always respond me back. Please get help from tonalaw if you need any in regards to accidents. ThanksRoxana PachecoRoxana Pacheco ★★★★★ My father, seek them out for a case in December and Ana has been fantastic. Ana has reassured all his concerns and has been nothing but amazing with any follow up questions that we have had. Besides being very compassionate, and friendly she’s also bilingual! Definitely would recommend anyone to TonaLaw!Response from the ownerThank you so much for your review! We're thrilled to hear about your positive experience with Ana and how she has been able to address all of your concerns with care and professionalism. We sincerely appreciate your recommendation and are here for any further assistance you might need. Best wishes from the TonaLaw team! Anthal ArizagaAnthal Arizaga ★★★★★ Penelope is so helpful and very easy to talk too, I’d recommended this law firm to anyone who is involved in an accident! You will be taken care of!Response from the ownerThank you so much for your wonderful review and recommendation! David KesslerDavid Kessler ★★★★★ Excellent law firm. Top notch attorneys and the friendliest receptionist Robin who was my first contact with the firm and her reception of me made me feel that I had made the right decision in finding a firm with people who really cared about meVanessa LopezVanessa Lopez ★★★★★ I have known Lauren for years and can confidently say, she goes above and beyond for her clients. She is always willing to help and go the extra mile and it is so very appreciated!Response from the ownerVanessa, thank you so much for this wonderful review! Julee HutchisonJulee Hutchison ★★★★★ I was given the opportunity to create and produce a newsletter for TonaLaw. Juliet Accomando directed the project and I found the whole experience to be very professional and well organized. Juliet was receptive to design ideas, responsive to emails and appreciative of our working relationship. It was a pleasure to work with TonaLaw. I look forward to future projects.Response from the ownerThank you so much for taking the time to leave such a fantastic review! We are thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the experience of creating the newsletter for TonaLaw. We truly appreciate your kind words about Juliet as well. We are equally excited about our upcoming projects! Marina DelfelMarina Delfel ★★★★★ Tona Law has been wonderful and so, so easy to work with! The entirety of my time working with them, their team has been extremely professional, kind and dedicated! I am so happy to have gotten to work with such an amazing team!Response from the ownerWe're incredibly grateful for your kind words about your experience working with Tona Law. Thank you so much Marina! Lydia KaboolianLydia Kaboolian ★★★★★ Response from the ownerThank you for your review! Karen RadoslovichKaren Radoslovich ★★★★★ My interactions with Janira have been wonderful! She's always upbeat, knowledgeable, 100% approachable....and thinking out of the box. I look forward to working with her on many future projects.Response from the ownerThank you so much for taking the time to share your positive experience with Janira! We're thrilled to hear that your interactions with her have been wonderful. Your kind words mean a lot to us and motivate us to keep exceeding expectations. Robert J McCarrollRobert J McCarroll ★★★★★ Everything I've had to do with the firm is positive. Everyone at Tona Law has always been a pleasure to work with and very prompt and professional. I look forward to serving them again!Response from the ownerThank you for leaving such a wonderful review about our team. We appreciate your kind words! Daniel FeimanDaniel Feiman ★★★★★ Everyone at Tona Law is great to work with. I enjoy all of our interactions.Response from the ownerThank you so much for your kind words! We truly appreciate you taking the time to leave us a review, and it means a lot to hear that you enjoy our interactions. Ed AlexanderEd Alexander ★★★★★ Tom is a great lawyer, but more importantly, Tom is a relatable person. My friend and colleague for over a decade, I’ve watched his dynamic entrepreneurial take-charge style develop a hard charging firm with a supportive culture and a team that does excellent work, achieves great results, and truly cares about clients. Tom’s energy is contagious – I always get a boost when I spend time with him. I highly recommend Tona Law.Response from the ownerEd, thank you so much for this amazing review. Your recognition of our hard work means the world to us especially because we pride ourselves on our client care and results. We appreciate your recommendation! MJPT-1MJPT-1 ★★★★★ Working with TonaLaw has been a wonderful experience. The kind staff which I am very pleased with is always professional and attentive. I highly recommend!Response from the ownerYour kind words about our team truly warm our hearts! We strive to provide a professional and attentive experience for every client, and it's so rewarding to know we're succeeding. Thank you for choosing TonaLaw and for the wonderful recommendation! Mitchell YorkMitchell York ★★★★★ Tom Tona and all the professionals at Tona Law have a deep commitment for fighting for what’s right. The firm is relentlessly focused on their clients’ cases, as a matter of empathy and professional pride. The company is process driven and disciplined in everything they do.Response from the ownerThank you for your wonderful 5-star review! Your acknowledgment of our dedication and disciplined approach truly means a lot to us. We remain committed to delivering the best for our clients and are grateful for your trust and support. Vanessa VajkoVanessa Vajko ★★★★★ TonaLaw has an amazing scholarship program opportunity for fellow veterans and incredibly kind people to talk with! The application process was also fairly prompt and seamless. I am so grateful for this scholarship and highly recommend that other veterans get on board with applying. Thank you again!!! :)Response from the ownerThank you for applying to our scholarship and for sharing your experience! It is a pleasure to be able to assist you in your education journey. Thank you for leaving such a thoughtful review and thank you for your service! Jennifer CaceresJennifer Caceres ★★★★★ I highly recommend using tonalaw. Lauren and Jada are amazing. Any questions or concerns I had they answered. I am happy I choose tonalaw .Response from the ownerThank you so much for your review Jennifer! We are so glad to hear that you were pleased with our responsiveness and thoroughness in addressing your questions and concerns. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we are committed to providing our clients with the best possible legal representation. Thank you again for your kind words. We are honored to have you as a client. Carlos UmanaCarlos Umana ★★★★★ Excelente atención buena comunicación contestan mis preguntas con sinceridadResponse from the ownerThank you so much for your review Carlos! Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we will continue to strive to provide you and all of our customers with the outstanding service you deserve. Yanira Del ValleYanira Del Valle ★★★★★ Mr. Tona is such a wonderful human and attorney. So helpful, without a second thought, he shares his knowledge and experience. He helps makes this Plaintiff community a better one. Thank you!!!Response from the ownerThank you Yanira! It was so great meeting you. Marvin SortoMarvin Sorto ★★★★★ TonaLaw is a very reputable firm. Ana is such a great asset to the firm. She is also bilingual with many years of experienceResponse from the ownerThank you for your kind words Marvin! gary gundersengary gundersen ★★★★★ I’ve been to tona law several times already and I’ve had the pleasure to deal with Ana both time and she was amazing. Made sure all paperwork was in order and is super thorough with everything. Highly recommendedResponse from the ownerThank you so much for taking the time to share your positive experience with us at Tona Law. We are so glad to hear that you were pleased with the services provided by Ana. We are committed to providing our clients with the highest quality legal representation, and we are always striving to exceed expectations. Jennifer PorterJennifer Porter ★★★★★ Tom Tona puts so much emphasis and effort into developing a fantastic law firm, delivering excellent results for their clients and also staying at the forefront of law firm management skills. I am super impressed by my conversation and interaction with Tom and am happy to recommend him!Response from the ownerJennifer, thank you so much for this wonderful review. We are delighted to hear that you were impressed with your conversation and interaction with Tom. We strive to provide a positive and supportive experience for all of our clients, and we are so glad to hear you had such a positive interaction with Mr. Tona. Thank you again for your kind words. Janet SowinskiJanet Sowinski ★★★★★ Lauren, one of the paralegals at Tona Law is very knowledgeable, compassionate and very professional. She genuinely cares for her clients and is always willing to go the extra mile to help. Having known her for several years, i can confidently recommend both Lauren and Tona Law to anyone seeking great assistance.Carmen SandovalCarmen Sandoval ★★★★★ Quiero darles las gracias por haberme representado en mi caso, felizmente estos abogados lograron ganar ni caso, y estoy muy satisfecha por su gran trabajo, hablan español y la señorita Ana es muy atenta y cordial y amable con sus clientes, muchisinas gracias x sus servicios ademas de ser rapidos, nos ayudan mucho especialmente a las personas qué sólo hablamos español, les recomiendo este servicio de abogados muy honestos. Muchas gracias👌😘Miguel MenaMiguel Mena ★★★★★ Ana is extremely knowledgeable and a great asset to your firm! Definitely will be coming back.Sandie RivasSandie Rivas ★★★★★ Ana is amazing! Working with her was extremely enjoyable. She is a great asset to Tonalaw and always eager to help!Darwin RomeroDarwin Romero ★★★★★ Ana was an absolute pleasure. She was incredibly knowledgeable and thoughtful throughout the entire process. Highly recommend!Emma SortoEmma Sorto ★★★★★ Ana is a wonderful personal. She is very talented and very hardworking. Best thing is that she is bilingual! Always willing to help anyone who is in need of a hand! You are in great hands at Tona Law!nicole garcianicole garcia ★★★★★ Couldn’t recommend Lauren more!!! I’ve known Lauren for years, she is a dedicated, hard worker and is so professional when it comes to her job. She really cares about her clients and doing the best for them.Dolceprincipessa xoDolceprincipessa xo ★★★★★ I highly recommend Will Ramos as a lawyer. He is a true professional. He explained my options with me and was very accessible & kept me updated! I also had the pleasure of working with Jayden. She was great as well. They assisted with my case and helped me tremendously! Highly recommend :)yessenia lopez ramosyessenia lopez ramos ★★★★★ I have know Attorney Will Ramos for many years. He is very detail oriented, a great advocate, and an empathetic individual.I have referred a few clients during their time of need over to Will and the friendly staff at Tona Law. He is willing to go above and beyond for others.CARLOS RODRIGUEZCARLOS RODRIGUEZ ★★★★★ I have known Will Ramos for 15 plus years and can attest to his character in placing the needs for others above his own. He is an asset to any organization and a team player with positive attitude.Jessica MalaveJessica Malave ★★★★★ I’ve known attorney Will Ramos for 16 years he always places the needs of others above his own. He is a caring man and super understanding and has a big heart.Bianca RamosBianca Ramos ★★★★★ Attorney Will Ramos is awesome the law firm is lucky to have someone like him part of their team. He genuinely cares for others and is always willing to lend a helping hand.Response from the ownerBianca, thank you for leaving a wonderful review for our firm. We are lucky to have Will Ramos as part of our team! Arianna RamosArianna Ramos ★★★★★ Attorney Will Ramos is nothing short of dedicated and hard working. Each case he works on demonstrates his passion for law and his care for his clients.Response from the ownerThank you for your review, Arianna! Will Ramos has been a wonderful asset to our team. JenneferJennefer ★★★★★ I've had the pleasure of knowing Lauren for quite a while now, and I must say, her dedication to her clients is truly remarkable. She takes immense pride in her work as a professional she seamlessly balances her role at Tona Law, where she's involved in legal matters. Having seen her commitment and skill firsthand, I can confidently recommend both Lauren and Tona Law to anyone seeking top-notch assistance.Celine Aubry-DumandCeline Aubry-Dumand ★★★★★ I had a great experience working with TonaLaw.The team was really friendly and helpful throughout the entire process.Response from the ownerCeline, thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review for our firm. We are so grateful we were able to help you and provide you with a great experience. Thank you! Adam OmallyAdam Omally ★★★★★ I have known Lauren one of the paralegals at Tona law for many years and she is dedicated to her profession and helping her clients. Wonderful person.Alexandra RandazzoAlexandra Randazzo ★★★★★ Lauren at TonaLaw was extremely helpful! She was so nice and professional. I highly recommend asking for her!Margaret CaschettaMargaret Caschetta ★★★★★ I have known Lauren for a long time and she’s always been dedicated to her job! Excellent at anything she’s ever done.NICOLE GUASTONICOLE GUASTO ★★★★★ Lauren’s great- reliable empathetic the whole package - years of knowing her I wouldn’t ask for anyone elseKeith MaederKeith Maeder ★★★★★ I have known Lauren, one of the paralegals, for many years. Her client first approach is second to none. She is knowledgeable and professional. She as an asset to both her clients and Tona Law.Emily PadillaEmily Padilla ★★★★★ Ana was super professional and very polite! Answered all the questions that was needed! Highly recommend, wish I can give 10 stars!Kailynn ApolinarisKailynn Apolinaris ★★★★★ Ana is amazing! As an old coworker I can say Ana is always ready to assist. She is a great asset to anyone lucky enough to work with her.Response from the ownerKailynn, thank you for leaving a wonderful review for our firm. Ana is truly a wonderful part of our team! peter alsenpeter alsen ★★★★★ In all of my dealings with the TonaLaw office, the lawyers and staff have been excellent.They have earned my confidence and trust.Response from the ownerWe are so pleased to hear that you’ve had such a great experience with our team. Your confidence and trust in our firm is greatly appreciated! Thank you so much for your review! Ashley VelazquezAshley Velazquez ★★★★★ Ana was knowledgeable, courteous & helpful throughout everything! She was willing to go the extra mile! It was a delight working with her. You’re in great hands when working with Ana!!Patty RivasPatty Rivas ★★★★★ The team is fantastic. I worked with Ana directly and appreciated how quickly she was able to respond back to me and provide efficient, excellent results. I would work with her again!Response from the ownerThank you so much for your kind words about Ana and the rest of our team! js_loader