The Law Offices of Matthew J. Quinlan helps anyone that’s hurt in accidents at  San Francisco event venues like the Chase Center. Although it’s among the area’s newest venues, accidents can still happen at events there. This could mean injuries and other losses, but it also means legal options. To learn more about these options, contact us today for a free consultation.

Do You Need a Lawyer After an Accident at the Chase Center?

The answer here depends on your needs. If your accident or injuries are minor, you probably don’t need a lawyer. However, this is a potentially confusing situation, especially when you’re hurt at an event or show that the Chase Center is hosting. It can raise questions about liability and potentially make the legal process more complicated. The more complicated things are, the more help you’ll need. Our lawyers can certainly help.

With our experience, we can guide you through the legal process by:

• Looking into what happened and gathering details about the incident.
• Helping you collect evidence and insurance information.
• Talking to witnesses and others involved to get their accounts of the incident.
• Negotiating with insurance companies on your behalf.
• Reviewing any previous incidents or accidents at the venue to find patterns of negligence.

We’re here to help you understand your options and decide on the next steps. Speaking of which, an important part of the overall process are the steps you take after the accident itself.

What Steps Do You Need to Take After an Accident at the Chase Center?

Even though it’s San Francisco’s newest large-scale event venue, the Chase Center unfortunately isn’t unique when it comes to accidents for you or anyone else that attends. But remember, just because you have legal options doesn’t automatically guarantee that you’ll be able to get financial support–you have to put together a strong claim.

This process starts right after the accident itself, with some vital steps that need to be taken:

• Get medical help by telling Chase Center staff or management about the accident. They have first aid, but it might also be helpful to go ahead and call for an ambulance.
• If the accident involves an assault or some other criminal incident (which can be common in this environment), also call the police or tell Chase Center security. They can help you get information.
• Take down information from anyone involved, including contact and insurance details. Also, document the scene by taking pictures and videos with your phone, especially focusing on anything that actually led to the accident itself.
• Be careful when talking about the accident with Chase Center management or, even more importantly, with their insurance company. They may try to twist your words to reduce their liability.

The reason these steps are so important is that they form the very foundation of your injury claim. It gives you the information and evidence you’re going to need. With that said, injuries can make these steps difficult to get through. This is an area where our team can step in and help you.

Who Pays For Your Injuries After One of These Accidents?

There’s a lot that can go wrong at an event at the Chase Center, given the crowds and the excitement. But what separates a random accident from potential legal action is something that’s very important: negligence.

Negligence is usually the determining factor in what’s known as “liability,” or the legal standard for telling you who has to pay for your injuries and other losses that come up because of the accident.

Generally speaking, negligence involves four elements in these situations:

• The Chase Center’s ownership and management have a “duty” to keep you and others safe
• They failed to do so
• This failure led to the accident in question
• Because of the accident, you experienced “damages”, or injuries and other losses
  
  

Under premises liability laws, the ownership and management of the Chase Center are going to carry most of the liability if you’re injured there. However, depending on the circumstances, others might share some of the liability like:

• Event organizers, if they didn’t make sure the venue was safe or properly run during the event.
• Vendors, such as food or equipment providers, if their products or services caused the accident.
• Maintenance staff, if they were supposed to fix issues and failed to do so.
• Security staff, if they were negligent and contributed to safety problems.
• Designers, if a design flaw in the venue caused the injury.
• Manufacturers, if faulty equipment or furniture at the venue caused the injury.
  
  

Figuring out who is responsible for an accident at the Chase Center is crucial. It determines who you’ll file your claim against and who will cover your injuries and losses. But in order to get this financial support, you have to go through the claims process.

What is the Claims Process Like After an Accident at the Chase Center?

Every accident situation, even ones that happen at the Chase Center, is different. But regardless of the type of accident or the circumstances around it, your legal options don’t change: you still can file an injury claim to recover damages.

Where the claims process differs depends on what option you decide to go with. Generally, you can either:

• File an insurance claim
• Filing a lawsuit
  
  

An insurance claim is quicker and less formal but may result in lower payouts, as insurance companies often aim to minimize their costs. A personal injury lawsuit takes more time but can potentially lead to higher damages, as a judge or jury will determine the amount.

Also, your damages depend on your specific injuries and other losses. In general, though, the following are available in a claim:

• Medical expenses
• Lost income
• Costs to repair or replace damaged property
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Reduced quality of life or companionship
• Wrongful death expenses if the injury is fatal
• Punitive damages for intentional harm (e.g., criminal acts)
  
  

The amount you can recover depends on your case’s details, who is at fault, and the extent of your injuries. To protect your rights, file your claim promptly; in California, you generally have two years from the accident date to take legal action, so act quickly.

Why Do Injuries Happen at the Chase Center?

Whether you go to a Warriors game or a concert, the Chase Center has a variety of different entertainment options for people throughout the area and even the country. But again, when there’s negligence, there’s going to be a higher chance that you or someone else gets injured. Most of the time, though, injuries happen because of the following:

• Not enough security or crowd management can lead to fights or violence.
• Drinking too much or using drugs can make people reckless and cause accidents.
• Large, fast-moving crowds can lead to crush injuries from tripping or pushing.
• Broken or poorly maintained seats, stairs, or walkways can collapse.
• Items or signs falling from above can cause injuries.
• Too many people can create dangerous conditions and lead to accidents.
• Spills or rain can make floors slippery and cause people to fall.
• Issues with elevators, escalators, or lighting can cause accidents.
• Assaults or thefts, especially in areas with weak security, can occur.

After an accident at the Chase Center, focusing on your health is the top priority. Once you’re safe, our team can help you with the legal process and getting the financial support you need to recover.

Contact MJQ Law After a Chase Center Accident

Despite all the fun and excitement of an event at the Chase Center, accidents and injuries can happen. This spoils the experience, but it also gives you certain legal options. At MJQ Law, our San Francisco event venue accident lawyers will be there to help you through the claims process from start to finish. Contact us today for a free consultation if you’ve been hurt during an event at the Chase Center.