Trees are all around us and provide beautiful landscaping and shade on a hot summer day. While some people tend to overlook trees, others admire their beauty. Whether you have an opinion about trees or not, there is no denying that trees can cause health hazards—even a brain injury. This is because trees fall for various reasons, including:
- Branches give out after getting too heavy
- Act of nature or age of the tree
- Lightning and storms
- Infected with insects
- Property negligence, such as neglecting to inspect trees
- Failing to cut down trees that pose a potential danger
While falling trees can sometimes be an act of nature, others that fall are a result of negligence on the part of a homeowner or city. When proper care and inspection of trees occur, people can identify if trees are diseased or dead and are more likely to fall.
Whatever the reason trees or tree limbs fall, it can cause serious injuries to pedestrians and motorists. Hundreds of innocent people have been killed by falling branches and falling trees, and numerous people have suffered serious injuries after being struck by a falling tree or tree limb.
Unfortunately, trees and tree branches can give out without any warning. When this happens, a tree limb can strike a person on the head and cause a brain injury in Georgia.
Homeowners and Cities Could Be Negligent and Liable for Georgia Brain Injuries
When homeowners or cities fail to inspect trees for damage—those that pose a potential danger—or don’t remove rotten trees, entire trees or dead limbs can fall onto cars passing by or pedestrians walking or sitting underneath them. When this happens, people can suffer the following injuries:
- Head trauma
- Skull fractures
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Crush injuries
- Death
Some courts have held homeowners, commercial landowners, and cities responsible for the damages caused by dangerous trees. Property owners, including cities, have a duty to maintain their premises and keep them safe, which includes trimming trees or removing dangerous trees that pose a threat to people’s safety.
If you or your loved one has suffered a Georgia brain injury due to a falling tree or tree branch, the landowner or city may be to blame. Because these cases can be complicated, you need to contact a skilled Peachtree City brain injury lawyer to discuss your case and start an in-depth investigation into your accident. Call for a free consultation today at Shane Smith Law at (980) 246-2656.