Man Stuck in His Bed After Tree Falls on His House
A downed tree pinned a man in his bed on October 12 in Alta Sierra when it crashed into his roof. The pine tree, which was five feet wide and around 150 feet tall, was in the process of being cut down when it fell in the wrong direction, which left the home’s beams exposed and a huge hole in the roof. The man was showered with debris and avoided being crushed by the mammoth tree by just a few inches.
Downed Tree Requires Emergency Rescue of Man Trapped in His Bed
The man remained pinned in his bed by the tree and debris. The fire department with the Nevada County Consolidated District responded to the call, asking if they should use their own equipment or pick up large animal rescue gear to remove the tree. The man was freed by firefighters, who employed a basket scoop to remove him from the house. No information was provided on whether the man was injured in the accident involving the downed tree.
Removing a Tree
A tree cannot be taken down just by chopping one side until it falls. A deep notch has to be cut into one side down near the base, and then the other side has to be notched. At that point, the tree should start leaning as the weight of the rest of the tree causes it to fall.
However, a rope should be tied higher up on the tree in the event it starts falling in the wrong direction. The people holding the rope pull the tree, so the downed tree falls in the correct direction. Failure to follow these steps so the tree falls incorrectly and injures someone is a form of negligence.
What Is a Personal Injury?
A personal injury results when individuals or other entities such as a government agency are negligent or harm someone intentionally. That negligence results in an injury, which allows the injured party to place a claim for compensation. The areas in which the injured person may claim damages include:
- Medical costs: All medical costs associated with the accident may be recovered. This includes the ambulance fee, hospitalization, prescription medications, testing, surgeries and rehabilitation.
- Lost wages: Because the injured party may be unable to work while they are recovering, they may lose the wages they normally earned. Those wages can be recovered as well as any bonuses and other perks normally given the wage earner.
- Pain and suffering: Recovery of damages includes the physical trauma that occurred as a result of the accident. However, many people experience emotional and psychological trauma as well. These can range from sleeplessness to nightmares to anxiety that prevents the individual from resuming their normal life. If the symptoms become extreme, the injured party may have to seek professional counseling for post-traumatic stress disorder, the cost of which can be recovered in the settlement.
Alta Sierra Personal Injury Lawyer
I am Ed Smith, an Alta Sierra personal injury lawyer. In any type of accident injury caused by negligence, the injured party may wish to find out if they can recover compensation, which covers the cost of their medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. We have free and friendly advice to offer when you contact us in Northern California at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400. An online contact form is available also.
We are honored to have helped many Northern California residents, including those in Alta Sierra, in getting the compensation they deserve after all types of accidents that involve negligence such as traffic collisions, wrongful deaths, and others.
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Photo attribution: iStock iantiger247
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