Design immunity is the second of three specific governmental immunities that the California JPIA’s ReClaim campaign has highlighted over the last few months.
Roadway design cases represent the single greatest liability exposure for California JPIA members, with more than 400 design-related claims incurred over the last five years. Although liability may be remote, plaintiffs often pursue local governments for damages.
One of the strongest defenses available to a public entity to defeat joint and several liability, the design immunity provides that a public entity is not liable for an injury caused by an improvement to public property in which the design and construction conformed to approved standards and was approved by the entity’s legislative body.
Learn more about design immunity and find helpful resources on our website.
ReClaim is an awareness campaign designed for employees at all levels of the Authority’s membership. This important, data-driven initiative helps members understand and address high-impact claims in order to redirect critical funding toward important programs and services. For more information on ReClaim, contact Management Analyst Courtney Morrison.