Unsafe Road Conditions Leading to Accidents

When you think about hiring a lawyer because you’ve been involved in a car accident, you probably try to identify the at-fault party, usually another driver. In many cases, the other driver of a motor vehicle or commercial truck are at fault and we can help you with your case by using that information. But what happens if you were involved in a car accident and sustained injuries due to unsafe road conditions? Who is at fault then?  

Many of the common accidents that occur due to poor road conditions include those involving potholes, shoulder drop-offs, oil and chips, construction zones, icy or snowy roads, and wet roads. In many cases, you may think to yourself, “These are just an act of nature and there is nobody to sue.” However, this is far from the truth – you must consider the alternative.

Government Responsibility

In these types of cases, government entities are typically legally responsible. The government owes you a standard duty of care to maintain the road where your accident occurred. Because the government harbors this responsibility, it also makes them responsible for injury damages that result from your accident – however, it has to be within reason. State laws say that the government has a specific amount of time to discover poor road conditions as well as enough time to repair them before they are held liable for damages. Most of the time, governments will discover adverse road conditions due to individuals who report these conditions and by conducting regular surveys of the roads.

You must note that the government will not always be responsible for damages, especially if they were not given enough time to find and repair the condition. If you are going to bring a successful claim, you want to show the courts that the government knew about the condition and that they did not take precautions to repair it in enough time. Keep valuable records of relevant information such as the general location of the poor condition, the name of the road, direction you were traveling, and the physical characteristics of the poor conditions. With our help, you can make a successful claim and receive compensation for your injuries. Call us now.