According to a study from 2009, approximately half of the fatalities occurring on U.S. highways can be attributed—at least in part—to deficient road conditions. Large pools of water, potholes, and numerous other problems besiege the nation’s roads and cause a great deal of damage to cars, in addition to being a contributing factor to accidents. The question many drivers entertain when an accident happens due to bad conditions is “Is someone at fault when these conditions cause an accident?” This is a question that many Coral Springs personal injury lawyers have entertained and considered; however the answer is not simple.
Of course, the people involved with the maintenance and construction of roads are human beings; an engineer can miscalculate, a contractor in a hurry to finish a project within the time allowed may cut corners. Some less wealthy towns attempt to scrimp their funds by not rectifying particularly hazardous issues in their jurisdiction. Of course water and ice are the most common issues with road safety, but other concerns include blind curves, shoulder drop-offs, potholes, and improperly graded slopes. These problems and more often cause drivers to lose control of their cars and get into accidents. For example, if your wheel hits a drop off, the resulting bounce may make it hard to maintain control of the vehicle. If a road is improperly graded, collecting water increases the risk of hydroplaning.
In an ideal world, these bad roads would not exist—or at least the conditions would be remedied in a timely manner. However as any Coral Springs personal injury attorney will tell you, the world is not an ideal place.
The question of course becomes: who is responsible for the accident caused by these bad roads? In some cases, the driver may share responsibility; after all, it is a driver’s duty to pay attention to the road and its conditions, in order to notice things like potholes or pools of water. However, there are situations wherein the people or companies responsible for building and maintaining the roads can be held at least partially responsible. Road crews that do not post sufficient warning of oncoming construction may be held liable in part for accidents that occur due to the construction. If a municipality ignores repeated requests for signs or signals at a stretch of road or intersection with a high accident rate, they must shoulder some responsibility for continued accidents that occur. A construction company that cuts corners on materials, or the transportation department that fails to put up signs advising of hazardous conditions after a rain, may also be held responsible.
If you or a loved one has been the victim of a car accident due to bad road conditions, it is wise to retain the services of a Coral Springs personal injury attorney quickly. Professionals such as the legal team at Zimmerman & Frachtman have extensive experience and knowledge of the law as it pertains to car accidents, and they can assist you in recovering compensation for your injuries.