Defective Road Design and Improper Road Maintenance Causes Too Many Catastrophic Car Accidents
Government entities such as the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation can be held liable for injuries that occur as a result of improperly maintained or designed roads. At the Philadelphia car accident law firm of Reiff and Bily, we represent people who have been injured and the families of those who have been catastrophically injured or killed on dangerous highways and streets throughout Pennsylvania.
It is very important to recover evidence and take photos before potholes are filled, trees are trimmed, or guardrails added, and it is important to contact an attorney as soon as possible after a car or truck accident caused by a dangerous street or highway. If a defective road or a dangerous highway condition contributed to your accident, contact Philadelphia car accident and defective road design lawyer Jeffrey Reiff today.
The Philadelphia car accident lawyers at Reiff and Bily consult traffic design experts, engineers, surveyors, and accident investigators in exposing negligence on the part of municipalities and other government agencies in accidents involving dangerous roads and defective road design. Even in cases where other vehicles may strike yours, further investigation often reveals that improper road conditions or lighting conditions played a role in causing an accident. When the shoulder of a road or a curve is improperly graded, when potholes are left unfilled, or when stop signs are obscured by foliage, those responsible for designing and maintaining a road can be held liable when accidents occur as a result of such negligence.
The government and its agents, such as outside contractors, are responsible for designing roadways that are safe to use and free of major flaws. This entails maintaining the roadways so that they do not pose a threat to road users and warning drivers with proper signage of any potential dangers on the roads, such as dips, unexpected turns or changes in speed limit. If an injury results from the government or its agents failing to meet these criteria, it may be possible to file a claim for compensation. These cases are often quite complicated and require experience and knowledgeable experts and attorneys. The lawyers at the Pennsylvania personal injury law firm of Reiff and Bily have extensive experience in automobile accident litigation and roadway defect litigation and can help you successfully resolve your case.
If it turns out that you are eligible for financial compensation, you can be awarded money for hospital bills, loss of wages, pain and suffering, and any other property damage.
Common Types of Road Defects
Drivers face a variety of hazards on the road everyday. A road defect, however, can be a hazard that is outside of the driver’s control. In many cases where the road itself is the cause of a motor vehicle accident, truck accident, or motorcycle accident, the drivers involved may have little warning and be unable to take preventative measures. Among the more common types of road defects that cause car accidents are:
1. Improper lane configurations
2. Blind spots and obstructed sight lines
3. Poor road drainage during inclement weather
4. Improper road camber
5. Potholes and other road imperfections
6. Lack of safety barriers
7. Improper, inadequate, or missing signage
8. Improper road construction
If you feel that you have been involved in an accident that was caused by any of the above defects or any other road defects, it is important to contact a qualified Pennsylvania car accident attorney as quickly as possible. At the Philadelphia car accident law firm of Reiff and Bily, we will review your claim and determine who the liable parties are so that you can bring suit against them for a just and fair restitution. Contact us at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.
