Lawsuit for Road Construction Negligence
Can you file a lawsuit for road construction negligence that led you to an accident?
The average drive through the DMV region will involve passing through at least one road construction zone. Both Maryland and Washington DC, and let’s not forget about Virginia always has active construction attempting to improve, repair, or maintain the city’s roadways. For those that live in Washington DC, you know that most of the time the streets in DC are extremely damaged and need repairing ASAP. According to the Washington Post, there were over 20,000 pothole complaints in the DC district in the last five years, and 7,500 requests in 2019 alone. Let’s not forget that Governor Hogan in March started to demand changes to the BW Parkway as road conditions became hazardous, specially with the snow storms residents had at the beginning of the year. The Transportation Division will always try to have the drivers’ best interests in mind, but road construction projects do not always bode well for those on the road, and let’s be honest most people need to get on the road as part of their daily routine. Road construction negligence can put drivers in serious danger of car accidents.
Who is to Blame for a Road Construction Accident?
In 2017, drivers and passengers that died due to road construction increased by 2%, and pedestrian and bicyclists fatalities increased by 9% in roadway work zones in the U.S. Of this 2%, 265 were truck-involved.
Work zone crashes are a significant problem in the U.S. due to negligence. Construction companies, workers, property managers, and city negligence can lead to many serious safety hazards, that can cause an individual their life. This is why filing a lawsuit for road construction negligence is super important.
Below are a list of negligent actions that can lead to an accident on the road:
- Defective roadways, guardrails, or medians
- Poorly designed roads and pedestrian crossings
- Dangerous construction tools and equipment in the road
- Inadequate construction zone warning signs
- Hidden, concealed, or obstructed signs
- Confusing or difficult roadway detours
- Possible flying objects as well as sharp tools not properly stored.
Can there be more than one individual responsible?
In every road construction project there is a leader in place ensure the safety and efficiency of the work zone. This could be multiple parties, including the municipality overseeing the project, the work site manager or supervisor, the road construction company, or a property owner. This is why a lawsuit for road construction negligence may involve multiple defendants.
Do You Have Grounds for a Claim?
If you suffered a personal injury because of an accident while driving through a road construction zone in the DMV, you may be eligible for financial compensation. The construction company, the government, or another party could be legally responsible for causing your physical damages, and therefore, may be responsible for your medical bills, as well as other expenses that the accident caused.
What does Malloy Law Offices recommend?
Speak to a local personal injury lawyer who can help you file a lawsuit for road construction negligence immediately after seeking medical treatment.
Why should we reach out to a Personal Injury lawyer?
If the road construction accident caused serious and fatal injuries, the victims and their families may be left with thousands in medical bills. Other losses may include lost of income, and property damages, disabilities, emotional distress, among others. A Personal Injury Attorney can help those victims file a claim based on road construction negligence which may result in compensation should the evidence and witnesses proof that the loss was in result of the accident the road construction caused.
Besides filing for a lawsuit, what are other ways a PI attorney can help?
Often times, we see victims that are completely taken advantage of by other insurances. Why? Simply because many individuals that file an insurance claim with a construction company or other defendants do not always have enough knowledge to determine who is at fault, what evidence they will need, how much should they really be receiving, and what should the insurance cover? A Bethesda personal injury attorney, deals with insurance companies and legal claims 24/7 so you can say they have lots of experience in the game. They can also help by negotiating an insurance claim on your behalf after a road construction accident which may lead to maximum compensation.
Let’s put it this way, a lawyer can fight to prove a negligent party’s accountability, as well as secure maximum compensation for the damages suffered.