Bad Roads Causing Accidents

Virginia, Maryland, & Washington, D.C.

Roadway defects can cause or contribute to the cause of serious auto accidents. Determining who is at fault is an important part of any lawsuit. It is especially important when bad roads are involved.

Because most roadways are the responsibility of government entities (federal, state, county, or city agencies or departments) defective roadway lawsuits are different to lawsuits involving individuals and businesses, and involve different procedures, time limits, and notification requirements.

Unresolved roadway defects will continue to cause more accidents, injuries, and deaths. Sometimes accidents caused by bad roads are a one-time occurrence, but most are the result of an ongoing problem, and there may even be a recorded history of many accidents caused by the same defect. In some cases the responsible parties are aware of the defect and simply fail or refuse to take the necessary action to correct it, until they are penalized for their negligence or wrongdoing in court.

Roadway defects which often result in accidents include:

• Improper design
• Potholes
• Debris which has not been removed in a timely fashion
• Shoulder drop-offs
• Inadequate or insufficient notification of changes in the shoulder
• Excessive oil and/or gravel
• Failure to post warning signs or signals
• Inadequate or malfunctioning warning signs or signals
• Inadequate or insufficient notification of impending conditions such as construction zones, merging traffic, or hazardous weather conditions

Revealing and proving roadway defects

Some defects are immediately obvious, but not necessarily visible in time for drivers to avoid an accident. If you know that your accident was caused by a defective roadway it is imperative to collect evidence as soon as possible, before the error is corrected. Other, less obvious defects may only be revealed by conflicting statements from witnesses and those involved in the accident.

Ongoing roadway problems often have a documented history of causing accidents. You might assume that a defect which is known to cause accidents would be quickly repaired, but this is not always the case. Correcting defective roads can be very costly, and may be interpreted as an admission of fault, meaning that the responsible party could be subject to multiple lawsuits.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident caused by a bad road in Maryland, Virginia or Washington DC, please email or call our committed defective roadway lawyers today. We are focused on obtaining justice for you - the victim.

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