Unfortunately, car accidents can result from various factors that are out of a driver’s control, such as road defects. If many car crashes have occurred in the same place on a roadway or highway, the road itself is most likely to blame. Crashes resulting from dangerous roads are typically due to the following road defects:
- Failure to make the necessary repairs
- Failure to maintain a roadway properly
- Failure to install or repair safety measures or structures, including roadway signs and traffic signals
- Improperly placed or secured roadway construction zones
- Unsafe crosswalks
- Objects or structures on or close to the road that can block vision, including poles, overgrown vegetation, trees, etc.
- Poor lighting
- Potholes, uneven road surfaces, or large cracks, among others
- Poor sewage or water draining that results in water buildup on the road
- Nonexistent or faded paint, such as stop lines or lane division lines
- Inadequate warning signs, including near roadway construction zones
The problem is that proving your car accident resulted from a road defect can be difficult. Likewise, proving liability can be extremely challenging because most roads are owned and maintained by the local or state government, which means that you will need to go up against the government to pursue financial compensation for your damages.
How to Prove a Road Defect Caused Your Car Accident
It doesn’t mean that a government entity is automatically liable for your accident simply due to the existence of a road defect. You must prove the following elements of negligence to hold the at-fault party responsible for your crash:
- The government entity knew or should’ve known about the road defect. This means that if the road defect just manifested right before your crash, it might not be enough time to hold the government entity liable for the defect.
- The government entity didn’t employ reasonable actions to fix or warn people about the road defect. If they have not been conducting regular inspections of the roadway and regular inspections would have exposed the defect on time, they can be held responsible for the crash.
- The road defect directly contributed to or caused the accident. You must show that it caused the crash, or the crash wouldn’t have happened had the defect not existed.
Get Legal Guidance From an Experienced Boca Raton Car Accident Attorney
Claims against government agencies can be immensely complicated, and it’s important that you consult with a Boca Raton car accident attorney about any issues, concerns, and questions about a road defect that caused your car crash. Our Boca Raton car accident attorney can review your situation, determine whether the government must have taken the proper steps to fix the defect, and advise you on all the legal options available to you.
We will investigate the crash, collect evidence to prove liability for your damages, and calculate the amount of compensation you’ll need to cover all your losses. To set up your free case evaluation, please contact the Boca Raton car accident attorneys at Demand The Limits at 561-600-3555 or online today.
