California has some of the most dangerous highways in the United States. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, California might be like a concrete jungle. But more than 5,000 miles of roads require repair and maintenance work.
Although 90% of traffic accidents are due to the driver’s fault, car accidents and other types of accidents caused by crumbling roads and other road hazards can result in serious injuries and traffic fatalities.
Insurance companies may try and blame a government agency like Caltrans for your serious injury.
Government agencies in major cities (for example, the City of Los Angeles, the City of Riverside, etc.) may try and focus their blame on other drivers for their dangerous intersections or other dangerous conditions leading to your crash and final investigation report.
Local governments may argue that third-party human factors or acts of god caused the roadway crash, including:
- Poor visibility in bad weather
- A road hazard caused by another driver (poorly strapped down luggage falls off a moving car’s roof, etc.)
- Drunk driving.
(Drunk drivers, not the potholes or uneven lanes, are the at-fault parties, etc.) Insurance companies will often argue comparative negligence to try to make the traffic safety agency cover the lion’s share of your financial compensation. California may even blame the federal government.
The legal process becomes easy with experienced attorneys like our top road defect lawyers. That way, we can recover damages from government entities for the dangerous road conditions they created alone.
Crumbling Roads cause car Accidents, Hazards, and More in California.
If you got injured in a car accident due to California’s crumbling roads, contact Ehline Law and our personal injury attorneys for an evaluation of your case, as you may be eligible for compensation.
Motor Vehicle Accidents from Crumbling Roads
About 60% of the roads in Los Angeles County are in bad shape, while the annual works budget is not enough to ensure safety on these roads. Poorly maintained roads affect motorists and negatively impact cyclists, pedestrians, and motorcycle riders. Such roads create hazardous conditions for drivers, riders, and pedestrians, which can cause severe injuries in case of accidents or even death.
So, how can a government act negligently? The government may not have the budget to fix a broken road immediately, prolonging the hazardous driving conditions. Perhaps, it may have undergone construction work on road construction sites and failed to remove any objects left behind, like maintaining warning signs, filling potholes, and more. Such incidents can result in catastrophic injury.
The US Department of Transportation reports that approximately 75% of accidents from poor roadways are due to unmaintained roads, construction debris, and traffic signal malfunctions.
Car Accidents and Other Accidents on Unmaintained Roads: Who Is Responsible?
When there is an imminent danger from roads, and driving hazards, a relevant government agency or local municipality is responsible for ensuring safety. Road maintenance falls under government jurisdiction, federal or state, depending on where the poorly maintained road lies.
The California Tort Claims Act allows residents of California to take legal action against the government for any negligence resulting in injuries or death. According to this California Law, accident victims must prove that the government’s negligence (poorly maintained roads) caused an accident resulting in injuries.
Get an Experienced Motorcycle Accident Attorney to File Claims Against the Government
Typically, victims or surviving family members can file personal injury claims against the negligent party within two years following the accident. However, when taking action against the government, individuals only have six months to file a personal injury claim.
Once an individual files a claim against a government body, the agency has 45 days to review the claims and respond accordingly. Suppose the government agency refuses the road hazards claim. In that case, the victim can further pursue the matter of the civil claim in court to recover your medical expenses, property damage, pain, suffering, and land lost income for injuries caused by a negligent party.
Motorcycle Accidents and Crumbling Roads?
Most motorcycle accidents or any other type of auto accident due to government negligence are more complex than a traditional accident case between two civil parties (Traffic deaths are higher in a motorcycle accident). Secondly, the time period to file claims against a government body is just six months, unlike the two years available for any other personal injury case against a civil party.
An experienced motorized car accident lawyer or a personal accident attorney can help collect the necessary evidence. With enough proof, we can hold the government agency accountable for negligence. Claims and lawsuits are the only tools civilians have to ensure that the government is doing its job right.
An automobile accident due to unmaintained roads can cause different injuries depending on the severity of the accident. This wreck can result in medical bills, treatment costs, lost wages, and more. Our injury lawyer can help file claims and negotiate with the government agency to get you fair compensation for your losses.
Lawyers at Ehline Law maintain a professional attorney-client relationship, ensuring clients get the right legal advice at all times. We have had more than 3,000 successful, happy clients and recovered over $150 million in compensation. Suppose the government is responsible for the accident caused by a severe injury to you. In that case, our attorneys will ensure the best legal representation and get you the maximum compensation that you deserve. We can help you in many states, pro hac vice, so don’t give up even if you crashed out of town. Let us help you hold the injury-causing party liable for your freeway accident.
Schedule a Free Consultation With A Crumbling California Roads Lawyer Today
Are you an injured driver or passenger seeking a damages recovery for circumstances surrounding an accident that was not your fault? Government claims are time-sensitive, so hurry up!
You can visit us at any law offices across California for a free case review. In most cases, we sign you up over the phone. Contact us at (213) 596-9642 and get a free consultation with our Los Angeles accident attorneys today.