Accident due to Poor Road Conditions: Who is at Fault?
March 12, 2015
Liability does not always belong to a driver in every car accident. Sometimes accidents are caused by no mistake or error of a human driver, but of the general negligence of those responsible for ensuring that our Atlanta roads and streets are safe for everyone. In these instances, you do have options for facing government agencies with jurisdiction over the area in which you were injured, and our car accident lawyers can help you file a claim to seek the financial support you need.
To discuss whether or not you have a valid claim, schedule your free initial consultation with our experienced team of attorneys.
When is a government agency liable?
Just as every human has a duty to avoid causing harm or endangering the lives of others, so does our government owe a duty to its constituents. It is the government’s job to reasonably maintain the safety of our roads, and they should be held accountable for the failure to do so. State laws mandate that a government discover and repair poor road conditions within a reasonable amount of time, either by conducting regular road surveys or responding to citizens’ reports.
Such dangerous road conditions can include:
- Unmaintained snow and ice
- Potholes or other road defects
- Insufficiently marked construction zones
- Poorly designed shoulders
- Neglected oil spills
Determining whether or not the Atlanta government is liable depends on two factors: that the government was aware, or should have reasonably known, of the hazardous condition and failed to take timely action to remedy the situation. Proving these factors successfully can be difficult without the effective advocacy of a seasoned injury attorney.
If you have further questions, visit our car accident information center.
Ready to take action?
Filing an injury claim for poor road conditions in Atlanta means that you’ll need to gather all pertinent information. This means noting the general location of the hazardous condition that caused your accident, including any landmarks or businesses in the surrounding area. Next, record the name of the road and the direction in which you were travelling and describe the characteristics and details of the condition to the best of your ability. If any witnesses were present, make sure you get their names, numbers, and statements.
We’ll do the rest. Our attorneys will do everything in our power to help you prove that the government should be held accountable for the damages that you have suffered. We can request and review survey records to determine whether the condition had been discovered or prove that the government should reasonably have known that the condition existed.
Together, we can fight for the financial support that you need to recover from your injuries. Contact our firm today to take the first step toward justice.
