Road hazards are often the result of another party’s negligence, which means that party may be liable if someone gets injured in an accident. For example, the other party could be liable for not warning drivers about the danger or failing to fix or remove the hazardous condition.

If you need legal assistance, inquire with an experienced attorney at Goldberg Finnegan to learn your legal options for pursuing the compensation you may need to pay for medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. Our firm has successfully recovered over $130 million in compensation for our clients.

Common Road Hazards

Road hazards can damage vehicles and cause collisions as drivers may lose control of their vehicles or swerve to avoid the hazard. Drivers could crash into other vehicles, pedestrians or objects. These crashes could easily result in severe injuries or even death.

Some of the most common road hazards include:

  • Potholes and sinkholes
  • Cargo or debris that fell off vehicles
  • Fallen trees or branches
  • Construction equipment or debris
  • Grooved roads
  • Uneven roadways
  • Unmarked lanes
  • Roadway erosion
  • Ice and snow
  • Lack of guardrails
  • Broken traffic lights
  • Heat-warped surfaces
  • Flooded roadways
  • Sunken or raised manhole covers
  • Poor road design
  • Rocks, mud or other types of natural debris

Whether your accident was caused by one of the above hazards or some other road condition, you could be eligible for compensation. Set up your Free Case Review with a  Silver Spring car accident lawyer from Goldberg Finnegan today.

Responsibility for Road Hazards

Depending on the situation, there are various parties that could be held liable for an accident caused by road hazards.

One of the questions your lawyer will need to answer is who was responsible for maintaining the road. A local, county or state government agency may hold liability for many road hazard crashes. These entities are often responsible for maintaining the road, including making improvements to enhance safety and eliminating unreasonably dangerous hazards.

Road hazards are often created by construction. In these cases, the construction company may be held responsible for damages, along with the entity that hired the construction company.

Government entities often have immunity from lawsuits, which is why it is important to review the situation with a licensed attorney with detailed knowledge of these laws. However, there are exceptions to this form of immunity, which can be reviewed by your lawyer.  Sometimes other drivers are to blame for an accident. Maybe one driver swerved to avoid a pothole and hit your car. In this case, you may have a claim against the other driver, who may in turn have a claim against the city or county responsible for the road or highway where the crash happened.

What Can You do to Strengthen Your Claim?

The first thing anyone should be do after an accident is seek treatment for their injuries. You need to be careful not to do anything that could make your injuries worse. If possible, take pictures of the hazard that led to your accident. You may not even need to get out of your car to do this. If you were injured in a road construction zone, try to take pictures of anything with the construction company name on it.

Recording a short video on your smartphone or taking some quick notes about the crash can also be helpful. It is easy to forget important details as time passes.

Speak to a Reputable Attorney About Your Accident Claim

If you or someone you care for was injured in a car accident caused by a road hazard, compensation might be available to pay for medical costs, lost income and property damage. Call the reputable attorneys of Goldberg Finnegan today to set up a no-cost review of your claim. We aim to recover the maximum compensation to aid with your recovery.   We do not charge any upfront fees to determine whether you may qualify for compensation. We only bill you if we secure compensation on your behalf.