When a road isn’t in good condition, it’s not pleasant to drive on it. But when it’s a defective design, and you get injured in an accident because of it, you need road defect design lawyers to step in to help you recover.
At Heninger Garrison Davis, a car accident lawyer from our team, can help you build a case and help you get back to your everyday life. We can assess your case via a video consultation when you get in touch with us.
What Defects Are the Result of a Defective Road Design?
Road design plays a huge role in road safety. When road design is defective, it can create dangerous conditions that lead to accidents. Some common defects resulting from defective road design include:
- Lack of lane markings or faded markings: Clear lane markings are essential for driver guidance, but designs that don’t include adequate markings or that allow markings to fade can cause confusion.
- Insufficient signage: Signs warning of conditions ahead, like turns, merges, or obstructions, are important for safe driving. Improper sign placement or lack of signs can set drivers up for hazards.
- Narrow or sharp turns: Turns that have an unusually sharp angle or occur on narrow roads force drivers into unsafe maneuvers at inappropriate speeds.
- Uneven or unstable pavement: Roads with potholes, buckling, crumbling edges, or other surface defects can easily cause loss of vehicle control.
- Impeded visibility: Sight distances limited by hills, curves, overgrowth, or other obstructions don’t give drivers enough view of upcoming traffic or hazards.
- Obstructed walkways: Overgrown vegetation, parked cars, or clutter can block visibility and narrow walking spaces.
- Unsafe crossings: Where roads lack crossing signals, markings, or speed bumps, pedestrians are at risk of accidents.
For a free legal consultation, call (205) 326-3336
What Kinds of Accidents Can a Defective Road Cause?
Defective road designs affect a number of people who use the roads in Alabama, and it’s not just drivers. Defective road designs can cause:
Pedestrian Accidents
While pedestrians don’t use the main roads a majority of the time, they do use it for crossing the road. Crosswalks that have faded lines can easily confuse and lead to an accident. A person may walk across the wrong part of the intersection to cross and get injured by an oncoming car.
Pedestrians and drivers both have a responsibility to avoid causing any accidents. But if a pedestrian can’t see where they are supposed to cross, another party, like the city government, could be at fault.
Bicycle Accidents
Another frequent user of the road that can get injured is cyclists. Bicyclists depend on lane marking to show where the bike lane is so that they are safe from getting hit by a vehicle. If a cyclist can’t see the markings, they may drift into a car’s lane.
Another way bicycle accidents can occur is if there are no signs indicating a sharp curve ahead or a hazard. A cyclist will not know to slow down to accommodate for the sharp cure, which could lead to them falling or losing control and getting hit by traffic.
Car Accidents
Car accidents are another type of accident that can result when roads have defective designs. Drivers need to know when they should take caution to avoid hazards.
For example, if a driver is driving up a hill that has an intersection on the other side of it with a traffic light, they may not be able to slow down due to gravity. They could collide with a semi-truck that is taking a long time to turn left due to its size.
Wrongful Death
Anytime someone dies as a result of a road defect, regardless of what type of accident, you can file a wrongful death lawsuit. If you’ve lost a loved one due to a defective road design, our wrongful death attorneys at Heninger Garrison Davis can help you recover the compensation you qualify for.
What Evidence Can Demonstrate a Road Defect Design?
To have a valid case, you and your road defect design lawyer must gather evidence showing that the liable party is responsible for your injuries. The evidence we can help you collect includes the following:
- Security camera footage
- Photos and videos of the accident
- Cell phone records
- Witness statements
- Medical records
Our team has over 16 years of experience gathering evidence for various types of personal injury cases. You can feel confident when you choose our team. If you’re unsure if you have a road defect design case, we can give you a free video consultation.
Compensation You Can Recover After a Road Defect Design Causes Injuries
After you’ve been injured due to a defective road in Alabama, you have a right to recover compensation for your losses. Our road defect design lawyer can help you recover economic and non-economic damages such as:
- Emotional distress: You can recover financial damages for the anxiety and depression you went through after the accident.
- Pain and suffering: You will be compensated for the physical pain and mental anguish you’ve experienced due to the road’s unsafe conditions.
- Decreased earning capacity: Your career potential was diminished because the permanent back injuries from the wreck reduced your work hours and job choices due to the flawed intersection. Our road defect design attorney can help you recover these losses.
- Lost wages: You can recover wages lost during the time you were unable to work due to injuries caused by the defective road design. Compensation aims to reimburse you for income lost both while initially recovering and for any long-term impacts to your earning capacity from resulting disabilities or limitations.
- Vehicle repair costs: You can recover costs for repairs to your vehicle damaged in an accident caused by a defective road design element.
- Damages for spinal cord injuries: You may obtain compensation for lifetime medical and living expenses resulting from serious injuries like paralysis due to unsafe road conditions.
- Medical costs: Recovery is possible for all reasonable and necessary medical bills accrued in treating injuries stemming from a roadway accident attributable to defective design.
- Wrongful death: In the event of loss of life because of a dangerous road, family members can pursue punitive damages.
- Damages for traumatic brain injuries: You can seek to fund long-term care for traumatic injuries, including cognitive deficits, through damage awards addressing economic and non-economic damages.
Contact Us Today for a Free Video Consultation
Heninger Garrison Davis understands the frustration you may feel after getting injured due to a poorly designed road. Our road defect design attorneys can help you hold the liable parties accountable.
Contact us today for a free video consultation.