If Dangerous Road Conditions Caused My Accident, Can I Sue the Government?

There are many dangers on the road that can lead to accidents and serious injuries. Sometimes, however, it is the road itself that is the danger.

Here in Carroll County alone, there are almost 1,200 miles of county roads and state highways according to the Georgia Department of Transportation. Any one of those miles, and any inch of road in the state, could be the cause of a major accident if the government hasn’t done its job.

Improperly designed or poorly maintained streets and highways can be just as dangerous as a negligent driver, and the consequences just as tragic. When the government entity responsible for designing, building, and maintaining a road does so in a negligent or careless manner, leading to an injury-causing accident, those who have been hurt may have a claim against that entity for compensation.

Depending on the road, it may be a city, the state, or the federal government that is primarily responsible for the conditions on that road. No street or highway can ever be made perfectly safe, but it can be unreasonably dangerous in a way that the government could have and should have foreseen.

Road Problems That Can Lead to Accidents

There are any number of problems that can lead to an accident regardless of how careful and attentive a driver may be. These include:

• Lack of traffic signals
• Lack of guardrails
• Missing or insufficient warning signs
• Inadequate shoulders
• Overhanging trees and vegetation
• Dangerously sharp curves
• Faded lane markings
• Lack of reflective markers
• Unsafe pedestrian crossings
• Poorly designed merging lanes
• Unrepaired potholes or other road damage

Making a Claim and Proving Causation Requires a Skilled Auto Accident Lawyer

Every car accident lawsuit requires a thorough investigation, meticulous evidence gathering, and often the use of expert witnesses to testify about how and why an accident happened. For claims arising out of dangerous and unsafe road conditions, these tasks can become much more involved and complicated. Proving that a negligent driver’s speeding lead to an accident is one thing. Demonstrating for a jury that the grade of a highway should have been constructed at different, safer angle or that the government should have known about a defect in a certain patch of road is quite another.

The challenges of proving that the government was responsible for causing your injuries in a car wreck is only one of the reasons that an experienced car accident lawyer is essential if you want to obtain compensation for your injuries. Unique rules and deadlines apply to personal injury claims and lawsuits against the government.Short time periods, as well as complicated and strictly enforced notice requirements, can mean losing any ability to seek compensation if you make one wrong move.

If you have been injured in a car accident, please give us a call at (770) 727-5550 or chat live online with a member of our staff today. We can discuss your situation, evaluate your potential claim, and advise you of your options.