When you are involved in an accident and you believe that the road that you were driving on was the reason that you had the collision you may want to get compensation from the organization responsible for maintaining the road. This is certainly possible, but you should be aware that suing a government entity or organization is difficult, costly and may end up in being dismissed. Being that as it may, if you believe that you have a solid case against the highway department responsible for maintaining the road, you should proceed.
Let’s first talk about roads that are designed ineffectively or are so defective that they are difficult to drive on, potentially causing accidents. Slopes and dips in a road that cause you to lose visibility or that you go over so quickly that your car comes off the ground certainly should be smoothed out and roads where the edge is a cliff of drop off are extremely dangerous. Missing guard rails, defective street light or missing road signs are all signs of a defective road as well as pavement that doesn’t allow your tires to grip effectively, causing accidents.
The road may also have been constructed defectively, or the construction company or highway workers that made the road may have cut corners or done their job improperly that resulted in your accident. For instance, if you think that road plans may not have been followed or that the materials used were not consistent with the standards of roadwork in other areas or on other roads you may have a case, as well as workmanship that is substandard or was not completed.
The road may also have been improperly maintained. For instance, if the road is full of potholes and it is clear that the highway department has not been maintaining that section of road as they should, you could have a case against them for that, as well as loose guardrails, road bumpers (the section at the shoulder that makes your car vibrate if you fall asleep and go off road) that are not working properly or signs that are deteriorated or are in obvious need of repair. Also included in this is lines or markers on the road that have worn off.
Normally, each state has a highway department that is responsible for maintaining the roads that we drive on. On city streets it may be the city itself or a state agency on the highways that we drive upon. If you believe that one of these agencies is at fault for your accident, by not maintaining the road properly then you should contact a California road maintenance attorney to discuss your case and to determine whether you should proceed with your suit against the organization responsible for your accident.
