Poor Road Design Accidents

The reasons for car accidents are many. Some car accidents are caused because a driver was speeding, failed to stop at a stop light, recklessly changed lanes or followed another vehicle too closely. In other cases, a car accident occurs because of a mechanical defect such as a braking or tire failure. A car accident can even occur because of the way in which a road was designed. For example, poor placement of traffic control devices, negligent surfacing, or unsafe intersection design could contribute to an accident. Regardless of whether the accident was caused by poor road design or some other reason, the injuries suffered by victims are often serious. For example, a victim of a car accident may suffer a serious injury such as a brain injury, contusions, broken bones, internal injuries, amputations, paralysis, or spinal cord injury. Sadly, many car accidents are fatal. If you are in need of a New York Injury Lawyer because you or a family member was injured in a car accident caused by the negligent design of the road, it is important to contact an experienced Bronx Poor Road Design Accidents Lawyer who will help ensure that the party responsible for your losses is held accountable through a personal injury or wrongful death claim.

Just as drivers and car manufacturers are critical to keeping the roadways safe and prevent accidents, so are the public entities who are charged with designing, building and maintaining the roads. Road design issues that can contribute to accidents include:

• Lack of proper traffic control such as traffic signals or yield signs
• Lack of proper drainage, resulting in deep puddles or ice accumulation
• Lack of guardrails on curves
• Lack of guardrails along steep embankments
• Lack of barriers in between lanes where traffic flows in opposite directions
• Intersection that is hazardous as evidenced by a particularly high amount of collisions

In addition to poor road design, there are other road hazards that may contribute to accidents, including:

• Potholes
• Lack of signage
• Lack of warning regarding hazards
• Malfunctioning traffic signals
• Missing lane markers
• Burned-out streetlights
• Debris on road

If you were injured in a accident in which poor road design was a contributing factor, New York law allows you to file a claim against the negligent person or entity, even if that entity is a government agency. Through a personal injury claim there are number of different types of damages that you may be able to recover:

• Medical expenses. The person responsible for the accident that caused your injuries may be required to pay for your medical expenses. This would include medical bills you accumulated prior to filing your claim as well as future medical expenses related to the treatment of your injury.
• Lost wages. Even a relatively minor accident may cause you to miss time at work. The person responsible may be required to pay the wages you lost. If you end up using earned sick days or vacation days, you may be entitled to receive compensation for those days. Furthermore, if as a result of your injury your earning potential declined, you may be able to recover damages for loss of future earning capacity.
• Pain and suffering. Another potential source of damages that you may be entitled to receive is pain and suffering. In the context of a personal injury claim, pain and suffering refers to physical pain as well as emotional distress.
• Property damage. The person whose negligence caused the accident may also be responsible for damage to your vehicle or other property.

It is important to understand that there are special procedural rules and strict deadlines that must be followed when attempting to recover compensation from a government entity. Failure to follows these rules may result in you being barred from recovering any damages even if your claim has merit.

A personal injury lawsuit against the party responsible for the accident will not only hold that person or entity accountable for his or her negligent acts but will also provide you and your family with needed financial relief. To ensure that your rights are protected and that all procedural rules are followed it is important that you are represented by someone with experience. The staff at Stephen Bilkis and Associates has extensive experience representing clients who have been injured in car accidents as well as experience filing claims against New York government agencies. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your car accident.