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Kansas City Highway Defects Attorneys
Many motorists utilize highways in order to get to their destinations in a timely fashion. These roadways can be useful for all drivers, but when they are in disrepair they can be a danger to everyone on the road. Because highways are considerably more crowded than other roads and allow drivers to travel at a higher speed, the existence of any defect can lead to catastrophic accidents.
If you or someone you love has been a victim of an automobile accident that was caused or influenced by a highway defect, you may have grounds for legal action. Contact the Kansas City highway defects attorneys at the Law Offices of The Pottenger Law Firm LLC, at 816-531-6006 to discuss your options today.
Types of Highway Defects
Improper highway maintenance can result in devastating auto accidents. Victims of highway defect accidents may be able to seek financial compensation by taking legal action. Our experienced attorneys have handled highway defect cases involving:
One of the primary responsibilities of a municipality is to maintain a safe and effective transportation network that allows residents and visitors to commute in a reasonably secure environment. Regrettably, there are dozens of ways in which a roadway can become unsafe, some of which may be beyond the control of those responsible for maintaining the road, but many which are preventable. Shoulder drop-offs are an example of a preventable hazard that should always be handled adequately and safely by the responsible group.
If you have suffered an injury in a car accident caused by an unsafe shoulder drop-off, the legal team at the Law Offices of The Pottenger Law Firm LLC, will work diligently to help you recover the compensation you may deserve for your medical expenses and other losses. To learn more about your legal options following an accident, call our experienced Kansas City shoulder drop-off attorneys today at 816-531-6006.
The Dangers of Shoulder Drop-Offs
Uneven pavement and steep drop-offs at the shoulder of a roadway can lead to a variety of dangerous accidents which threaten the safety and livelihood of all motorists involved. Thus, as it is the responsibility of the municipality to ensure that such dangerous conditions are prevented or well marked, an injured person may be able to pursue legal action against them. The following are a few examples of the dangers associated with shoulder drop-offs:
- Loss of traction
- Unintended steering changes
- Veering into ravines and ditches near the roadway
- Veering across medians into oncoming traffic
In some cases, people suffer devastating injuries or are even killed due to an unsafe shoulder drop-off.
Transportation authorities have a responsibility to design roads properly and keep them well-maintained in order to reduce the risks of car accidents. This includes ensuring that roads have proper drainage systems and taking care of excess water that endangers motorists. However, some government agencies may neglect to fulfill these duties by failing to provide ample drainage facilities for certain roads. Without sufficient drains, water can easily pool to unsafe levels, putting motorists at risk of being involved in a dangerous hydroplaning accident. If a person is injured as a result of this pooled water, the government agency responsible for maintaining that road may be held responsible.
If you’ve sustained an injury in a car accident caused by pooling water, you may be entitled to file for compensation from the liable government organization that is responsible for maintaining that road. For more information about how to file a claim, contact a compassionate Kansas City water pooling attorney of The Pottenger Law Firm LLC, at 816-531-6006 today.
The Dangers of Pooling Water
A person may be injured in a car accident due to pooling water because of a number of driving problems it causes. This road hazard may contribute to some of the following issues:
- Loss of steering control
- Uncontrolled acceleration
- Inability to brake safely
- Fishtailing
Hydroplaning is extremely dangerous and can result in devastating accidents. A person injured because of this pooled water should speak with a qualified attorney about holding the municipal body responsible for the dangerous road conditions liable for their negligence.
The government has a responsibility to keep public roads properly maintained, repairing dangerous road defects like potholes before they cause serious accidents. These potholes can do considerable damage to tires and even the wheels themselves if a vehicle falls into a pothole. If a person is injured because a pothole causes them to lose control of their vehicle, they may be entitled to pursue financial compensation from the responsible transportation agency.
If your injuries were caused by a dangerous pothole left unrepaired on the road, you may be entitled to file a civil lawsuit seeking compensation for medical bills, vehicle repairs, and other damages. To learn more about your legal rights and options in this situation, contact the Kansas City personal injury attorneys of The Pottenger Law Firm LLC, by calling 816-531-6006 today.
Pothole Dangers
Though it would be easy to dismiss potholes as a minor nuisance, the severity of the harm that they have the potential to cause makes it essential that they are regarded with appropriate urgency by the municipal authorities. The following are representative of the possible immediate effects of an encounter with a pothole:
- Tire blowouts
- Wheel damage
- Loss of control over the vehicle
- Suspension damage
- Broken windows or windshields
When a transportation authority fails to properly take care of a road, they may endanger the safety of any who travel that highway. Uneven pavement, in particular, can prove to be a serious hazard. The road surface must be properly leveled, as uneven pavement can compromise a motorist’s ability to retain control of his or her vehicle, potentially resulting in an otherwise preventable accident.
If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident caused by uneven pavement, there may be legal options available to help you seek justice and financial compensation. For a no-cost evaluation of your potential case, contact the Kansas City uneven pavement attorneys of The Pottenger Law Firm LLC, at 816-531-6006.
Uneven Pavement Accidents
Uneven pavement often results from unfinished construction, as certain surfaces may remain unlevel until workers can return to complete the task. If pavement is simply left uneven, this can prove very dangerous for drivers. The following problems may occur:
- Inability to safely avoid an obstruction
- Damage to the tires, possibly causing a blowout
- Losing control over a vehicle’s direction due to sharp variations in height
It is typically the duty of a municipal transportation authority to properly maintain the highway and prevent accidents due to road defects. Failing to even out an unlevel road may warrant the pursuit of legal action by those who are hurt in accidents that are caused by this negligence.
Many car accidents occur because of municipal negligence and might have been prevented if those tasked with maintaining highways had been more attentive to their duties. Highway maintenance is essential for keeping roadways safe for motorists and pedestrians alike. But many highway defects are allowed to linger over months before they are resolved. One easily overlooked but very dangerous defect is the lack of signs. When needed traffic signs are absent or damaged needless collisions become likely.
If you have been hurt in a crash that would not have occurred if appropriate signage had been present, it may be in your best interest to consider legal action against a municipal authority for the lack of signs. Contact the Kansas City road defect attorneys of The Pottenger Law Firm LLC, by calling 816-531-6006 to learn more about your legal rights and options in this situation.
Dangers of Absent Signs
Drivers and pedestrians alike rely on the presence of traffic signs to regulate traffic and keep roadways safe, especially in high-traffic areas. When these signs are not posted, or are too damaged to read, the consequences can be devastating. The following are representative of some of the threats to safety which may arise:
• Unsafe directing of merging onto highways
• Collisions at four-way stops
• Use of excessive speeds
• Failure to indicate that a street is one-way
• Failure to communicate important information about the course of the roadway (sharp turns, drop-offs, roundabouts, etc.)
Guardrails are used by transportation authorities to keep motorists on the shoulder in case of an accident and to keep them from exiting the roadway or crossing into oncoming traffic. These guardrails need to be maintained regularly and built from appropriate materials to adequately stop or slow a vehicle from becoming a safety liability for other motorists if an emergency situation arises. If these rails are not properly installed or maintained, the consequences can be devastating.
If you have been hurt in an accident that was caused by the lack of guardrails, we can help you to seek financial compensation for related damages. Contact the Kansas City road defect attorneys of The Pottenger Law Firm LLC, by calling 816-531-6006 today.
The Dangers of Missing or Damaged Guardrails
Adequate guardrails are meant to keep vehicles from running off of the road or running into on-coming traffic after a motorist loses control over their vehicle. These guardrails, if working properly, should prevent secondary accidents from occurring. This can save lives and prevent serious injuries.
However, some of the following safety issues may arise if these guardrails fall into disrepair or are not installed properly:
- Out-of-control vehicles may enter oncoming traffic
- Vehicles may run off of the road, striking pedestrians or crashing into trees or other objects
- Vehicles may run off of the road, causing increased harm to a motorist
- If the wrong material is used, vehicles may rebound back into traffic after hitting a rail
When a motorist uses a public road or highway, they should be able to reasonably expect any obstacles on that road to be cleared off promptly and not pose a threat to their safety. However, the transportation authorities responsible for keeping these roads maintained may not take the necessary action to clear off the roads when needed. As a result, a motorist may strike an object left in the road and injure themselves in the resulting accident.
If you’ve been injured because of a government agency’s lack of roadway care and failure to remove a roadway obstacle, you may be able to get financial compensation for your suffering. To learn more about your options, contact our Kansas City objects on the roadway attorneys of The Pottenger Law Firm LLC, today by calling 816-531-6006.
The Dangers of Roadway Objects
Obstructions left in the road can cause severe damage to a vehicle if a person runs over these objects. Some of the following problems may arise because of objects left in the road:
- A person may lose control over their vehicle
- This loss of control can result in injuries due to striking another vehicle
- This loss of control can result in injuries due to striking an off-road object
- If the object is large enough, a person can sustain injuries from striking the road obstruction alone
These accidents that occur due to run-ins with objects left on the roadway may require substantial medical care, which can place a massive financial burden on a person’s household. However, compensation may be available to cover these costs.
Construction workers whose project involves the roadway or an immediately adjacent structure must be careful to avoid creating hazards on the road for motorists. Negligent construction workers or companies may bear legal liability for accidents that result from their incautiousness. When a motorist is hurt in an accident that would not have occurred if the construction site had been properly run, he or she may file a civil lawsuit seeking financial compensation to address medical bills, vehicle repairs, and other damages.
Do not hesitate to seek legal counsel if you have been hurt in a car accident that was caused by failures on the part of a construction crew. To arrange an initial consultation and evaluation of your case, contact a Kansas City personal injury attorney of The Pottenger Law Firm LLC, by calling 816-531-6006.
Dangerous Construction Errors
Construction companies brought in to build a new road or repair a damaged one are responsible for keeping their activities within the designated work zone. The same is true of those companies completing projects immediately off the roadway which will involve the transportation of materials or the modification of infrastructure on the adjacent section of the road. The following are representative of the safety concerns that arise when these parties fail to uphold their duty:
- Leaving materials on the road
- Leaving tools on the roadway
- Driving heavy machinery into traffic without warning
- The failure to provide adequate signage
- Uneven pavement
Municipal governments have a responsibility to keep roadways well-maintained and free of dangerous obstructions. If these government bodies fail to take action to ensure the proper working order of a city’s roads, they may be held liable for any injuries that result from road and highway defects. These liability lawsuits can help a person recover the value of their medical bills, out-of-pocket costs, and even wages they lost during their treatment and recovery.
If you’ve been injured as a result of a municipal government’s negligent roadway conduct, we may be able to help you with the process of filing a claim for financial compensation. For a no-cost case evaluation with an experienced lawyer, contact our Kansas City municipal negligence attorneys of The Pottenger Law Firm LLC, by calling 816-531-6006.
Types of Municipal Negligence
Municipal governments are put in charge of a variety of important building and maintenance tasks tied to the safety of motorists on the roads and highways. If these municipal bodies don’t fulfill their basic responsibilities, they can be held liable for whatever injuries occur as a result. Some common acts of negligence include the following:
- Failing to schedule construction crews for maintenance
- Failing to remove road debris in a reasonably timely manner
- Not closing off roads or sections of roads that are too dangerous for public use
- Failing to provide warning when a road may be particularly dangerous to use
If a person is injured because of a municipal government’s carelessness in maintaining safe roads, they may face expensive medical bills for treatment as well as a loss of income during that treatment.
With the help of our legal professionals, you may be able to hold the negligent party accountable under the law. At the Law Offices of The Pottenger Law Firm LLC, our dedicated attorneys are ready to fight for your rights as an accident victim.
Get The Compensation You Deserve if You’ve Been Injured
If you or someone you love has been injured in an accident and someone else is to blame, The Pottenger Law Firm LLC, may be able to help. Our Kansas City personal injury attorneys are committed to fighting for the financial compensation our clients deserve. To learn more about how we may be able to help you and your family, please contact us today.
