Personal Injury
Dangerous Drugs
Other Topics
| Join Our Mailing List |
Home > Personal Injury > Accidents > Auto > Auto Accidents: Defective Roadways
Auto Accident Lawyers
in Denver and throughout Colorado and Wyoming
Defective Roadway Lawsuits
An important part of any lawsuit is determining who is at fault. When roadway defects contribute to the cause of an auto accident, the government entity responsible for the roadway becomes a responsible party, changing the dynamics of your case.
Click to view our video about "Rollover Accidents"
Defective roadway accident lawsuits are more complicated than other auto accident lawsuits. Most roadways are the responsibility of government entities - federal, state, county, or city agencies or departments. Lawsuits involving government entities are subject to different procedures, including notification requirements, and have different time limits than typical auto accident lawsuits. Multiple parties may be at fault.
Roadway defects which often result in accidents include:
- Improper design
- Potholes
- Debris which has not been removed in a timely fashion
- Shoulder drop-offs
- Inadequate or insufficient notification of changes in the shoulder
- Excessive oil and/or gravel
- Failure to post warning signs or signals
- Inadequate or malfunctioning warning signs or signals
- Inadequate or insufficient notification of impending conditions such as construction zones, merging traffic, or hazardous weather conditions
- Inadequately with highway division status, line striping and edge lines
- Defective street lights
- Dangerous intersections which have not been modified despite past indications of hazard
Detecting roadway defects
The importance of proving that a roadway defect caused your accident cannot be understated. It may the key to absolving yourself, and any other drivers involved, of both civil and criminal responsibility for an accident. When drivers are held responsible for accidents caused by defective roadways, innocent victims can incur devastating financial harm and sometimes imprisonment.
Obvious Hazards
Defective roadways which have unexpected obstacles or other hazardous conditions, such as too much oil or gravel, may be immediately obvious to the driver, but not in time to prevent an accident.
Conflicting statements
Accidents which initially appear to be caused by driver error are sometimes caused by a roadway defect. Often no one involved in the accident is aware of the defect itself, but statements made by drivers, passengers, and witnesses can reveal the possibility.
A malfunctioning traffic light will typically lead to conflicting statements in which drivers and passengers all claim that the vehicle which they were in had a green light and that the "other driver" ran a red light.
Known defects
Defective roadways often have a history of accidents. This may be a history of accidents caused by the specific defect which caused your accident, or a pattern of similar defects in the city, county, or state in which your accident occurred. Correcting roadway defects can be expensive, and a history of accidents can mean that the responsible party is subject to multiple lawsuits, so this type of evidence may be well-hidden. An experienced accident attorney has the resources and know-how to bring this evidence to light.
Frequently Asked Questions About Auto Accident Lawsuits
Personal Injury: Auto Accidents
What to Do If You Are In an Auto Accident
If you or a family member has been seriously injured in an auto accident caused by a roadway defect in Colorado, Wyoming or anywhere in the Rocky Mountain region, you will need an experienced defective roadway auto accident lawyer to represent you. Burg Simpson has the experience, and the resources, to ensure that you can recover the damages you deserve for your injuries and your losses. Please call or email our auto accident lawyers today to schedule your free personal consultation.
Return to the Personal Injury Section
Contact Us
1-888-895-2080
$5,350,000
Jury awards a Burg Simpson client $5.35 million for Bad Faith Breach of Insurance Contract.$1,300,000
Jury award to Englewood company to total more than $1 million for breach of fiduciary duties in Shareholder Class Action Case.$690,000,000
Global settlement with Eli Lilly and Company regarding its product Zyprexa negotiated by a plaintiffs' attorney group including members of Burg Simpson.$5,800,000
Hines, et al, vs. Cody Gas Company, et al: verdict for injuries, damages, losses from gas explosion.
Burg Simpson Eldredge Hersh & Jardine, P.C. is a law firm serving the Rocky Mountain Region. The firm has offices in Denver, Colorado, Cody, WY, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Phoenix, AZ. The Firm is responsible for the content on the website,this information is not to be interpreted as providing legal services, nor as proposing any form of legal advice.
