When you are driving down a Maryland road, there may be an unexpected hazard that causes you or another driver to swerve out of the way. Unfortunately, this may lead to a car accident. With this, you may be wondering who is to blame for this hazard. Read on to discover some examples of road hazard accidents and how a seasoned St. Mary’s County car accident lawyer at Dorsey Law Firm can help you identify the liable party.
What are examples of accidents caused by road hazards?
You may just think of a road hazard as being a pothole or cracks in the pavement. However, many other external factors may lead to a car accident. Examples include, but are not limited to, the following:
- An animal unexpectedly jumps onto the road.
- A pedestrian crosses the road without waiting for the crosswalk signal.
- Loose debris falls onto the road from a nearby construction zone.
- Trees or branches fall onto the road after a heavy rainstorm.
- Power lines or cables fall onto the road after a heavy rainstorm.
- Standing water fills uneven parts of the road after a heavy rainstorm.
- Black ice or snow covers the roads after a heavy snowstorm.
Who should be held liable for a road hazard accident?
You may assume that, if your car accident was due to the hazardous inclement weather, there is nobody to place the blame on. So you may just try to redeem financial compensation via an insurance claim, which may not cover the full extent of your damages.
However, this is not always the case. This is because certain government entities are responsible for clearing trees, branches, power lines, cables, and other loose debris after a rainstorm, along with plowing and salting the roads after a snowstorm. What’s more, on a day-to-day basis, they must ensure that the roads are clear of dangerous potholes, cracks, bumpy edges, and uneven surfaces.
With that being said, if a government entity fails to execute any of this, you may be able to prove their negligence in a personal injury claim. But before you can do this, you must first send them a Notice of Claim.
It would help if you remembered that there is a countdown for when you are eligible to bring forward a personal injury claim and a Notice of Claim. First, the state of Maryland has a statute of limitations for a personal injury claim of three years from the date of your accident. Then, the state enforces the deadline for a Notice of Claim of 180 days from the date of your accident.
So, it would help if you did not wait too long before contacting a competent St. Mary’s County auto accident lawyer from Dorsey Law Firm.
