When you’re driving on the road, there are many things that you need to pay attention to. Not only do you need to focus on where you’re going and the other cars around you, but you also need to pay attention to the road and make sure you’re avoiding any roadway defects that might be present and could cause an accident. When your car or another driver’s car encounters a roadway defect, you could get into a collision.
If you’ve been in a crash that wasn’t your fault, then you could use the help of a car accident lawyer so that you can financially recover. You’re likely focusing on your physical and emotional recovery, which is why your attorney from The Solomon Law Group will handle the legal side of things for you. With us on your side, you can feel confident that you won’t settle for less than you deserve and get fair compensation for your injuries and damages.
Different Types of Roadway Defects
Even though we expect roads to always be properly maintained and safe, that’s not always the case. Sometimes the weather, other cars, and previous accidents can affect the roadways and cause defects that are dangerous for other drivers traveling on the same roads. Here are some of the different roadway problems that could cause an accident:
- Potholes
- Unleveled pavement or steep drop-offs and ledges at the edge of the pavement
- Poorly made pavement and incorrectly structured curves
- Bad drainage that leaves standing water
- Overgrown vegetation and fallen trees
- Down power lines
- Missing signs
- Lacking traffic signals
- Broken traffic lights
- Faded paint on the road for lanes or stop lines
- Lacking guard rails where needed
- Narrow shoulders
- Dangerous intersections
- Poor lighting
- Construction zones that aren’t properly marked or maintained
While some of these defects listed above could be cause for minor confusion that motorists can still figure out, many of them can lead to serious problems and cause severe traffic collisions because the roadway is lacking markers or safety features that are necessary.
For example, if a traffic light is malfunctioning at an intersection, it could cause two vehicles to collide because they are both being signaled that it’s safe to continue through the intersection, when really they’re in perpendicular lanes that will cause them to crash into each other. In this case, the drivers wouldn’t necessarily be at fault because they were following what the traffic signal said. The governing power in charge of the light would be at fault because they allowed it to malfunction or didn’t program it correctly.
Let’s take a look at the options you have after an accident caused by one of these roadway defects.
Can You File a Claim?
When you’ve experienced a roadway defect that caused an accident in South Carolina, you’re probably wondering who you can hold responsible for that poorly maintained road. According to a survey from 2019, South Carolina has the worst roads in the country, and these road defects are likely to cause accidents when they affect your car and driving.
The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) claims they have plans to improve the roads, but until then, can you hold them responsible for their poor maintenance of public roads? The answer is yes. According to SCDOT, you have one year from the date that the damage occurred to file a claim with them.
However, if it was a private road or you feel like you need more support for your claim with SCDOT, you can hire a car accident lawyer to help you through the legal process to hold the responsible party accountable for their lack of maintenance done on their roads. At The Solomon Law Group, we’re here to help you through your claim and ensure that you get the compensation you deserve for the damage done to you and your car because of a roadway defect.
The Solomon Law Group Will Represent You
You shouldn’t have to suffer on your own when you’ve been in a collision caused by a defective roadway in South Carolina. Our bad roads can cause accidents that result in injuries and damages, which is why you could need the help of a Columbia car accident lawyer from The Solomon Law Group.
We’ll fully investigate what exactly caused your accident and who was at fault so that you can get the compensation that you deserve for your damages. Reach out to our office today so that we can start working for you as soon as possible.
