Vehicle Damage Due To Poor Road Conditions: Who Is Liable?

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In today’s world, chances are you spent thousands of dollars on your vehicle and several years paying off your loan. Because of this, the last thing you want is to have your vehicle damaged while riding around your city. However, this happens each and every day. While you may think most vehicle damage occurs due to crashes between vehicles, the fact is more damage takes place due to poor road conditions. Be it potholes, construction zones, or roads that are wet or contain ice or snow, these and other factors can lead to major damage to your vehicle. When these accidents take place, there are often questions as to exactly who can be held liable for the damage. If your vehicle has suffered damage due to poor road conditions and you were subsequently injured as a result, speak to a lawyer.

Poor Road Conditions Accidents

When poor road conditions accidents take place, the results can be devastating to not only your vehicle, but also to you and any passengers you may have with you at the time. For example, even if you are trying to be careful when driving on roads that have ice or snow, you can still hit a slick spot that sends you and your vehicle spinning out of control. In other situations, rounding a corner only to find a large pothole waiting for you can lead to thousands of dollars in damage to your vehicle, while also sending your vehicle out of control and causing serious injuries to you and others. When involved in such accidents, consult with a Los Angeles main-road accident lawyer from Grey Law.

Government Responsibility

As for who is ultimately liable for the damage poor road conditions do to your vehicle, many situations place the burden of responsibility on local, state, and federal governments. Since it is the job of the government to maintain roads in a safe and reasonable manner, this sounds as if you will have an easy time making the government pay for your damages. However, it may not be that easy. The key word here is “reasonable,” which can often be interpreted many different ways. To make sure your rights are protected in such matters, work with a motorcycle injury lawyer from Grey Law.

Discovering Dangerous Road Conditions

As stated previously, governments are given a reasonable amount of time to discover dangerous road conditions and make the necessary repairs. Yet since each locality may have a different idea of what is considered to be a reasonable amount of time, your case can be more complex than you originally expected. To prove your case, you will need to find out when and if the poor road conditions were reported to authorities, what if any actions were taken following the report, and other related details. Since this can take time and certain agencies may not be eager to share this information, work with an experienced lawyer that has a track record of success helping victims get compensation for their damages.

How to Make Your Claim

When you are preparing to file a claim regarding the damage done to your vehicle, you will need very detailed information to submit to the government agency deemed to be responsible for maintaining the road in question. This information should include the name of the road, where on the road the damage took place, what specific poor conditions existed on the road at the time of your accident, and the names and contact information of those who witnessed your accident and subsequent vehicle damage due to the poor road conditions. Once you have compiled this information, speak to an attorney for motorcycle accident compensation at Grey Law to determine how best to proceed.

Proving Your Damage Claim

Once you have all the necessary information about the type of damage your vehicle suffered, where it took place, and who if anyone witnessed what took place, you will need to set out to prove your damage claim in an effort to gain compensation. However, be prepared for plenty of roadblocks to be put in your way. For example, it is likely the locality in charge of that road will have access to extensive legal resources, and may try to use stall tactics in an effort to make you drop your claim. In other instances, the government may try to say the road conditions were not as bad as your claim indicates, and that it was in fact negligence and carelessness on your part that caused your vehicle’s damage. Rather than let this happen and ultimately deny you the compensation you deserve, hire a Los Angeles personal injury attorney at once.

Insurance Company Discussions

Along with the local government trying to do everything it can to avoid paying you compensation, insurance companies will also be using various tricks in their playbooks to do the same. Whether trying to claim your vehicle was in poor shape prior to the accident or that you were driving recklessly and caused the accident, these are but a few examples of what will be hurled at you once you file your damage claim. Should you think you can speak to insurance companies on your own and come away with the compensation you need and deserve, you will be very disappointed with the outcome. To make sure you get the results you are seeking, place your trust in an auto accident lawyer.

Don’t Give Up

Rather than give up on getting the compensation you need and instead pay for your vehicle’s damages out of your own pocket, speak to a motorcycle injury lawyer immediately following the accident. By scheduling an immediate consultation, you will be working with an attorney for immediate compensation. Your legal representation will not only understand motorcycle cases, but will also protect your rights from start to finish.