Cincinnati Road Defects Lawyer
If you or a loved one is injured in a car accident caused by road issues or road defects, you may be entitled to compensation. We trust that our tax dollars will be spent wisely, and when the government entities we depend on fail to address serious hazards or defects on the roads we travel, severe injury accident can easily occur.
The experienced road defect lawyers of Lawrence & Associates Accident and Injury Lawyers, LLC have the experience and resources necessary to hold city, state, and federal government entities liable if they fail to address hazards to motorists, or if they fail to adequately warn the public of known dangers. We will fight for the maximum compensation possible for your claim. We fight to help you and your family rebuild your lives, as well as to protect others in our community. You don’t have to suffer alone, be sure to call Lawrence & Associates Accident and Injury Lawyers, LLC to schedule a free consultation to find out how we can help you.
Why You Need a Lawyer
Having a lawyer is crucial if you’ve been hurt in an accident. Your attorney can explain the legal process and answer any questions you may have. For example, in road defect claims, it can be challenging to figure out who is at fault. There are two distinct areas of road issues that can contribute to car accidents. One is related to the road being properly maintained, to not pose risks for drivers with potholes or poorly paved spots in the road, etc. The other area lies in the legal requirement that the signs of the road are kept intact and visible to drivers, such as stop signs and traffic lights.
The government is usually responsible for putting up warning signage and addressing defects in the road, and a lawyer can help greatly in determining if you have a valid case and that the government is in fact at fault for the road issues that led to your injury. In some cases, if the road issues appear to have been caused by poor construction or engineering, the accident may be the fault of the contractor who built the road.
In any case, a lawyer can clearly communicate your claim to the party at fault and seek a settlement after establishing a strong case on your behalf with the evidence that is available. In addition, a lawyer will always be prepared to take your case to court if necessary and communicate to the jury the details of your situation and your right to full compensation for your damages.
Why Choose Us ?
Our experienced team of attorneys at Lawrence & Associates Accident and Injury Lawyers, LLC are a clear choice to handle your claim because we not only have a proven track record, but we always treat our clients with the full attention and respect that they deserve. Our goal with all of our client relationships is to get them the full amount of compensation they are entitled to. Our reputation for customer satisfaction has been built by our responsiveness to our clients and always putting their needs as our first priority.
We make use of modern technology to simplify the legal process and to accommodate you for whatever specific needs you may have. There are multiple ways to set up a consultation, and if you aren’t available to meet us in our office, you can talk to us via video conference, chat, phone, or email. We are dedicated to helping our clients get fair compensation for their injuries while ensuring that their experience with us is as easy and stress-free as possible.
Road Defect Claims in Cincinnati
Despite being a very important aspect of traffic safety, making sure that road conditions are maintained properly is a responsibility that is sometimes overlooked, or simply neglected by the government. There are various parts of the road that drivers rely on to be able to have a safe drive. This includes the condition of the road itself. If there are potholes, cracks in the road, or dramatic dips in the road at the edge of the pavement, this can jeopardize a driver’s safety. On a poorly paved road, it is not the driver’s responsibility to be constantly observant of road issues.
Rather, it is the government’s responsibility to ensure that drivers have a smooth, risk-free drive by making sure that roads are paved well. If an accident occurs on a poorly paved road and a driver is injured, the government will likely be held liable and the driver may have a valid claim against them. A victim of a car accident of this nature can strengthen their claim by proving that there wasn’t any form of warning for dangerous spots in the road or other risks related to improper maintenance.
Aside from the condition of the road itself, other road issues or defects may include missing or defective traffic signals, missing or defective guardrails, poor lighting, or poor drainage or standing water, among other things.
When determining the best way to proceed if you are involved in an accident that you believe resulted from the negligence of the government in maintaining the road, it is important to note a fact that is specific to these types of cases. Because most roads are maintained specific government agencies, there are rules that state the proper method and time to file a lawsuit if it becomes a viable option.
It is a good idea to consult an attorney following the accident to discuss your best course of action. As you work with your attorney to develop a credible claim, you should take into account the best ways to obtain quality evidence that will support your case. Talking to people who witnessed the accident is worthwhile as they can provide written or oral statements that will strengthen your case. Photographs also provide concrete evidence that is hard to deny in court. It can be very beneficial to your case to take pictures that show how the safety of the road was impacted by the issues or defects in question, as well as pictures of your car that show how it was damaged.
Before deciding to take legal action against a government agency responsible for the road on which the accident occurred, you should keep in mind the five things that you need to prove:
- You must prove that the agency in question is, in fact, responsible for the road where the accident occurred
- Second, you must prove that the road on which the accident occurred was in poor condition
- Third, you must prove that the poor road condition was a contributing factor to the accident
- Fourth, you must prove that the agency was aware of the risks or should have been aware of the risks for an accident posed by the poor road conditions.
- Lastly, you must prove that the agency failed to fix the issues in the road in a reasonable amount of time to prevent risks for drivers.
One more thing that is important to be aware of when filing a claim against a government agency is that the statute of limitations for these types of cases is different. For comparison, the statutory period for filing a claim against an individual range between 2 to 5 years, whereas the filing period for a government agency can be 6 months or less. By being mindful of this, you can ensure that you file your claim before the government deadline, after which it isn’t possible to recover compensation, regardless of the severity of your injuries or other circumstances.
To take legal action against the government, you must file a notice of claim to the government agency that is responsible for the road where the accident occurred. In this notice of claim, you must include the date, time, and location of the accident and thoroughly describe the damages that you incurred, as well as the road issues or defects that caused or were a contributing factor to the accident. The details and evidence that you provide in this notice of claim must in effect prove that the agency’s negligence was at fault for the accident that you were involved in.
After submitting this notice of claim to the agency, a government attorney will typically review it and either set up an administrative hearing where you can lay out your case in person, or reject it. If they reject it, you still have the option of filing an administrative appeal. If your appeal isn’t successful, however, your last recourse is to file a lawsuit against the government agency liable for your injuries.
Contact Us Today
If you or a loved one in the greater Cincinnati area have been injured as a result of road issues or defects, you may be eligible for compensation. Maintaining the condition of public roads and ensuring that the proper signs and traffic devices are installed and functioning well are both very important for traffic safety. When the government fails in this responsibility, they can and should be held accountable. Our team of attorneys at Lawrence & Associates Accident and Injury Lawyers, LLC will assist you every step of the way in obtaining the compensation that you deserve. Call us at (513) 351-5997 to speak with one of our attorneys and determine the best course of action for your case.
