Chicago, Illinois Road Defect Accident Attorneys
Representing the Victims of Illinois Accidents Caused by Road Defects
Road defects can lead to serious injuries or even deaths on Illinois highways and roadways. When a road defect is responsible for causing or exacerbating a motor vehicle accident, you may be entitled to financial recovery in a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit. Unfortunately, it is sometimes difficult to determine whether a road defect was a factor in the auto accident.
The Chicago auto accident attorneys at Ankin Law are experienced auto accident and personal injury attorneys that can assess the specific facts of your auto accident to determine whether someone should be held accountable for an accident caused by a roadway defect. Contact our office at (800) 442-6546 to schedule a free consultation with one of our knowledgeable Illinois road defect attorneys to learn more about road defect liability.
Types of Road Defects
The lack of guard rails is a common type of road defect. Guardrails are essential to protecting motorists, particularly on bridges and any roads that run along ravines or buildings. Without guardrails, a relatively minor driving error or auto accident can lead to a devastating auto accident with catastrophic injuries and even death. Unfortunately, many roadways and highways lack adequate guardrails and other basic protection for drivers and their passengers.
Other common road defects include:
- Poor water drainage systems
- Improper gradation of curve
- Lack of adequate road shoulder
- Improperly or inadequately marked road construction
- Large potholes
- Vegetation, such as trees, weeds or grass, blocking traffic signs and signals
- Lack of warning signs before curves, dips in the road or speed bumps
Liability for Accidents Caused by Road Defects
Roadways must be designed, constructed, and maintained according to various specifications and standards. The failure to do so can result in liability for any accidents, injuries, and deaths that have occurred as a result.
Determining liability for accidents caused by road defects, however, requires a careful evaluation and investigation. Our experienced Chicago road defect accident attorneys will work with engineers, safety investigators, and accident investigators to thoroughly examine the facts surrounding the accident to determine liability for the accident and whether it was due to road defects.
In some cases, road defects can exacerbate a motor vehicle accident, even if the road defect wasn’t the initial cause of the accident. For example, the lack of a guardrail on the roadway could cause a car to flip over or roll down a hill after an accident. In other cases, a municipality may be liable if there is a documented history of accidents along a specific roadway for failing to take appropriate steps to reduce the number of accidents.
The knowledgeable Illinois road defect attorneys at Ankin Law can assess the specific facts of an auto accident to determine whether a road defect was a contributing factor to the accident. Contact one of our experienced auto accident attorneys at (800) 442-6546 to schedule a free consultation to discuss whether a road defect may have been the cause or a contributing factor of the accident.