Highways, freeways and roadways are designed to allow us to move from place to place as easily and quickly as possible. However, all roads require maintenance at one time or another – and highway construction work zones can be very dangerous places.
According to the US Department of Transportation (DOT), there were 87,606 crashes in work zones in 2010 which resulted in 576 fatalities – and those percentages are increasing. Between 2002 and 2010, work zone fatalities increased by an astronomical 51%.
These figures not only show the sheer magnitude of highway construction accidents in the United States and how those numbers are increasing, but also equate to billions of dollars in medical bills, lost wages and other expenses – many of which could have been avoided.
If you’ve been injured in a highway construction accident, just call Geoff today at (804) 888-8888. Let us show you why Geoff McDonald & Associates is the firm for you.
We accept clients from across Virginia, including these areas: Eastern Shore, Hampton Roads, Chesapeake Bay, Northern Virginia, Central Virginia, Southern Virginia, Shenandoah Valley, Blue Ridge Highlands and the Heart of Appalachia.
Our personal injury lawyers are available to help 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and we have the No Fee Guarantee®, meaning that you don’t pay us a legal fee unless we win or settle your case.
Common Causes Of Highway Construction Zone Accidents
Some of the most common highway construction accident causes include:
- Inadequately Maintained Highways. Inadequate road maintenance such as potholes, highway barriers, pavement drop offs, inadequate or improper lighting, obstructed roadways, metal plates used to cover open trenches in the road and debris left on the road increases the hazards of driving on highways – especially at high speeds.
- Failure To Adequately Post Construction Signs. Although construction is necessary to build and repair the roads we drive on, the failure to adequately post construction signs puts drivers at a major disadvantage as they may not get the proper warning they need to reduce speed, merge or be extra cautious – until it’s too late.
- Difficulty Navigating Intersections in Construction Zones. Navigating busy intersections – especially in urban areas – can be dangerous as cars, trucks, motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians are all trying to safely pass and cross the intersections. Add construction to the mix and those dangers increase significantly.
In fact, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), nearly half of all urban crashes occur at intersections. Based on a nationally representative sample of crashes, an estimated 1.2 million urban crashes occurred at intersections or were deemed intersection-related in 2010. Of these crashes, 53% occurred at traffic signals and an additional 20% occurred at stop signs.
Who’s Liable For Highway Construction Accidents?
Liability in a highway construction accident depends on the facts and circumstances of the accident and may include weather, traffic conditions, construction, speed limits and many other factors. When the proximate cause of an accident involves construction, a construction company, the city, county, state or federal government can, and should, be held liable.
Local governments must build and maintain the roads under their jurisdiction, while federal officials must provide funding and oversight for highways and other national roads. Part of the taxes we pay to the government are supposed to be used to repair hazardous roads, yet many roads go unmaintained for long periods of time – creating additional hazards with deteriorating states of disrepair.
Determining liability in a highway construction accident can be challenging, as many factors – and relationships – are involved. Highway construction companies may have specific contracts with state and federal governments that need to be analyzed to determine how responsibility for accidents will be handled through insurance companies. Victims of highway construction accidents should seek the counsel of an experienced personal injury attorney; Geoff McDonald & Associates is that firm.
Why Geoff McDonald & Associates Is The Law Firm For You
If you’ve been injured in a highway construction accident, call the experienced and aggressive Virginia personal injury attorneys at Geoff McDonald & Associates to evaluate your situation so that we can determine whether you might be entitled to compensation in the form of medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering and more. Don’t try and fight the government or a construction company alone.
