During a normal course of driving, you may encounter a hazard on the Maryland road. You may be frustrated if this road hazard led you to become involved in a car accident, especially if you were making a conscious effort to drive safely and the collision was beyond your control. Continue reading to learn the types of road hazards and how one of the experienced Howard County car accident attorneys at Lloyd J. Eisenberg & Associates can help in your pursuit of legal action.
What types of road hazards are seen in the state of Maryland?
Whenever there is a hazard on the road, a driver’s instinct may be to either drastically hit the brakes or swerve out of the way. It may even lead to a tire blowout that similarly causes a driver to lose control of their vehicle. Either way, a car accident is likely to occur. Below are different types of road hazards that are seen in the state of Maryland:
- Animals that randomly jump out into a busy road.
- Pedestrians that cross a busy road without using a crosswalk or waiting for a signal.
- Faulty traffic lights that malfunction at a busy intersection.
- Overgrown vegetation that blocks traffic signs at a busy intersection.
- Wide, deep potholes on a busy road.
- Uneven road surfaces that collect standing water.
- Uneven expansion joints on a bridge.
- Stormwater runoff on a road after a heavy rainstorm.
- Snow and ice on a road after a heavy snowstorm.
- Loose debris from a neighboring construction zone.
Who should I file my personal injury claim against?
Usually, when a road hazard is the catalyst of a car accident, it cannot be blamed on any of the involved drivers. This is unless the hazard in question was inclement weather (i.e., rain, snow, or fog), and the driver in question was recklessly speeding or driving without their headlights on.
But other times, a construction company may be behind the existence of a road hazard. This may be true if construction workers pave uneven roads that collect standing water, leave their equipment outside the barricades of their construction zone, etc. This is when you may be able to file a personal injury claim for your injuries and damages.
In addition, a government agency may be at fault for a road hazard. This is in cases where a pothole does not get promptly patched up, a road does not get salted and plowed promptly after a snowstorm, etc. This would require you to submit a Notice of Claim before your personal injury claim.
You must remember that there is a countdown for when are eligible to bring forward your personal injury claim. So you should not wait too long before contacting one of the skilled Howard County auto accident attorneys from Lloyd J. Eisenberg & Associates.
