Road Design Defects

When we drive on a street or highway, we expect that they will be safely designed and maintained. This is the responsibility of the state and local governmental authorities. Under state law these governmental units can be sued for dangerous road design or poor maintenance which results in accidents. By imposing that liability the state has found that governments make a greater effort to keep the roads safe. If you have been injured in an accident due to defective road designs or improper maintenance, you are urged to contact a product liability lawyer.

Examples of Defects

Road design defects can include:

• Improper Grading of Curves: Roads should be graded with a slope to keep traffic on the road. A flat curve will lead cars to fly off.
• Inadequate shoulders: Where there is little or no shoulder, a car pushed off the road by traffic has no place to go but into a ditch.
• Invisible Road Signs: Sometimes signs are not placed in the correct positions or are covered up by trees or shrubs.
• Lack of stoplights: Some intersections have too much traffic. They require stoplights to prevent accidents.
• Unmarked road dips: A car hitting a dip at too great a speed can shake up the occupants and cause the car to skid out of control.
• Lack of Water Drainage: Without water drainage, water will go across the road and cause skids.

At Shoop Law we serve clients who have been victims of road design defects and poor maintenance. When a client comes to us, we investigate the situation and consult road design experts for an opinion as to what the government entity should have done to prevent the accident. We bring action to obtain full damages for our clients for their medical expenses, property damage, loss of income and pain and suffering.