Sometimes, accidents are not caused by the fault of a motor vehicle driver. You may be wondering if you read that correctly, but it is true – several accidents happen across Washington State every year due to dangerous highways.
Even the best and most experienced drivers may not be able to avoid a car accident once they encounter a dangerous, defective, or poorly designed or maintained highway with no warnings.
In late June, there were a few very serious accidents that occurred on highways in the state of Washington.
Highways are one of the most dangerous roads for vehicles to travel in Washington for a variety of reasons, such as:
Unlike local roads, highways do not typically have stop signs or stop lights. As a result, drivers have the ability to drive faster, pass and change lanes more frequently, and share the roads with more people. While this may seem like a good thing, these small differences between local roads and highways can lead to severe and deadly accidents.
Besides the typical highway features mentioned above, there are a variety of other inconveniences that may arise when you are driving on a road or highway. Sometimes, the road is designed poorly, or it is poorly maintained. Some of the more dangerous Kennewick roads are ones with:
As you can see, a highway can become dangerous in many ways. If a highway is properly designed, it must be properly maintained and kept up going forward. If it is neglected, it will quickly become dangerous for drivers.
According to King 5 News, the Washington State Patrol named these six roadways as the most dangerous in Washington State
Many people assume that the driver of the vehicle is always liable for a car accident, but the truth is that there can be other parties who are responsible for a highway car accident. A Kennewick car accident attorney from Telaré Law will investigate and determine who should be held accountable for your accident. A few of the possible parties that we may consider are:
If your car accident lawyer can prove that the responsible party knew about the unsafe highway conditions or design, there is a good chance that you will have a viable legal claim against the party.
Every legal case is unique and different, but in general, the compensation you can seek in a car crash is directly related to the injuries and losses you sustain. Think about it: if your parked car gets clipped by a driver doing the speed limit in a parking lot, and you suffer no injury at all, then the costs are likely limited to repairs and rentals, right? But if a drunk driver who comes flying onto the highway from an on-ramp ends up smashing into you, pushing your car across multiple lanes or into a rock wall, the chances are good that you will suffer horrific injuries that will cause you pain for the rest of your life. You may not be able to work. You may need to hire professional cleaning services or daycare services because you can’t take care of your home or watch your children. If you do recover, your car might not: it’s expensive to fix or replace a car.
All these costs add up. So our lawyers work with accountants, doctors, mechanics, and other professionals to determine a fair and accurate amount of money that is needed to help you get back on your feet and financially secure after the accident. Some of the losses that our clients usually claim include:
It can be a challenge to successfully prove that your car accident was caused by the government, a maintenance company, highway designer, construction company, or other negligent parties that failed to keep you safe and harm-free while driving on the highway. However, if you hire our experienced and knowledgeable Kennewick car accident attorneys, you will have peace of mind knowing that you are in good legal hands and that your rights will remain protected. Call Telaré Law or submit our contact form today to schedule a free consultation. We maintain an additional office in Richland for your convenience.