Road Defects in Seattle, WA

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From potholes to poor drainage, road defects in Seattle, WA, are unfortunately common. Some defects are mere annoyances, but others pose a substantial safety risk. If you’ve been in a car accident caused by a road defect in Seattle, WA, the legal professionals at Davis Law Group Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers can help.

Our Seattle road defect accident lawyers understand the hazards of our city’s roads and the entities responsible for them. If you’ve been hurt in an accident, call us at (206) 727 4000 to schedule your free consultation today.

How Davis Law Group Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Road Defect Crash in Seattle, WA

Car accidents are stressful experiences no matter the cause. But when a road defect is the culprit, it can be especially frustrating. It might also not be clear who exactly is responsible for the crash and how to get compensation.

Davis Law Group can help you every step of the way. Our award-winning attorneys understand Washington State law and will use our decades of combined experience to your advantage. We’ve also won tens of millions of dollars for our clients since our founding.

We can help by:

• Investigating the crash
• Gathering evidence
• Adding up your damages
• Hiring experts as needed
• Negotiating on your behalf
• Filing a lawsuit if necessary

If you are looking for a Seattle car accident attorney, give us a call today to set up your free consultation.

Common Road Defects That Contribute To Car Accidents in Seattle, Washington

Many kinds of road defects can cause serious accidents. These are some of the most common:

Potholes

Potholes are everywhere in Seattle, and there’s no avoiding them. Seattle even has an online pothole map showing the locations of known potholes and whether they have been filled.

Most people don’t think of potholes as being extremely dangerous. However, if you hit one at a high speed, you could lose control of your vehicle and get into a serious accident.

Overgrown Vegetation

Overgrown vegetation may not be a defect in the road itself, but it’s a very real safety hazard. For example, if an overgrown tree is covering a stop sign, it may increase the possibility of a car accident — especially if the intersection is already dangerous.

Poor Drainage

Seattle is famous for rain, which makes proper roadway drainage that much more important. Standing water on the road can cause a vehicle to hydroplane or stall. In severe cases, it can even lead to washouts.

Broken Guardrails

Guardrails are in place to reduce the risk of cars driving off the road. A damaged guardrail can put drivers at risk.

For example, imagine you’re driving around a sharp curve at night in the rain. Your car starts to lose traction and slide off the road. There is a guardrail, but it was flattened in an accident months ago and hasn’t been repaired. In this scenario, your car could easily come off the road and fall down an embankment.

Traffic Light Malfunctions

Drivers generally don’t second-guess traffic lights. That’s a good thing — unless the traffic light malfunctions. If a traffic light’s timing is off or it stops working entirely, it may cause a crash.

Faded or Missing Lane Markings

Without lane markings, safely navigating the road would be extremely difficult or even impossible. Lane markings tend to fade over time, and if they aren’t repainted, drivers can’t see where one lane ends and another begins. That increases the risk of drivers drifting into other lanes and causing accidents.

Road Debris

Occasional debris in the road is to be expected, but excessive debris can cause problems. For example, if a windstorm scatters tree branches on the highway, drivers may not have time to stop before hitting the branches. If a driver decides to swerve to avoid the debris, they may hit another car.

Who Is Responsible for Road Defect Car Accidents?

In most car accident cases, identifying the responsible party is relatively straightforward. But what if a road defect — and not another driver — caused your accident?

Generally, the organization responsible for maintenance will be named in any lawsuit over road defects. In Seattle, that means road defect lawsuits are usually filed against the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT).

Government organizations typically want to avoid the publicity that comes with a personal injury trial. This means that your attorney is in a good position to negotiate a settlement with SDOT if poor road maintenance or design led to your accident. 

However, note that claims against the government in Washington State generally have a short time limit at just 180 days from the accident. Contact our attorneys as soon as you can so that we can file your claim on time.

Contact Our Seattle Road Defect Accident Attorneys for a Free Consultation

Maintaining safe roads is one of the government’s most important duties — and sometimes, it falls short. If a government agency’s failure to maintain the roads leads to a major accident, it should be held accountable.

You may feel hesitant to go up against the government. Fortunately, Davis Law Group Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers will be at your side to support you. If you’ve been hurt in a crash, don’t wait — get in touch with our Seattle road defect accident attorneys today for your free consultation.