Defective Street Cases

Defective Highway Collisions

There are situations where a defect in a highway or on a street can cause an accident. Illinois municipalities are responsible for providing proper signage and maintaining traffic control devices such as traffic lights.

If a traffic light is not working properly and it causes a collision, the town in which the accident occurred could be held responsible. If an accident happens on a roadway that the state is responsible for, the state could be held responsible.

A government entity also had a duty to warn motorists of any danger that may be present during in a construction zone.

Roadways must be designed to certain specifications and standards. These standards must be maintained and updated regularly. Only an expert experienced in highway defect cases will know what standards apply.

In order to recover damages from a government entity you must know the following:

1. The defect in the device in or roadway which caused the damage and that defect belong to the entity.

2. The roadway was defective which caused an unreasonable risk of harm or injury and the entity new of the defect and did not repair in a reasonable amount of time;

3 . The defect or unsafe condition was the cause of the victim's injuries.

The attorneys at Donald W. Fohrman & Associates, Ltd., are knowledgeable and experienced in handling cases resulting from bad road conditions. They have expertise to investigate an accident site and determine if a poorly maintained road was the cause of your accident.

There are no laws that require government entities must maintain roadways in perfect condition. Not every roadway imperfection will lead to a claim from a defect. Each situation must be evaluated separately. Hiring an experienced lawyer is extremely important in order to recover damages for a defective highway claim.

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