Highway Accident Lawyer in Houston, TX
Highway Accident Lawyer in Houston, TX 
Motor vehicle accidents have seemingly infinite causes. Most of the time, the specific cause of a crash can be attributed to driver error or negligence. But what about an accident that occurs despite no apparent mistakes on the part of a driver? What if the road itself is somehow not as it should be?
Texas has more miles of road than any other state, so the problem is more apparent here than anywhere else. The fact of the matter is that road design and preventable road conditions can cause car accidents. And when these accidents occur – typically on highways, where speeds are greater – local or state government can sometimes be held liable. Whether you’re sure that some defect in the road contributed to your accident or you only suspect that it might have, it’s important to speak with an experienced highway accident lawyer in Houston, TX as soon as you can. Once the experienced team at John K. Zaid & Associates is alerted to your situation, we can begin gathering evidence and uncovering the truth. As a result, your consultation with an auto accident lawyer Houston, TX residents trust can help you to set legal action in motion that can lead to accountability for those who caused you harm and a compensation award to reimburse you for medical expenses, lost wages, etc. resulting from that harm.
Roadway Defects and Known Hazards
Potholes, loose gravel, overgrown vegetation on the shoulder and poor drainage are just some of the many hazards that governments need to recognize and address. At best, these are nuisance problems that make driving uncomfortable or may even cause some property damage. At worst, they can be highly injurious or fatal.
Obviously, road crews cannot recognize and correct every problem immediately after it arises. But when hazards are well-known and have not been addressed (or at least warned about) in a reasonable amount of time, it is sometimes possible to sue the government for any resulting injuries or deaths. Interestingly, these cases are often brought as premises liability claims.
One major example of this is structures in disrepair. If a routine inspection reveals that a bridge is dangerously close to collapse, yet the government fails to shut it down and fix it, many lives could be lost and the government could be liable for tens of millions of dollars in damages.
In defects and known hazards cases, it is important to show that the government was aware of the problem (from a history of previous complaints and accident statistics), yet failed to rectify the problem despite ample time in which to do so.
Poor Road Design
A subset of these premises liability lawsuits would be litigation alleging that problems in the design of a road are responsible for injurious and fatal accidents. This could be a curve that is too sharp for cars traveling at highway speeds. This could be off-ramps and on-ramps that are too short. This could be low bridges that fail to post height warnings or list the wrong height limits.
These cases are more likely to be actionable if the government has received warnings about the design flaws in the past and there are statistics showing that accidents are at least somewhat frequent in these places.
Contact Us To Discuss Your Options
Suing the government is tricky, and lawsuits alleging accidents caused by preventable road problems are even trickier. But they can be undertaken with the help of the right attorney. If you’ve been seriously injured in such an accident, call a highway accident lawyer in Houston, TX today arrange a free initial consultation. We look forward to speaking with you.
