Safe driving conditions are sometimes difficult to come by in West Virginia. With increased traffic and constant construction, there is always a risk for highway accidents. These wrecks may sometimes involve a single car when that driver is faced with inadequate warning signs, a badly constructed road or bridge or some other problem related to the highway.
West Virginia's roads — whether they are highly traveled highways in urban areas, rural roads, or steep mountain roads such as the southern coalfield highways — can be treacherous to navigate even when they are properly maintained. The state, roadwork contractors, and private citizens all have roles to play and legal responsibilities in keeping our roadways reasonably safe.
If the West Virginia Department of Highways, a road contractor, a commercial trucker or a landowners fails in its duty and an accident is caused on a hazardous roadway our Charleston car accident lawyer will work to make sure they meet their responsibility to you.
At Akers Law Offices, West Virginia accident attorney JB Akers helps people after car accidents, truck accidents and motorcycle accidents on West Virginia highways known to be particularly dangerous. If you or a loved one has been injured because of unreasonably dangerous conditions on a roadway, please contact Akers Law Offices and schedule a free consultation with a Charleston car accident lawyer today.
Dissecting Unusually Dangerous Highway Conditions
Dangerous road conditions are all too common in West Virginia. Roadways widely known to be unusually dangerous include major arteries along 'Corridor G' surrounding downtown Charleston, highways 10, 33, 34, 35, 51, 52, 60 and 119, and Interstates 64, 77 and 79.
Many motor vehicle accidents occur as a result of conditions that are known to be dangerous, such as:
- Failure of the West Virginia Department of Highways to correct dangerous conditions after being put on notice of the defect
- Poor maintenance of highways, such as failure to correct potholes or bumps, failure to replace missing manhole covers, and delayed restriping
- Insufficient salting or sanding in winter
- Debris on the road from trucks or poor shoulder maintenance
- Inadequate signage for roadway construction
- Lack of proper hedge or tree maintenance by property owners, creating line-of-sight obstructions or covered traffic signs
- Roadways made slippery by mud from mining site trucks, or winter use of water to clean mud from roadways, creating slick and icy conditions
Car accident lawyer JB Akers has a great deal of knowledge about accident reconstruction. Our firm often works with technical experts such as highway designers and engineers who employ computer simulation to demonstrate exactly how a dangerous highway condition caused our clients' accidents. These accidents often result from the negligence of a private contractor hired to work on a public roadway.
Mr. Akers also has extensive experience with insurance companies and knows how to deal with them. We will investigate the available insurance carried by all parties responsible for the accident, including seeking coverage for motorcycle accidents, which are not covered by PIP insurance in West Virginia.
If you have been involved in an accident that took place on a dangerous highway, contact our offices today for a free consultation with car accident lawyer. We can meet with you at our office, your home, the hospital or a place most convenient to you. We also represent surviving family members after a highway fatality.
Evening and weekend appointments are available at our offices or at a location convenient to you.
