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When we think of car accidents caused by negligence, we usually think of another driver whose careless or reckless conduct led to the crash. Sometimes, however, a car wreck and the injuries that follow aren’t the fault of those we share the road with. Sometimes, the cause of an accident is the road itself.

There are 6,920 miles of paved road in Hillsborough County – 2,800 miles in Tampa alone - and another 4,521 miles in Pinellas County. This is in addition to the interstate and state highways that traverse the area. That is a lot of roads, ramps, and bridges to keep in safe condition. Any design or maintenance flaw on any of those miles, any missing or inadequate signage or lighting could contribute to a major accident. 

Improperly designed or poorly maintained roads and highways can be just as dangerous as a negligent driver, and the consequences just as catastrophic. When those responsible for designing, building, and maintaining a road do so negligently or carelessly, drivers and passengers who suffer injuries as a result may have a claim for compensation.

Depending on the road, it may be a city, county, the state of Florida, or the federal government that bears primary responsibility for the conditions on that road. No government, no matter how competent and vigilant it is, can make every inch of asphalt perfectly safe, but they certainly must keep roads from being or becoming unreasonably dangerous in a way that it could have and should have foreseen.

Road Issues That Can Lead to Accidents

Any number of problems with road conditions can contribute to a car accident no matter how careful and attentive a driver may be. These include:

• Lack of traffic signals
• Lack of guardrails
• Missing or insufficient warning signs
• Inadequate shoulders
• Overhanging trees and vegetation
• Dangerously sharp curves
• Faded lane markings
• Lack of reflective markers
• Unsafe pedestrian crossings
• Poorly designed merging lanes
• Unrepaired potholes or other road damage

Personal injury claims arising out of dangerous and unsafe road conditions, rather than the actions of another driver, can be much more involved and complex. Proving that a negligent driver’s texting caused an accident is one thing. Demonstrating to a jury that the responsible entity should have built the grade of a highway at a different, safer angle or that it should have known about a defect in a specific patch of road is quite another.

The challenges of proving that the government was responsible for your injuries in a car accident is one of many reasons that an experienced Tampa car accident attorney is essential if you want to obtain compensation for your injuries. Unique rules and extremely short filing deadlines apply to personal injury claims and lawsuits against the government entities. If you don’t act quickly or know what you’re doing, you could lose any right to obtain compensation for your losses.

Alley, Clark & Greiwe: Tampa Car Accident Lawyers

If you were hurt in a car accident caused by unsafe road conditions, please reach out to the Tampa car accident lawyers at Alley, Clark & Greiwe. We have a long track record of success obtaining compensation for Florida car accident victims and will be by your side every step of the way.

Please call one of our Tampa car wreck attorneys today at 813-222-0977 or contact us online to arrange for your free initial consultation and case evaluation. We look forward to helping you.