Drivers rely on road markings, signage, light signals and general road conditions to operate motor vehicles safely. Poor road conditions can result in personal injury to motorists and their passengers and may include defective road design; inadequate signage, lighting or markings; hazardous constructions zones; poor maintenance, discarded equipment and more. State and federal authorities, cities and counties, construction companies, contractors or other entities may be responsible for the hazards that lead to an accident. If you or a family member is injured in a motor vehicle accident due to poor roadway conditions, design flaws, inadequate signage or other road and highway hazards, seeking experienced legal representation may be appropriate.
Poor road conditions are at the center of a lawsuit filed in Polk County District Court last week. The cities of Waukee and West Des Moines as well as several contractors are being sued by the family of one of the police officers killed in a wrong way driver DUI accident two years ago. The suit alleges that the cities and contractors were negligent in constructing and maintaining the interchange where an intoxicated driver entered the interstate traveling in the wrong direction, which led up to the fatal car crash.
The defendants were “negligent and/or grossly negligent “in opening the interchange before basic safety features were finished and before construction was complete, the suit alleges. Defendants failed to maintain adequate signage, lighting and road markings and “failed to comply with the ‘interchange project’s contract and design requirements and with generally recognized engineering or safety standards, criteria, or design theories in existence at the time”.
The lawsuit seeks damages including medical expenses, bodily injury, pain and suffering, lost earnings, loss of consortium, interest, costs and other relief. Earlier this year, the officer’s family and the families of the other victims settled a wrongful death lawsuit with the bar where the drunk driver spent several hours before the fatal accident.
Contact an Iowa Defective Highway Design Attorney for Help
Many times, driver negligence is to blame for car accidents, but it is not the only cause. Defective roadway design, such as roads and highways that are in poor repair, poor maintenance or of improper design and adequate signage, can contribute to and/or cause a driver to lose control of the vehicle or otherwise increase the risk of a crash. If you or a family member has been injured in a motor vehicle accident due to negligence, contact an experienced defective roadway personal injury attorney Marc A. Humphrey for assistance at 515-331-3510.
