Dangerous Road Defects that Are a Threat to You

Drivers who travel on the Detroit highway system depend on the fact that roads are maintained to ensure their safety. However, Detroit roads can be defective in numerous ways, and, as in other large cities, highway defects remain a problem throughout the city and its surrounding areas.

Repair of highway defects is the responsibility of the local municipality, but often these entities fail to perform their jobs adequately or at all. This neglect can lead to innocent drivers like you being hurt in car accidents.

The Detroit highway defects attorneys of Ravid & Associates, P.C., fight for the victims of municipal negligence, and can advocate on your behalf for the financial compensation you need to recover. You should not be held accountable for financial losses that result from an accident caused by the negligence of another party. Pursuing a personal injury claim against those responsible may result in you receiving restitution.

Why do I need a lawyer for my highway defects case?

In a personal injury case, which a highway defects case is, a lawyer can often make the difference between winning compensation and walking away empty-handed, unable to cover the expenses from your accident.

An expert highway defects attorney has a comprehensive knowledge of personal injury law related to highway defects. They also know how to find and assign responsibility to municipal entities when you’re in an accident that was caused by a highway defect.

After gathering all the necessary information, the highway lawyer will put together the facts related to your accident to build a strong case to help you win the compensation that you need to pay off medical bills and support your family financially through this challenging time.

While no lawyer can guarantee compensation, they can help you understand your legal options and have the know-how to effectively communicate with the parties involved and potentially obtain a settlement.

During the settlement process, they will provide aggressive representation in your interests, regardless of whether the other party is an insurance company, government agency, or another responsible entity.

By working with an experienced highway defects lawyer, you have the best possible chance to get the compensation you deserve. Additionally, the agencies that are responsible for taking care of Detroit’s roads are held accountable for poor upkeep that causes accidents.

How can Ravid & Associates, P.C. help me?

Ravid & Associates, P.C. is one of the Detroit’s, as well as Michigan’s, leading personal injury firms. We operate on a contingency fee basis. When you hire us to handle your highway defects personal injury case, you will not pay us anything unless we are able to successfully recover compensation for you and your family.

Because we are a personal injury firm, our clients are our priority. That includes you. We will vigilantly represent you throughout the settlement process or in court, if the case goes to trial.

We have dedicated our careers to obtaining settlements for our clients, and the results to prove it. With many six, seven and even some eight-figure settlements for our clients, we have the extensive knowledge and experience necessary to go through the settlement process or to trial to ensure sure you get the best settlement possible.

Beyond this, we promise to give personal attention and care to each and every client and case we take on. With positive marks from our past clients and a strong record of client service, you can trust Ravid & Associates, P.C. with your highway defects case.

Common and Dangerous Road Defects

Highway defects in Detroit can manifest themselves in a number of forms, all of which can quickly compromise a driver’s control of his or her vehicle. For example, several common and dangerous highway defects include:

• Potholes / uneven pavement: Frigid winters, hot summers, and salted roads for snow removal cause potholes and uneven pavement. These can cause significant problems for motorists. Accidents can happen when drivers swerve to miss potholes, or they strike the potholes themselves. Uneven pavement can cause unintentional swerving or rollovers.
• Guardrail damage: Road signs should be in place to notify motorists of guardrail damage (if they’re not, that’s a liability for the municipality). Broken guardrails can lead to serious injuries or fatalities if a car leaves the road for any reason and drops down any distance.
• Shoulder drop-off – Shoulder drop-offs, especially when they are unmarked, present a hazard if a driver has to suddenly pull over to the shoulder for any reason. Unmarked shoulder drop-offs also pose a significant rollover or crash risk for tractor-trailer truck drivers.
• Overgrown brush / blocked view – Failing to maintain the vegetation along the roadway can create road hazards as well. Critical warning signs and other directional signs may be blocked from easy view from the road, which increases risk for drivers. Additionally, if highway equipment is obscuring road signs or is blocking part of the road, drivers are put at greater risk of having an accident.
• Missing or incorrect signs – Missing, unclear, or incorrect signage can also pose an issue for drivers. These can present neglect to point out road hazards or they can cause confusion for drivers, which makes accidents more likely.

These are all common highway defects in the Detroit area, and each of them has the potential to cause a severe car accident. Even if the cause of your own accident isn’t in this list, but it was due to a highway defect, you should still consider speaking with a Detroit attorney about your legal options to obtain compensation

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How long will my case take to settle after it’s filed?

   It’s difficult to give a precise amount of time for settlement of a case once it’s been filed. We go through a very extensive investigation process. We hire experts to recreate the accident in detail, while we ensure you undergo a thorough medical evaluation.

   Because government agencies are often involved in highway defects cases, there may be extra steps, which take extra time, involved in the claims process, although this depends on the case.

   You should file a claim as soon as possible after your car accident. The statute of limitations in Michigan for highway defects claims is three years from the accident date.

2. What kinds of fees are there for a highway defects case?

   Ravid & Associates, P.C. charges fees on a contingency basis, which means that there is no fee unless we win your case. Should we win compensation, the fee is something that will be worked out between you and the firm. When you contact Ravid & Associates, P.C. about your case, we can provide you with more details.

3. Is an attorney really necessary for a highway defects case?

   While you can file a claim without the help of an attorney, the process itself is very complex. Additionally, when you’re faced with having to deal with multiple parties, which most highway defects cases involved, filing a claim by yourself can become overwhelming.

   In addition to understanding the procedural requirements of a case, a qualified highway defects attorney also understands the nuances of the law, and therefore knows how to arrange the evidence in such a way that increases your chances of winning compensation.

   Finally, attorneys can attend all the necessary legal meetings and do most of the legwork for a case, enabling you to focus on recovering from the accident.

Contact a Highway Defects Attorney in Detroit Today

Highway defects as a result of poor highway maintenance can not only be a nuisance, but can also cause accidents that result in serious injury or worse.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a highway defect-related accident in the Detroit area, you should speak with a qualified personal injury attorney so that you can know the legal options available to you and how they can help with your case.

Since the statute of limitations in Michigan for highway defect accidents, like most types of personal injury cases, is three years from the date of the accident, you should contact an attorney as quickly as you can following your accident.

If a highway defect has led to your accident and injury in Detroit, then you may be entitled to financial compensation. The Detroit highway defects attorneys of Ravid & Associates, P.C., can help you determine the best action to take in this case. Speak with a member of our legal team today by calling (248) 948-9696 to learn more.