How an Expert Witness Explains Why Road Construction Causes Road Incidents

However, even lightly populated locations may experience injuries through road construction zones during dark or nighttime hours. When someone is harmed in this manner and seeks compensation, an expert witness is often needed so he or she is able to explain how this affects the victim, how compensatory payouts are necessary for recovery and how the person affected was not careless or driving recklessly.

Zones of slower speeds, narrower drives, blockaded lanes and where concrete walls are erected often cause road incidents due to the amount of drivers that travel through these areas. When these issues are in bigger cities, the incident rate increases greatly based on the time of day, weather conditions and any external factors. The use of an expert in road construction and the related subjects understands how someone who drives without incident may be

involved in an accident in these zones. With his or her experience, he or she is able to explain the matter and, in certain instances, reconstruct the concern so that the driver injured is cleared of liability.

Additional Factors

While the eroded roads, traffic cones and unequal leveled areas are difficult to navigate in the best of circumstances, there are other factors that may cause an elevated risk of injury to drivers. Weather may cause certain locations to become slick so that breaking on this part of the road could lead to an incident. High winds may push cars from one side to another so that it is possible to hit another vehicle or obstacle which damages the car. If signs are not provided to warn vehicle operators of impending issues, severe injuries may be incurred. Construction workers walking near the division lines may also cause drivers to swerve out of the way to ensure the person is not harmed which then might see the automobile triggering an incident with others on the road.

The weather does not have to be cloudy and raining for it to adversely affect traffic. If the temperature is warm, and it looks nice outside with plenty of sun, this usually means there are more drivers in traffic and on the roads. Add in additional road construction projects on going during these times, and the perfect conditions exist for an accident waiting to happen. These negative situations exist for anyone on the road from a person behind the wheel of a car, a trucker and someone on a motorcycle. Flashing lights, construction cones and warning signs may all combine to lead to disasters between drivers or with the construction zones where injuries may occur.

Fatalities from Road Construction

When the dangers of road construction are ignored or not fully realized, fatalities transpire from fatal injuries or through direct impact with various obstacles. Since 2012, more than 600 deaths have occurred to zones where construction workers are altering the roads. While statistics support a decline in these numbers, there are still too many dying through these areas, and injuries are still frequent enough that additional safety is needed. Litigation arises often due to these accidents, and it is important to understand who is liable for compensation payouts. Contacting a lawyer may only be the first step. An expert witness is necessary in many situations to explain these details.

Fault and the Expert Witness

It has been proven that most accidents involving road construction are the fault of those driving a vehicle through these zones without paying enough attention to surrounding activity that they do not notice the work zones even if there are multiple warning signs. However, it is possible that some road construction crews are not careful and are the cause of these incidents. The fault could also be another company or agency that assisted with the repairs or maintenance. Some of these issues could be through negligence, accidents or defects such as inferior materials. The lawyer hired for these cases reveals who is responsible and then progresses with the case.

After fault has been established, the necessary details of the incident should be explained to a judge or jury panel. The situation may be reconstructed with a timeline of the injuries and accident, but a full detailed report is provided so that all the pertinent facts support the concluding opinion on what should be the outcome of the claim.

Provided by HG.org

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Disclaimer: While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication, it is not intended to provide legal advice as individual situations will differ and should be discussed with an expert and/or lawyer.