A report from AAA says that debris in the road is responsible for some 25,000 vehicle accidents every year. Some of those accidents are serious. Drivers can lose control of the car, resulting in injuries to those in the vehicle. They may run into other vehicles while trying to dodge something on the highway or losing control after hitting debris. An accident attorney in Waldorf may be required if an insurance company disputes the claim for any reason.
Items in the Road
Often, it’s difficult or even impossible to find out exactly where any debris in the road came from. The AAA noted that mattresses and ladders are the most common things that fall off vehicles and cause accidents. Unless the driver stops or witnesses can identify the license plate, learning who caused this problem may not be possible.
Claim Denial
The injured person’s automotive insurance generally should pay for medical bills and other expenses associated with this type of accident. However, an insurer might deny the claim or offer a low settlement if the adjusters believe the policyholder could have prevented the incident. An organization like The Jaklitsch Law Group may be able to help.
They may have an investigator reconstruct the scene and also talk with witnesses, and the conclusion may be that the driver wasn’t paying enough attention to the road. They might state the driver reacted in an unsafe manner, such as swerving into another lane with parallel traffic or oncoming traffic. In many instances, swerving is much more dangerous than hitting the object would be, but drivers react instinctively.
Trucking Tire Blowouts
Another relatively common occurrence is a semi-truck hauling a trailer that has a tire blow out, scattering rubber debris all over the road. If the driver can at least identify the name of the trucking company, an accident attorney in Waldorf can negotiate a settlement with that company if any serious injury occurred. A lawyer may be necessary if the company denies one of its drivers was involved and the driver never stopped. The trailer has enough tires that the loss of just one allows the driver to keep traveling.
