Road debris is a serious problem on California roadways. Most accidents caused by road debris are sudden and unanticipated. They can also be the cause of severe injuries or fatalities. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, road debris factored into more than 200,000 accidents that were reported to police over three years. More than 39,000 people were injured, and 500 others died. Most of these types of crashes occurred on interstate and state highways. Nearly 67% of them were due to objects falling off moving vehicles.
Types of Debris
Road debris consists of anything that doesn’t belong on a highway. It’s foreign to that environment, and it just doesn’t belong there. Drivers either come upon it at medium to high speeds, and if debris is coming at them, it comes upon them either faster. Here are a few examples of road debris:
- Furniture or even appliances moving from one location to another
- Pieces of blown out tires or metallic brake parts
- Mufflers and tailpipes
- Debris from an earlier motor vehicle crash
- Forgotten road construction signs, equipment or tools
- Wildlife like deer
- Fallen rock or tree limbs
Get a Police Report
Any road debris accident should be reported to police immediately. Try to get a photo of the debris, and also take photos of the damage to your vehicle. If anybody sustains an injury, ask for paramedics to come to the scene when you call 911. They can document your injuries and get you to an emergency room for further care and treatment. Then, contact us at Maison Law for a free consultation and case evaluation with our California car accident lawyer.
Road Debris and Personal Injury Accidents
As per the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 37% of all fatal road debris accidents involved a driver suddenly swerving to try and avoid debris. Here are some of the types of personal injury crashes that can occur when debris is on a road or highway:
- Single or multiple vehicle sideswipe collisions from swerving when attempting to avoid debris.
- High impact rear-end collisions when a vehicle suddenly brakes to avoid debris.
- Rollovers caused by hitting debris.
- Head-on crashes from swerving to avoid debris.
Liability for Road Debris Accidents
Determining liability for a road debris accident can be problematic. That’s because the vehicle that dropped debris on a roadway is often not around. An insurance company is likely to argue that if you hit debris that was on the road, you were either distracted or speeding, and you failed to avoid it. You might repair your car under your collision coverage. You may file a personal injury claim under your uninsured motorist coverage if it was debris that flew into you. Furthermore, you can make a property damage claim under your comprehensive coverage. Our experienced and effective California car accident lawyer at Maison Law is prepared to review your road debris claim at no cost at all to you. He may be able to isolate one or more target defendants to seek compensation from like a construction company, trucking company, a private motorist or even a government vehicle or entity.
A road debris accident can be frightening, and recovering damages is likely to be challenging. That’s why you should take advantage of our offer of a free consultation and case review with our California car accident lawyer here at Maison Law. Legal options for compensation might exist that you’re not aware of. Contact us right away after any road debris accident for that free consultation.
Contact a California Accident Lawyer Today
If you or a relative sustain injury in an accident caused by road debris, you might wonder if you’ll have to cover the cost of recovery alone. Make sure you have an attorney from Maison Law watching over every document exchange and communication you have with them.
After an accident involving a serious injury or the tragic loss of life in California, contact attorney Martin Gasparian for a free, no-obligation case consultation for your family. Mr. Gasparian takes a hands-on approach to every case and only gives victims advice that’s in their best interest.
