Work zones and designated highway maintenance areas serve a vital purpose in keeping our infrastructure safe, yet they simultaneously introduce a host of new dangers to the road. These areas are established so that crews can perform necessary repairs on the pavement and bridge structures that millions of drivers rely on daily. Unfortunately, these zones frequently become the site of serious motor vehicle crashes when parties involved fail to take reasonable precautions.
If you are experiencing the aftermath of a crash in a construction area, legal support from a car accident lawyer can prove useful in sorting through the details. The primary goal after such an incident is to figure out who is responsible for the harm caused. To do this effectively, we must look at the specific behaviors and conditions that led to the event.
At Quinn Law Group, founder Sean Quinn utilizes more than 20 years of trial and litigation experience to represent injury victims. We have a history of securing multi-million dollar recoveries in high-stakes cases, including results of $4.25 million and $2.4 million. As a firm recognized by Super Lawyers and the National Trial Lawyers Top 100, we maintain a perfect 10.0 Avvo rating because of our dedication to every client.
Most Common Causes of Work Zone Crashes
Identifying the party responsible for your injuries usually begins with a thorough look at the cause of the crash. Once the reason for the impact is clear, it becomes much simpler to point to the person or entity who allowed those conditions to exist.
Many crashes in these zones are the result of several recurring factors:
- Excessive Speed – When a motorist does not slow down enough for the coming work area, the risk of a collision rises significantly. Pennsylvania law under Title 75 Section 3326 requires drivers to adjust their speed and yield to authorized vehicles or pedestrians working on the highway.
- Distracted and Careless Driving – A driver who is looking at a phone or otherwise not paying attention while going through a narrow work lane may hit another vehicle or a concrete barrier.
- Inadequately Trained Personnel – If a construction crew has not received the proper training for traffic control, they might create confusing patterns that lead to accidents.
- Misplaced Equipment and Leftover Debris – Some incidents happen because the crew leaves heavy machinery or building materials in the path of travel. Motorists may not have enough time to react to these unexpected obstacles.
- Failure to Provide Clear Warning Signs – Signs are the most effective way to alert the public of a hazard ahead. If these signs are missing or are blocked from view, drivers may not realize that the speed limit has changed or that a lane is ending.
Who Can Be Held Responsible
Determining liability in Pennsylvania is often complex because multiple parties may share the blame for a single event. The following groups are often found liable in these cases:
- The Individual Driver – Negligent behavior by another motorist is one of the most frequent reasons for a work zone impact.
- The Construction Firm – You might have a claim against the company if they utilized a crew that was not properly supervised or if they ignored standard safety regulations.
- The On-Site Construction Crew – Sometimes the specific workers on the ground are the ones whose immediate actions caused the hazard, though usually the employer is the one held legally responsible for the actions of their staff during work hours.
Pennsylvania utilizes a modified comparative negligence rule under Title 42 Section 7102. This means that a court can assign a percentage of fault to everyone involved, including the person filing the claim. You are still able to recover money for your losses as long as your own level of responsibility is not 51% or greater. If you are not sure who is to blame for what happened to you, getting professional advice is the best way to ensure you receive the payout you deserve.
How Our Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Can Assist You
If you have been involved in a construction zone accident anywhere in Pennsylvania or New Jersey, our team wants to stand by you. We use a client-focused approach that involves limited caseloads, which allows us to provide the personalized attention and aggressive advocacy required for maximum results. We are ready to help you hold the construction company or the other driver accountable for their negligence.
Get in touch with Quinn Law Group at (215) 360-3666 to talk about the details of your case during a consultation.