Car Accidents in Construction Zones

Construction projects are necessary for improving and maintaining the safety of Texas’s roadways. The state commissions construction projects regularly to redesign outdated roads, expand narrow roads, install new traffic control devices and fix defects such as potholes. Unfortunately, the same construction projects meant to save lives sometimes result in driver, pedestrian and worker deaths. If you were injured in a car accident in a construction zone in Houston recently, find out who may be liable for your damages.

About 773 individuals lose their lives in highway work zone crashes per year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. From 1982 to 2017, more than 27,000 people died in work zone auto accidents throughout the US. This number includes killed roadside construction workers, drivers, passengers, bicyclists and pedestrians. Many different hazards can increase the risk of car accidents in construction zones in Texas. Most of these hazards are preventable.

Car accidents in construction zones can cause severe injuries such as concussions, broken bones, lacerations, scarring, disfigurement and permanent disabilities. When approaching a work zone in the road, all drivers should slow down, pay attention to new roadway signs and be alert for nearby workers. Texas, like most states, enforces stricter penalties for broken laws in work zones. The person who is at fault for causing the construction site accident may also bear civil liability for causing an injured victim’s damages.

It is a driver’s responsibility to pay attention to the road, be alert to sudden changes, obey roadway signs and drive at a speed that is reasonable for conditions. A driver who tailgates, speeds or fails to drive prudently in a construction zone could cause a car accident. In this situation, the at-fault driver will be liable for damages and have to pay through his or her auto insurance policy. All drivers in Texas carry liability insurance to ensure their ability to pay.

Some construction zone accidents are not the fault of a driver, but the construction company or one of its workers. A construction company has a duty to maintain a work zone that is reasonably safe for all involved – including passing drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians. If the company or its workers breach this duty by leaving construction equipment in the road, failing to post warning signs or other acts of negligence, the company could be liable for an injured victim’s damages.

There are circumstances in which the City of Houston could be liable for a car accident in a construction zone. If the road work is a city project, the city will bear some responsibility for the safety of the construction zone. The city may need to ensure proper detours and warning signs posted by the road, for example. Bringing a claim against the city requires special actions on your part. A claim against the government in Texas has a tighter deadline to file than a typical injury claim, for example. You must file within just six months of the date of your crash if you wish to hold the city liable for a construction zone car accident.

Construction zones on roads and highways in Texas do not have to be dangerous. Negligent drivers and construction companies make them dangerous. If you or a loved one were injured in a car accident in a construction zone in Houston, someone may owe you financial compensation. A successful lawsuit against the city, a construction company or another driver in Texas could lead to the repayment of your medical bills, property repairs, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses.

Do not wait to contact a Houston personal injury attorney about a possible claim after a car accident in a work zone in Houston. Filing a lawsuit against the correct party could lead to financial compensation for your past and future losses after a construction zone car accident.

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