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Most Pennsylvania roads are managed by various governmental agencies. A particular road might be maintained locally or it might be the responsibility of our state government (PENNDOT). In some cases, the road might be maintained by the Commonwealth, but signs and other aspects of road safety are managed by a municipality or other form of local government. Regardless, it is the responsibility of the government to make certain our roads are safe. If they fail in their responsibilities and you suffer a crash, you might be able to seek compensation from the state or local government who failed in its responsibility. Common types of government negligence that cause car accidents in Philadelphia include:
- Failure to timely repair potholes
- Not using appropriate signs
- Can result in traveling the wrong way on a one way street
- Pedestrian, railroad or animal-related crashes
- Lack of guardrails
- Can cause veering into oncoming traffic
- Driving off a steep edge or cliff
- Tire damage from driving onto rough ground
- Problems with uneven pavement and shoulder drop-offs
- Tire blowouts leading to loss of control
- Vehicle rollovers
- General loss of control
- Issues with water pooling on the road
- Problems with road defects in general
- A crash caused by a municipal vehicle
- Improper construction zone management
Immunity & Limited Time to Sue
It is critical to understand that the government, whether state or local, has a certain amount of immunity from suit. This means you are limited for what you can sue. Fortunately, when it comes to car crashes, that immunity is waived. Areas related to car wrecks where you can sue Pennsylvania or a municipality include:
- When a municipal vehicle causes the accident
- When the injury is due to a tree, traffic control device, signs or street lighting under the municipality’s control
- Injuries due to streets that are not properly maintained or that are defective
In addition to a certain amount of immunity, when you want to sue the government, you have a very short time in which to file your claim. The time period in Pennsylvania is six months. This means if you want to bring a claim against Pennsylvania, a city, county or other municipality, you must file your notice of intent to sue within six months or you will lose the right to sue. This is a substantially shorter time period than the traditional two year statute of limitations. As a result of this limited time period, it is extremely important that you retain a car accident lawyer immediately if you believe your crash is due to some form of government negligence.
Contact Us for Help After a Car Crash Due to Government Negligence in Philadelphia
You should not have to bear the expenses that are caused by a car accident due to government negligence in Philadelphia. Contact an attorney of Lowenthal & Abrams, Injury Attorneys today to learn more about your legal rights and options.
