Every day, more than 25,000 car crashes occur in this country. Although many of these crashes are minor accidents, more than 30,000 victims are killed each year in vehicle accidents.
Whether an accident is nothing more than a fender bender or it is a catastrophic crash which leaves victims fighting for this lives with catastrophic injuries, there is always some level of emotional, physical, and financial toll left on those involved. State laws, including North Carolina, allow victims to pursue financial compensation from the party who is responsible for the accident. In many of these crashes, the driver who is liable is obvious, however, in many others, an extensive investigation needs to take place to make that determination.
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One type of accident that can be difficult to identify the liable party is one caused by road debris. Drive down any highway or main road, and you will likely find all types of road debris that has been thrown or fallen off passing vehicles. While many of these items are small and don’t usually pose a hazard to other motorists, there are many items that create dangerous situations for other drivers which can cause them to crash. Items such as building materials, furniture, and mattresses which aren’t secured properly in a transporting vehicle can suddenly fly off the vehicle, especially when traveling at high speeds. Tire treads from blowouts are also another common type of road debris littering highways and streets.
Any type of item that falls from a vehicle can come smashing through another vehicle’s windshield, causing serious injuries. Items fallen on the road can cause a driver to suddenly swerve to avoid hitting it and instead the driver smashes into another vehicle, New Jersey barrier, or drive off the road. These items can also cause bad damage to another car’s undercarriage.
Statistics show that approximately 75 percent of all road debris accidents are caused by items that fell off vehicles because they were not secured properly or because of poor maintenance on the vehicle itself. These are preventable accidents and only happen because of owner negligence. Every vehicle owner has a duty of care to ensure the vehicle they are driving is working properly, is free from corrosive rust, and has the correct tire pressure.
Any driver hauling items, from a large flat-bed truck to a passenger vehicle with kayaks strapped on roof racks also has a duty of care to other motorists that whatever is being transferred is properly secured.
Contact a North Carolina Injury Lawyer Today
When debris falls from an improperly or unsecured load and causes an accident that injures or kills someone, the victim or victim’s family should contact an experienced North Carolina car accident attorney to see what legal recourse they may have against the negligent driver.
The legal team from Shapiro & Appleton have been advocating for injured clients since 1985 and will do all we can to ensure you receive the best possible outcome under the circumstances of your case. If you would like to meet with one of our skilled Carolinas injury attorneys to find out how we can help, call us today at (833) 997-1774 for a free case evaluation.