Why Hazardous Roadways Are So Treacherous for Sevierville Motorcycle Riders

Helping Sevierville, Gatlinburg, and Pigeon Forge motorcycle victims and families get just recoveries

Riding a motorcycle is a fun experience for many. Motorcycles, statistics show, are also dangerous vehicles. They offer little protection in the case of a fall or collision. Road hazards are a primary reason for motorcycle spills and falls. While trucks and cars can manage a pothole, debris on the road, or other traffic dangers, motorcycle operators who hit a bad patch on the road often lose control.

The Sevierville motorcycle accident attorneys at Delius & McKenzie, PLLC understand the dangers of treacherous roads. We have been helping accident victims and their families in Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Seymour, and the surrounding regions for the last 20 years. Our lawyers have obtained numerous substantial jury verdicts and insurance settlements.

Common dangerous road hazards

Motorcycle riders need to be on the lookout for many roadway problems. Just one mistake can cause death or catastrophic injuries. Operators often have to swerve to avoid the hazard, which can create other dangers that can cause the operator to lose focus and fall.

Some of the most typical hazards that can be dangerous for motorcyclists include:

• Potholes. Both small and big holes occur on almost every road due to the wear and tear of constant traffic and bad weather.
• Debris on the road. This can includes trash from cars or neighboring buildings, dead animals, or construction materials.
• Uneven surfaces. Roads can be uneven due to improper design, construction to repair the roads, construction zone work, change from one town to another, or for a host or reasons.
• Inclement weather. Rain can make roads slippery and create oil slicks. Snow and ice can make roads impossible to navigate for motorcyclists.
• Poor design. The government agencies and repair crews that make and keep the roads may create dangerous curves, slopes, entrances and exits, and other unsafe situations. Poor planning can also cause confusion among other drivers due to poorly placed road signs, improperly marked lanes, or bad lighting.
• Improper warning signs. Construction work should include signs that timely warn oncoming traffic of workers and work ahead.

If you or a loved one is the victim of an accident caused by dangerous road conditions, our Sevierville motorcycle accident lawyers can help.

Responsibility for road hazards

If it can be shown that a road hazard was the reason that that a motorcycle accident occurred, the next step is to determine who is responsible. Our lawyers investigate which agency or repair crew had responsibility for maintaining the road. We then bring claims against the responsible parties. Possible entities that may be accountable are:

• The federal government. The United States has primary responsibility for federal roads and interstates.
• The state of Tennessee or Tennessee counties. The state of Tennessee, the counties where the roads are located, and state and local departments of transportation may be responsible for the roads they control.
• Repair and maintenance crews. These companies can be liable if their work was sloppy or negligent.
• Construction companies and contractors. Construction site owners and managers have a duty to properly warn oncoming traffic of the road hazards construction creates.

Some of the issues that we seek discovery about include who had the responsibility for the road, when and how those responsible knew of the hazard, what could have been done to correct or warn about the hazard, and was there time to correct the problem.

Claims against government agencies are difficult. There are strict notice requirements and sometimes the agency can claim immunity. That is where our Sevierville road accident attorneys step in to help.

For professional advice, contact a trusted Sevierville road hazard attorney today

Delay can hurt your case. There are strict notice requirements and short deadlines for starting hazardous road condition cases. Delius & McKenzie, PLLC works quickly to discover how the accident happened and who is responsible. We fight for all the damages you deserve. Call us at 865- 428-8780 or use our contact form to schedule a no-obligation appointment. We see clients from Sevierville, Seymour, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and throughout Tennessee.