Accidents caused by bad weather occur frequently throughout the area. Under these types of conditions, drivers lose control of their vehicles, potentially putting not only themselves at risk for injury, but other drivers as well. In regards to a truck accident, this type of accident could have devastating consequences for everyone involved.
If you or a loved one has sustained injuries as a result of a bad weather truck accident, get in touch with our attorneys at AW Smith Law Firm. A Columbia, MO bad weather truck accident lawyer could fight tirelessly to secure the compensation owed to you.
Roads in Columbia and Boone County are not more susceptible to the specific effects of bad weather than other roads, but residents of Missouri are well aware that the Midwest could have everything from thunderstorms to a sleet to hail to blizzards. Inclement weather covers the entire spectrum. The Missouri Department of Transportation and the various county and city road maintenance crews do a good job of trying to keep the roads clear. Nevertheless, there are certain instances when the weather becomes so severe and bad that it creates dangerous conditions.
After being involved in a truck accident triggered by severe conditions in Columbia, the initial steps a person should take are to be aware of their own physical condition and make sure that they are not physically harmed. If they are injured, they need to take appropriate steps to call medical personnel and law enforcement personnel to assist them. If and when it is deemed appropriate that they are physically well, they could do such things perhaps as take photographs of the scene, get contact information of any and all witnesses to the collision, and take particular attention to the particular weather conditions, which may have caused or contributed to cause the collision.
Dangerous weather could impact assignment of fault in truck accidents. Throughout all of Missouri, when it comes to inclement weather, a portion of the fault becomes vaguer. The trier of fact, which oftentimes is the jury, would sometimes be a bit more discerning about a portion of the fault in inclement weather because they could see that there is an outside force that may have caused or contributed to cause the collision instead of a particular individual’s negligence.
There are steps a person could take to help protect themselves from weather-related accidents. For example, individuals could make sure to turn on their headlights when driving through a storm or putting on specific tires according to the weather.
Individuals could also protect themselves from a weather-related accident by driving with the highest degree of care and a heightened sense of caution. In certain situations, just because the speed limit may be set at determined grades, it does not mean that a person should drive that during inclement weather. They should take necessary caution, pay greater attention to one’s surroundings, and avoid any and all distractions as much as possible.
Upon suffering an accident due to inclement weather, you may be feeling unsure about what legal rights you have to obtaining compensation. However, after consulting with one of our attorneys at AW Smith Law Firm, you will quickly find out that there may be a way to recover damages following an accident caused by bad weather.
If you wish to learn more about filing this type of claim, get in touch with a Columbia bad weather truck accident lawyer today.
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