Mississippi Attorneys Fighting for Clients Injured on Dangerous Roads

Helping you when you have been injured in a car crash because of a road defect

Defective road design is the culprit behind many traffic accidents and fatalities. Defects in the road’s design, debris in the roadway, or negligent maintenance can cause and contribute to traffic accidents and injuries. If you were injured in a crash that was because of a roadway defect, you will likely be dealing with local or state government entities in your efforts to recover compensation for your injuries, which can be complicated.

When you work with the skilled at Merkel & Cocke, P.A., you benefit from our decades of experience helping the injured obtain the compensation they need when they have suffered an injury in a car crash which was caused by a defective roadway, or an otherwise unsafe road condition. We fight for you.

Examples of road defects that can lead to accidents

There are lots of different types of road defects that can cause car crashes, injuries and fatalities, including:

• Missing warning signs
• Defective or missing guardrails
• Dangerous potholes
• Uneven pavement
• Dangerous merge areas
• Poor drainage leading to standing water in roadway
• Missing traffic signals
• Inadequate lighting
• Steep shoulder drop-offs

Establishing liability in a road defect car crash case

Public roads in the United States are public property which the city, town, county or state government is responsible for designing, building and maintaining. If you are injured in an accident that was a result of a defective roadway, you will most likely have to pursue the respective government agency responsible for the upkeep of the road.

These governmental agencies are responsible for making sure that the roads in their jurisdiction are safe, and where a known hazard exists, there should be warning signs until the hazard can be corrected if it is something that can be corrected. For example, in the middle of a repaving project, the pavement might be rough and uneven. Placing signs to warn drivers ahead of the places where there is uneven pavement gives them the opportunity to be aware of the hazard and prepare for it by slowing down and avoiding the ruts.

Filing a claim against the government is a different process from filing a claim against a negligent driver. For each governmental authority there are special filing deadlines, you must give a certain amount of notice of your intent to take legal action, and there are other requirements that you must meet before you can pursue a claim against a government agency.

When you work with the skilled car accident lawyers from Merkel & Cocke, you can be confident in our combined decades of experience and our successful history of helping countless clients recover compensation for their injuries in defective roadway injury cases.

Dangerous intersections

The following is a list of five of the top ten most dangerous intersections in the state of Mississippi. These intersections are ranked according to a “danger index” compiled by State Farm, which counts the number of crashes at an intersection, how many injuries and the severity of the crashes. (WDAM.com)

1. S. Highway 51 and Goodman Road – Horn Lake
   1. Danger Index – 1290
   2. Estimated number of crashes – 195
2. S. Highway 49 and Creosote Road – Gulfport
   1. Danger Index – 559
   2. Estimated number of crashes – 98
3. Airways Boulevard and Goodman Road – Southaven
   1. Danger Index – 552
   2. Estimated number of crashes – 84
4. S. Highway 98 and Westover Drive – Hattiesburg
   1. Danger Index – 531
   2. Estimated number of crashes – 70
5. S. Highway 49 and Community Road – GULFPORT
   1. Danger Index – 502
   2. Estimated number of crashes – 71

Work with a skilled Mississippi road defect attorney today

Whether you were injured in a crash because of a blind intersection, roadway debris or a defective guardrail, you will need the services of an experienced Mississippi car accident attorney from Merkel &Cocke. We understand the complexities of filing a claim against a government-related entity. We are familiar with the requirements, the time limits and the notice requirements. We are the strong advocate you need when going up against the government when their negligence caused your injury.

Get help from our Mississippi road defect attorneys

When you have been injured in a car crash, you deserve fair and just compensation from all responsible parties. With the experienced attorneys of Merkel & Cocke on your side, you can focus on healing, while we focus of your claim. From our offices in Jackson, Clarksdale, and Oxford, we assist injured parties throughout Mississippi, including Tupelo and across the Gulf Coast region and Tennessee and Arkansas. You may schedule a fee consultation, call us today at 662-627-9641 or complete our contact form today.