Texas has nearly 68,000 miles of roads, and there are highway construction and expansion projects underway across the state. Highway expansions and surface road maintenance projects are critical for both individual and commercial vehicles operating in Texas. However, every road construction zone is potentially an opportunity for a collision and people who are hurt may face complicated compensation claims. Determining fault, evaluating insurance and optimizing compensation can all prove challenging. 

Work zone injuries and fatalities can result from numerous unique hazards present at the average road construction site, such as the following: 

• Construction projects frequently have shifts of traffic. Drivers may need to merge with little warning ahead of a zone. In some cases, the signs posted may provide inaccurate or conflicting instructions. Uneven pavement may result when crews must resurface or expand existing roads.

• A construction zone may be rife with sources of distraction. Drivers may look at workers holding traffic signs or heavy machinery instead of the vehicles around them or the road ahead.

• There is a minimal space to maneuver. Construction zones often feature reduced shoulders or no shoulders at all for disabled vehicles to pull onto to avoid blocking traffic.

It can be difficult to determine liability after a crash in a construction zone. Depending on the circumstances, another driver could be at fault, especially if they were distracted or made improper maneuvers due to impatience or confusion. Contractors performing road work projects may be responsible in cases involving improper operation of machinery or insufficient signage. Municipal or state authorities may have a degree of liability for some crashes. 

Properly documenting the events leading to the crash and the collision scene can help determine who is at fault and who may be liable after a collision at a construction zone. The best evidence often comes from dashboard cameras in the vehicles involved in a collision or others nearby when the collision occurred. Without video footage, witness statements can help validate exactly what occurred and who was at fault for the crash. Official records, including traffic control plans and contractor maintenance logs, can help establish the presence of risk factors and identify the workers present at the time.

Photographs of the crash scene, medical records and other official documentation can also prove valuable to those injured in a  motor vehicle collision in a road work zone. Both insurance claims and lawsuits may be possible, but may require the support of a legal professional.

Hope & Causey, P.C. pursues compensation for Texans in personal injury and wrongful death claims arising from all types of motor vehicle accidents. Based in Conroe, we represent individuals from Montgomery County, San Antonio, Houston and the surrounding areas. Please call 936-441-4673 or contact us online today for a free consultation.