During the summer in Wisconsin, construction or work zones pop up in almost every community. Road construction can cause commute delays for professionals, but the maintenance of infrastructure is crucial to everyone’s safety.
Road work crews work long hours in direct sunshine, intense heat and even precipitation to ensure that people can drive safely drive. Unfortunately, construction zones create unique opportunities for traffic collisions. Drivers performing a zipper merge, maneuvering around crews and following detours near work zones may be at increased risk of a collision due to the conduct of other drivers or the professionals working on the road.
Who is liable for a collision at a construction work zone?
Other drivers are often at fault
Many collisions that occur near work zones are the result of drivers improperly merging, becoming distracted or driving aggressively to make up for lost time. In scenarios where another driver failed to check their surroundings before merging, conducted an illegal maneuver or did something clearly negligent, the driver who caused the crash may be liable for any injuries they cause others.
Road work crews could be responsible
In some cases, negligence on the part of the professionals working on the road can cause collisions. The failure to properly contain and remove debris might lead to drivers losing traction. Forgetting to set up signs warning of a merge or lane closure ahead could also trigger unsafe driving behaviors that directly cause crashes.
Negligence when operating heavy machinery could also cause preventable collisions. If there is evidence that the road crew created unsafe circumstances, then the business responsible for the project might be liable for the damages produced by a work zone crash. Typically, employers are responsible for injuries caused by the negligence of their workers while on the clock, meaning the company managing the project, not the individual construction professionals, may be liable.
Documenting the scene of a crash, including any factors that may have contributed to that wreck, such as debris in the road or improper signage, can help people hurt in construction zone collisions determine who was at fault and take appropriate steps in pursuit of compensation. An attorney can help those injured in road work collisions understand their right and hold all appropriate parties accountable for their injuries and property damage expenses.
