Construction zone accidents lawyer St. Louis, MO. Construction on roadways in St. Louis and across Missouri is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it creates improved streets and highways for all who use them and connects more parts of our city to each other. But conversely, it can cause hazardous situations not only for those working on roads, but drivers and pedestrians who must go through them in order to reach their desired destination. Accidents of all kinds can occur in construction zones and lead to life-altering injuries for all involved.
Call Combs Waterkotte at (314) 900-HELP if you or someone you know has been injured as a result of an accident in a construction zone. Regardless if you were a laborer, driver, or pedestrian in a work zone, our firm will work tirelessly to ensure that you get the maximum possible compensation for your injuries while providing a level of client services that is second to none. We take all our personal injury cases in St. Louis and throughout Missouri on a contingency basis, meaning that unless you win or get a settlement, you will not owe us a penny.
The Dangers of Construction Zones in St. Louis and Elsewhere in Missouri
Work zones are an everyday fact of life for commuters in St. Louis and across Missouri, and as such drivers have to deal with their effects. Traffic jams, lane closures, detours, reduced speed limits, and the presence of workers and equipment on the road all contribute to making work zones a hazardous place to drive.
Missouri has passed a number of laws designed to protect both motorists and workers in construction zones, but it is all too common for someone not following these rules to cause severe accidents. Statists taken between 2016 and 2017 show that a total of 1,581 fatal crashes occurred in work zones, increasing 3 percent year-over-year in that 10-year window. Crashes outside of work zones, on the other hand, decreased 1.5% across that same timeframe.
Navigating through a construction zone is no easy task. Between equipment, workers, and signs designed to calm traffic and alert motorists, driving in a work zone is often a driver’s biggest nuisance. Unfortunately, negligence from workers or poor planning on the part of construction firms can contribute to work zone accidents. Common negligence factors include:
- Not having warning signs, or having the wrong signs/signs in the wrong place
- Unclear traffic signals indicating proper flow
- Not having speed limit indicators
- Tools strewn about
- Lighting issues, whether too bright or too dim
- Machinery in roadways
- Steep drop-offs
- Loose debris
- Slow moving or idling work vehicles
- Lack of cones or barriers
Finding Liability for Construction Zone Accidents in St. Louis and Elsewhere in Missouri
Regardless of whether your St. Louis construction zone accident was a car accident or if you were injured while casually walking by a construction zone, someone needs to be held liable. However, when it comes to construction zone accidents proving who is liable is often quite complicated.
Depending on the size and scope of the construction project, there are a sizable number of parties involved. Any combination of the following parties could easily share responsibility for your accident:
- One or more construction companies running the site
- The road crew employer, or any specific negligent member of the crew
- The owner of the construction site
- Architects and engineers
- Manufacturers of construction machinery or equipment
- Contractors and sub-contractors
If your accident occurred as part of a government-run project such as repairing a street, even more liabilty issues are added to the mix. Cities may be responsible for what is called “municipality neglect” if, on projects they oversaw if they did not perform tasks such as provide safe detours or properly block off lanes.
Contact An Experienced St. Louis, MO Construction Zone Accidents Attorney Right Away
As you can tell, work zone accidents are cases where there are a large number of factors at play and many more considerations than the average personal injury case. Between municipalities, labor unions, shared negligence, and other considerations, these sorts of cases can seem overwhelming even before insurance companies enter the mix.
This is why it is critical to hire the skilled, intelligent St. Louis personal injury lawyers at Combs Waterkotte to take your construction zone accident case. Our firm will dig deep and investigate all facets of your case, gather evidence, and create a legal strategy that is tailor-made to get the optimal outcome for your case. We value communication and treating our clients the way they would want to be treated, too, which is why we guarantee that you will have 24/7 access to your lawyer to discuss your case, the legal process, or anything else you would want to talk about.
At Combs Waterkotte, we believe that client satisfaction goes beyond just getting a great settlement or award for our St. Louis, MO personal injury clients. Contact us online or give us a call at (314) 900-HELP today to speak with an attorney and see how our firm provides personalized legal solutions to our construction zone accident clients.
