Fatal Defective Roadway
Over 35 years of experience. Over $100 million recovered for clients.
Fatal Defective Roadway
Over 35 years of experience. Over $100 million recovered for clients.

New Jersey Fatal Defective Roadway Claims Attorneys

There are two types of defective and dangerous roadway claims: poorly maintained roads and poorly designed roads. Both of these categories of defective roadway claims may result in compensation for serious injuries or, sadly, the wrongful death of a loved one.

Poorly designed roads may demonstrate some of the following issues:

• No guardrails
• Tight curves that do not conform to posted speed limits
• Uneven pavement
• Improper road grading
• Merge lanes that are too short
• Blind intersections
• Lanes that are too narrow
• Dangerous drop-offs, trenches or potholes
• Unclear or inadequate road markings
• Hidden signs
• Unsafe ramps on and off highways

Poor road maintenance may include:

• Debris left in Road
• Defective street lighting
• Non-functional street lights
• Unrepaired, cracked pavement, potholes
• Untrimmed trees, bushes blocking signs
• Out-of-service or non-functioning warning signals
• Equipment, construction items left in path of traffic
• Excessive oil and/or gravel on roads
• Separated blocks of pavement
• Raised manhole covers
• Inadequate/missing signs and/or barriers
• Inadequate drainage

Poorly designed roads that harm or kill someone fall under the principle of negligent construction or design, meaning the person or persons who designed, and those that constructed the road can be found liable for damages caused by that roadway. Most fatal defective roadway claims are complex, because public roads and a government entity are involved.

In cases involving poorly maintained roadways, the governmental agency responsible for that road may be found liable for failing to maintain the road in good condition. For a claim to be successful, negligence must be proven on the part of the agency responsible for maintaining the road.

Who is Liable for Defective Roadways
In New Jersey fatal defective and dangerous roadway claims, it is imperative to know what type of road is involved, as a design defect could be within the purview of the state transportation department or a city/county municipality. Knowing who maintains the stretch of road where an accident occurred is important, as government agencies are immune from certain types of claims, a doctrine referred to as “sovereign immunity.” Although sovereign immunity does create some difficult issues, there are ways that an experienced attorney can evaluate the merits of your case, and determine the best way to proceed.

Furthermore, in a defective roadway claim that caused serious injury or death, multiple parties can be liable. Multiple possible defendants can be named in such a wrongful death lawsuit. They include: private contractors, a municipality, a federal transportation agency, a state or a county.

Time Limitations of Filing a Defective Roadway Claim
Fatal defective roadway claims are complicated and have time limits for filing a claim. For this reason, it is best to consult with an experienced New Jersey fatal defective roadway attorney as soon as possible to obtain the required paperwork and begin the accident investigative work.

A formal notice of the claim must be filed against the government within 90 days of the accident, or your claim will be forever barred. In certain instances, when you can establish extraordinary circumstances you may be able to ask the court to permit your claim, however, a motion must be filed within one (1) year of your accident. Regardless of whom a claim is filed against, a lawsuit must be filed within a two-year period of the fatal defective roadway accident.

Once the claim has been filed, the plaintiff must wait six months to file a lawsuit. During this period, the government may offer to settle the claim. Always consult with an attorney before accepting any settlement, as you may be entitled to more for your claim if you proceed to court. Do not sign any documents, agree to an interview or submit any medical information to the government without consulting with an attorney. Once the six-month period has passed, your attorney may file a formal claim against the government.

The Todd J. Leonard Law Firm has 35 years of experience in handling all types of dangerous and defective roadway claims. Contact the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm online or call (973) 920-7900 to schedule a free consultation to learn how we can help evaluate your case and recover compensation for your loss.

You are the most amazing person

and I am indebted to you forever!

- P.S.
Todd Leonard and his staff made me feel like family.

Trust me, he will take you into his hands and take care of all your personal injury legal matters. They are friendly, professional, and go out all the way for you. Thank you Todd Leonard and staff.

- Frank O.
The Leonard Law Firm is truly amazing.

They go above and beyond to make sure you get what you deserve.

- Gina V.
He was relentless

until the case was fully settled and all was in our favor. Thank you so much. We highly recommend his office to anyone.

- E. and M.
Todd and his staff were courteous and caring about my personal well-being.

They were knowledgeable and settled my case in an expedited manner. I really felt they were on my side the whole way. Thank you Todd and staff for excellent treatment!

- B.H.
I highly recommend using this law firm.

My lawyer Paul Paravati was always available there for me and gave me first rate service.

- Richard B.
Mr. Leonard’s law firm constantly kept in touch

and on top of my problems. They were quick to respond to my legal needs and were very attentive and showed real concern to my issues. I highly recommend them to anyone needing legal representation.

- Leslie W.

A proven track record of success

$29.5Million
Product Liability & Auto Accident
$3.5Million
Drunk Driving Accident
$2.94Million
Car Accident Road Defect
$2.5Million
Workplace Construction Accident
$2.25Million
Fall Down Accident
$1.8Million
Car Accident State Vehicle
$1.8Million
Car Accident State Vehicle
$1.5Million
Fatal Apartment Fire
$1.36Million
Auto Accident
$1.2Million
Auto Accident
$1.0Million
Civil Sexual Assault Lawsuit
$1.0Million
Slip & Fall Accident
$1.0Million
Fall Down Accident
$29.5Million
Product Liability & Auto Accident
$3.5Million
Drunk Driving Accident
$2.94Million
Car Accident Road Defect
$2.5Million
Workplace Construction Accident
$2.25Million
Fall Down Accident
$1.8Million
Car Accident State Vehicle
$1.5Million
Fatal Apartment Fire
$1.36Million
Auto Accident
$1.2Million
Auto Accident
$1.0Million
Civil Sexual Assault Lawsuit
$1.0Million
Slip & Fall Accident
$1.0Million
Fall Down Accident
$29.5Million
Product Liability & Auto Accident
$3.96Million
Car Accident/Brain Injury
$3.5Million
Drunk Driving Accident
$3.1Million
Slip and Fall: Workers’ Compensation & Premises Liability Accident
$2.94Million
Car Accident Road Defect
$2.5Million
Workplace Construction Accident
$2.25Million
Fall Down Accident
$1.8Million
Car Accident State Vehicle
$1.5Million
Fatal Fire Apartment
$1.36Million
Auto Accident
$1.2Million
Auto Accident
$1.1Million
Slip & Fall Accident

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Being injured or having a family member injured can have serious and lifelong consequences. We can try to ease the burden. Contact us today to learn more about how our team of experienced New Jersey accident attorneys can support you through these challenging times.