Pothole Motor Vehicle Accidents in New York

Pothole accidents are becoming more and more common. There are millions of potholes on the road and the increased use of the roadways, especially in urban areas, causes the cement to erode, opening up holes in the ground that can be hazardous to motor vehicles and their occupants. New York City is the home of many pothole complaints.

Sometimes, a pothole can be so deep that it causes a car to lose control, leaving the occupants seriously injured, or worse, dead. Due to the danger of devastating injuries, pothole accident cases may be worth a substantial amount of money, although most pothole claims against the city or county end in a small settlement amount or, more likely, no compensation at all.

The Hazards of Pothole Accidents

Potholes pose a major hazard for motorists, especially those operating on busy roads at higher rates of speed. Potholes form due to high levels of heat and pressure caused by the constant flow of quick-moving motorists in heavy vehicles. They can often reach depths of 20 inches deep and 15 inches in diameter and are worsened by abundant rainfall, extreme weather, and the pounding they get from big rig trucks.

If the state, town, or county fails to properly maintain the road, there may be some treacherous potholes. Even small potholes can cause extensive damage to both the vehicle that hits it and the occupants of that vehicle.

Pothole cases are never easy. But our law firm handles serious injury and wrongful death claims. If you have suffered a serious injury from a pothole, it is worth taking the time to call us and explore your options.

The condition of our roads has gotten worse in recent years. Why? The downturn in the economy has led to budget shortfalls. In New York City, things got a little better with the economy improving, but then COVID hit and government resources turned from fixing potholes to more urgent items.

If you are a New York City resident, you have not been on the pothole roller coaster. There have always been just awful roads.

The more potholes, the greater likelihood that there is a motor vehicle accident. There are some ways that potholes might cause severe auto accidents. The potholes themselves may cause the vehicle damage, or worse, cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle, swerving into other motorists. Also, a motorist who sees a large pothole in his way may swerve out of the way to avoid it, and collide with other vehicles. If the weather is inclement and the roads are wet, such a maneuver can have deadly consequences and result in serious injuries and fatalities.

Pothole Crash Injuries

The biggest risk of serious injury and death is, not surprisingly, when you are hitting a pothole on a motorcycle. The sudden, unexpected drop can cause even the most careful biker to turn over the bike. At high speed – at any speed, really – this can lead to disaster.

What Are the Most Common Pot Hole Injury Cases?

The following are common types of accidents involving pothole incidents:

• A motorist drives over a large, deep pothole and his right front wheel becomes entrenched in the hole, causing his vehicle to spin or flip over.
• A driver stops short to avoid driving over a large pothole without giving the motorist behind him enough time to stop, thereby causing a rear-end collision.
• A driver swerves to his left to avoid running over a pothole, sideswiping a vehicle in the adjacent lane.
• A pedestrian walking on the street or the sidewalk may even step in a pothole and incur serious injuries.Bottom of Form

If you were involved in an accident where a vehicle hit a pothole and an accident ensued, and you sustained serious injury, contact Michael J. Redenburg, Esq. PC at 212-240-9465 for a free, no obligation, in-office consultation and get the wheels of justice spinning for you.