subject: Automobile Accident Occurred After One-way Signs Taken Down From Intersection [print this page] If we go into an intersection as a driver or even as a passenger we expect that we will be safe, if any controls such as traffic lights, one-way signs, and stop signs, are obeyed by drivers entering the intersection. Individuals depend on there being a signal , for example, a one-way sign or a no left turn sign, at intersections that allow only one-way traffic from left to right. When an intersection has no signs or controls indicating that the street is for one-way traffic alone it leaves people a false sense of safety.
Consider for example what caused a published motor vehicle accident lawsuit in which two vehicles collided as one was going straight and the other was taking a left turn. The intersection was positioned close to a neighborhood parish which was having building work completed in the area. The building company had taken down not left turn and one way signs that the city had positioned to control the intersection. The resulting problem: there were no controls indicating that only right turns were allowed at this intersection. Not seeing any signs to the contrary, the driver went into the intersection going the wrong way. Therefore by going left the driver went straight onto traffic coming in the opposite direction.
There was a female passenger in the vehicle that went the wrong way into the intersection. The accident left her a quadriplegic from a cervical fracture. When the case was settled she had already incurred hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of medical costs. In fact, her initial medical bills were in excess of $400,000 and will need roughly another $4 million for future medical treatment. The plaintiff lost roughly half a million dollars in future income because she would not be able to return to employment.
The law firm that handled this claim sued the parish, the construction contractor and the project engineers indicating that they were liable because they directly or indirectly created the circumstances that gave rise to the accident by removing the signs controlling the accident intersection. The law firm reported a combined total settlement with the defendants for $4,500,000 on behalf of the woman.
Determining the correct defendants is an essential step in positioning the claim. Under the circumstances of this accident both drivers seem to have been acting reasonably. There is no evidence that they did not follow any of the rules of the road and/or violate any posted rules relating to the intersection. In addition, the drivers both seemed to be paying reasonable attention. Yet, at least some of the defendants reportedly actually denied liability and tried to blame the driver who took the left-hand turn.
by: Joseph Hernandez
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