There are lots of potholes across Northern Idaho and Washington State this year as well, due to an unusually harsh winter.
On Friday, May 5, 2017, a van hit a large pothole and the vehicle’s tire blew out. The driver crossed into oncoming traffic and hit a Chevy pickup truck. According to the Spokesman, the driver of the Chevy truck ended up at Providence Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane. While the article does not state the medical condition of the motorist, this hospital is often where drivers are taken if they have traumatic injuries such as bone fractures.
Head on collisions sometimes occur on I90 as there is no center divider on many stretches of highway here.
Can municipalities be held liable for injuries from potholes?
Injuries stemming from potholes are rare but do happen. If a municipality knew about or should have known about a pothole deep enough to cause a driver to lose control of their vehicle, in some cases they may be held liable for injuries the neglected pothole may have caused. These types of cases are very, very rare, and their may be no liability if potholes are being fixed in a reasonable time frame. Additionally, sometimes accidents appear to be caused by potholes but drivers could be driving on improperly inflated tires, worn tires, or driving too fast. As you can see, all cases are very different.
If you have any questions regarding any type of accident or injury, feel free to reach out to us – the call is free and we are experienced Idaho car accident lawyers.
Related: Claims Against Idaho DOT
