Even a small pothole in Chatham can lead to a serious accident

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All drivers have a duty to use reasonable care to follow traffic signs, stay alert and awake and pay attention to the road ahead, but what if the road itself is the problem? Doesn't the city have a duty to maintain the roads? A recent accident occurred as a result of a possibly dangerous road condition in Chatham, New Jersey. The accident occurred on Monday, March 11 when a motorist was driving down a street called Kings Road. Even though it was called Kings Road, it didn't seem to be maintained like the entrance to a castle. There was a large pothole in the road that the man drove right across. When the driver did this, he lost control of the vehicle. It was at 12:16 in the afternoon when the vehicle veered to the right after hitting the pothole. The vehicle then proceeded to strike a parked car alongside the road, a collision which caused the vehicle to rollover once. It landed upside down on the street. Chatham Emergency Squad responded to the accident and towed both of the damaged vehicles from the area. Although in this case the driver of the overturned car was uninjured, it certainly is not always the case. What might seem like a simple pothole often leads to serious injuries. It only takes one broken piece of glass to land in the right spot, a piece of bent metal to crush a leg or any other "small" thing that can lead to serious damage. What if the second vehicle was not a parked car at all? What if the second vehicle was being driven at the time? What if that driver had been drinking? There are so many factors that can quickly complicate an accident, requiring an experienced attorney to sort it all out, determine what claims and what damages may be sought. Source: New Jersey Hills, "Chatham cops: Pothole led to Kings Road accident," March 11, 2013 If you have been injured in any accident involving a motor vehicle, our New Jersey Auto Accident page provides information on the types of cases as well as access to those who can help.