A recent news article details the collapse of a pedestrian bridge that injured five people. The bridge was located on I-295, in northwest D.C. Apparently, a truck lost control and crashed into the concrete support beams holding up the bridge. This caused the bridge to collapse onto the highway. Reports indicated that debris from the bridge came raining down on passing motorists, causing several car accidents. In all, five people were injured as a result of the collapse.
Authorities began looking into the accident, discovering that the inspectors’ most recent assessment of the bridge indicated that it was in poor repair and may need to be replaced. However, at this point, investigators cannot conclusively say that the compromised condition of the bridge contributed to its collapse.
In an accident such as this one, there may be several parties who share the blame. For example, the truck driver who crashed into the support beam may have been distracted or otherwise negligent. However, it is also possible that another motorist cut off the truck driver, who then attempted to avoid the collision by swerving out of the way. Additionally, the government may be liable if the evidence suggests that the bridge would not have collapsed had it been repaired.
In cases like these, where multiple parties may share responsibility for an accident, it is important for accident victims to work with an experienced attorney. Typically, courts will assign each at-fault party a percentage of responsibility. Each responsible party will then be required to compensate an accident victim according to that percentage.
However, what often happens in these cases is that each at-fault party points the finger at the others in hopes of decreasing their own liability. This can drag out what is already a lengthy recovery process for accident victims.
What Is the Most Common Defense to a Washington, D.C. Personal Injury Case?
In some cases, at-fault parties will also try to shift blame onto the accident victim. And, under Washington, D.C.’s strict contributory negligence laws, even being the slightest bit at fault can prevent an accident victim from recovering a penny for their injuries. The bottom line is that personal injury cases involving multiple parties are often very complex. Those injured in this type of accident should reach out to a dedicated Washington, D.C. personal injury lawyer for immediate assistance with their claim.
Have You Been Hurt in a Washington, D.C. Car Accident?
If you or someone you love was recently injured in Washington, D.C. motor vehicle accident, the dedicated injury lawyers at Lebowitz & Mzhen, LLC, can help. We have decades of experience helping accident victims and their families pursue fair compensation for the injuries they sustained. We provide each of our many clients with the individualized attention they deserve. We offer all accident victims a free consultation to discuss their cases and answer any questions. And if you decide to bring us on your team, we will not charge you for any of our services unless we can help secure compensation on your behalf, either through a pre-trial settlement offer or at trial. To learn more, call 800-654-1949 today.