Although Georgia residents and travelers alike generally benefit from The Peach State’s moderate climate, there are times when weather conditions can only be described as extreme. For example, the Georgia Department of Transportation had to warn drivers about the risk of encountering black ice after the temperature dipped suddenly and a light dusting of snow had fallen a few days before New Year’s Eve.
While a light dusting of snow isn’t extreme weather, black ice is unquestionably an extremely hazardous driving condition that often leads to serious accidents. When catastrophic accidents are caused by rough weather conditions, injury victims understandably wonder what their legal options are. After all, you can’t hold anyone accountable for the harm caused by bad weather conditions… right?
Liability for bad weather auto accidents may be clearer than you think
You’re likely in a position to file a claim with your insurance company if you’ve been injured in a crash and sustained property damage, even if that accident was caused by bad weather conditions alone.
However, you may also be in a position to file a personal injury lawsuit if your wreck was caused by a combination of bad weather conditions and another party’s negligence, recklessness or intentionally dangerous conduct.
Simply because weather played a role in your crash doesn’t mean that anyone that could ordinarily be held liable for their contributions to the causes of a crash is absolved of responsibility for the harm they’ve caused.
It’s important to avoid assuming that you have no legal options available to you if you’ve recently been injured in a crash caused by bad weather. Depending upon what kind of unique circumstances led to your crash, you still may be able to hold others responsible for your harm.
Even if filing a personal injury lawsuit isn’t a viable option for you, you may be entitled to an insurance settlement. Carefully researching your options will allow you to clarify your legal rights.