Pothole Claims

BBC News has recently reported that the government is providing councils across the country an additional £100m in a bid to repair the potholes that have appeared after last year’s tough winter.  As I am sure many of you reading this will be aware, last winter was one of the worst we have had in ages and as such, a great deal of damage was done to our roads.  The freezing conditions have meant that potholes of varying sizes have cropped up all over our highways because the water has seeped into cracks in the roads, frozen, and expanded: breaking the surface.  This in turn has meant that many accidents have occurred and many people have been injured as a result.  Here at The Injury Lawyers we have come across many cases where people have been injured due to an accident involving potholes.  For example, people have gone head over heels on their bicycles having cycled into a pothole, or people have fallen when crossing the road because they have tripped in a pothole.

BBC News suggests that last year alone over two million potholes were filled in, and with the weather being worse recently, the number of potholes to be repaired has increased.  However, it is also observed that even with this additional money there will likely be numerous potholes that still require attention when the money runs dry.

Your local authority has a duty to make sure that the safety of its highway users is not in danger because of the conditions of the roads.  What this means is that your local council has to undertake regular inspections of its highways.  For example, at least every 6 months; should any be faults be found, urgent action should be taken to make the necessary repairs.

If you have had an accident involving a pothole and have sustained injuries as a result, then it is important that you contact an experienced injury lawyer who can guide you through your potential claim.  They will be able to assess whether your local authority has failed in its duty of care to its highway users, and will let you know whether you have a potential claim. You may be due a significant amount of compensation.