The weather in West Texas can be fickle, and the roads of Odessa can be stricken with dangerous weather at any moment. The National Weather Service lists high winds, downpours, and lightning among the hazardous weather events that can affect drivers in Odessa and may cause an accident when drivers do not adapt to such weather appropriately. If you or your loved one has been injured or killed because of a weather-related accident in Odessa, then an Odessa accident caused by failure to heed changing weather or road condition lawyer may be able to assist you.
The team at Loncar Lyon Jenkins will guide your insurance claim or lawsuit to completion. Call in the Strong Arm by calling Loncar Lyon Jenkins today at (877) 239-4878 for a free consultation.
How to React to Changing Weather
The City of Odessa understands that dangerous weather is familiar territory for those who drive its roads, and provides a roadmap for safety in changing weather conditions. Some of the city’s recommendations for driving in changing weather include:
- Checking the weather forecast before driving
- Ensuring you know how to defog your windshield
- Checking vehicle components, including tires and brakes, before driving
- Increasing the distance from other vehicles in front of you
- Operating the vehicle with extra caution
- Knowing how to properly brake in the case that you lose control of your vehicle
- Accelerating and braking more slowly than you would in normal driving conditions
- Not using cruise control
In addition to these steps, you may turn your headlights and hazard lights on to improve your visibility and to help other drivers see your own vehicle. There are several behaviors that could be even more dangerous than usual when road conditions are worsened because of the weather. These behaviors include:
- Speeding
- Making dangerous turns
- Accelerating aggressively
- Driving without operational headlights, brake lights, hazard lights, or mirrors
- Driving while drunk or on drugs
- Changing lanes without signaling
- Changing lanes without adequate clearance
- Driving too closely to other vehicles
Distracted driving may be even more dangerous during inclement weather, as wet, icy, windy, or snowy conditions could make it more difficult to avoid an accident. Driving while distracted could further reduce your ability to avoid an accident.
Drivers Have a Duty to Adjust to Changing Weather
The Legal Information Institute (LII) notes that a “duty of care” means that a person “must act in the same manner as a reasonably prudent person in their position would.” The duty of care generally applies to all motorists, which means that a motorist should generally be more cautious when dangerous weather occurs, or be held liable for causing an accident.
Even motorists who do adjust their driving behaviors in changing weather could be liable for your losses. The very fact that a motorist caused your accident and that your accident has caused you or your loved one to suffer losses could be enough to establish fault for your losses.
Your Odessa accident caused by failure to heed changing weather or road condition lawyer will make the case that the specific circumstances that caused your accident entitle you to compensation.
Call Loncar Lyon Jenkins today at (877) 239-4878 for more details about how hiring a personal injury lawyer could be in your interest.
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A Lawyer Will Assess Your Losses
You may hire a lawyer at any point in your post-accident process, and speaking with their team may give you a clearer idea of how they can assist you. In the wake of your accident, a lawyer can help defend your rights, and will eventually assess how your accident has negatively affected you. They will do the same for a loved one who has been injured or passed away from an accident in Odessa.
Some of the accident-related losses that you may have suffered include:
- Lost salary or wages caused by your injuries
- Damage to your vehicle, motorcycle, or bicycle
- Damage to personal property
- The cost of emergency transport, emergency care, and hospital care
- The cost of follow-up medical appointments
- The cost of rehabilitation for your injuries
- Pain and suffering, which may include specific conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder
- Permanent disability
- Specific opportunities lost because of your injuries
Some of your losses, such as medical bills and lost income, may have a fairly straightforward price tag, while pain and suffering may be among losses with a less-obvious monetary value. Your lawyer may be able to calculate the cost of individual and total losses caused by your accident and then seek compensation for you or your loved one.
Specific Duties of an Odessa Accident Lawyer
Your lawyer’s general goal will be to obtain compensation for you or a loved one, and they will take several specific steps as they pursue this goal. Some of the duties that your lawyer may perform include:
- Gathering evidence from your accident
- Organizing evidence in a way that supports their case for liability
- Documenting injuries and other losses from your accident
- Calculating the cost of your losses
- Interviewing witnesses and hiring experts
- Filing your lawsuit and all other necessary paperwork
- Negotiating a settlement
- Arguing your case at trial
Your lawyer will defend your rights throughout your time as their client. Whether you pursue an insurance claim or choose to bring a lawsuit right away, a lawyer will handle your case to the greatest extent possible. You can worry about recovery or caring for a loved one, and your lawyer will handle the fight for compensation.
Call Loncar Lyon Jenkins Today
Driving can be hectic enough, and motorists who do not account for changing weather can put you or a loved one at risk of serious injury or death. If you or a loved one was injured because of a careless motorist or other parties, then an Odessa accident caused by failure to heed changing weather or road condition lawyer may be able to help you seek the compensation that you deserve.
Call Loncar Lyon Jenkins today at (877) 239-4878 for a free consultation about how we may seek a positive outcome for you or your loved one.
