With winter fast approaching, the residents of Western New York know that they will have to be extra cautious when driving. Unfortunately, there are many car crashes caused by snowy conditions and inclement weather in the Buffalo area. One of the most common questions that our experienced injury attorneys receive during this season is, “Can I recover compensation for car crashes caused by snowy conditions?”
The answer is difficult to determine right away. There are a lot of factors that come into play, so we won’t be able to fully determine the value of your claim until you call our office and schedule a free consultation with our personal injury lawyers. In the meantime, read this article for relevant information.
Car Crashes Caused by Snowy Conditions | Black Ice
On occasion, we’ll get a call from a potential client who was involved in a car accident in which they lost control of their vehicle on an icy roadway, struck a guardrail, and unfortunately sustained serious injuries. In that circumstance, we investigated that particular section of roadway and made a careful determination — in our opinion, the driver had been driving too fast for those conditions and so we were unable to bring a claim for them.
However, they were still fully entitled to the no-fault benefits under New York State insurance law, which does provide the expenses to cover your medical bills and lost wage reimbursement for a period of time.
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Car Crashes Caused by Snowy Conditions | Inclement Weather
During the winter, we tend to get a lot of calls from potential clients where weather played a factor in their car accident. They often ask, what involvement does the weather play in their case, and how will it affect their potential ability to recover compensation.
Weather is a factor in many accidents, whether it just be wet, slippery roadways or low visibility caused by snow and fog. What the law provides for those types of cases is an obligation for all drivers to act safely and drive appropriately in terms of the conditions that are in existence at that time. That means you are deemed to be obligated to drive according to whatever natural conditions are presented to you
One of the things that people are ticketed for is driving too fast for the conditions. Even though they may not have been speeding according to the street signs, you can’t go the posted speed limit if there’s extremely heavy snow or ice present. You have to control your vehicle, and you have an obligation to act safely and prevent accidents or injuries to others.
Winter weather car accidents in Western New York are a common occurrence. With hazardous road conditions, determining liability can be tough. If you’ve been injured in a car accident, contact our Buffalo injury attorneys for a free consultation.