You suffered an injury in a car accident, perhaps a serious one. The other driver collided into your car during icy weather, and well, that sort of thing happens. Doesn’t it? After all, bad weather conditions such as ice, snow, heavy rain and even wind can lead to all kinds of weird and unpredictable accidents.
Not so fast, though. Negligence could still have played a role, perhaps even a total role, in your accident. Drivers still speed, text and drink in inclement weather and should be held responsible for any injuries they caused you, especially if these were serious.
When drivers should know better
Some drivers who engage in risky practices such as texting during normal conditions do behave well during bad weather. Others, however, carry on the same as usual. They should know better. Their attention on the road is more necessary than ever, and speeding, drifting into other lanes and swerving can lead to collisions, sideswipes, rollovers and much more.
Your lawyer should use accident investigators to analyze the role of the weather and the role of both drivers in the crash. These investigators interview witnesses and reconstruct the accident, among other things. If you or someone else took pictures of the crash scene right after the collision happened, they could be very helpful as well.
Yes, you may still have a case
The bottom line: Icy or inclement weather is often not a valid excuse when another car crashed into you and injured you. Chances are that the other driver did something wrong such as speeding, following too closely or even driving with tires he or she knew to be inappropriate for this type of weather. In fact, things such as not using windshield wipers, not using the right headlights, driving a poorly maintained vehicle or making sharp turns can be enough to show driver negligence and get you the compensation you need to heal after your accident.