November 25, 2021
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration, the purpose of a guardrail is to provide a safety barrier to shield motorists who leave the roadway. However, several prominent guardrail manufacturing companies have come under fire for defective products. Defective guardrails can pose serious dangers to New Hampshire motorists, passengers, and bystanders.
In the best-case scenario, a driver veering off the roadway would come to rest without colliding with any vehicle or object. However, many New Hampshire roadways abut embankments, slopes, trees, bridge piers, and utility poles. In these cases, a guardrail provides a stopping point that may be safer than the alternative. The guardrail can deflect a vehicle back to the roadway, slow the vehicle down to a complete stop, or slow down to a safer stopping point.
While federal safety experts do not claim that guardrails completely protect drivers and passengers, they are still responsible for ensuring that the guardrail is installed correctly and free of defects. Many factors, such as the size and speed of a vehicle, can affect how well a guardrail protects drivers. However, guardrails that contain serious defects can pose additional dangers to motorists.
In some cases, defective guardrails significantly increase the severity of injuries and the likelihood of death to drivers. For example, guardrails should redistribute the force of a collision and send vehicles back to the road; however, a defective barrier may remain in place and pierce vehicles and their occupants. Recently, news sources described an accident where a guardrail pierced a car during a New Hampshire accident. According to reports, the 43-year-old driver lost control of his car when another car suddenly moved into his lane. The driver slammed into the guardrail, which penetrated his vehicle. About 8 feet of the rail pierced his vehicle, and another 12-foot-piece of the guardrail detached and flew into five other cars.
These cases tend to be rife with challenges because of the interplay of various areas of personal injury law. The main issues tend to involve identifying any potentially liable parties and overcoming issues regarding governmental immunity. Many New Hampshire guardrail accident claims fall under the state’s products liability laws; however, injury victims or their families should consult with a New Hampshire attorney to determine their rights and remedies.
Have You Suffered Injuries in a New Hampshire Highway AccidentIf you or someone you know has suffered severe injuries or died in a New Hampshire car accident, contact Peter Thompson & Associates. The lawyers at our firm have extensive experience successfully resolving complex injury cases on behalf of our New Hampshire clients. The firm handles New Hampshire accident cases involving dangerous or defective products, auto accidents, medical malpractice, premises liability, dog bites, construction site injuries, and nursing home abuse and neglect cases. We have secured significant amounts of compensation for our clients, including medical expenses, ongoing treatment, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. To learn more, and to schedule a free consultation with a New Hampshire car accident lawyer, contact our office at 800-804-2004.