September 26, 2013
The Green Bay car accident lawyers with Sigman, Janssen, Sewall, Pitz & Burkham explain that each year, hundreds of thousands of car accidents are recorded in Wisconsin and across the United States. A portion of those crashes are attributed to a defective highway design or maintenance, such as uneven pavement. In fact, a study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that almost 750 accidents that researchers examined were the result of problems with a roadways design.
In an effort to avoid such crashes in the city of Green Bay, officials recently announced the indefinite closing of the Leo Frigo Memorial Bridge due to sagging. According to a story released by the Appleton Post-Crescent, the sagging creates an 800-foot long section of bridge that contains a dip that can be as deep as one and a half feet deep. If a vehicle was to strike the sagging section, it could easily cause an accident or vehicle damage.
Officials added that they have pinpointed the problem to a support structure known as Pier 22. They stated that when the structure settled recently, it caused the roadway above to sink. They are unsure when the bridge will reopen.
Sigman Janssen’s team of Wisconsin personal injury lawyers recognizes the dangers a defective highway can pose to motorists. That’s why the firm urges anyone who has been injured in a crash caused by such negligence to discuss their legal rights with an attorney.