If you have suffered an accident or personal injury because of infrastructure that was not fit for purpose, you may be entitled to compensation.
Ageing infrastructure requires continuous follow-up and maintenance. In some cases, infrastructure is not just inadequate, but in a dangerous state of disrepair.
Accidents can arise because of crumbling roads, bridges and tunnels. Infrastructure is required to meet certain standards across the UK and, when those expectations aren’t satisfied, there may be a basis for a civil lawsuit.
If you think you have grounds for a dangerous infrastructure claim, get in touch with an experienced public law solicitor. Contact us at Ross Aldridge Solicitors for guidance in assessing your case.
Who is Responsible for Dangerous Infrastructure Accidents?
In the UK, government bodies are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of public infrastructure.
Let’s take trunk roads, i.e. important main roads used for long-distance travel. National Highways, a government agency that work in line with the Department of Transport, employ a rigorous inspection and maintenance routine so as to manage the risks of ageing trunk roads and motorways.
They adhere to their own rules and guidelines, so if negligence occurs it does so in defiance of their own code.
Crucially, the government is not inherently responsible for an injury that occurs on a road or a bridge.
Injuries can occur because of poor infrastructure conditions, but the government is usually held liable when they knew, or should have known, about the substandard conditions and they did not take steps to rectify the situation.
The government can often be shielded from liability in civil lawsuits, but if an accident or injury occurs and causes major damage to a victim, you may be entitled to compensation.
What Types of Injuries Can Result from Dangerous Infrastructure?
There is a broad scope for accidents and injuries that can occur because of infrastructure. Below are several examples of common infrastructure-related injuries:
- Slips, trips and falls are among the most common personal injuries that are sustained due to shoddy infrastructure. They can occur in many situations, such as a fall on a substandard road or bridge. If the conditions do not meet the duty of care, a slips, trips and fall accident may be the basis for a successful claim.
- Cyclist’s knee, tendinitis or a fracture arising from a bicycle crash that happened on a public road in a state of disrepair.
- A vehicular road accident occurring due to crumbling or outdated roadways.
- Head injuries from impact beneath crumbling bridges.
- Fractures and impact injuries in a train crash resulting from outdated or broken railway tracks.
Each case is different and the quicker you contact an experienced solicitor for help in assessing your basis for compensation, the better chance you have of filing a successful suit.
Where Can a Dangerous Infrastructure Accident Occur?
There are various modes of infrastructure in which accidents and personal injuries can happen. Some areas in which outdated, or poorly maintained infrastructure can be particularly harmful are:
- Major and minor roads left in poor condition and in need of repairs.
- Railway tracks and rail stations not fit for purpose.
- Crumbling bridges and tunnels.
- Outdated digital operation and motoring systems, for example smart power grids.
- Mining, oil and gas facilities that risk catastrophes capable of harming human life and wildlife.
- Aviation infrastructure such as airports and aircrafts in need of upgrading and failing to meet their duty of care.
- Communications infrastructure such as telecom systems.
- Water infrastructure designed to ensure safe drinking conditions.
- Waste management infrastructure intended to store, treat and eliminate hazardous materials.
Contact Us
If you are concerned about an accident you have been involved in, get in touch with Ross Aldridge Personal Injury solicitor.
