Car Accident Injuries Caused by Potholes

If you operate a motor vehicle on Ohio highways during the winter and spring seasons, you have undoubtedly encountered a pothole. Potholes are more than just nuisances. Hitting a pothole can result in a blown tire, lost hubcap, broken tire rim or other damage. Serious, and even fatal injuries caused by potholes are not uncommon.

In Ohio, the State and municipalities have a responsibility to keep roads repaired and free of obstructions. Ohio Revised Code Section 2744.02 provides that failure to maintain public roads can result in liability against the city or town responsible for maintaining the road for injury, death and loss to person or property. To be held responsible for injury or death, it must be proven that the governmental entity responsible for maintaining the road either knew or should have known about the pothole.

In 2008, a young woman died when her vehicle was struck head on by a truck that had lost control and swerved left of center after it hit a large pothole. The family filed suit against the Ohio Department of Transportation and was ultimately awarded $1.8 million. In 2012, the City of Columbus was held responsible for an accident in which a bicyclist was rendered a quadriplegic when he swerved to avoid a pothole and was struck by an automobile.