Fall Foliage Hazards in Louisiana

Say what you will about the summer humidity, but for most of the year, the weather in Louisiana is simply exquisite. The temperatures are mild throughout King Cake season, and year-round, the weather is right for an outdoor barbecue or seafood boil. While they might not rank highly on the list of reasons that tourists visit Louisiana, the autumn leaves are a sight for sore eyes. Road trips, fishing trips, and even just a walk from home to your local grocery store are more enjoyable in late October and early November, when you see the leaves on the trees turn from green to yellow and then orange, red, and brown. 

As lovely as they are when they are on the trees, autumn leaves can cause many hazards after they fall to the ground. The trouble with fall leaves goes beyond the hassles of cleaning the gutters of your house and nagging your kids to rake the leaves in the front yard. It does not take long for fallen autumn leaves to become slimy and slippery. On roads and in parking lots, they can even cause car accidents. If fall leaves that public officials or private property owners had failed to clear contributed to your injuries in a traffic accident, contact a Houma car accident lawyer.

Fallen Leaves Make for Slippery Roads and Walkways

Fall leaves may be crisp when they fall from the trees, but it does not take long for the damp autumn air to turn them slimy. Fall leaves on a tree-lined road can mean trouble for motorists, as cars can skid as they can in rainy or snowy weather. Even if the leaves have not yet become slippery, their mere presence on the road can make it more difficult for drivers to see potholes and bumps; this can also increase the risk of a collision.

The Legal Implications if Fall Leaves Played a Role in Your Car Accident

After a car accident, insurance claims adjusters identify all the factors that caused the accident and determine which percentage of the cause of the accident was due to which factor. In most accidents, the insurance company will tell you that the accident was X% your fault and Y% the other driver’s fault. In some cases, though, a vehicle defect or the road conditions bear a share of the responsibility for the accident. If fall leaves on the road were a contributing factor to your accident, then you might have a claim against the city, county, or private property owner responsible for the road where your accident occurred. This is because of the legal principle of premises liability, the same reason that people injured in slip and fall accidents can sue the business where the accident happened.

Contact the Law Office of Patrick H. Yancey About Car Accidents Caused by Hazardous Road Conditions

A car accident lawyer can help you recover compensation if you were injured in a car accident caused by a poorly maintained or poorly cleaned road. Contact the Law Office of Patrick H. Yancey in Houma, Louisiana to see if you have grounds for a lawsuit.