Kansas City drivers often need to navigate unpredictable and severe weather conditions, from heavy snowfall to spring thunderstorms. When weather-related crashes occur, victims often face insurance companies that quickly blame “acts of nature” to avoid paying fair compensation. However, you still have the right to recover compensation in a weather-related car accident—as long as someone else’s negligence also contributed to the crash.
How Does Bad Weather Lead to Car Accidents?
Severe weather creates dangerous driving conditions that significantly increase your risk of being involved in a collision. For example:
- Rain, snow, and ice reduce tire traction and make it harder to stop quickly or maintain control of your vehicle.
- Heavy rain also limits visibility, making it difficult to see other cars, pedestrians, or road hazards until it’s too late to react safely.
- Wind can push vehicles out of their lanes and crash into oncoming vehicles. This particularly affects larger trucks and SUVs that catch more wind resistance.
Even experienced drivers can struggle when weather conditions change rapidly, such as when temperatures drop suddenly and create black ice on roadways that appeared safe just hours earlier. That is why it is so important for motorists to slow down and take extra precautions when driving in bad weather.
Your Legal Options After a Weather-Related Collision
Just because weather played a role in your accident doesn’t mean you are without legal recourse. All drivers have a duty to follow traffic laws and operate their vehicles safely according to the conditions, including bad weather. If another driver’s negligent actions contributed to the crash, you can still pursue compensation for your injuries and damages. Common examples include drivers who were driving too fast, following too closely, or failing to use headlights during poor visibility.
You may also have a claim when poor road maintenance or infrastructure failures contributed to your accident. Government entities have a responsibility to maintain safe driving conditions by clearing snow and ice, fixing potholes, ensuring proper drainage, and posting adequate warning signs about hazardous conditions. When they fail in these duties, they may be liable for the resulting accidents.
What to Do If You Are Involved in a Weather-Related Car Accident
Taking the right steps immediately after a weather-related collision can protect both your safety and your legal rights. Kansas City injury lawyers handling these cases suggest taking the following steps:
- Call 911 immediately to report the accident and request medical assistance.
- Move to a safe location if possible, but leave vehicles in place if moving them would create additional danger.
- Take photographs of vehicle damage, road conditions, weather conditions, and any visible injuries you sustained.
- Exchange insurance information with all other drivers involved in the collision.
- Speak with witnesses and ask for their contact information.
- Seek medical attention as soon as possible, even if you do not feel injured, and save your medical records.
- Contact a Kansas City car accident attorney before speaking with any insurance companies about the details of your accident.
Contact Dollar, Burns, Becker, and Hershewe Today
When severe weather contributes to your accident, determining fault requires careful analysis of each driver’s response to hazardous conditions and the safety of the road itself. Dollar, Burns, Becker, and Hershewe will investigate all of the factors that may have contributed to your collision, helping you recover compensation even when conditions were less than ideal. Contact us at (816) 876-2600 to discuss how our Kansas City car accident lawyers can help after your weather-related collision.