After a Manhole Accident: Get the Right Legal Advice from Our Philadelphia Personal Injury Lawyers
Manhole accidents can be devastating, resulting in serious physical injuries, damage to vehicles, and mental/emotional trauma.
Pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists have suffered injuries due to broken or missing manhole covers that result in trips or loss of control and falls, sometimes into the manhole itself. Extensive damage has been done to car tires and rims broken or displaced by broken manhole covers.
Sometimes a property or sidewalk is not properly lit, leaving people to walk into an open manhole or trip over a broken manhole cover. At other times, the city is negligent by failing to replace a manhole cover that thieves have stolen or that road or utility workers have removed.
Manhole accident injuries have also been sustained by city, state or utility workers in the course of their work.
Common manhole accident injuries can include:
- Head trauma – including concussions and traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord fractures
- Facial cuts and bruises
- Bone fractures, including rib fractures
- Eye trauma
- Lacerations and bruises
- Mental/emotional trauma
- Death[1]
Generally, manhole accidents happen due to negligence on the part of the city, utility company, contractor, or property owner. It is their responsibility to ensure that all manhole covers are in place and in good, solid working order.
If the manhole cover is broken or if the manhole must remain uncovered for any amount of time, these parties are responsible for informing pedestrians, cyclists, drivers and other passerby of the danger, by posting traffic cones and flags.
When they do not put those warnings in place, they are guilty of negligence if the pedestrian is injured or accident is caused by the dangerous condition manhole created.
HOLDING THE LIABLE PARTY RESPONSIBLE: GET THE RIGHT MANHOLE ACCIDENT ATTORNEY
Manhole injury cases can be complex. Gay Chacker & Ginsburg manhole accident attorneys are skilled at dealing with insurance companies who deny coverage, and with cities and townships that falsely claim that the manhole was properly covered.
Compensation for damages can include medical expenses, lost income and benefits, mental/emotional trauma, pain and suffering, short- or long-term disability, and loss of companionship or parental care.
As your personal injury and municipal liability attorneys, we will gather all necessary evidence, including photographs, eyewitness testimony, your medical records, and public records regarding any roadwork being done in the area. We will tap our expert witnesses who have testified in similar manhole injury cases, to help build a stronger claim. We will return all of your calls quickly, and keep you informed of all progress.
GET THE COMPENSATION YOU DESERVE
If you or someone close to you has suffered a manhole accident injury, you need an experienced Philadelphia personal injury lawyer on your side now.
We have been very successful in reaching significant settlements for clients who have suffered accident injuries due to the negligence of a major city, including Philadelphia. Our municipal liability/manhole accident lawyers will take the time to understand your case fully and will fight with integrity for you and your family until a successful settlement is reached.
Contact us now to learn more about how we can help in manhole accident injury case. There is no risk or obligation. We charge you no legal fees unless we recover financial compensation for you. Call us today at 215-567-7955 for a free consultation, and start recovering the compensation that is owed to you.
