Property management can be a time-consuming undertaking. You must ensure that your premises are attractive, supervise employees and order supplies. You must protect your enterprise against all potential liabilities, ensure that all taxes are paid and comply with local codes and regulations. However, if you are neglecting the condition of your asphalt pavement, you could find yourself needing an attorney to defend against a lawsuit filed by someone who suffers an injury due to a pothole.
The Correlation of Property Management and Asphalt Repair
This might sound far-fetched, but potholes are actually risks to those who walk, drive or bike on your property. Some demands for compensation are for property damage, such as a bicycle wheel destroyed by a pothole or a front-end alignment for a passenger car, and these amounts typically are relatively minor. When it comes to personal injury, however, the amounts can be staggering, even when municipalities are the defendants rather than business owners. For example, a California bicyclist won $325 million in a suit against the city of Oakland for severe injuries suffered due to an accident caused by pavement that was cracked and patched. To better understand how such awards can be possible, a review of the types of injuries that can occur due to potholes might be helpful. Understanding property management and asphalt repair is extremely important.
Broken Bones
There are various ways that a pothole can lead to a broken bone. A pedestrian could trip over the edge of the pothole and fall, breaking an arm, hip or wrist. A cyclist could be flung from his bike and break a bone in one of his limbs or even his neck. A car encountering a pothole could be knocked into a pedestrian, resulting in the pedestrian suffering a broken leg or rib.
Head Injuries
When the human head strikes a hard surface, the brain can be bruised. The amount of damage resulting from such an injury varies, but speech, mobility, thought processes and many other functions can be affected. In some cases, a slip-and-fall accident is enough to cause a head injury. It can also be caused if a cyclist is violently thrown from his bike and strikes the pavement or another hard object, such as a car or a wall.
Scarring
Some accidents can leave victims scarred. For instance, a motorcyclist who is unseated by a pothole could suffer facial scarring from “sliding” along the pavement. Some injuries that require surgery to fix may leave the patient with unsightly scars from the surgery.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries sometimes happen in the same types of situations that cause head injuries. It is possible — although not probable — that a pedestrian could suffer such an injury in a fall. However, a pedestrian struck by a vehicle that lost control after encountering a pothole or a cyclist who is propelled from his bike could suffer an injury to the back or neck.
Protecting Yourself from Potential Liabilities
Inspect your pavement frequently and engage a reputable asphalt contractor to make prompt repairs. At MH Greeson Paving, we specialize in all aspects of asphalt maintenance, including asphalt paving and pothole repairs. We offer asphalt sealcoating, striping and many other asphalt repair services to customers in Atlanta and most other locations in North Georgia. Our crews are committed to providing exceptional results at competitive rates. If you would like to request a free job quote, you can either submit our short online form or call 770-335-2983.
