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Arizona family sues city after fatal bike accident

On Behalf of | Mar 5, 2014 | Firm News |

When road construction is being done in Arizona, the government entity sponsoring the construction must take the necessary precautions to keep workers as well as the public safe.

Sisters from Lake Havasu City, which is a Arizona-California border town, allege that their city did not take the proper safety precautions when repairing a road and their mother was killed as a result.

The accident took place last July when the accident victim was riding her bicycle along a road that was under construction and was hit by a car.

One might assume that the driver of the car was responsible for the accident, but the victim’s family says that it was negligence on behalf of the city that was the real cause.

In a claim filed by the victim’s daughters argue that their mother would still be here today if the city had properly maintained the road during the construction.

Specifically, the sisters allege that street lights should have been erected as the area was poorly-lit at the time of the accident. They also allege that a light coat of tar had been placed on the road, causing the dividing lines to disappear.

They also charge that the speed limit in the construction zone had been reduced, but it was not within the standards provided by the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.

Finally, they allege that there was no “buffer” area on the side of the road for pedestrians and bicyclists.

The sisters have another two weeks to work out a settlement with the city under Arizona law. If an agreement has not been reached in that time, a wrongful death lawsuit can be filed. 

Source: Today’s News-Herald, “Alger family seeking $5M in claim with city,” Kevin Baird, March 5, 2014