Rochester, New York, Hydroplaning Car Accident Lawyers

Jed Dietrich, Esq., Distinguished as a New York Super Lawyer and American Institute of Trial Lawyers Litigator of the Year, and His Team of Aggressive, Tenacious, and Hardworking Attorneys at the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. Fight to Obtain the Best Result for Victims Seriously Injured in Car Accidents in Rochester, New York.

The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. takes its mission of providing the highest level of personal injury service to its clients very seriously. When we take a case, we do everything in our power to ensure our clients do not have to pay for another person’s mistake. We have helped car crash victims across Rochester and New York obtain over $175 million in damages from insurance companies, reckless motorists, and negligent businesses.

Rochester might be notorious for its lake effect snow, but the city is no stranger to extreme weather outside of winter. While heavy rains are a common occurrence in spring, the occasional storm can bring torrential downpours any time of year. Although most Rochester residents have plenty of experience driving in difficult conditions, some do it more safely than others. If someone drives recklessly or fails to keep their car in good condition, they increase their risk of causing a dangerous hydroplaning accident.

When motorists are not cautious on wet, slippery roads, they can lose control of their vehicles, jeopardizing their own safety and that of everyone around them. If you, or a loved one, have been hurt in a hydroplaning accident, you could be eligible for compensation through an insurance settlement or personal injury lawsuit. The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. can prove the other motorist’s negligence led to your injuries, helping you secure the money you need to recover from your Rochester hydroplaning accident. Please send us a message online or call us at 585-939-3939 to schedule your free consultation today.

When a car hydroplanes, its tires skip or skid across a wet surface. Hydroplaning can happen whenever there is standing water on the road, and an automobile’s tire tread is unable to scatter it. Researchers have identified two distinct types of hydroplaning:

1. Viscous Hydroplaning: This occurs when a vehicle’s tires lose partial contact with pavement because of water on the roadway. Viscous hydroplaning can increase braking distance, making rear-end collisions more likely.
2. Dynamic Hydroplaning: This occurs when a vehicle’s tires lose total contact with pavement because of water on the roadway. If a tire cannot disperse standing water, it may not be able to connect with the roadway and maintain traction. Dynamic hydroplaning can cause a driver to lose total control of their vehicle.

While hydroplaning can occur on any sufficiently wet surface, the following conditions increase the likelihood of it happening:

1. Weather Conditions: Hydroplaning is most likely to happen during the first 10 minutes of light rain.
2. Road Conditions: If oil or other contaminants mix with standing water, the result is a slick mixture that makes it more difficult for a car to maintain traction.
3. Tire Tread: The depth of a tire’s tread is one of the biggest risk factors for hydroplaning. If a driver does not ensure they have a safe level of tread, their tire loses its ability to disperse water and grip the roadway.
4. Vehicle Profile: Narrower and lighter vehicles are the most likely to hydroplane. Motorcycles, for instance, are much more likely to slip on wet roads than passenger cars.
5. Water Level: A car can hydroplane if there is at least one-tenth of an inch of water on the roadway stretching for at least 20 to 30 feet.
6. Speed: Hydroplaning can occur whenever there is deep water on the road. However, hydroplaning rarely, if ever, occurs at speeds below 30 miles per hour. Since hydroplaning tends to happen when vehicles are traveling at relatively high rates of speed, hydroplaning accidents are very likely to result in significant property damage and injury.
7. Driver Behavior: Hydroplaning is almost never intentional. However, people who drive too fast for wet and slippery conditions are more likely to cause a hydroplaning accident, especially if they have old, worn-out tires.

People who drive too fast for road conditions put themselves and everyone around them in danger. Since an automobile must be traveling at speeds of at least 30 miles per hour to hydroplane, any resultant crash will likely produce a lot of force and damage, both to people and property.

Recovering from a serious hydroplaning accident can require a serious investment of time and money. If you have been hurt in a Rochester hydroplaning accident that was not your fault, you should never have to pay out of pocket for your recovery. The Dietrich Law Firm P.C.’s experienced staff of highly skilled attorneys can help you prove that the other motorist’s negligence led to your injuries. Call us at 585-939-3939 to schedule your free initial appointment today.

Obtaining compensation after a hydroplaning accident can be challenging if you do not have competent legal counsel. You should always consult an experienced Rochester car accident attorney after getting injured in a hydroplaning crash. If a driver’s negligence led to a hydroplaning crash, they could be held liable for any damages they caused. Everyone on the road has what is called a “duty of care.” This means that everybody must exercise a standard of reasonable care when they perform an activity with the potential to hurt other people.

A driver might be held negligent if they:

1. Drive too fast for conditions;
2. Drive while talking on the phone or texting;
3. Drive intoxicated;
4. Own a defective or otherwise unsafe vehicle; or
5. Fail to ensure their tires meet New York’s legal requirements.

The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. will work diligently to show that you do not bear responsibility for your injuries and the cost of recovery. Our hardworking team of attorneys and legal professionals has years of experience helping clients get back on their feet after serious accidents. Please send us a message today to find out how we can help you.

Call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. immediately at 585-939-3939 so that our aggressive, tenacious, and hardworking personal injury lawyers can fight to obtain the best result for your personal injury claim in Rochester, New York. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and there is never a fee until we WIN for you!