Technolog y Transfer 800-432- 0719 www.kyt2.c om Traffic Engineer’s Meeting Tort Liability Kenneth R. Agent, P.E. Transportation Research Engineer Kentucky Transportation Center
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Traffic Engineer’s Meeting
Tort Liability
Kenneth R. Agent, P.E.Transportation Research Engineer
Kentucky Transportation Center
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• Case Studies• Tort Liability Definitions• Summary of Board of Claims
Cases
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Claim
• Negligently maintained pedestrian call button
• Failed to provide pedestrian sufficient time to cross road with traffic signal
• Failed to provide adequate lighting at intersection
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Recommended OrderConclusions of Law
• Cabinet exercised engineering judgment in designing phasing at traffic signal (discretionary function)
• No MUTCD requirement that Cabinet provide time for pedestrians to cross road (even with no use of pedestrian call button)
• Pedestrian crossed road against pedestrian signal
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Conclusions of Law (cont.)
• Cabinet had ministerial duty to repair pedestrian button but was not cause of accident since pedestrian did not allow sufficient time for a pedestrian phase to be activated prior to crossing
• If Cabinet responsible for intersection lighting, decision is discretionary
• Recommends finding in favor of Cabinet
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Negligence
• Failure to use the same standard of care that a reasonably prudent person would
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Standard of Care
• Agency directives and policies• Directives of superior agency• Guidelines and policies of similar agencies• Guides developed by national and
professional organizations• Textbooks and professional journals• Research results• Expert witnesses
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Comparative Negligence(Depending upon the law)
• A Plaintiff who contributed to the plaintiff’s own injury can still collect weighted damages
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Notice (Actual)
• Public entity is given specific notice of a defect in the highway system
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Notice (Constructive)
• After a reasonable amount of time, the public entity should be aware of a highway defect
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Constructive Notice
• Reasonable time between occurrence of defect and when agency becomes aware of defect.
• Routine inspection.• Reasonable amount of time?
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Discretionary/Ministerial Acts
• Discretionary acts require choice among valid alternatives using judgment
• Ministerial acts involve clearly defined tasks not permitting exercise of discretion
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Sovereign Immunity
• Began in England where King would not allow suit against himself
• No one can sue the government without its permission
• Government not responsible for acts of its employees
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Elements Necessary For Negligence
• Duty• Breach of Duty• Causal connection between
negligent conduct and resulting injury
• Actual damages
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Proximate Cause
• Cause that leads to the result• Probable consequences of the
Negligent Act• Duty and violation of duty• Element of foreseeability• More than one proximate cause
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Summary1981-2009
Number of claims 15,460
Total amount claimed $123,068,082Percent decided 99Percent with payment 49Total payment $16,617,604Percent paid (decided)
15
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Number of Claims 1981-2009
0
200
400
600
800
1,000
Year
Num
ber o
f Cla
ims
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Total Amount Claimed 1981-2009
0.01.02.03.04.05.06.07.0
Year
Amou
nt in
Mill
ion
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$0$200$400$600$800
$1,000$1,200$1,400
Amou
nt in
Tho
usan
d
Year
Total Payment* 1981-2009
*decided claims filed in given year
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48.3
42.2
28.4
21.2
11.1
0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0
Under 500
500-999
1,000-9,999
10,000-49,999
50,000 or more
Percent
Cla
im P
aid
Percent of Claimed Amount Paid
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Reasons for Highest Number of Claims
1,238
1,051
870
599
543
539
512
5,645
0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000
Pothole demaged vehicle
Object in road
Accident involving KyTC cehicle
Object thrown from mower
Uncovered load
Paint striping
Falling rock/rock slide
Inadequate/improper signs/mrkgs
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$21.40
$16.10
$12.90
$7.90
$7.40
$6.90
$6.70
$6.40
0 5 10 15 20 25
Inadequate/improper signs/mkgs
Improper drainage
Lack of guardrail
Accident due to pavement
Accident involving KyTC vehicle
Inadequate traffic control device-Work Zone
Shoulder dropoff
Traffic signal malfunction-inadequate
Amount in Millions
Reasons for Highest Amounts of Claims
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Amount Claimed$50,000 and above
$millions
6.0
6.5
6.6
7.4
12.6
14.9
20.8
5.4
0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0
Substandard guardrail
Traffic signal malfunction – inadequate
Shoulder dropoff
Inadequate traffic control device, work zone
Accident due to pavement
Lack of guardrail
Improper drainage caused accident
Inadequate/improper signs/markings
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Claim Amount Paid of $50,000 or More
$481,112
$576,537
$692,510
$729,526
$1,093,804
$1,206,863
$1,990,635
$2,500,057
Traffic signal malfunction – inadequate
Accident due to pavement
Inadequate traffic control device, work zone
Substandard guardrail
Lack of guardrail
Shoulder dropoff
Inadequate/improper signs/markings
Improper drainage caused accident
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Districts with Most Claims by Reason
$50,000 and Above
Reason District
Traffic Control Devices 7
Drainage 12
Barrier 2
Road Surface Related 12
Shoulder Related 7
Construction Zone-Traffic Control 6
Geometric Feature 1
State Vehicle Operation 2
Maintenance Activity 12
Construction Activity 5
Fixed Object 11
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Kenneth R. Agent, P.E.
Transportation Research EngineerKentucky Transportation Center
University of Kentucky176 Raymond Building Lexington, KY 40506
(859) [email protected]