When Another Driver’s Anger Causes You Serious Harm
Sharing busy San Diego streets and highways, particularly I-5, I-8, and I-15, requires a calm demeanor and patience. No one enjoys sitting in traffic jams or other circumstances that delay us in reaching our destinations. When other drivers are running late for work or an appointment, their aggressive efforts to get to where they’re going can escalate into full-blown road rage. If you or a loved one suffered serious harm due to road rage, consider discussing your case with a San Diego car accident lawyer today.
Understanding Road Rage
Road rage takes anger behind the wheel to a dangerous level. What begins as aggressive driving can quickly escalate into full-blown road rage.
Aggressive driving typically involves:
- Speeding in congested traffic
- Weaving among other drivers
- Running red lights
- Purposely tailgating
- Changing lanes without signaling
When this behavior reaches the point of road rage, a driver’s actions may include:
- Throwing objects at another vehicle
- Cursing or obscene gestures
- Purposely running another driver off the road
- Sideswiping or ramming another vehicle in anger
Careless disregard for other drivers’ safety can sometimes prove catastrophic and deadly. If another driver fails to remain calm or respectfully share the road with you or a loved one, a personal injury lawyer can help you.
The outcome of uncontrolled anger behind the wheel can forever alter your life, and that’s not fair. If you’ve sustained injuries in a road rage accident, give careful consideration to contacting a San Diego car accident lawyer today for a free case evaluation.
Heavy Volume and San Diego Road Rage
Whether you live in or travel to San Diego, there is traffic everywhere you look. According to the most recent data from the California Department of Transportation, as many as 33,500 to 71,000 vehicles travel state highways daily.
This volume of traffic places drivers at risk for serious harm. In addition to drunk, distracted, or drowsy drivers, road rage is a real concern as heavy volume creates challenges for those short on time and patience.
No one leaves home for work or the store expecting to suffer serious injuries in a road rage incident. If you suffer severe injuries, you may require a lengthy recovery or face a permanent disability.
The expenses associated with such harm are something that the party responsible should pay, not you. A personal injury lawyer can fight for the compensation you need to cover your damages and future medical care.
Road Rage Liability and Your Accident Injuries
Your lawyer must prove negligence when it comes to your civil lawsuit.
The following evidence can help prove your case:
- Police report: The report may contain witness statements and information regarding the filing of any criminal charges.
- Accident scene video and photographs: The police report may include accident scene photographs. However, any additional pictures and video may prove useful.
- Contact information for witnesses: Eyewitnesses may remember extra details that they failed to share with the police.
- Your medical records: Information relating to your injuries is important for your case.
A road rage accident can damage more than your body; it can also affect you emotionally, psychologically, and financially. The overall impact on your quality of life can make returning to your life before the accident impossible.
The devastation of an accident demands accountability. If you or a loved one suffered serious injuries, consider taking legal action. A San Diego personal injury lawyer can help you; you are not alone in your pursuit of justice and compensation.
Devastating Injuries Due to Road Rage
A road rage accident can lead to serious injuries that can prevent you from working. Some injuries are so catastrophic that they can prevent you from ever returning to your former career.
The violent impact of a collision from a car or truck can cause one or more of these injuries:
- A brain injury: A severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) can disrupt normal brain function. You or a loved one may face challenges with memory, mobility, and sensations, such as taste or touch. Your loved one may require the care of a skilled nursing facility—an expensive need that can cost thousands per month. Beyond the medical consequences, TBIs can also result in severe emotional and mental stress and can completely change an injured individual’s daily routine, sometimes permanently.
- A spinal cord injury: The spinal cord communicates with the brain to control movement and sensation. When this important part of the body suffers a serious injury, the results are typically devastating for the victim. Expensive changes, such as home modifications for a power chair, can exceed your personal budget. When a spinal cord injury results from road rage, the driver responsible should pay the costs.
- Broken bones: An especially violent accident can result in broken bones that are painful and slow to heal. You may face extensive rehabilitation or, in severe cases, amputation. The devastating loss of a limb can affect you emotionally and psychologically.
- Burns: If a fire erupts from the collision, severe burns may require transport to a burn center. Plastic surgery and skin grafts are sometimes a part of the treatment process. As with other serious injuries, burns may require therapy for those struggling emotionally with their pain.
- Internal injuries: An internal injury is sometimes a silent problem because it does not present any outward signs or symptoms. Internal bleeding, for example, requires a diagnosis by a medical professional. If left untreated, an internal injury can cause serious organ damage and result in death.
These are a few examples of the dangerous types of injuries you may experience due to a road rage accident. The results can devastate your life on many levels, especially financially. Seeking the assistance of a San Diego road rage lawyer can ease your mind and allow you to focus on your healing during this challenging time.
When Road Rage Kills
A knock at the door or phone call with the shocking news of your loved one’s death instantly changes your life. The news is not only devastating, but can also cause you great anxiety about your future.
If your loved one contributed significantly to your household income, the financial impact is worrisome. Your grief gives you little time to consider your next steps as you plan a memorial or funeral and inform others of the death.
As you learn more about the accident, you may want to immediately consider contacting a wrongful death lawyer. If another driver’s negligence caused your loved one’s death, you may qualify for a wrongful death claim and lawsuit.
Wrongful death cases are always complex and often emotional. Money cannot replace what another driver’s reckless actions took from you. Pursuing compensation can, however, perhaps ease your financial stress.
Funeral expenses can cost thousands. Concentrating on how to best honor your loved one’s life is a top priority; contacting a wrongful death lawyer is another top priority that can help you pay for unexpected expenses, like funeral and final medical expenses.
Fight for Compensation
Insurance adjusters are a common factor in both personal injury and wrongful death cases. As representatives of insurance companies, adjusters are sometimes eager to settle claims quickly and for low-dollar settlements.
The aggression and pressure that an insurance adjuster may use to convince you to accept a settlement are unreasonable. A road rage accident results in perhaps the most stress you will ever encounter in your life. Recovering from injuries or mourning your loss makes you vulnerable to making a poor decision about a settlement offer.
Once you accept a settlement, there is no going back. Should your injuries worsen, you lose the right to sue for additional funds. Insurance companies know this and offer victims a low amount designed to protect the companies’ best interests.
Hiring a lawyer can protect you from the various tactics that insurance companies use to confuse and overwhelm you. The settlement process is crucial to protecting your needs, both now and in the future.
A San Diego personal injury lawyer will fight to recover compensation for your:
- Medical costs
- Ongoing medical expenses
- Lost income due to recovery
- Loss of future earnings if you can’t return to work
- Pain and suffering
Fighting for these and other types of compensation is difficult. You may want to negotiate with an insurance company alone. While it is your right, it generally leads to disappointment, unfair compensation, or no compensation.
Medical costs continue to rise, making the fight for fair compensation essential for your future or that of a loved one. The road rage behavior that harmed you or your loved one likely constitutes negligence, and the driver is most likely liable for your harm. You may want to start your journey to justice by contacting a lawyer today for assistance with your case.
You Can Afford a Car Accident Attorney
If you suffered serious harm or lost a loved one due to a road rage accident, hiring a San Diego road rage attorney to assist you is easier than you may think. Most attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, which means they only collect a fee if they successfully recover compensation on your behalf.
There is typically no fee collected upfront, allowing you to reach out for a free case evaluation without placing money down for their services. Personal injury and wrongful death attorneys understand that accident victims face financial challenges due to stress.
By not requiring a retainer, an attorney can get to work on your behalf immediately and negotiate with insurance companies for a fair settlement. While most civil cases settle out of court, your attorney is willing to take your case to trial if necessary.
Insurance companies do not want you to hire an attorney; in fact, some adjusters may attempt to talk you out of hiring one. It is important to remember that their number one priority is not you, but rather their company’s profits and bottom line.
An attorney is on your side throughout your legal process. They can keep you informed and answer any questions you may want to ask. Civil law is best left to legal professionals who bring years of experience to the table. You do not have to manage your case alone. Get the help you need and consider reaching out to a San Diego car accident attorney now.
Why Contacting a Lawyer Now Is Imperative for Your Case
A traumatic car accident or the loss of a loved one can turn your world upside down. Daily schedules stop or change and you can easily lose track of time. The changes in your life may not only upset you, but also can cause you to miss your opportunity for compensation.
The statute of limitations is a set of state laws regarding the time limit for pursuing a civil lawsuit. For personal injury cases, you must file within two years from the date of the accident. This means the clock begins ticking the moment you become injured.
Twenty-four months is not very long when you consider the time and effort necessary for building a strong case for compensation. Your lawyer must get to work as soon as possible to protect your best interests. Failure to file your case promptly generally means you lose your opportunity for compensation forever.
Wrongful death cases generally require two years from the date of death. If your loved one survived the accident but later died from fatal injuries, you may want to contact a lawyer to see if you may pursue a wrongful death case. Your relationship with the decedent is a key factor in determining whether you may pursue compensation.
It is easy to miss important deadlines; an injury or death makes it even more possible. If you suffered serious injuries or lost a loved one due to a San Diego road rage driver, consider seeking justice through legal action today. An experienced San Diego car accident attorney can help you determine your best path forward; reach out to one today.
