How Road Rage Impacts Car injury Claims
Road rage occurs when a motorist is angered by another driver and ends up behaving or acting violently, abnormally, or insanely. Yelling, tailgating, cutting, cursing, or making angry gestures to other drivers are some common forms of road rage. According to a reputable accident attorney in Alaska, road rage can cause an accident and serious injuries or fatalities.
If you survived a road rage incident in Alaska, you can recover damages for your loss because Alaska is an at-fault state. In other words, you can file legal action against the faulting driver. Although you might be 100% sure that the other driver is responsible for the accident, it’s not a good idea to seek justice without legal representation–that’s why most people facing such situations hire an accident attorney in Alaska
Establishing Negligence in Accidents Resulting from Road Rage
According to a recent study, 80% of the interviewed drivers confessed to having experienced road rage admit at one time in their driving lives. The common road rage triggers were found to be tailgating and cutting other drivers carelessly.
A victim of road rage can take legal action against the offending driver if they’re injured in an accident resulting from such careless stunts. Depending on the facts of a case, a road rage accident can be a criminal or civil offense. A road rage accident involving serious injuries or fatalities is considered a crime, and a civil offense if no injuries or fatalities are involved.
Filing an Injury Claim after an Accident Resulting from Road Rage
The plaintiff must prove the following three elements to sustain an injury claim:
- The defendant owed them a duty of care;
- The faulting driver breached the duty of care; and
- The breach resulted in injuries.
Duty of care means driving like a reasonable person in this case. Driving carelessly, negligently, and incautiously constitutes negligence.
Road Rage Incidents–Recoverable Damages
Accidents resulting from road rage can have serious impacts on the victims and their families–that’s why you should seek justice after such accidents by claiming damages for:
- Severe bodily injuries;
- Treatment and medication;
- Lost wages;
- Lost earning opportunities;
- Loss of consortium;
- Mental anguish;
- Pain and suffering, and more.
Benefits of Hiring an Accident Attorney
The benefits of hiring an accident attorney can include:
- Legal Knowledge
Accident lawyers possess legal skills that can come in handy when litigating an injury claim–an accident lawyer can help your situation considering they’ve handled similar cases.
- Legal Advice
Seeking legal counsel is recommendable even if you don’t intend to hire a lawyer because their advice can help you understand what to expect and prepare accordingly. Also, most lawyers do not demand upfront payment–a lack of finances shouldn’t limit your right to legal representation.
- Legal Connections
Lawyers consult experts or professionals, such as investigators, doctors, accountants, and more. This means that foregoing legal representation can negatively impact the outcome of your case.
Road rage can cause serious accidents, severe injuries, or fatalities. Having said that, motorists should avoid road rage triggers–you never know what the other driver is capable of.
