We represent Spokane victims who are hurt in accidents caused by road rage drivers. Those drivers can face criminal charges, but they must also be held fully responsible for the damage they cause and the injuries victims are left with.
Please contact our Spokane Car Accident Lawyers to schedule a free case consultation. Let’s talk over what happened to you and how best to hold a reckless driver fully responsible for every cost of your recovery.
Should You Have a Lawyer After Getting Hit by a Road Rage Driver
If you suffered a serious injury, like a broken foot or brain trauma, and a driver acting out in rage caused your accident, it’s a good idea to have a legal professional look over your case.
These injuries come with much bigger price tags (at the hospital), and that makes car insurance companies take notice. Insurance adjusters are taught to fight liability on expensive cases, no matter how much evidence is stacked against their policyholder.
They may try to blame you for the accident, and in a road rage incident, that can be a problem. Investigators can’t always see the effects of rage on a driver’s actions and, sometimes, they don’t blame the right person for a crash. An innocent driver can be listed at-fault, even though the road rage driver’s actions made the crash almost intentional.
Your attorney would protect you by gathering all evidence and witness testimony to make sure the blame stayed with the road rage motorist. When necessary, an accident reconstruction team can also be hired to add physical evidence of the reckless driver’s actions.
You always have the option to file your own insurance claim or lawsuit. However, please consider a skilled lawyer when a case is complex, such as one that involves a road rage incident. Your CCD lawyer is often able to prove fault and then demand much more from a car insurance company than you could win yourself.
What a Road Rage Driver Should Pay for After an Accident
A road rage driver on a busy road like Division can create havoc and put many people in danger at once. They may reach such a level of rage that they suddenly lose their grip on the consequences of their actions. It’s a dangerous state of mind.
They can build speed without paying attention to the traffic ahead. They may endanger someone whom they feel has wronged them at an intersection. But they can also endanger pedestrians trying to cross the street and cyclists along the side of the road. They can put oncoming drivers and even parked motorists in danger.
Doors might be smashed in, and victims may be rushed to Sacred Heart with serious injuries.
Road Rage drivers should have to cover all economic damages they cause, but a CCD Law attorney would also demand support for these hardships:
- Medical Bills (Past and Future)
- Lifelong support for any potential permanent disabilities caused by a collision
- Support for the pain victims endure
- Support for the emotional trauma victims experience in recovery
- Support for the loss of enjoyment of life
- Travel Costs to get to doctor’s appointments
- Income and benefits lost while the victim is out of work
- Damage to the vehicle repaired or money for a new vehicle
- Wrongful death benefits for families who lose a loved one to a road rage accident
Road Rage Dangers Around Spokane
An encounter with an unhinged driver on a Spokane street or highway can leave you pulling your hair out. Unfortunately, a road rage driver’s actions can also have much more serious consequences and send you into a major crash.
You may have accidentally cut off a road rage driver. You may not even know what you did to cause such an angry reaction. It really doesn’t matter. The driver who lets their temper get the best of them and then drives in a dangerous fashion would be fully liable for an accident.
Common Road Rage Dangers:
- Tailgaiting: A driver on Trent Avenue may be upset with you and suddenly run right up on your bumper. Despite being a bit worried, you might keep your speed steady and still be struck from behind.
- Aggressive Lane Changes: A motorist on the Sunset Highway may show displeasure by roaring by you, trying to pass with as little room as possible. They may lose control, or you may lose control. Other vehicles could be struck in the reckless maneuver by the road rage driver.
- Brake-Checking: An angry driver on Ruby Street may jump in front of you and slam the brakes to get a message across. It’s a dangerous move that can cause an accident, but if you ram into the back of the vehicle, it may look like you caused the accident.
- Intentionally Ramming a Vehicle: A driver may try to intentionally ram you right off the road. Hopefully, A Spokane Police officer or a Washington State Patrol officer will be able to see all the signs of a road rage driver and create an accurate accident report showing what really caused a crash.
- Reaction Crashes: Road Rage drivers can lose their minds, and while trying to honk at you or gesture to you, they can veer out of their own lanes to cause a collision. They are fully responsible for their carelessness while trying to vent their fury.
- Violent Attacks: Road rage perpetrators can try to stop you, rush up to your window, shoot at you, or wave a knife at you. Even if you aren’t physically struck, a scary driver can still unnerve you and cause you to strike someone or something. The road rage suspect would usually be held liable for any harm that you caused in trying to avoid them.
You Don’t Have to Wait on a Criminal Road Rage Trial to File an Insurance Claim
Those who drive while controlled by rage can face criminal charges. There is no “road rage” charge, but suspects can be charged with felony assault, reckless driving, or vehicular assault. The charge depends on the harm caused.
Suspects will most likely get hit with criminal charges if an accident is caused. They’ll face hearings and perhaps a trial, but that doesn’t affect a car accident victim’s ability to file an insurance claim.
The battle over who pays medical bills and replaces lost income at work for victims is settled in a civil claim or a civil lawsuit. It won’t depend on where a criminal trial stands. They are two separate cases.
It’s a good idea to work with your lawyer when deciding when to file. Once your lawyer feels your case is backed by powerful evidence, the claim can be filed at any time.
Contact a Spokane Road Rage Accident Lawyer
If you were hurt in an accident, and a road rage motorist was to blame, it’s a good idea to talk over your case with a Spokane Car Accident Lawyer. CCD Law offers a free case consultation to all car accident victims.
We want you to know what your accident and injuries are worth before an insurer tries to get you to accept much less. We also want you to have the evidence necessary to prove who was really at fault in a road rage incident.
We also understand that medications, surgeries, and physical therapy after an accident can quickly wipe out your savings. You may not have the money to hire a lawyer. But don’t worry. If you need us, we’re there. We only get paid if we win your case for you. Then our attorney’s fee comes out of the settlement check that an insurance company writes for you.