How often have you seen or heard people suffering severe injuries in road accidents, some even leading to their deaths? Knowing the dangers reckless driving can cause on the road, it is still not taken seriously enough. Over 33% of all major road accidents are caused by careless driving.
Reckless and careless drivers have no regard for other people’s safety. They don’t follow the regulations of the roads and violate traffic signals, stop signs, or any other signs on the road, and ignore other drivers and vehicles on the road.
Reckless driving is either a colossal traffic violation or a serious driving offense in California. If you or a loved one has been injured in a reckless driving accident near Sacramento, contact Ashley Injury Lawyers, who will thoroughly investigate your case and fight to ensure that the victims receive just compensation.
What is Reckless Driving?
Reckless driving encompasses more than just being a negligent driver. It is a criminal violation in California. A reckless driver is defined under 23103 VC California Vehicle Code as anyone who operates an automobile with purposeful neglect for property and the safety of everyone on the road. The terminology has a broad definition and can describe a wide range of dangerous driving practices. We have listed a few of the most typical scenarios of reckless driving:
- Violation of traffic signals
- Racing on the streets
- Driving while under the influence
- Driving on the sidewalk or any other area not intended for vehicles.
- Tailgating
- Dodging through traffic
- Making dangerous lane changes
- Driving in the opposite direction
- Distracted driving
- Rash and fast driving
- Driving over the speed limit
Such driving practices can lead to several injuries, all of which could have been avoided. Reckless drivers show disregard for almost all road rules, and their behavior can even lead to road rage.
Injuries Sustained Due to Reckless or Aggressive Driving
Road accidents can turn people’s lives upside-down and cause serious injuries. The injuries sustained as a result of reckless or aggressive driving are as follows:
- Brain injuries
- Chest injuries
- Injuries to the spinal cord
- Tears and cuts to the face and body
- Amputations
- Fractures
- Chronic pain
- Death
Why Should I Hire an Attorney After a Car Accident?
Because injuries sustained in a reckless driving accident might require a lengthy recovery period, you may be unable to work and earn a living. This might put a person under further stress, causing them anxiety and impeding their entire recovery. After a significant injury, financial instability is a genuine and valid issue. Hire an attorney after a car accident. You will be able to learn how you can obtain the most reimbursement that will make up for the sufferings and injuries sustained from an accident.
Insurance providers are primarily interested in protecting their resources. Thus, providing accident victims with all of the benefits they are eligible for may not be their most significant advantage. An expert attorney like Ashley Injury Lawyers will help you get the proper claim amount, assist in building a case, consult with witnesses, provide evidence, and inform you about any other legal actions.
What Are the Options for a Victim Seeking Compensation?
In a reckless driving accident, the victim seeking compensation has a few choices through which they can demand reimbursement. California, being a “fault” state, also holds the reckless and negligent drivers who cause accidents liable for the accident’s financial consequences. In most cases, a victim in a fault-based state can seek justice through the methods mentioned below:
- Seek compensation through the reckless drivers’ insurance company.
- File a personal injury case against the reckless driver to seek compensation
- Or seek compensation from their insurance provider.
What Is My Car Accident Injury Claim Worth?
A personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit can shield you from future expenditures and losses that you may not be able to estimate right now and that insurance may not reimburse. Depending on your case, you may obtain both economic and non-economic damages with a complete settlement.
Economic damages are items with a fixed cost, and non-economic damages are things that can’t be quantified.
Economic damages include:
- Hospital stays
- Medical bills
- Prescription medications
- Surgery
- Prosthetics
- Rehab
- Loss of wages, present, and future
- Impairments
Non-economic damages are as follows:
- Companionship loss
- Expenses associated with a wrongful death
- Suffering and pain
- Emotional and mental trauma
- Loss of quality of life
All these monetary compensations are undertaken by California’s Pure Comparative Negligence system, which aids both the authorities and insurance providers in determining the amount of reimbursement the victim is entitled to after a car accident. It operates by apportioning blame for the avoidable accident to every driver involved. The ratio of fault calculated for the accident is then used to decide the amount of damage each person is liable to pay.
Keep In Mind the Deadlines for Filing a Lawsuit
Victims become so engrossed in dealing with the repercussions of a car accident that they almost miss the deadlines California has set for filing personal injury cases. The State of California has set a two years limit for filing a personal injury lawsuit. While it may seem like enough time, the time it takes to heal from injuries and the hassle caused by insurance companies can take a significant amount of time. Victims are usually left with very little time to file for documentation and collect necessary paperwork. Therefore, you must call an attorney at the earliest.
How Is Reckless Driving Punishable by Law?
Reckless driving is a misdemeanor infraction that can result in a jail sentence of up to 90 days or a penalty of at least $145.00. According to the circumstances of the case, penalties for reckless driving might be as high as $1,000. When reckless driving causes an accident with injuries, a person could face 30 days to six months in prison or fines ranging from $200 to $1,000. Suppose a reckless driver causes catastrophic injuries, such as broken bones, concussions, brain trauma, or paralysis. In that case, a court may decide to elevate the conduct to a felony and inflict harsher sanctions. These sentences might last anywhere from 16 months to three years.
Proving Negligence in a Car Accident
When someone is found guilty of a motor accident, they are held accountable. However, you must prove negligence to have a successful car accident claim. There are four main aspects to this:
- The driver owed you an obligation of care. In the event of an automobile collision, all drivers assume a responsibility to respect the rules of the road for the sake of the safety of others. All drivers, pedestrians, motorcyclists, and bicyclists are included in this.
- By driving recklessly or negligently, the motorist violated this duty of care. Breach of road rules, signals, poor vehicle upkeep, and inattentive driving are all examples of negligence.
- A negligent act caused your accident.
- Your injuries were caused by an accident. You will not receive compensation for any damages you had before the collision in the vehicle accident claim.
While proving the obligation of care is simple, proving the rest of the elements can be complicated, so employing an experienced attorney will help you receive the compensation you deserve.
The Most Common Type of Reckless Driving Car Accidents
Different types of car accidents occur due to reckless or aggressive driving. Listed below are some of the most common ones:
- Side-impact collisions, often known as “T-bone” collisions, happen when the side of an automobile is struck by another vehicle. This type of collision usually occurs at crossroads or junctions when one vehicle fails to surrender the right-of-way to oncoming traffic or fails to obey traffic signals.
- Rear-end collisions are one of the most prevalent forms of car accidents, and they frequently result in long-term injuries. Rear collisions are not usually the responsibility of the rear driver, despite what people think. To determine liability, these situations must be thoroughly investigated.
- Accidents that occur when the front ends of two cars clash, generally at high speeds, are known as head-on collisions. Drivers usually under the influence of alcohol or other drugs or distracted by cell phones are frequently the cause of head-on incidents.
- Rollover accidents can happen in various ways, including side-impact incidents and situations when a motorist overcorrects after making a mistake on the road. Those involved in rollover accidents frequently suffer horrific injuries.
- Accidents that involve more than one vehicle, commonly called pile-up accidents, occur primarily at crossroads, busy roads, or interstate highways.
- Single-car collisions can cause injuries just as devastating as those caused by multi-vehicle collisions. Single-car accidents can result from a variety of factors. Although sometimes it is the motorist who is at fault, single-car crashes are frequently caused by the conduct of other drivers or by poorly maintained roads.
One can never know when life will take a turn if you are a car accident victim. Therefore, it is essential that you always wear a seatbelt, maintain your vehicle’s upkeep, and stay within the speed limit.
How Much Do Car Accident Attorneys Charge?
While contacting an attorney is the best way to recover compensation, the future cost may deter some people. After all, accident victims frequently have high medical expenses to deal with, and they don’t want to add additional financial worry to their list.
Most attorneys take 1/3rd of the final segment offer as compensation for their efforts. However, in some cases, the court may decide that the defendant will pay some of the plaintiff’s attorney fees.
We at Ashley Injury Lawyers don’t charge anything until the entire settlement is received. This means you won’t be paying anything out of pocket.
What Happens if Someone Claims a Car Accident Lawsuit Against You?
Let’s look at a different scenario. A car accident is complicated, and it is difficult to determine who is at fault while you are sure it wasn’t you. The other party is filing a personal injury lawsuit against you. What do you do?
First and foremost, you must remain calm and hire an attorney as soon as possible. Never acknowledge the accident was your fault and never admit to any guilt. It is better to stay as tight-lipped about the accident as possible.
You might even believe the accident was your fault, even though it wasn’t. Additionally, if your insurance policy contains certain restrictions, admissions of guilt can jeopardize your coverage. This implies you’ll have to foot the bill for any compensation.
Let your car accident attorney in Sacramento handle the situation while you can stay calm and relax.
Why Choose Ashley Injury Lawyers?
Ashley Injury Attorneys are knowledgeable, aggressive, and caring. Our personal injury attorneys have years of expertise and are unafraid of insurance companies. Ashley Injury Lawyers is well-known among insurance companies, and we have a good reputation in the field. First, our priority is getting you the best medical treatment possible before considering your compensation. The Ashley Injury Lawyers distinguish themselves from other legal firms by providing exceptional client service and compassion. Ashley Injury Lawyers will get you the attention you need and help you settle your case for the most money possible.
We can handle every part of your case, from negotiating settlements to pursuing trials, so you may focus on getting better. Keep in mind that personal injury legislation in California has a two-year statute of limitations.
Contact Ashley Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation on your case. A professional attorney will respond quickly to assist you.
