Road rage is when motorists become frustrated behind the wheel and behave aggressively or with the intent to harm others on the road. It puts others on the road at risk of being involved in a catastrophic car accident that can cause immense harm through severe injuries like traumatic brain injuries (TBI), knee injuries, and spinal cord injuries. Some examples of road rage behavior that can cause an automobile accident include tailgating, cutting off other drivers, and running red lights.
Drivers that behave recklessly behind the wheel and cause a road rage driving accident can be held liable for damages, including medical bills, lost wages, and mental anguish. A road rage driving accident attorney can use their experience handling road rage claims to put you in the best position to recover compensation for your damages. The road rage accident attorneys at The Russo Firm have helped road rage accident victims over decades of service and can use that experience to help you recover compensation for the full cost of your damages.
What is Road Rage?
Some car accidents can occur due to road rage, which is intentionally reckless behavior behind the wheel caused by frustration. It’s easy to get frustrated while driving due to the mistakes made by other drivers, but a driver giving in to that frustration and driving recklessly can put other drivers at risk of suffering harm.
Road rage is one of the most common causes of car accidents in the United States. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 66% of automobile accidents involve a reckless driver. A reckless driver engaging in road rage can put other drivers in danger of suffering severe injury and other catastrophic impacts for which the reckless driver can be held liable.
Examples of Intentionally Harmful Road Rage Driving Behavior
Aggressive driving behavior can range from slightly distracting to incredibly dangerous. While anger behind the wheel can lead a driver to yell in their car, things can get out of hand quickly if their driving behavior reflects how mad they are. Angry driving is reckless driving, and a catastrophic automobile accident can result.
The following are some examples of reckless driving behavior caused by road rage:
- Speeding
- Honking horns
- Cutting off other drivers
- Running red lights and stop signs
- Braking aggressively in front of another driver
- Tailgating
- Refusing to share a lane with another driver
- Screaming out the window at another driver
- Purposefully striking another vehicle
What Causes Road Rage?
Anything that angers a person behind the wheel can contribute to road rage. Drivers need to be able to keep their composure, even if they are wronged by another driver. Reactionary and reckless driving is never good, even if another driver was also negligent. No matter what the case, road rage can cause significant damage to other drivers that can leave the reckless driver liable in a road rage driving accident claim.
The following are some of what can cause road rage:
- A driver was angry before they entered the car
- Slow traffic
- Getting cut off by another driver
- A driver ahead of them not driving fast enough (below the speed limit)
- High life stress
- Crowded roads
Road Rage Accident Injuries
Road rage can lead to reckless driving behavior that can put other drivers at risk of suffering severe injuries. These severe injuries can result from pressure and trauma caused by the impact of an automobile accident.
The following are some of the severe injuries caused by a distracted driving accident that you can pursue compensation for:
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Back and neck injuries
- Broken bones
- Shoulder injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
- Knee injuries
- Internal injuries
- Facial injuries
- Infections
Severe injuries like the ones listed above can require a lot of medical treatment, with medical costs being too much for you to pay out-of-pocket. In that case, you can file a road rage accident claim to pursue compensation for medical costs and other damages caused by the at-fault party.
Damages in a Road Rage Accident Claim
Damages are losses that you sustain due to the negligence or intentionally harmful behavior of the at-fault party. A road rage accident attorney can help you assess your damages and determine what current and future damages you can pursue in a road rage accident claim.
Normally, you can pursue economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are monetary losses, and non-economic damages are intangible losses that reflect how your standard of living has been affected by the road rage accident.
Due to road rage accidents involving the at-fault party’s reckless and intentionally harmful behavior, some judges may require punitive damages from the defendant. These are damages that go beyond what they owe to pay for monetary losses that serve as punishment and to dissuade this type of behavior in the future.
The following are some of the car accident damages you can pursue compensation for in a road rage driving accident claim:
- Medical bills
- Disability costs
- Property damage
- Lost wages
- Lost earning potential
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Loss of companionship/consortium
- Loss of enjoyment of life
How Can a Car Accident Lawyer Help You Pursue Compensation for Road Rage Accident Damages
Some road rage driving accident victims may see handling the claims process alone as a way to save money. However, their lack of experience could lead to a mistake that can limit their possible compensation. The best path for a road rage accident victim to recover full compensation for the cost of their damages is by hiring a car accident lawyer.
They will have a comprehensive handle on the claims process, with knowledge of what steps are necessary and when is the optimal time to complete them. A road rage accident lawyer also has experience negotiating with insurance companies and will know how to mitigate their attempts to deny, devalue, or delay your road rage accident claim.
The following are some of the ways a road rage driving accident attorney can help with your case:
- Assess your road rage driving accident damages
- Determine which party’s road rage caused the car crash
- Send a demand letter to the reckless driver’s insurer
- Collect essential evidence and records to prove the reckless driver’s liability
- Interview witnesses and experts that can help prove your case
- Negotiate a settlement with the reckless driver’s insurance company
- Represent you in a road rage driving accident lawsuit court case
Contact The Russo Firm for Help With Your Road Rage Accident Claim
At The Russo Firm, our car accident lawyers have experience helping victims of road rage driving accidents. They can keep in constant communication with you and develop a personalized legal counsel plan that is designed around the specifics of your case. We do not believe in a “one size fits all” approach to legal counsel and can use our more specific approach to put you in the best position to recover full compensation for your damages. Allow our experienced road rage driving accident lawyers to handle the claims process efficiently and effectively, so you can focus on your medical recovery while we earn you fair compensation for your damages.
If you were involved in a road rage driving accident, you could get a free consultation with the Russo Law Firm’s road rage driving accident lawyers to see how they can help you recover compensation for your damages. Contact us at (561) 270-0913 or leave a message on our online contact page.