When drivers speed, weave in and out of traffic, tailgate, or display other aggressive driving behavior, their actions often result in accidents.
If you suffered an injury due to the aggressive driving of another motorist, you deserve to receive compensation that will pay for your medical bills, pay you missed at work, and even your pain and suffering.
An Akron aggressive driving accident lawyer at Ben Crump Law, PLLC can investigate your case, establish the aggressive driver’s liability, and fight to recover your damages. Call us today at (844) 730-0233 for a free consultation.
Aggressive Driving in Ohio
Unlike some other states, Ohio does not uphold a specific aggressive driving statute. However, the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) §4511.20 does prohibit a person from operating a vehicle with willful and wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property. Violation of this statute counts as a misdemeanor.
With rates of aggressive driving increasing, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) conducted research into contributing factors to this behavior. They identified the following triggers:
- Running late
- Anonymity
- Traffic delays
- Disregard for others
- Disregard for the law
- Habitual or clinical behavior
The NHTSA study also talks about sociological factors like fragmentation and disintegration of community and shared values. While possibly true, this does not negate the fact that, in the eyes of Ohio law, you have the right to demand compensation from an aggressive driver who causes you to suffer an injury.
For a free legal consultation with a aggressive driving lawyer serving Akron, call (844) 730-0233
Types of Aggressive Driving Behavior
According to the NHTSA, aggressive driving happens when “an individual commits a combination of moving traffic offenses so as to endanger other persons or property.”
The Insurance Information Institute (III) lists several types of aggressive driving behavior:
- Passing in a no-pass area
- Tailgating
- Erratic changing of lanes
- Driving on the shoulder, median, or sidewalk
- Negligently, recklessly, or carelessly operating a motor vehicle
- Failing to signal
- Racing
- Failure to heed warnings on vehicles
- Failure to yield right of way
- Failure to heed traffic lights, signs, or officers
- Driving in excess of the posted speed limit
- Driving too fast for road or other conditions
- Making improper turns
- Weaving through traffic
Akron Aggressive Driving Lawyer Near Me (844) 730-0233
Injuries From Aggressive Driving Accidents
The real harm in aggressive driving falls on the other road occupants who stand the risk of injury. If an aggressive driver’s behavior causes an accident that results in someone becoming injured, the injured party can pursue a personal injury claim for damages.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than two and a half million Americans showed up in hospital emergency rooms for crash injuries in 2012. Of those, almost 200,000 were hospitalized for their injuries.
Examples of common injuries from motor vehicle accidents, such as those resulting from aggressive driving, include:
- Soft tissue injuries (strains, sprains, bruising, or damage to ligaments, muscles, tendons)
- Lacerations
- Head injuries
- Cuts and scrapes
- Broken ribs
- Broken legs, arms, shoulders, and hips
- Internal bleeding
- Herniated disc
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
These injuries can generate hefty medical bills. According to CDC, each hospital stay can cost around $57,000, and each crash-related emergency room visit costs around $3,300.
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Investigating Your Accident
The legal team at Ben Crump Law, PLLC will leave no stone unturned in investigating your accident to gather evidence and identify the at-fault party. Toward this end, an Akron aggressive driving accident lawyer will:
- Visit the scene of your accident
- Gather photos and videos
- Collect your medical records
- Obtain the police accident report
- Interview witnesses
We will also speak with accident reconstruction specialists and experts in the fields of medicine, economics, psychology, and occupational therapy to come to a firm, credible list of the losses you have suffered and will suffer from your injury. Contact the team at Ben Crump Law, PLLC today for a no-obligation consultation.
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Recoverable Damages from an Akron Aggressive Driving Accident
Your lawyer can tell you more specifically what types of damages you might be able to recover in your case. The value of your damages connects specifically to the type and extent of your injuries and how they have and will cost you economically and non-economically.
Some of the types of damages you might recover in your case include:
- Doctors’ and surgeons’ fees
- Cost of hospital stay
- Ambulance
- Physical therapy/rehabilitation
- Prescription medicines
- Mobility devices
- Lost wages and benefits
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Emotional stress
If your loved one died from injuries they suffered in an aggressive driving accident, you have the right to pursue a wrongful death action. This differs from a personal injury claim. Your lawyer can assist you in understanding your legal options.
Statute of Limitations in Ohio
Ohio sets a limit for the amount of time you have following your car accident in which to take legal action against the at-fault party. The “statute of limitations” for such a personal injury in Ohio is two years, according to the ORC §2305.10.
The clock on the statute starts ticking on the date your injury occurs. The sooner you hire a lawyer to represent you in your case, the more time you give them to investigate and prepare your case. You also give yourself more time to file a lawsuit against the aggressive driver in the event that you do not recover a settlement from their liability insurance.
An Akron Aggressive Driving Accident Lawyer Can Fight for You
Aggressive drivers put other drivers and pedestrians—often dozens—at serious risk for injury or even death. If an aggressive driver’s behavior on the road caused an accident that resulted in your suffering an injury, you deserve to receive compensation.
An Akron aggressive driving accident lawyer from Ben Crump Law, PLLC stands ready to represent you in your pursuit of justice. We do not shy away from tough cases. We will work to investigate your case, gather evidence, establish the aggressive driver’s liability, negotiate with insurers to get you a settlement, and, if necessary, litigate on your behalf in a civil court.
We charge you nothing unless and until we win you a settlement or court award in your case.
Start the process of justice by calling us today at (844) 730-0233 for a free case review.
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