Road Rage Victims: What Comes Next
A car accident is always a traumatic incident. However, car accidents are even more difficult when they are caused by road rage. During a road rage incident, one party has uncontrollable anger on the road, which leads that person to aggressively attack another car or another driver or passenger. These incidents can damage your car, your physical body and your emotional state. That is why it is imperative to know what your rights are after a road rage incident.
Understanding Road Rage
In some cases, road rage incidents involve a vehicle collision. These collisions can be caused accidentally as a result of aggressive and erratic driving. However, in extreme cases, these incidents may also be fully intentional. One driver may ram into another in a fit of rage. While many road rage accidents involve a vehicle collision, it is important to know that some cases may only involve a physical altercation. This can happen when both parties pull off to the side of the road and interaction occurs. In cases like this, there may be physical assault or even an attack with a deadly weapon. Clearly, there are a range of incidents that can be considered road rage.
Road Rage as a Personal Injury Case
No matter what type of road rage incident you are involved with as a victim, it is important to understand the legal parameters. In some cases, criminal charges may be filed and pursued in court. These can include traffic violations, assault and battery. However, you should also realize that you have civil recourse if you are the victim of a road rage incident. Most of the time, these cases are considered personal injury cases. Personal injury cases cover a wide range of incidents, and they are drawn up to allow victims to gain compensation after an accident. These accidents must be legally proven to be the fault of another party. Clearly, road rage incidents fit this profile perfectly.
When to Pursue Your Case
After an incident of road rage, you may not be sure whether or not to pursue personal legal action. Obviously, the legal process can be cumbersome and stressful, but there are many good reasons to think seriously about starting a case. A personal injury road rage case can help victims get compensation. If you have significant or ongoing medical bills, this compensation can be crucial to managing your finances. You may also want compensation if the incident has caused you to miss work or cost you your job. In these cases, you can use your personal injury road rage case to receive compensation for lost wages. This ensures that you are able to support yourself despite any injuries sustained in the incident. You may also be interested in compensation if the incident has caused ongoing emotional or psychological trauma. Families may consider a case if a loved one has been killed in the accident.
Building Your Legal Case
In order to win your personal injury case in court, you must be able to prove that the other party is legally responsible for the incident. In order to do this, you must be able to sufficiently document the incident, its aftermath and your medical condition. To establish your case, start by documenting the scene. Take as many pictures as you can on the scene, and obtain the names and addresses of witnesses. Getting a copy of the police report may be especially useful, which is why you should call the police as soon as possible to verify all parts of the scene. You may be able to access surveillance footage of nearby cameras if such footage is available. It is also important to see a doctor quickly in order to fully document the extent of your physical injuries. All of these elements are essential to prove that the other party was responsible and to establish how much compensation you deserve.
Your Next Step
If you have been the victim of road rage, you do not have to suffer alone. Instead, consider your legal options by talking to a trusted legal team. An experienced personal injury lawyer can assess your case to determine whether or not you should pursue action in court. Contact the Powerhouse Injury Attorneys today for a free consultation: 702-444-2222